Get a Kit: Community

The Point

In a disaster communities are going to need supplies to get through the disaster recovery period. They may need to draw from their own resources or reach out to others for assistance.

Do This

Communities should identify sources of emergency supplies and encourage community members to create their own emergency supply kits.

  • Use the offered supplies from willing neighbors
  • Establish MOU's with local businesses
  • Build a community supply cache
  • Identify potential Points of Distribution (POD's) sites

Get a Kit: Community

There are many ideas that communities could consider to have the needed supplies to sustain a community or neighborhood. Below are a few examples:

The Power of Individuals Coming Together

Community preparedness is largely based on the level of individual and family preparedness. Communities can encourage individuals and families to get kits of their own. Individual supplies brought together can make a difference for others in a community in a time of need.

Some communities like to survey their neighborhood for skills and supplies. The problem with these surveys is keeping it current, but the info may still be useful. Here are some Neighborhood Surveys that may help:

Business MOU's and MOA's

You could work with local businesses or other organizations to establish Memorandums of Understanding (MOU's) or Memorandums of Agreement (MOA's) to provide emergency equipment or supplies if needed.

For example, in the wake of a large wildfire a community could work with local businesses to provide food and water in a local emergency shelter and with other organizations to provide other resources for the displaced community or for the use of emergency responders.

Community Supply Cache

A Community Supply Cache may be a central location for supplies that the neighborhood agrees on with the supplies they may need. Examples of these may look like a shipping container strategically located in a community. These need to be maintained, which means the supplies need to be regularly inspected and rotated. Consideration for protecting the supplies and access to the supplies also needs to be planned.

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program in your jurisdiction may be considering ideas for supplies needed in your community. A CERT Trailer may be used to house supplies that can be brought to a location in need.

POD's

There are 2 different types of PODs that may be used by your community.

A Point Of Distribution (POD) site is used by your community to act as a central location to distribute supplies a community may need, such as food and water.

A Point Of Dispensing (POD) site is used by local health departments to distribute needed medication in the event normal pharmaceuticals are not available.

Contact your local Emergency Manager to find the planned location of your communities POD's.

12 Areas of Preparedness
Utah Hazards

Follow The Be Ready Utah Conversation


Get a Kit by Audience