A Pilot Project: Assessment of Disaster Preparedness in a Native American Community in Northern California
Project Team
Asher Frank, Lais Costa, Michelle Hawkins
The wildfires in California have impacted numerous communities, consuming 4.5 million acres and burning down nearly 38 thousand structures in the last two year. While wildfires are a threat to everyone, vulnerable populations, including Black-Indigenous-People-of-Color (BIPOC) populations, socioeconomic disadvantaged, people with disabilities and elderly, are at the greatest risk of suffering the worst impacts. These vulnerable populations are the most likely to receive inadequate aid during and after a catastrophic event. We propose to establish a pilot project to understand and initiate disaster preparedness plans for the indigenous community of Covelo in Northern California. Our pilot study will provide a better understanding of the needs and challenges this community faces. The overarching outcome is to take steps to identify how to overcome the disproportionately impact of natural disasters on BIPOC communities and find practical solutions to mitigate this inequity.