CHARM Roadmap: Resilience Centers

Resilience centers are safe, accessible spaces that provide shelter and vital resources during climate and public health emergencies such as wildfires, extreme heat or cold, and smoke events. These centers vary by type and operator: county-operated resilience centers may be public spaces like libraries that are already open, while others may be run by community-based organizations, Tribal governments, or trusted local partners without direct county support. Regardless of who operates them or whether they identify as resilience centers, these spaces play a crucial role in serving vulnerable populations—including unhoused individuals, seniors, and people without reliable heating or air conditioning—by offering relief and a place of refuge when it's most needed.

In Lake County, the Lake County Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) plays a key role in facilitating communication, coordination, and support of resilience centers throughout the county. Lake County Tribes also provide resilience centers and spaces for Tribal members and other community members. Other trusted spaces, such as peer support centers and senior centers, also play a critical role in providing safe and accessible spaces for the community.

Key issues and strategies for Lake County

1. Resilience centers that are accessible, open, trusted, and accommodating

2. Public awareness and access to updated information

3. Resources and trainings for resilience centers

Issues in Lake County

• Many people won’t go to public spaces during an emergency—unless they have no other choice (e.g., evacuation, loss of power). The CHARM study highlighted several key factors that influence whether someone will choose to go to a resilience center, including:

  • Proximity to home
  • Operating hours
  • Whether pets are allowed
  • Familiarity with the space
  • A sense of safety and belonging
  • Amenities or activities that make the space more comfortable and inviting

Strategies identified

A. Build familiarity in advance

• Host non-emergency events at designated resilience spaces (e.g., movie nights, workshops, meals).
• Use these spaces year-round so they become familiar and trusted well before an emergency happens.

B. Make spaces welcoming and accommodating

• Assess community needs (physical accessibility, seating, food, air quality, cultural safety).
• Apply for funding to improve comfort and cultural relevance—from better lighting to multilingual signage.
• Create inclusive environments: design for everyone, including Native residents, unhoused individuals, seniors, and youth.

C. Diversify the spaces

• Expand resilience support to neighborhood-level spaces—closer to where people live and accessible without driving.
• Partner with a range of sites: Tribal centers, churches, parks, mobile units, and schools.

D. Offer engaging programming

• Combine emergency relief with welcoming, engaging activities like games, crafts, music, or wellness checks.
• Consider the needs and interests of your audience—tailor activities for youth, elders, families, or cultural groups.

E. Inclusive spaces

• Not all residents feel welcome everywhere. For example, some Native American residents shared that local senior centers felt unwelcoming or exclusive.
• Engage directly with culturally diverse and marginalized groups to co-create spaces that reflect their needs and identities.
• Be mindful of the social dynamics in shared spaces—e.g., how seniors and unhoused individuals experience safety and dignity.

Issues in Lake County

• People lack information about which resilience centers or community spaces are open during climate emergencies.
• Key details like hours, services, amenities (e.g., meals, pet-friendliness, charging stations), and who is welcome are often unclear or missing.
• Many residents, including unhoused individuals and isolated seniors, don’t use phones or digital platforms to get updates.
• Even well-established spaces are underused because people simply aren’t told about them in ways that reach them.
• To be effective, resilience centers and other safe spaces must be paired with inclusive, timely, and accessible communication strategies

Strategies identified

A. Use multiple communication channels

• Share information through flyers, local radio, bulletin boards, and in-person conversations—not just websites or social media.
• Consider low-tech options like door-to-door flyers, posters in laundromats, churches, and food banks.
• Unhoused residents, in particular, may not have phones or data access—radio and physical signs are critical.
• Information should be translated, accessible for people with disabilities, and readable at a 6th–8th grade level.
• Consider hotline options with recorded updates in multiple languages for those who prefer to call.

B. Leverage trusted messengers

• Partner with health care providers, social workers, case managers, and Meals on Wheels drivers to deliver updates directly to clients.
• These intermediaries can ask vulnerable individuals, “Do you have a plan for the upcoming heat wave?” and share tailored information on local cooling or warming centers.

C. Advertise where people already go

• People are far more likely to go to a space within one mile of their home.
• Post clear signage at locations like grocery stores, pharmacies, parks, and community centers once extreme weather events are forecasted.
• Notify regular patrons of resilience spaces (e.g., senior centers) that the facility will provide relief during the next climate event.

D. Maintain an updated and centralized information hub

• Develop and regularly update a user-friendly table or visual guide showing each resilience space with details about its operation and services during different CDEs

  • Locations and hours (e.g., daytime warming or cooling only, overnight shelter)
  • Available services (e.g., meals, charging, medical staff, pet accommodations)
  • Contact information
  • Accessibility notes (e.g., ADA-compliant, transit routes)

• Share broadly before each season (summer and winter) in multiple formats (e.g., print, web) and update as needed

• Coordinate with partners like the County website, COAD, and CoC, and ensure non-county sites are included.

Issues in Lake County

• Staff capacity- Many centers are understaffed during emergencies and rely heavily on volunteers.
• Staff training- Staff at both formal and informal centers may lack training in disaster response, medical support, or emergency protocols.
• Equipment gaps- Trusted spaces like peer support centers may lack critical resources such as backup power, emergency food, or ice machines.
• Emergency readiness-Some centers remain open during crises but aren’t prepared to meet emergency needs like medicine storage, pet support, or basic care.
• Lack of coordination- Some community responders operate independently and aren’t connected to countywide efforts like Lake County COAD.

Strategies identified

A. Build staff capacity and training

• Offer basic emergency response training (e.g., FEMA, Red Cross, or locally adapted programs) to staff and volunteers at both formal and informal centers.
• Integrate emergency preparedness training into regular staff professional development.
• Create a volunteer pool that can be activated and deployed during emergencies.

B. Improve equipment and supplies

• Provide grants or stipends to equip trusted spaces with essentials like backup power, refrigeration, emergency food, water, and cooling equipment.
• Conduct equipment needs assessments for likely resilience sites to prioritize investments.

C. Strengthen coordination and communication

• Connect informal spaces and local organizations with Lake County COAD and county emergency services to improve planning and real-time coordination.
• Develop a simple system for identifying, vetting, and supporting trusted ad hoc spaces during CDEs (e.g., churches, community centers, casinos).

D. Support emergency readiness

• Help centers create basic emergency operation plans, including protocols for medicine storage, pet care, food handling, and medical referrals.
• Provide toolkits or checklists tailored to different types of CDEs (heat, wildfire, smoke, etc.).

E. Address legal and operational barriers

• Create a legal “navigator” or primer to help organizations understand liability, insurance, and public access rules when operating as resilience centers.
• Clarify roles and expectations for private and nonprofit spaces that may open during emergencies.

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