Spanish Fork City

Trevor Sperry

A Proactive Approach to Community Resilience

Proactive emergency management focuses on reducing risk before disasters occur by emphasizing mitigation, preparedness, planning, training, public education and strong partnerships. Building resilient communities requires collaboration among government agencies, first responders, private organizations, nonprofits and the public to identify hazards, strengthen infrastructure, improve emergency plans and promote individual and community preparedness. By investing in risk reduction, exercising emergency plans and fostering a culture of preparedness, communities are better equipped to withstand, respond to and recover from disasters while minimizing impacts to lives, property and critical services.

Building Stronger Partnerships for Emergency Response

Emergency managers, fire services, local government and community organizations strengthen preparedness and response by working together before disasters occur. This includes developing and exercising emergency plans, sharing information, coordinating resources, conducting joint training and establishing clear communication channels. Engaging community organizations, businesses, schools and volunteers helps build a whole-community approach that increases public preparedness and expands response capabilities. Strong partnerships, regular collaboration and coordinated decision-making improve situational awareness, enhance resource management and enable communities to respond to and recover from emergencies more effectively.

"By identifying our greatest hazards and risks and building our capabilities around them, we strengthen our ability to respond and recover."

Strengthening Communities Before Disasters Occur

Throughout my experience as an Emergency Manager and Fire Inspector, I have learned that the most important thing I can do is help prepare my community before an emergency or disaster occurs. Prevention and mitigation are the foundation of effective emergency management, but they cannot be accomplished alone. Building strong relationships with local agencies, neighboring jurisdictions, businesses, volunteer organizations and community members is essential. We need to know who can support us during an emergency, what resources are available and how we can work together to meet the community's needs. By identifying our greatest hazards and risks and building our capabilities around them, we strengthen our ability to respond and recover and build back better. These proactive efforts make our community more resilient and better prepared for whatever challenges the future may bring.

Turning Data into Better Emergency Preparedness

Communities can improve preparedness by using technology, data, and public education to better understand risks and make informed decisions. Hazard assessments, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), weather monitoring, emergency notification systems, and historical incident data help identify vulnerable areas, track trends, and prioritize mitigation efforts. In Spanish Fork, we experienced a record-breaking winter in 2022 followed by significant flooding during the 2023 spring runoff. Fortunately, the City had maintained flood records from the 1980s, documenting dates, temperatures, river behavior, and flood impacts. By comparing those historical records with current conditions, we were able to make more accurate predictions of water levels and better prepare for the flooding. Public education campaigns, preparedness fairs, and community outreach further strengthen resilience by helping residents understand local hazards, develop emergency plans, and build emergency supply kits. By combining data-driven planning with an informed and engaged public, communities are better equipped to reduce risk, respond effectively, and recover more quickly from emergencies.