This program’s premise is that taking prudent precautions against energy disruptions, terrorism or the possibility of a natural disaster is nothing more than a form of insurance. The program’s title, All Together Now, reflects our belief that by far the best insurance is the group insurance you get from teamwork, because our neighbors’ security is tied to our own.

Should you take reasonable steps to protect yourself and family against unknowns? The choice, it seems to us, is clear. It’s better to have a plan for an emergency that doesn’t happen than to have an emergency but no plan.

The steps that make the most sense in preparing for an emergency are a good idea, anyway. These actions will restore the kind of personal and community resiliency to our lives that we never intended to give up.

It’s virtually impossible to sink modern navy vessels for the very reason that the Titanic sank. Namely, their hulls are a honeycomb of airtight compartments. A large percentage of those compartments can be damaged without sinking the ship. That’s why you see photographs in the newspaper of ships that have been in terrible collisions but keep sailing fine, despite unbelievable gashes in the hull. We learned from the tragedy of the Titanic how to build ships that would be invulnerable to the same type of damage.

You could expect that kind of resiliency from a community made up of buildings and blocks that prepared themselves in advance for emergency situations. If small groups of neighbors worked together to form similar compartments to support one another in the event of future hazards, they would be unsinkable in proportion to the integrity of those compartments. Meanwhile the quality of life shared by these households would be much higher. They would be relationship-rich neighborhoods. They would be much more secure. When these units are strong, the social fabric is strong. This is the ultimate defense against disasters.

Taking the individual actions recommended by All Together Now will increase your resilience and peace of mind. The teamwork with neighbors will build strength in your building, block or neighborhood. And many neighborhoods working together will build a more resilient City.

The All Together Now household and neighborhood emergency preparedness program will:

1. Help you take actions necessary to be more self-reliant.

2. Show you how to receive and give support in taking action.

3. Build a resilient community.

4. Prime the pump of your own creativity and resourcefulness.

Today’s world requires us to radically rethink our urban expectation of dependency and separation. What the future will bring is uncertain, but what is certain is that being prepared and connected will enable us to face the future with greater confidence and security.