While humans may have an impact on the occurrence or severity of some natural disasters, for the most part, disasters are out of our control. When these disasters happen, they can wreak havoc on the lives of those involved. We’ve seen time and time again that the stress of a disaster brings people together; it seems to be human nature to come through and help, when our fellow beings are going through difficult circumstances. Here are some pieces of advice for how to make the biggest impact in your community, after a disaster.

Donations

Donations are a key part of helping a community rebuild. While a lot of the damage may be covered by insurance, there will be an incredible amount that isn’t. Depending on the nature of damages and the number of people hurt, the community needs will differ from disaster to disaster. The Fort McMurray fires in 2016 are a good example of one where there weren’t a large number of people hurt but the financial damage was a large one. Many other disaster sites will be in need of blood donations and other health related donations.

Supplies

Many communities hit by a natural disaster may need help in the recovery process, after the dust has settled. Rebuilding public buildings and common areas requires a large amount of building materials and manpower. Companies with access to these materials and equipment can help, by donating or lending supplies/equipment required to rebuild. For example, your local hardware stores should be more than willing to lend a generator. The best way to help is to do some research on the community you’re trying to help. See what they have in abundance and what they still need, so you can help coordinate efforts to help in the areas most in need of assistance.

Volunteer

Volunteering can be done in many ways. Facilitating online resources for people in your community to get and share information is great; accepting money needs to be done in an effective manner and online is the best place to do it now, especially with international efforts. If you have experience dealing with large relief efforts, you can bestow your knowledge and experience by training others to be able to do what you can.

If you and others are able to donate your time and manpower, you can call your local charities or take a look at Twitter and Facebook and see if anyone needs anything specific. Look around for the hashtags people are using around the relief efforts, to find the relevant postings.

Preparedness

Even if your community isn’t expecting a natural disaster any time soon, it’s great to help create a culture of preparedness so people can survive any future ones. Being prepared to survive for 72 hours before rescue in an emergency is an important way for your community to minimize the negative fallout.

Have you helped with relief efforts in the past? What were the biggest lessons you learned? Let us know on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Google+, to stay up to date with all of your Xplor Recreation news.