Inland Leaders Urge Disaster Readiness Built On Trust, Equity And Resilience

Before a disaster strikes, Debra Williams wants Inland Empire residents to understand one thing: resilience begins long before the emergency alert, evacuation order or knock at the door.

It begins with trust.

That message shaped the ninth annual Ark of Safety Community Resiliency Summit, hosted June 25 by Building Resilient Communities at the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Bernardino. The annual convening brought together faith leaders, health care advocates, educators, nonprofit professionals, public agencies and community organizers focused on strengthening the region’s ability to prepare, respond and recover before, during and after times of crisis.

For Williams, founding CEO of Building Resilient Communities, disaster preparedness is not just about go bags, emergency water or evacuation plans. It is about the barriers that leave some communities more vulnerable before a wildfire, earthquake, flood, pandemic or public health emergency ever begins.

“Helping people get prepared for a disaster was not enough,” Williams said. “If you think about an iceberg, what we had been doing was above the surface, but the real problems are below the surface. It’s those barriers that are causing people not to be resilient.”

Williams said the Ark of Safety summit grew out of the COVID-19 pandemic, the murder of George Floyd and a broader realization that the region could not talk about preparedness without also talking about inequity.

“Disasters don’t cause inequities, but they definitely highlight them and expose them,” Williams said.

Throughout the day, participants engaged in workshops, panel discussions and networking opportunities centered on practical, people-focused strategies to advance safety, equity and resilience across Riverside and San Bernardino counties. 

The summit’s keynote speaker, Michelle Decker, CEO of the Inland Empire Community Foundation, urged attendees to think beyond crisis response and toward the systems that determine whether people can thrive.

“If you’re not paying attention to the Inland Empire, you’re actually not paying attention to the future of California,” Decker said.

Her keynote, “Weaving for Resilience: IECF’s Work and Journey,” highlighted the foundation’s work across climate, health, housing, economic development and educational equity. Decker said the region cannot afford to keep relying on temporary fixes for long-standing problems.

“I don’t think we want Band-Aids anymore,” Decker said. “I think we’re done with Band-Aids. We’re done with whack-a-mole.”

Decker pointed to the Vital Conditions Framework for Thriving, which looks at the conditions people need to live healthy and stable lives, including housing, transportation, meaningful work, education, safety, belonging and a thriving natural world. She said 41% of Inland Empire residents are thriving, leaving 59% struggling or suffering.

“That is my North Star,” Decker said. “The question becomes, what would it take to move 41% to 61% as quickly as possible?”

For Williams, one answer is trusted messengers.

During the pandemic, she said Building Resilient Communities worked with faith leaders and houses of worship to share accurate information and reach residents in places where they already felt safe. In Black churches, vaccination clinics were held near fellowship halls and after services, allowing people to receive care in familiar spaces.

“People in the community need to see people who look like them,” Williams said. “Go to where the people are. Don’t make them come to you.”

She recalled one woman who nearly died from COVID-19 and later arrived at a vaccination clinic physically shaking with fear. Williams said she prayed with the woman, sat with her and helped distract her as she received her first dose. When it was time for the second shot, Williams changed her schedule so she could be there again.

“That’s the kind of trusted messenger that we need to have boots on the ground in the community,” Williams said. “Whether it’s COVID or anything else.”

Speakers and participants also addressed overlapping regional challenges, including poor air quality, wildfire smoke, health care access, immigration fears, insurance issues, renters without coverage, seniors living alone and residents who rely on medical devices during power outages.

Williams said residents living along freeway corridors and near warehouses often face greater health risks, especially when wildfire smoke adds to existing pollution. She said those communities must be included in decisions that shape their health, safety and future.

“If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu,” Williams said.

She also warned residents not to assume government agencies will be able to arrive immediately after a disaster.

“People think it won’t happen here. It won’t happen to me,” Williams said. “If it does, FEMA and the government are going to come and save me. That is not true.”

Williams said households should prepare go bags for their homes and cars, keep important documents ready, store emergency water, plan for pets, prepare backup power for medical devices and keep enough food and essentials to shelter in place for 10 to 14 days.

“Even if you’re not completely prepared, having some level of preparation is going to be better than none,” Williams said.

The summit also spotlighted the Inland Equity Grid, a regional effort to map nonprofits, faith-based organizations, public services and other resources so communities can better coordinate during crises.

Decker said true resilience will require networks, not isolated organizations.

“It is not going to be one person,” Decker said. “We have to be able to activate millions of people. It is not going to be one organization. There must be thousands of organizations.”

Williams said the work ahead depends on breaking down silos between nonprofits, elected officials, public agencies and faith communities.

“We’re the boots on the ground. We’re the trusted messengers,” Williams said. “We have the ear of the community, of the residents. If you have ideas, talk to us. You need to talk to us.”

Participating organizations included Building Resilient Communities, the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Bernardino’s Office of Emergency Operations Collaborative, the California Air Resources Board, the Public Health Alliance of Southern California, the Eastern Coachella Valley Community Steering Committee, the Inland Empire Community Foundation, HARC and Cintas First Aid & Safety.

Learn more about Building Resilient Communities here: brcus.org.