From earliest times, people leaned on their neighbours for help and support –– to build a barn, bring in the harvest, to share food and skills in times of emergency. Today, our neighbours are still a vital part of making communities more self-sufficient and self-supporting in these challenging times when traditional first responders may not be available.
Jim Budd’s evolution from concerned individual to neighbourhood community organizer began 10 years ago when the Old Sechelt Mine Site fire made him realize the need to make his own property FireSmart. It escalated in 2022 with a fire much closer to home. The potential need to evacuate while a neighbour was calling for help with horses clarified that the needs of the whole neighbourhood were real and needed to be addressed.
From the first Fire Aware Workshop with Kelly Hatful in Roberts Creek in 2023 to Earthquake Awareness with Bet Cecil and Don Sherwood in 2024, the skills of many community-minded advocates began to surface, gel and culminate in the Neighbourhood Emergency Preparedness Program (NEPP) workshop under the leadership of Bet Cecil in March of 2025.
As the momentum continued, our community began to form PODS to organize and prepare for ways to respond quickly, calmly and efficiently. PODS are walkable areas in existing neighbourhoods where people get to know each other, collate information on needs, skills and resources, train in such areas as first aid, and fire suppression.
Existing networks can be a starting place for joining a Block Watch, participating in FireSmart programs or planning social activities that will help build relationships.
PODs are your first line of defence in an emergency. They offer strength and safety in numbers. They bring together diverse skills and resources in a cooperative team environment.
Learn more about organizing your neighbourhood, go to www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-management/preparedbc/guides-and-resources.
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