Two Politicians Who Actually Inspired Me
Last week, I was honored to be invited to graphic record the 2019 Natural Hazards Research and Applications Workshop. There I captured a session titled "Under Fire", in which two politicians shared stories about how they handled natural disasters in their cities.
I'd like to share a few takeaways from those stories that inspired me, and I hope they'll inspire you too.
Live graphic recording of Senator Jackson and Mayor Techel’s presentations.
As polarized as the current political climate is, there’s one issue that will bring us together every time: A natural disaster. Our humanity will take over as we set aside our political beliefs, see each other as fellow human beings, and take care of one another and our communities.
California State Senator Hannah Beth Jackson and Mayor of Napa, Jill Techel had similar things to say about how they handled natural disasters in their communities. Senator Jackson is a resident of Santa Barbara and was there throughout the horrific 2018 Thomas fire. Mayor Techel has served Napa during three natural disasters; flood, earthquake, and fire. Both care deeply about their communities and worked tirelessly to help their people during these natural disasters.
Here are five things I learned from their stories that would make a difference in an emergency:
Check to see if your community has a structure in place for volunteers. Get involved now, so when you're needed you'll know what to do.
Local assistance centers are key to getting people’s lives back to normal as quickly as possible. Make sure your community has one in place.
The same goes with a call center. Does your community have one and do you have that number handy?
Find out where to go in case of a disaster. Often it's where people gather the most, i.e.: a church or event center.
Find out if your city or town has a community fund. If not, help to set one up now so you'll be ready if disaster strikes.