Disaster Preparedness & Response
The first step is to prepare.
How to Help:
In almost every disaster situation, response activity is coordinated by a Response Team. In communities, emergency management can be organized by different entities. Some communities have Offices of Emergency Management. In others, it is organized under the fire or police departments.
Never self-deploy! Work with a trusted partner. Lions International is not a first responder organization. Plans are underway to create a unified team in Virginia.
Clubs that are interested in response should partner with local response organizations.
Preparedness:
The most valuable thing Lions can do is assist their communities in preparedness.
- Work with appropriate organizations to lead workshops.
- Show people how to build Disaster Preparedness Kits. Church World Services has a great kit that can be purchased for $60. Contact Madison Reese at mreese@cwsglobal.org or 540-830-6908.
Disaster preparedness and response grants are available from LCIF and LOVF.
Learn situational awareness, recognizing threats, and strategies for defending yourself.
Hurricane Season is from June 1 - November 30. Websites with preparedness details:
- https://www.noaa.gov/hurricane-prep
- https://www.cdc.gov/hurricanes/safety/index.html
- https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes
- https://www.weather.gov/safety/hurricane-plan
Training:
Individuals interested in response need to be trained as responders. Sone organizations that train responders are:
- CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) is a FEMA program that trains volunteers in basic disaster preparedness and response skills. In some communities, CERT Teams are also authorized to deploy.
- Read about the FEMA National Incident Management System.
- American Red Cross offers training in a multitude of response areas.
- God’s Pit Crew is a faith-based disaster response team.
VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) is a national organization comprised of a diverse group of organizations dedicated to serving communities throughout the disaster cycle.
Updates:
April 2026 From DG Visone -- At our Winter Conference, we held an important session on Disaster Preparedness featuring presentations from PCC Marty Alford, Church World Services, and our District Chair. The purpose of the session was to help educate us about disaster preparedness, identify ways Lions can engage locally, review available resources and equipment that can support response efforts, and share how our Multiple District is working collaboratively to build a consistent statewide framework for Lions service in this critical area.
Since that conference, Districts 24-L, 24-C, and 24-I have continued meeting to develop a coordinated plan to bring this vision to life. At the MD24 level, each district is applying for an LCI Disaster Preparedness Grant as a foundational step in building a unified statewide strategy. Grants are 25% / 75% matching, requiring District 24-L to contribute $1,680, which will be matched by $5,000 from LCI for a total of $6,680.
This grant application, along with our ongoing coordination with the other two districts, represents the beginning of a consolidated and synchronized plan for Lions across Virginia to work alongside our communities and local and state agencies in both disaster preparedness and disaster relief.
Resources:
- Lions Disaster Relief
- Lions International Disaster Relief Grant Program
- Ready.gov
- CDC.gov: https://www.cdc.gov/
- National Weather Service
- American Red Cross
- Winter Preparedness Checklist