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Ready Communities

When it's safe to do so, there are a few things you could do to help reduce the effects of emergencies on your community. You could take a step further and form a group to coordinate these kinds of activities.

Examples include:

  • checking on vulnerable people in your area
  • offering lifts to supermarkets and pharmacies
  • opening a community facility as a place of safety
  • in severe weather you could offer to clear snow from driveways, roads and footpaths

A key benefit of doing this is that your community is even more prepared to deal with, respond to, and recover from an emergency. Your efforts could help minimise damage and disruption to your community.

Emergency responders have limited resources and can’t be everywhere at the same time. They must prioritise those in greatest need, especially where lives are at risk.

For this reason, it can be difficult to provide immediate support to all affected communities. For example, during widespread severe weather events or power cuts.

With communities more prepared and, therefore resilient, it also allows the council and other emergency responders to direct and dedicate limited resources in an emergency more efficiently.

It is important to note that any arrangements undertaken by an individual or community should not aim to replace the work of emergency responders. A community response should complement their work in times of emergencies. To know more about Fife Council’s role in emergencies, follow this link to the page Fife Council’s role in Emergency Resilience.

Continue reading to find out more about:

  • Steps to take when thinking about developing community arrangements
  • The different types of arrangements
  • Case studies of existing community resilience groups

Resilient communities start with resilient individuals and households. If you haven’t already, make sure to read our page ‘Ready at Home’.

For more information contact the Emergency Resilience Team