Leadership Beyond The C-Suite: Disaster Lessons From Los Angeles And North Carolina
By Trevor Riggen, Forbes Councils Member and president of humanitarian services at the American Red Cross. Read Trevor Riggen's full executive profile here.
As the reach and intensity of extreme weather events increase, communities that were once considered relatively safe are finding themselves on the front lines of catastrophe. Over the past six months, the devastating impacts of the wildfires in Los Angeles and Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina showed in the most vivid way possible that nowhere is immune.
Two very different communities, thousands of miles apart, faced disasters that destroyed entire neighborhoods, displaced thousands of families, and left deep psychological and financial scars. Yet the fundamental lesson is the same: Every community needs to be prepared.
A Study In Contrasts, A Lesson In Similarity
It’s hard to think of two more different settings than southern California and the mountains of North Carolina. Los Angeles, the second-largest city in the US, has extensive emergency services, including access to one of the most modern and capable firefighting forces in the country. In comparison, the small mountain communities of western North Carolina have more limited resources and many residents who rely heavily on their neighbors and local agencies in times of need.
Despite their differences, both regions were devastated by disasters that were largely unprecedented in their severity. In the fall of 2024, Hurricane Helene battered the Southeast from Florida to Virginia, but unleashed its full fury on North Carolina. The impact was catastrophic: Rivers overflowed, homes were washed away and entire communities were left in ruins.
In January 2025, the Palisades and Eaton fires tore through Southern California, consuming thousands of homes and reducing neighborhoods and critical infrastructure to ashes. The intensity of these fires, fanned by strong winds, quickly ranked them among the most destructive in the state’s history.
While hurricanes and wildfires are vastly different, the climate crisis is contributing to a greater frequency and higher intensity. These disasters also had striking similar effects in both regions. The most immediate needs were emergency shelter, food, health and mental health support, as well as financial assistance to help residents begin the long, grueling recovery process. Rebuilding destroyed neighborhoods will take much longer, and the psychological effects of trauma on the affected communities may never heal completely.
Ready At Every Level
Both disasters underscored a hard truth: No one is exempt from the growing threat of extreme weather. There was a time when we believed certain areas were safe from natural disasters, but that has passed. Even communities that rarely experience extreme weather are now at risk. Just in the past few years, multiple tropical storms have passed within 50 miles of where I live in northern Maine, a place that was once considered a low-risk area.
The increasing likelihood and unpredictability of disasters make preparedness critical for every household, community and organization. At the household level, preparation starts with the three basics: You need to have an emergency kit stocked with essentials, have a plan for where your family will go in an evacuation, and have a way to stay informed about weather alerts and local emergency plans.
At the community level, readiness depends on coordination. All local organizations—not just emergency responders—need to be clear on their role in disaster preparedness and response. Organizations like food pantries, health clinics and in-home care agencies often provide important services, but they are frequently overlooked in disaster planning. These hyper-local agencies can make a big difference, so investing in them ahead of time is key. When a crisis hits, they need to be able to keep their doors open.
Pre-disaster collaboration is critical. One of the biggest mistakes communities make is waiting until disaster strikes to form response partnerships. Relationships take time, and time is simply not a luxury we have when disaster strikes. Instead, communities should prioritize planning that includes traditional responders like the American Red Cross and local emergency management, as well as nontraditional responders like churches, local nonprofits and neighborhood groups. Each part of a community brings value that can help save lives and potentially accelerate recovery.
The Future Of Disaster Preparedness
Some people like to use the term “new normal.” But in reality, the very idea of “normal” may be obsolete when it comes to disasters. Beyond Los Angeles and North Carolina, in the first 50 days of 2025, Red Cross volunteers responded to more big disasters than days so far this year—the vast majority of which did not capture headlines but are no less devastating for affected families.
The lesson is clear: Disaster response is a reality for every community and preparedness is an ongoing process that must involve every level of society. Every community needs to adopt a readiness framework that includes all stakeholders: residents, businesses, nonprofits and emergency responders alike. We all have a role to play, and the more we plan and build partnerships now, the better equipped we’ll be when—not if—the next disaster hits.
By Trevor Riggen COUNCIL POST
Trevor Riggen is the president of humanitarian services at the American Red Cross. Read Trevor Riggen's full executive profile here.
