Prepare. Act. Recover.

Driving Resilience Forward: Leon County’s Ongoing Disaster Resilience Mission and Activities

For all communities, and especially Leon County, disaster planning and preparation is a year-round activity. Agencies review plans, build community partnerships, share resources, and keep training for the worst while hoping for the best. All of these activities are to protect lives and livelihoods during and after disaster, and organizations like Leon County and other community partners cannot do the work alone.

Resilience is the capacity of a community to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters and unanticipated crises that threaten the entire community. Being resilient involves community-based organizations, agencies, and citizens focused on preparedness.

Specific to disaster risk, Leon County focuses on the following areas to best serve our community before, during, and after disaster:

• Education and Engagement – providing the best sources of clear, vetted, accurate disaster information for the entire community; reaching citizens where they live and providing hands-on activities to demonstrate the importance of resilience and how to be prepared for disaster
• Community Self-Sufficiency – residents and businesses alike need to plan before disaster strikes and to understand insurance policies, food safety, and how best to shelter in their home; this planning includes family members both near and far, as well as neighbors and faith-based groups
• Partnerships – Leon County is committed to strengthening partnerships and training with other government and nonprofit agencies active during disaster, as well as creating opportunities for citizens and businesses to do the same

Every emergency exposes vulnerabilities, tests a community’s partnerships differently, and reveals opportunities for improvement in different ways. In September 2016, Hurricane Hermine demonstrated that Leon County can be particularly vulnerable to weather-based disasters. Hermine’s sustained tropical-storm-force winds caused hundreds of downed trees that blocked roadways, destroyed electrical infrastructure systems, and damaged hundreds of homes throughout Leon County.

And improve we did. When Hurricane Irma arrived in Leon County on September 11, 2017, our community was ready, tested, and prepared for the next disaster. In short, Leon County and its partners were more resilient than ever and together made a strong response to disaster even stronger.

After being named the nation's first #HurricaneStrong community by the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes in 2018, Leon County continues driving resilience forward. As years pass, we continue to elevate and emphasize community resilience in new ways. Going forward, Leon County remains committed to keeping citizens informed, prepared, and safe for future disasters.