Have you ever thought about how your household or workplace would fare if the power went out for weeks? How would you cope, assist others and get help? We often resist considering such scenarios, dismissing them as far-fetched. But as a warming climate fuels extreme weather, such disruptions may become more common and severe.

On September 25, nearly 50 representatives of local organizations and the Towns of Rockport and Camden came together to discuss five possible local scenarios—a wind-driven wildfire, a prolonged heat dome straining the grid and endangering health, a Category 3 hurricane followed by extreme cold, an extended fuel shortage, and a cybersecurity attack that left area residents without power or internet. The Community Preparedness Summit was cohosted by American Red Cross, the Knox County Emergency Management Agency and the Towns of Rockport and Camden (through a state Community Resilience Partnership grant to the two communities).

Two hours of dialog highlighted some critical gaps and needs to address. With communications technology interrupted, potentially for an extended time, local governments, schools and organizations need ‘analog’ systems and designated locations for sharing information. 

The Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), American Red Cross and even local emergency responders often cannot respond quickly to many local needs so it’s important that residents start building neighborhood-scale networks to offer mutual aid. 

Participants learned that Camden and Rockport have already begun encouraging the formation of ‘neighborhood pods,’ where people living in close proximity (an apartment house, a village block or a residential cul-de-sac) gather for occasional social get-togethers. As neighbors get better acquainted, they exchange contact information, identify skills and resources they could share in an emergency, and determine who in their pod might need extra support in a storm or extended power outage.

To ensure that local residents are better prepared for disruptions, participants voiced the need for better guidance in more places (such as town offices and schools). Residents need to know how best to prepare at the household scale, stocking up on foods that don’t require cooking, setting aside water, and assembling a supply kit in case they need to evacuate on short notice or shelter in place without power. 

Many places where people might congregate for information and support – like libraries – currently have no backup power, and locations with generators could run out of fuel. Participants identified a need for the Towns to explore more options for solar panels and battery storage, which could generate power indefinitely.

One overarching need shared repeatedly during the Summit is for local residents to start planning collectively for coming disruptions – neighbor-to-neighbor and across sectors and municipalities. We can’t know which scenarios will manifest here, but the more we forge partnerships and plan together, the more coordinated and effective our response may be. 

Marina Schauffler is program manager for the state Community Resilience Partnership grant awarded to Rockport and Camden.