Community resilience and risk reduction
Help your neighbours and community prepare for hazards and emergencies, reduce disaster risks, and build resilience.
Communities that are more connected are more resilient.
Where to start
A resilient community works together to reduce disaster risks and get prepared for all types of emergencies. This means adapting, responding and recovering together.
Get to know your neighbours
- Connect with neighbours by hosting or attending events, or create an online neighbourhood group to:
- discuss emergency preparedness
- learn about past local emergencies
- understand current risks and learn how to make your neighbourhood safer and more resilient
- Find out what your neighbours might need in an emergency and offer to:
- share your skills, tools or support with preparedness activities
- regularly check in on vulnerable members of your community who may need extra support before, during or after a crisis
- Tell your neighbours about your own emergency needs
Get involved in local preparedness
- Help organize and promote activities around your neighbourhood, such as:
- cleaning catch basins
- removing garbage from streets, parks and sidewalks
- identifying and sharing community risk assessment knowledge and information
- organizing event days for training or post-disaster clean up
- planning and practicing evacuation routes
- participating in Emergency Preparedness Week and other similar initiatives
- Know your official community emergency plan
- Get involved or volunteer with your local community groups
- Volunteer with non-governmental organizations
Build your own resilience
Grow your own knowledge, skills and resources to be part of your community's resilience.
- Build an emergency kit and create an emergency plan
- Stay connected to weather and emergency alert services
- Check if your wireless phone is compatible with Alert Ready, Canada's emergency alerting system
- Understand the risks in your area and take steps to stay safe
- Learn practical skills like:
- Performing first aid
- Turning off utilities in your home
- Using a fire extinguisher
- Managing mental health and stress
- Learn about your local, provincial or territorial emergency management organizations
- Find local programs to help your community reduce disaster risks
Community organizations
Find community organizations, such as a community group, association or centre, that can support you with resources and programs tailored to your area's needs.
How community organizations can help you
Community organizations can provide:
- Educational resources on emergency preparedness
- Programs for disaster risk reduction and recovery
- Community-building activities to strengthen local connections
- Mental health and social support
Reach out to community organizations in your area to learn what's available and how you can get involved.
Understanding your local risk
Reach out to a community organization to:
- Understand the risks your community faces
- Review local emergency plans and risk assessments from your local, provincial or territorial government
Get involved in your community organizations
- Attend events focused on emergency preparedness hosted by a community organization
- Follow community organizations on social media for disaster updates and preparedness tips
- Join a forum to discuss risk reduction, preparedness and recovery experiences from recent disasters
- Get informed about available tailored programs offered by a community organization that you can share with community members
Working together for a safer community
Community organizations often collaborate with:
- Local, provincial or territorial governments to share emergency preparedness resources and guides
- Guides may include preparation information if your community welcomes evacuees from a nearby area
- Other community groups, non-profit organizations and service providers to help strengthen local response efforts
- Local emergency plans can be shared with other organizations to ensure alignment and effective information sharing before, during and after a disaster
- Local businesses to contribute resources, services or space during emergencies
You can also ask your local community organizations how to get involved or volunteer to support preparedness and recovery efforts.
Additional emergency preparedness information
Funded by the Government of Canada, the Canadian Red Cross has preparedness materials for people who live in places where floods, wildfires, or earthquakes can happen. This information is available in English, French, Indigenous languages, and other international languages.