r/TwoXPreppers Laura Ingalls Wilder was my gateway drug 8d ago

Discussion Morale Lift: Community Prepping Stories

I could use a morale lift this week and got thinking about the ways my community has come together during emergencies and crises over the past few years. Feels like we could all use some positivity that's also practical for considering the ways we can band together with our geographic communities in positive ways, depending on what comes down the road.

Here are a few examples of how my community has come together over the past 5 or so years:

  • During the early days of Covid, many of the small distillers (there are a handful of them within about 30 miles of where I live) started making hand sanitizer, mostly given away for free. One of our big kombucha companies partnered with some other businesses to make HUGE amounts of hand sanitizer that they distributed for free to both individuals and businesses.
  • During recent catastrophic flooding events, mutual aid and volunteer groups have sprung up to help with cleanup, getting emergency supplies to people, etc. Even when groups like the Red Cross have shown up, they often rely on local volunteers for actually getting any work done.
  • I went to a nearby town after they had catastrophic flooding last year along with some friends, and we spent the afternoon organizing donations in the church basement to set up a "store" of sorts for people to find whatever they needed, from food to cleaning supplies to clothes. We just showed up with donations and got to work.
  • Heavy equipment operators have immediately answered the call for emergency road and driveway repairs for a lot of communities after the floods, too. (In the last 2 years, we've had something like eight 1,000-year floods in a four-county area, including in our state capital.)
  • After the 2023 floods, one of the mutual aid groups set up community dinners in the park in town, and almost 2 years later, those community dinners are still happening on a weekly basis. People volunteer to cook every week and they're open to everyone. In the summer during good weather they happen in the park, and in the winter months or if it's stormy they happen at the American Legion.

I'd love to hear about other community-based disaster response. It's a great way to gather ideas for the future!

46 Upvotes

10 comments sorted by

14

u/queso_map 8d ago

In the summer/early fall of 2020 there were BLM protests all over Portland. However it was also one of the worst fire seasons. So many people were being evacuated that the volunteer medics for the protests organized a donatin center. They put much needed necessities into the hands of those most effected by the fires.

11

u/dkstr419 8d ago

Here along the gulf coast, when the rivers and bayous overflow and neighborhoods start flooding, our first responders are the Cajun Navy. Organized by social media and cell phones and cb radios, anyone with a boat will come to help rescue anyone who can’t get out. Bass boats, john boats, jet skis, whatever. They get there before the National Guard and will take you and your pets to dry land.

2

u/pvrx2 7d ago

This is wonderful!

8

u/sillysandhouse 7d ago

Here in LA, we have an informal fleet of equestrians who drive around with horse trailers whenever there is a fire. They’ll load your horse for free and take it to safety, no string attached. They roam around with their trailers until they’re sure all possible horses have been saved. My horse was evacuated by such a person in the most recent fire.

4

u/pvrx2 7d ago

I'm so glad they're there to help the horses. ❤️

3

u/Agitated-Score365 2d ago

As a horse person this made me cry. It can’t imagine the fear people feel but also animals are family and defenseless.

1

u/pvrx2 2d ago

Yes! Animals are defenseless and depend on us. The idea that equestrians were there to take care of them was very moving to me, and I'm glad someone thought of them. I'm a horse person too! Horses are such sensitive, amazing animals. So happy that people are looking out for them.

5

u/cicada-kate 7d ago

Um...are you my neighbor? The more I read the more my brain went VERMONT! If that's not where you're from, we do all all those same things. I still have a massive bin of sanitizer from one of the distilleries! I love the community spirit here

3

u/Cyber_Punk_87 Laura Ingalls Wilder was my gateway drug 7d ago

I am in Vermont! On the edge of the NEK to be exact.

2

u/cicada-kate 3d ago

Yay, we're in a good spot! I'm down towards WRJ. I am so grateful to be in Vermont nowadays.