Creating a culture of resiliency, including emergency preparedness and recovery, is a priority for the city of Anaheim.
On Friday, Dec. 7, Anaheim was recognized at a national event at which Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait presented the city’s Hi Neighbor program at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC. Tait emphasized the investment in social infrastructure will be the key to managing disaster response and recovery.
Creating a culture of resiliency, including emergency preparedness and recovery, is a priority for the city of Anaheim.
On Friday, Dec. 7, Anaheim was recognized at a national event at which Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait presented the city’s Hi Neighbor program at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC. Tait emphasized the investment in social infrastructure will be the key to managing disaster response and recovery.
Alongside a group of distinguished scholars and public and private sector officials, including Richard Reed (Homeland Security) and Admiral Thad Allen (United States Coast Guard, retired) and Booz Allen Hamilton, Tait discussed Anaheim’s views, plans and actions for building a more resilient community based on his platform of freedom and kindness.
The two sessions, “Steps toward Building a Resilient Nation” and “Disaster Resilience in America: Launching a National Conversation,” offered audience members the opportunity to learn how Anaheim is serving as a national model through its Hi Neighbor program. The event was moderated by PBS NewsHour correspondent Miles O’Brien.
At the conference, the mayor discussed how kindness is the building block of a resilient community. “Resiliency is the city’s immune system,” he said. “But if we wait until a disaster happens, oftentimes it is simply too late.”
He went on and said the following:
“In Anaheim, we are encouraging residents to solve their problems themselves; not just to turn to government to solve their problems. And when we rely on each other, we show kindness in all types of ways. Ultimately, kindness is what binds its citizens together and forms a more resilient community.
“I was honored to represent Anaheim at this national conference and have the opportunity to discuss kindness and the city’s Hi Neighbor program. At its foundation Hi Neighbor is simple: know and care for your neighbor. Yet it is through the simplicity of this program that complex issues will be addressed. Hi Neighbor is more than learning someone’s name. It is about building community, emergency preparedness and community policing, and knowing that together we will overcome any adversity. When people connect, kindness will happen. And when kindness occurs, cities are stronger and are better prepared to face problems and unforeseen challenges.”
A webcast of the event can be viewed at http://nas-sites.org/resilience/.
“It was important to bring the various national and local perspectives together to discuss resiliency,” said Elizabeth Eide, director for the Board of Earth, Sciences and Resources of The National Academies. “We are very grateful for Mayor Tait’s participation.”
The city of Anaheim provides resources to its residents, businesses and guests to plan for initial needs and recovery in the event of an emergency. To help create a more resilient Anaheim, visit www.anaheim.net/neighbor.
