Understand your strengths
what skills, experience and infrastructure do you already have?
Ready to Act. Responding Together.
Across the UK, communities are at the heart of emergency response. From repair cafes to rugby clubs to residents' groups, every community can play a role.
Here you'll find the tools you need to help your community prepare.
What this platform helps you do
While every local community will have different needs and experiences, this platform will help your community be more prepared for whatever comes next.
Identify Gaps
where could you do more?
Connect People and Organisations
who should you engage with on preparedness?
Access Practical Tools
what simple steps can make you more prepared?
Who is this for?
All community groups can play a role in making our society stronger and more prepared for emergencies. That includes:
Sports clubs
Faith groups
Housing and residents' groups
Youth organisations
Community centres
Parish or town groups
Local networks
And many other groups and clubs
Each theme within this platform will appeal to the interests and experiences of a wide range of groups.
The Ready Together toolkit
The toolkit focuses on eight key areas. Each one includes small steps to take now which can make a huge difference if an emergency happens.
Your community may have more experience in some of these areas than others. You may also want to work with other local groups to work through these themes together.
Communications
How to share clear, trusted information with people in your community before and during emergencies.
Events
How to plan events that bring people together and help your community prepare for emergencies.
Money and Finances
How to prepare for the financial effects of emergencies, find support and understand your insurance.
Places and Spaces
How to find safe, accessible places where people in your community can meet and get help.
People and Skills
How to find local people with the skills and knowledge to help your community prepare.
Essential Supplies
How to plan for the food, water and other essential supplies your community may need.
Supporting People with Additional Needs
How to help people who may need extra support before, during and after an emergency.
Working with your community
How to work with local groups and organisations to prepare for emergencies as a community.
A scenario to think about
What would your community do in a regional power outage?
Imagine the power goes off across your area and stays off for three days. Homes are getting cold, phones are running low on battery and people are unsure where to turn for information or support.
Your community already has people, skills and places that could help. Thinking ahead together can make it easier to put them to use when they are needed.
Is there a safe place where people could meet if their usual venues have no power?
How would you share reliable information if people could not use their phones or the internet?
Who might need extra support, and how could your group help people stay connected?
Which local groups could you work with, and what skills or resources could you share?
The toolkit helps you turn questions like these into practical conversations and shared plans. Agreeing who can help, how you will stay in touch and what you can prepare now gives your community a starting point when an emergency happens, alongside support from emergency services and local authorities.
Our partners:
The toolkit brings together best practice on emergency preparedness, drawing on the experience of communities across the UK and abroad. It was developed in partnership with:
