community-oriented emergency resilience coaching for 21st century risks

I help households, communities, and organizations build personalized emergency and evacuation plans, prepare for disasters, and learn practical skills, while centering community and hyper-local resilience.

Based in Oakland • In-person Bay Area services • Virtual work

Preparedness should feel empowering, not paralyzing.

here’s the reality: we haven’t even seen the tip of the ice berg yet. Climate catastrophes are accelerating and we are entering unprecedented times. But it’s not a time for fear. It’s a time for action. However long we have left to prepare, is the amount we have left, and it’s time to do so now. Preparedness is an act of care to ourselves and others, and when managed correctly, is incredibly empowering and community-centric, which results in a better every-day life.

who I work with

  • A welcoming California home representing household preparedness

    households

    individuals, couples, families, roommates

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  • A welcoming community building representing neighborhood resilience

    communities

    neighborhoods, faith-based orgs, parent groups, book clubs, friends, pottery clubs

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  • A modern workplace representing organizational preparedness

    organizations

    businesses, nonprofits, schools, HOAs, senior-care providers, and private organizations

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  • Emergency supplies arranged for a personalized preparedness plan

    custom support

    Not sure where to start? I’ll shape a practical engagement around your needs.

    Book a Call

resilience as an eco-system

these dimensions weave together interdependently.

When we build community gardens, we're practicing environmental and community resilience simultaneously. When we teach our children emergency preparedness, we're building both practical skills and emotional resilience. When we create neighborhood support networks, we strengthen our financial and emergency resilience together.

I help people recognize the capacity they already have, identify the gaps, and build practical ways to support one another before, during, and after an emergency.

workshops and trainings

certified

I design engaging sessions around the people in the room — covering local hazards, emergency roles, communication, evacuation, supplies, safety, and scenario practice.

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  • identify the people, skills, spaces, supplies, and relationships already available in your community, then turn them into a practical map for coordination before, during, and after an emergency.

  • build a reliable communications plan for when cell service or internet access is limited, including contact trees, meeting points, backup tools, and clear message protocols. Learn radio basics + best comms practices.

  • learn all about emergency food and water supplies in this fun + interactive training, culminating in a disaster chef challenge, where you will compete for the title of the ultimate master chef, using only shelf-stable supplies + a gas stove.

  • builds a foundation for personal and household emergency preparedness, equipping people with the ability to anticipate risks, stay prepared, make emergency plans, and act confidently under pressure.

  • plan realistic go-bags and stay-kits, calculate essential food and water needs, and make safer shelter decisions for evacuating or staying home.

  • create a clear, usable plan for emergencies, evacuation, and recovery, with roles, routes, priorities, contingencies, and concrete next steps.

  • activates community capacity by turning neighbors into a coordinated network with shared roles, communication rhythms, mutual aid, and a sustainable path to collective resilience that both improves recovery in a disaster and your everyday.

  • strengthens situational awareness and decision‑making in volatile contexts, promoting habits and protocols that reduce exposure and improve response to authoritarianism, gun violence, and white supremacy.

testimonials

  • "8 months pregnant in LA after the fires, emergency preparedness was top of mind. Shirah inspected everything and made our home more earthquake and fire resilient. Her visit helps me sleep better at night."

    Zara, Los Angeles CA

  • "We thought we were prepared for a disaster, but working with Shirah proved that there were many straightforward measures we could take to be safer. She gave us the tools to be prepared today and well into the future."

    Parker & Olivia, Oakland CA

  • "Resilient peeps is the anti-hierarchical preparedness crew of my dreams! Thank you for helping me and my community scale up our readiness to stay safe and support one another via disaster readiness, mutual aid and collective organizing!"

    Miah, El Sobrante CA

  • "Shirah has meticulously designed this class with material that is far beyond the average training or pre-made kits. You will be given a full knowledge-base of supplies, resources, and technology to support you and your loved ones before, during and after an emergency."

    Sarah, Albany CA

  • "As a retired management consultant, I have seen many team leaders in action and Shirah’s skills are extraordinary. She brings technical expertise, relationships with city officials and an understanding of the nuances of our neighborhood in order to make our community safer and more resilient.

    Laura, Oakland CA

  • "What Shirah is teaching should be required learning for anybody who claims to be a leader or entrepreneurial."

    Andrew, Bay Area CA

  • "Shirah’s emergency prep workshop was incredibly helpful! I left feeling more prepared to know what to do in an emergency, better connected to my community, and with a pair of shoes under my bed."

    Laura, Los Angeles CA

  • Shirah’s depth of knowledge and passion make her an asset to every community who needs these kinds of educational tools - and that is EVERY community. These are the survival skills that are essential for our times - and Shirah shares them in a way that feels deeply pragmatic and achievable, demystifying the effort of community responsibility in the face of crisis.

    Nessa, New York NY

  • I had no idea how much I didn’t know until I took Shirah’s workshop. I’m so grateful for her guidance in helping me step confidently into the world of emergency preparedness. Beyond her impressive expertise, Shirah is an exceptionally skilled facilitator—she quickly gauges the knowledge and experience in the room and then seamlessly fills in the gaps with clarity, warmth, and encouragement.

    Anna, Richmond VA