Community Resilience Hubs

Various communities throughout SWLA lack well-constructed public building spaces that promote community engagement and can serve as critical facilities during disasters. Resilience hubs are community-serving facilities that support residents, coordinate communication, distribute resources, and enhance the quality of life. In emergencies, community resilience hubs would provide places for food and water distribution, shelter, charging, cooling, and disaster response coordination. During non-disaster times, these facilities can serve as community buildings for gatherings and recreation. Parishes can start by identifying existing facilities; strategically acquiring public, private, and vacant/underutilized land; and understanding each community’s specific needs to develop a customized strategy

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR CALCASIEU PARISH?

While communities centrally located in Calcasieu Parish and in proximity to Lake Charles have several options for easily accessible and safe facilities that can be used as resilience hubs, those living in the northern, western, and eastern edges of the parish struggle to have the same access. Targeting these communities with new resilience hubs would minimize the driving distance to a resource center and promote storm-prepared communities.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR CAMERON PARISH?

With the distance between communities in Cameron Parish, it is difficult for residents to access the resources they need during and after disasters. Strategically locating resilience hubs around Cameron Parish would provide not only necessary resources close to home but also offer community places to gather on blue-sky days.