Calm in the storm: Sharing lessons in disaster preparedness

What starts as a spectacular summer storm, can quickly spiral into a citywide emergency.

SBP, a nonprofit formed after Hurricane Katrina, is on a mission to ensure that first responders, businesses and community members are well prepared in advance of the storm.

With a million grant from the Z Zurich Foundation, SBP is fanning out to eight cities to share lessons in resilience learned from over 1,000 rebuilding projects that followed Katrina in 2005 and Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

This video focuses on SBP’s training to first responders – including doctors and nurses – on how to mitigate disaster-related risks to their own homes and loved ones. The idea is that if they’re better prepared at home, they can more quickly turn their attention and skills to the surrounding community that needs them in a crisis.

The SBP training program covers key preparedness measures. It starts with knowing your exposure. Trainers highlight ZIP code-targeted tools from disastersafety.org and floodsmart.gov to help you identify hazards most likely to impact your area.

Based on those risks, SBP trainers offer preparedness coaching and a template for formulating an action-plan, one that addresses questions such as:

• What are the safest places to take shelter from extreme winds?
• What are the escape routes?
• What is your regional meeting place if you have to evacuate your neighborhood?
• Do you have insurance coverage for the risks in your area?

Forming a disaster action plan can instill resilience and calm before, during, and after the storm.

For details on SBP’s training, go to: sbpusa.org