The Intent

A community’s level of self-reliance and resilience is never more apparent—and critical–than when disaster strikes. This is true whether the disaster is an earthquake, a power outage or an economic collapse. While the activities of all Local 20/20 Action Groups enhance our ability to adapt to such an event, the Neighborhood Preparedness (NPREP) Action Group focuses on the particular needs that arise from a sudden plunge into radically different circumstances. We do this by assisting area residents through education and by example to become self-reliant before a disaster strikes, thus enhancing resilience throughout our community as we work to recover.

Activities, Past and Present

The focus of the NPREP Action Group is to help neighbors prepare and organize so that they may work together when a disaster occurs, thereby enhancing the safety and comfort of all in such difficult times. Working with the Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management (DEM), this effort has facilitated the self-organization of well over 100 neighborhoods since 2006. While the number of organized neighborhoods is significant, many more are needed in Jefferson County.

Preparedness begins with simple steps: having emergency supplies on hand, knowing your neighbors, and establishing communication plans. However, the true strength of this initiative lies in its community spirit. When neighbors collaborate, they create a network of resilience—an interwoven fabric of trust, skills, and resources that can mean the difference between chaos and coordination during a crisis. Organized neighborhoods not only handle disasters more effectively, but they also foster a sense of belonging and mutual support that endures prior to, and long after, the emergency has passed.

Jefferson County’s vision is clear: a community where every neighborhood stands ready, united, and prepared to face the unexpected together.

In 2013, NPREP partnered with the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) and The Production Alliance (TPA) to introduce the annual All County Picnic (ACP), an event designed to deliver preparedness education in a lively and engaging atmosphere. Over the years, thousands of participants have joined to enhance their personal emergency readiness and acquire the knowledge necessary to organize their own neighborhoods.

Building on this success, 2025 will see the launch of a renewed All County Preparedness Day. This initiative will merge the best aspects of the ACP with expanded collaborations involving East Jefferson Fire Rescue, Jeffco PUD, Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), Volunteer Emergency Communications (VECOM), the newly established Jefferson County Medical Reserve Corps, and KPTZ 91.9.

More Information

Opportunities to Participate

The NPREP Action Group is currently one of the most active of Local 20/20’s action groups, and is working in partnership with the Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management (DEM) to strengthen pre and post-disaster collaboration between neighborhoods and the Emergency Operations Center in areas such as communication and damage assessment. We provide regular outreach events to educate the public on emergency preparedness matters and/or to recruit new neighborhood organizers. We also coordinate training opportunities for our organizers and house ad hoc projects, such as the development of a plan for post-disaster sanitation.

All NPREP efforts can always use additional participation and new project ideas are most welcome.

Is your neighborhood organized? Click here to learn more.

Contact Us

NPREP@L2020.org