In California, natural disasters aren't just possibilities – they're woven into the fabric of our lives; they’re inevitable. Extreme weather is going to get more extreme. Wildfires are going to devastate landscapes and communities. The big earthquake is coming.
What if we could transform this challenging reality into an opportunity for positive change? What if emergency preparedness could become a force for building stronger, more connected communities? In a world where traditional preparedness often means stockpiling supplies behind closed doors, we're creating a movement based on connection, mutual support, and shared resilience. We believe that the strongest emergency plan isn't a bunker – it's your community.
But to get there, we need to turn emergency preparedness from a scary and overwhelming individual task to a manageable and communal practice. Our mission is to make emergency preparedness accessible, engaging, and community-centered. We've developed flexible programs that work with real life schedules, break down complex preparedness tasks into manageable steps, and bring neighbors & communities together to prepare collectively.
We replace fear with empowerment, isolation with connection, and passive waiting with active preparation. We see every community member – from young children to elderly neighbors – not as potential vulnerabilities but as vital contributors to neighborhood resilience.
Our Perspective
What Sets
Us Apart
Custom Home Preparedness Assessments
Emergency preparedness can feel formidable and overwhelming. There’s so much information out there, and it’s hard to know how to adapt it to your own unique needs. Where do you begin?
Unlike other survival and emergency trainings, we first provide you with a personalized household preparedness assessment and then train you based on your specific situations and needs.
All from the comfort of your home.
Trainings For The Whole Family
While 38% of Californian residents feel at least somewhat prepared for a natural disaster, this number drops considerably to 22% for families with children under 12. We’re here to change that!
Unlike other survival trainings and federal programs, we work with families with children as young as 4, creating age-appropriate, kid-friendly trainings that prepare the whole family collectively.
Educating yourself on emergency preparedness is the first step. Implementing what you’ve learned in a practical way is another. Practicing those skills, replenishing your supplies as they expire, reviewing your family’s emergency plan - these are all steps in becoming emergency resilient. Unlike other trainings, we follow up with (just the right amount of) accountability check-ins.
Accountability Buddies
Community Approach to Emergencies
We take professional emergency management concepts and apply a hyper-local community approach to hazard mitigation and emergency planning, focusing on each community’s unique needs and vulnerabilities, to create sustainable emergency resilience that not only leaves communities more prepared, but also more connected.
Meet the Team
Shirah Wagner
A certified emergency management specialist, member of the Oakland CORE Executive Committee, and Oakland CERT member, Shirah brings a unique blend of skills to emergency preparedness training.
With extensive experience in film production, event management, and program development across multiple countries, she understands how to create engaging, effective training programs that resonate with diverse communities. As a polyglot and trained Full Spectrum Doula, Shirah excels at working with families and children in high-stress situations.
In her own neighborhood in Piedmont Ave, Oakland, Shirah is the Chair of the Piedmont Ave Resilience Committee, and works with 100 homes on her street, collectively preparing her neighbors.
FOUNDER & LEAD TRAINER
TECHNICAL LEADCam Lindsay
Heading our technical and logistical operations, Cam brings valuable experience in building communities and managing complex systems. With a background in customer operations and partnerships, Cam ensures our digital platforms and community resources run smoothly and effectively.
With a passion for neighborhoods, Cam is also building neighborhoodOS, an open-sourced community utility to organize and promote the daily activities that contribute to a healthy and connected neighborhood.
