Building stronger, more resilient communities, together.

While we can’t predict the future, we can prepare for the unknown. Unfortunately we have to accept that sometimes there is very little that can be done to stop a disaster from happening. However sometimes there are things that can be done. One thing is always true, being prepared for any scenario is always a great idea because we never know when the unthinkable could happen.

Helping our local communities prepare for potential disasters before they strike by offering tools, plans, training and the confidence when it comes time to act can make a significant impact! Either through training courses, building of disaster response kits, responding during an emergency through coordination of volunteer efforts or directing those in need to resources the United Way of Pekin and our partners in this initiative are working towards making our communities more resilient.

Our goal is to collaborate to help restore essential services, provide basic needs and connect those in need with resources in the moments of individual or broad community disasters.

Our Sponsors & Partners in this work

Preparation saves lives

When a house fire starts all you have is three minutes to escape safely. In 2023, there were 23 house fires in Pekin.

There is always a risk of flooding near a river, and threats of tornadoes are all too common in the Midwest. Having a plan in place for when disaster strikes could make a huge difference.

Today, you have an average of less than 2 minutes to safely escape a house fire from the moment the smoke alarm sounds.

The average lead time for a tornado warning in the United States is currently about 13 to 15 minutes. This doesn’t leave a whole lot of time to act. Prepare yourself and your family today!

Local Disaster Contacts/Orgs

Watch & Learn, Prepare ahead!

The following videos are provided for community education. They are not produced by the United Way of Pekin. If a link appears broken please contact our office and let us know!

Fire Prevention & REsponse

Tornado safety & REsponse

Flood safety & REsponse

Busienss continuity during disasters