How well do the people in your area know their neighbors? Enessa Janes, AICP, PhD, considers it one of the most important questions for communities to ask when preparing for a disaster. The community resilience coordinator for the City of Arvada, Colorado, explains that during large events, police officers and fire departments may be unable to get to residents quickly. Knowing those who live nearby ensures that residents have a bigger safety net.
“Disaster recovery is something that cannot be separated from the planning field.”
—Enessa Janes, AICP, PhD,
In episode 26 of People Behind the Plans, Janes and host Courtney Kashima, AICP, break down some terms that resilience officers use to describe hazards, like “shocks” and “stresses.” They explore the important work at the City of Arvada around resilience, including its Resilience Neighborhoods program and how staff have woven concepts of resilience throughout the new six-year strategic plan. Janes shares her educational and professional background and describes what motivated her to become involved in resilience work: a passion for the environment, conservation, and social equity.
