The Faith Based Partnership Program (FBPP) reaches out to leaders in our local faith community and partners with them to revolutionize emergency communication, preparedness, response, and recovery. The entire premise of the program is to utilize existing, trusted relationships to communicate warning and preparedness messages.

The FBPP began in the spring of 2008, after Emergency Preparedness managers asked, “How can we reach and serve the people who need us the most?” Realizing that many faith-based organizations are already serving citizens in times of personal and major disaster, the Independence and Jackson County Offices of Emergency Preparedness, known as the Eastern Jackson County Emergency Operations Center (EJCEOC), decided to tap into that existing network and reach out to the faith community.

This case study was submitted to the Alliance for Innovation in consideration for the 2010 Transforming Local Government conference.