Building Resilience Before Disaster Strikes: Observing the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction
- Seamus Leary
- Oct 12
- 2 min read
October 13, 2025
By Meridian Strategic Services Inc.
Why This Day Matters
Every Oct. 13, the world pauses to remember one essential truth: disaster risk may be inevitable — but it can be manageable. The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction is more than a calendar observance. It’s a global call to action for communities, businesses, and governments to reduce exposure, strengthen preparedness, and build resilience long before the next storm, fire, or disruption.
Preparedness Starts with People
At Meridian Strategic Services, preparedness is more than a plan — it’s a partnership. Our approach is built on three interconnected pillars:
Prepare – Identify the risks, create continuity plans, and train teams for realistic scenarios.
Practice – Test those plans through drills, table-tops, and community exercises.
Partner – Build trusted relationships before a crisis, so collaboration comes naturally when it counts most.
Real resilience occurs when people know what to do, who to call, and how to stay connected to the frontline.
The Risk Reduction Mindset
Risk reduction is more than an emergency management issue — it is also a leadership mindset. Whether you lead a city, a utility, or a small business, ask yourself:
Have we identified our critical vulnerabilities?
Do our teams know how to operate if systems go down?
Are our partnerships strong enough to recover together?
Resilience begins long before a response; it starts in readiness.
A Global Message, A Local Responsibility
Around the world, communities are discovering that resilience is built locally. Every school drill, infrastructure upgrade, and partnership meeting adds a layer of protection. No one can prevent every disaster, but everyone can take one proactive step today to reduce tomorrow’s risk. When readiness becomes routine, recovery becomes faster.
Meridian’s Commitment
At Meridian Strategic Services, we stand alongside emergency managers, public agencies, communities, and private organizations who share one mission: to make communities safer, stronger, and more ready. As we observe this year’s International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, we encourage you to:
Start the conversation in your organization.
Review and refresh your emergency plans.
Reconnect with your preparedness partners.
Because risk reduction is more than a one-day event — it is a daily discipline.
Join the Conversation
Follow Meridian on its online platforms to see how partners across the country are advancing resilience together.
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