By Emma Walton | Community Resilience Coordinator, OEM  November 15, 2017

After a bad thunderstorm, who is going to help Mrs. Miller clean the branches off her car? Who will help Mr. Jones down the steps to safety?

A year ago this month, our office launched READYCommunity to help figure out who on your block needs help during a disaster and who the helpers are.

Related: OEM Launches READYCommunity, Brings ‘Being Ready’ To Your Block

Over this past year, READYCommunity has reached 7 neighborhoods in Philadelphia and helped over 250 Philadelphia neighbors develop a plan for different types of emergencies they may face.

By establishing whole neighborhood preparedness and guiding residents as they create an emergency plan on the block level, neighborhoods become resilient and able to face any disaster. By spending time together learning about hazards, they begin to understand how to prepare and soldier through tough situations. Together.

Monthly workshops help to build a network of neighbors, businesses and community organizations that can provide support before, during and after an emergency. Participants receive a workbook written specifically for their neighborhood. It is filled with facts on hazards common to their area of Philadelphia, information on ways that they can prepare for those hazards, neighborhood specific resources, and room to fill in their own community concerns. This workbook is a template for community member to create their own emergency plan.

As many recent disasters have demonstrated, neighbors are typically the first responders in disaster situations. Join your community in creating an emergency plan. All of our workshops are on our calendar at www.phila.gov/ready and are open to the public. If you are interested in getting your organization or business involved, please email us at oem@phila.gov.