Getting Involved in Disaster Preparedness & Response
There are many different ways to get involved in community disaster preparedness and response both within your own neighborhood, around the state and beyond. Your help can make a huge difference.
Preparing your community
Find out about the emergency plans in your community
- If you have children, learn about the emergency plans for their school or daycare facility.
- Read the emergency plans for your place of work.
- Contact your local emergency manager to learn about the hazards and plans specific to your community.
- Review the county emergency plans. The City of Saint Paul maintains its own emergency plans. We always appreciate your questions and feedback!
Participate in community preparedness events
- Winter Hazard Awareness Week in November.
- Severe Storm Awareness Week in April.
- National Night Out/Night to Unite in August
- National Preparedness Month in September.
- America’s Prepare-athon.
Speak up
If you see something that looks suspicious or dangerous in your neighborhood - anything from a clogged storm drain to someone who appears to be acting strangely - tell a city or county official right away. If you think there’s an immediate danger to people’s lives, call 9-1-1. If You See Something, Say Something.
Donating
Donating to voluntary organizations is one of the most effective ways to help out before and after a disaster. While many people are tempted to send goods like used clothes or food, often this can cause more problems than it solves for disaster victims.
By far the best solution is to donate money to one of the many Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOADs). VOADs are proven and trusted voluntary agencies that specialize in helping disaster victims and communities prepare for, respond to and recover from a disaster. The funds you give them help them provide their services directly to victims and also support the local economy at the disaster location.
If you can’t give money, then donate your used clothes etc. to a local thrift store or food shelf run by a VOAD. The additional money they can make or save with your donations of goods will help them offset the cost of their services at the disaster
Volunteering
Volunteering is another wonderful way to help your community. There are dozens of different organizations you can volunteer for, with different missions and services they provide in a disaster. The best way to volunteer is to become part of an organization before a disaster. This is known as becoming “affiliated” with a voluntary agency. That way you can get specialized training and skills that will make you ready to respond with them. Many of these organizations are part of our emergency plans and are called upon to do direct work in the disaster that volunteers who are not with an agency cannot do.