The tool most emergency plans ignore

Too many emergency plans only focus on keeping us healthy and safe.

But what if preparedness went beyond just planning for a crisis, and imagined what could be so that we could navigated a crisis through the care practices that have already been nurtured in our communities - not just the drills that get us out of immediate danger.

What would it look like to design for care?

What if your plan started with how people actually live, connect, and support one another, rather than referring to a long forgotten an emergency plan held by a binder on a dusty shelf?

In the Inclusive Community Preparedness Lab, we’re co-creating strategies that reflect real people.

People who have mobility needs. Elders. Neurodivergent folks. Queer caregivers. Mutual aid networks. And everyone else on the planet! People like you. People like us.

Because imagination isn’t just a dream - it’s a tool for survival.

1. Imagination helps us name what’s missing

If you’ve ever looked at a generic preparedness checklist and thought, “This doesn’t include me” - you’re right.

Imagination invites us to ask:

• What’s not on this list?

• Who gets left out of this plan?

• What do I actually need in a crisis?

When we name what’s missing, we begin to make space for something better.

2. Imagination invites possibility - not perfection

A lot of people don’t engage in preparedness because it feels too overwhelming.

But what if your plan didn’t need to be perfect?What if it just needed to feel possible?

Imagination allows for experimentation, creativity, and slow building.That’s the pace of community. That’s the pace of care.

3. Imagination reveals hidden resources

So often we’re told we need to buy preparedness.

But when we imagine a crisis from where we actually are, we remember:

• My neighbor has a wood stove.

• My cousin works at a pharmacy.

• My pod shares extra supplies.

Imagination maps relationships and resources we already have.

4. Imagination helps us lean into community care and value lived experience

We’ve been taught that safety comes from "professional" experts. But lived experience is expertise.

Imagination allows us to challenge the top-down models and ask:

• What if we trusted each other more?

• What would a plan look like if it started with community care and lived experience?

5. Imagination makes room for joy

Yes, joy. In the middle of all this.

Because we’re not just preparing to survive - we’re preparing to live well, even in crisis.

Your preparedness plan might include:

• A playlist that soothes you

• A meal you can make in the dark

• A candle from your grandmother

These things matter. They remind us we’re human.

Want to imagine with us?

The Inclusive Community Preparedness Lab is a space for changemakers who want to co-create plans that center care, connection, and creativity.

We start May 21. Limited spots available.

🔗 Learn more or apply here

Or download my free Quick-Start Guide to begin your own imagination-rooted preparedness today.

Because the future isn’t something we enter - it’s something we shape.