Prepare Your Community

Did you know that during an emergency your neighbours are your first responders?

Your strongest resource during an emergency event, large or small, is your neighbours. Building relationships with your neighbours will help you form strong networks and cope during an emergency. Strong and connected neighbourhoods and communities are more resilient and recover more quickly following emergencies.

Here are some ways to connect as neighbours and become more prepared:

  • Create a neighbourhood map identifying a muster station and people with pets, skills, and resources. Also note who may require extra assistance.
  • Learn together! Organize a first aid course for those interested in your neighbourhood or book a free emergency preparedness workshop with our Emergency Management Division. 
  • Create a neighbourhood tool library of supplies you can share everyday and during an emergency
  • Save money by bulk purchasing emergency supplies and kits together

Block Party Resources

Connectedness between neighbours is critical for everyday preparedness and resilience and helps make neighbourhoods safe and comfortable places to live. By hosting a block party you are already taking the fist step to connecting and becoming more resilient! Victoria Ready would love to help contribute to your next gathering by providing emergency preparedness resources, materials and games to share with your neighbours.

Neighbour Hubs

Neighbour Hubs are public gathering spaces, built on local streets, that foster community connection and provide emergency resources for neighbourhoods in Victoria. They include elements such as solar charging stations, bulletin boards, local emergency information and storage for emergency supplies built into public seating. The goal is to have one in every neighbourhood, located on local streets where neighbours can easily connect.

Check out the Neighbour Hubs Information Guide [PDF] to learn more on how you can bring one to your neighbourhood.

Leonard Street Neighbour Hub

 Harbour Road Neighbour Hub

 Kings Road Neighbour Hub

Emergency Reception Centres and Group Lodging

In the event of a major emergency, the City of Victoria will open reception centres and group lodging facilities for people who have evacuated their homes and have nowhere else to go. If your home is safe to stay in, you have insurance that will cover your stay at a hotel or you have family, friends or neighbours you can stay with, then this should be your first course of action.

Reception centres are locations where evacuees are received, registered and referred depending on their needs. Group lodging facilities will have cots and blankets set up in large areas to accommodate evacuees for a longer period of time. The City will set up reception centres and group lodging in community halls, recreation centres, churches, gyms and schools depending on availability and the type of incident that has occurred. Reception centres are run by community Emergency Support Service volunteers through the City of Victoria. Information on reception centres and group lodging will be available on the City's social media channels in the event of an emergency,