Building Resilient Communities
Overview
Not everyone has the resources to prepare for, cope with, and recover from disasters. Factors such as medical challenges, limited financial resources, language barriers, limited access to transportation, and numerous socioeconomic aspects impact a disaster’s effect on households and communities. To gain clarity on how best to provide vulnerable households and communities with needed knowledge, tools and capacity for disaster response, the Southern Rural Development Center, in partnership with land-grant university Extension educators in five key states, has undertaken community-based field assessments to explore disaster awareness and preparedness among 10 strategically selected communities. Within these communities, the SRDC has been evaluating how well the resources from FEMA’s Emergency Preparedness Demonstration (EPD) Project prepare communities to address the unique needs facing local vulnerable audiences during times of disasters.
Field Assessment Resources
Facilitator Tools
Additional Documents
Overview
Not everyone has the resources to prepare for, cope with, and recover from disasters. Factors such as medical challenges, limited financial resources, language barriers, limited access to transportation, and numerous socioeconomic aspects impact a disaster’s effect on households and communities. To gain clarity on how best to provide vulnerable households and communities with needed knowledge, tools and capacity for disaster response, the Southern Rural Development Center, in partnership with land-grant university Extension educators in five key states, has undertaken community-based field assessments to explore disaster awareness and preparedness among 10 strategically selected communities. Within these communities, the SRDC has been evaluating how well the resources from FEMA’s Emergency Preparedness Demonstration (EPD) Project prepare communities to address the unique needs facing local vulnerable audiences during times of disasters.Field Assessment Resources
- Project Overview [PDF]
- Findings [PPT] [PDF]
- Final Summary [PDF]
- State Summary Notes [PDF]
Facilitator Tools
- Roundtable Discussion Tools
- Bridge Meeting Tools
Additional Documents
- Agendas
- Formal Invitation Letters
- Informal Community Postcard [DOC]
- IRB Informed Consent Statement [DOC]
- State Final Report Template [DOC]
- Arkansas
- Project Summary [PDF]
- Jefferson County [PDF]
- Ouachita County [PDF]
- Florida
- Project Summary [PDF]
- Escambia County [PDF]
- Gadsden County [PDF]
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Louisiana
- Project Summary [PDF]
- Ouachita Parish [PDF]
- Richland Parish [PDF]
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Oklahoma
- Project Summary [PDF]
- Comanche County [PDF]
- Okfuskee County [PDF]
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Missouri
- Project Summary [PDF]
- Buchanan County [PDF]
- Maries County [PDF]











