Atkins Neighborhood Conversations Welcome Vermont Emergency Management

The Atkins Neighborhood Conversations are built around a simple idea: give people the opportunity to ask the questions that matter most to them.

For the third conversation in the series, Emily Harris from Vermont Emergency Management joined community members during the Center for an Agricultural Economy’s Community Meal to talk about emergency preparedness.

Rather than offering a formal presentation, Emily was available throughout the meal for individual and small-group conversations. Community members could stop by for a few minutes or stay longer, depending on the questions they wanted to discuss.

People stopped by with practical questions. What should be in a “go bag”? Which important documents should they keep together? How much food, water, or medication should households have on hand? What should families do before an extended power outage or a flood? Emily was able to tailor each conversation to the questions people brought with them, making the information immediately relevant and useful.

This “choose your own adventure” format allowed each conversation to reflect the needs and concerns of the individual or family. There was no set agenda – just practical discussions about the steps people can take before an emergency happens.

Thank you to Emily Harris and Vermont Emergency Management for sharing your expertise in such an approachable way, and to the Center for an Agricultural Economy for once again providing a welcoming setting for the Atkins Neighborhood Conversations.

The response has been so positive that planning is already underway to bring this format back next year.

Coming Up Next: Flood Insurance

The Atkins Neighborhood Conversations continue on Monday, July 20, at 6:00 p.m. with a presentation on flood insurance. The July 20 program will be a more structured presentation covering how flood insurance works, what it covers, who should consider purchasing a policy, recent changes affecting property owners, and an opportunity to ask questions.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

How prepared is your household for an emergency?

Join us on Monday, July 13, at 6 p.m. at the Atkins Field Pavilion, 140 Granite St., Hardwick, for a conversation about building emergency go bags for households, families, and pets. We’ll share practical tips on what to include, how to get started, and why being prepared can make a difference during an emergency.

The free community meal begins at 5 p.m., followed by the presentation at 6 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public.

The Atkins Neighborhood Conversations series is hosted by the Town of Hardwick in partnership with the Center for an Agricultural Economy.

Questions? Please contact Kristen Leahy, Resilience & Adaptation Coordinator at 802-472-1686.