Develop community capacity to prepare for, mitigate, respond to, and bounce forward from climate and hazard emergencies

Truly resilient communities are able to individually prepare and support neighbors in responding to shocks (like earthquakes, wildfires, extreme heat, and flooding) and long-term stresses (like inequity, climate change, and aging infrastructure) by adapting to maintain crucial community functions (like strong social networks, safe drinking water, roads, and public safety infrastructure). The power of resilient communities is their ability to adapt to and learn from a variety of shocks and stresses and incorporate any lessons learned into preparation for and reaction to future events.

OurCounty will support community resilience by partnering to expand community capacity to respond to emergencies at the neighborhood scale in ways that respect and maintain community culture and social fabric. For example, the County can support neighborhood use of public spaces in ways that increase community bonds and can serve as organizing hubs during a shock. These opportunities can further encourage and facilitate the development of community-led resilience hubs by providing technical guidance, resources, or connections to partners, allowing communities to strengthen local preparedness and social resilience on their own terms. These actions will contribute to community cohesion and will also improve residents’ short- and long-term quality of life.