Disaster Recovery Journal Summer 2024

many individuals in West Africa lost their lives as families shunned them. Those with malaria were too afraid to seek medical attention and often didn’t survive due to lack of proper treatment. With guidance materials and community train ing, individuals learned about safe food practices and what to do if they fell ill. My subsequent role was as a senior emergency planning and business conti nuity officer for a local authority. Here, we had numerous volunteers who fulfilled roles within the Borough Emergency Control Centre, alongside paid, on-call staff for incident response. This setup formed a community in itself. By collabo rating during peacetime through training and exercises, we were prepared to work together effectively during incidents. One major incident the council responded to was the Grenfell Tower Fire in 2017. Staff included emergency response volunteers working in rest cen ters and social workers providing support to the Royal Kensington and Chelsea Council. Providing welfare support to those responding to traumatic events was crucial. An employee assistance program was available, and lessons learned ses sions were conducted to identify issues, successes, and recommendations. A significant lesson from the Grenfell Tower incident involved community emergency responders. According to the Grenfell Inquiry, “a number of organiza tions in the vicinity of Grenfell Tower became heavily involved in the provision of emergency relief on June 14, 2017, in the days and weeks that followed.” Volunteers coordinated emergency supplies, clothing, food, and water in churches and community centers. In the subsequent year, our local author ity and others began training sessions with community groups for Community Emergency Volunteers (CEVs). In my recent roles, I managed the business continuity program, imple menting a structured process within the organization. This was only possible by fostering strong working relationships with individuals carrying out business continuity roles in their respective areas.

This exemplifies a sense of community in learning from each other through experi ences, skills, and knowledge, supporting those new to the role or those with fewer resources. Outside of work, I’ve undertaken various volunteering roles. I previously volunteered with the British Red Cross as a community educator, providing first-aid training at events and supporting commu nity groups. Currently, I volunteer for a welfare charity, participating in fundraising efforts to support those with learning and health difficulties, as well as orga nizations needing equipment for their community. Additionally, I volunteer in schools, assisting students of various ages in mock exams and career fairs, providing education and career guidance to equip them with necessary skills for their future community roles. One key aspect of community resil ience I’ve identified is empowering com munity groups and individuals. Mentoring individuals and groups empowers them through learning from mistakes.

If you’re a subject matter expert, others rely on you to guide them in their roles and responsibilities. Listening to individuals and the wider network builds mutual trust and strong relationships, leading to success through engagement. Allowing individuals autonomy shows respect and provides resources for them to address issues, take charge, and prob lem-solve collectively. Understanding personal values and interests of individu als and groups is critical for ensuring a supportive environment. This can be achieved by providing the necessary skills and knowledge to fulfill defined roles and responsibilities. Communities can form anywhere, whether at work, during leisure time, or in voluntary roles. Through collabora tion, individuals forge bonds and enhance resilience through shared experiences and lessons learned. v

Katherine Thomas is a resilience pro fessional with experience in emergency planning and business continuity for gov ernment, local authorities, and healthcare.

32 DISASTER RECOVERY JOURNAL | SUMMER 2024