About 6 weeks ago I first told you about the successful Community Resilience model “NYLRF Community Emergency Plan scheme” in my post UK Community Resilience – a brilliant example of what really works. Then, I gave you some solid scientific background on why this project was destined to score excellent results. Now it’s time for the promised details and updates.

Good news: communities are engaging in a very positive way

Since the scheme’s launch, North Yorkshire Resilience Forum (NYLRF) has seen a marked increase in community motivation, engagement and response.  Thanks to their substantial and sustained awareness raising efforts, more and more communities understand not only the necessity but also  the value of Emergency and Disaster Preparedness.

1€ spent on disaster preparedness saves up to 7€ in relief efforts! Check latest factsheet on #resilience: https://t.co/MZLUjr7CDU #DRR

— EU Humanitarian Aid (@eu_echo) September 30, 2015

NYLRF’s success is such that they have managed to affect positive change in their local culture:

• communities are now pro-actively contacting NYLRF for information and support

What an amazing U-turn away from seemingly countless evening meetings and long presentations to sceptical audiences by hard-working NYRLF staff! Now they can concentrate their efforts on what they know best: creating and maintaining the many pieces of fine mechanics that make Community Resilience clockwork ticking accurately and with style – just like a Swiss watch, only with people in complex situations and hence much more difficult to achieve than one of my country’s most valuable exports.  

Who is lighting the way for Community Resilience in North Yorkshire?

Thousands of people are affected by known flood risks or sadly have previous experiences of incidents such suffering prolonged power outages or being cut off because of severe weather. Eleven communities are right now successfully completing the NYLRF Community Emergency Plan scheme, thus establishing themselves firmly on the map of Resilient Communities: Congratulations to the brilliant trailblazers: Ingleton , Hellifield, Clapham, Swainby, Snape, Kirkby Fleetham, Crayke, Romanby, South Milford and Tadcaster

Almost 22’000 people are already benefiting

… from their active engagement with Emergency and Disaster Preparedness and the good news is that more communities are joining every week. All town/parish councils above mentioned have received their Community Preparedness Kits (or will shortly do so) and will also receive first aid  and defibrillator training for their community if requested.  More information via North Yorkshire Resilience Forum. And there is more! NYLRF are looking at how Community Emergency Preparedness Planning can integrate with and augment existing Yorkshire water distribution plans. For example, one work in progress is investigating the feasibility of using identified initial meeting points and/or rest centre car parks as water drop off points. Also, North Yorkshire County Council Emergency Planning Unit (NYCC EPU) and the Environment Agency’s Rapid response project are working closely together to engage with communities on their register that are at Very High and High risk of flash flooding.

The scheme will be adopted for flood risk across communities

Since it has been shown that the NYLRF Community Emergency Plan scheme increases both personal and community resilience it will be made available in areas where there is little or no warning of flash floods.

Communities will be better prepared and be able to act as competent first responders in many cases. Isn’t this all simply brilliant? I am amazed and thrilled to see this all taking shape.

All these ‘pieces’ are massively important Community Resilience Building Blocks and I hope that North Yorkshire’s positive and empowering local culture change will continue to spread far and wide.

Just how this can achieved in a fairly simple yet extremely effective way I will tell you next time when I talk more about Tadcaster. They are doing something truly inspiring to connect people and bring their Community Resilience firmly into the age of social media and the internet.

Please spread the word about Community Resilience and Emergency Preparedness in your area and if you want more info on custom made kits just check the website or simply get in touch. Our friendly and knowledgeable team is always happy to help.

Let us all be ready for what may well shape up to be a rough Winter.

For now, we still have a few glorious autumn days and so I leave you with this stunning image of Ingleton and wish you a Resilience-building week.       

 

 

Monika

also read Part 1 of this story (or follow the category ‘Yorkshire Model) and see the 2016 community resilience and preparedness flyer).  Tweet thank you for sharing and helping raise awareness for Community Resilience and Preparedness!

Emergency Go Bags arrive at NYLRF 28/04/2016

Great delivery from @EVAQ8_news Want to win one? Come see us at many of the county shows across NYorks this summer pic.twitter.com/K1VTGkQmnv

— North Yorks Prepared (@NYorksPrepared) April 28, 2016

For more EVAQ8 blog simply use the right hand navigation. For emergency kits and practical resources use the top navigation. For FREE resources head over to our Preparedness Hub and find out why we use humour. If you like this post, please share it to help raise awareness for Emergency and Disaster Preparedness. Thank you!

Find EVAQ8 on social media, like and follow us!