Who are you relying on in case of an emergency? This is a great article to get you thinking:
System-Reliant Disappointment
FEMA and other programs are wonderful, but I feel this article summed it up best –
We can support best as communities and individual families vs. relying upon systems alone. Becoming more self and community sustaining can be far less disappointing than being system-reliant.
I do not understand what you are trying to portray here, but disappointment comes from the response, not the disaster. I am very proud as how Massachusetts handled the last 3 hurricanes and 5 blizzards. My town opened the high school for showers, the gym as people came for food and games, the police charged phones. Due to Irene, the town bought generators that kept the street lights going after Sandy.
Sorry for the confusion. The picture actually links to an article that expounds further into the subject. Not sure if you had a chance to look at it, but it talks more about doing exactly what it sounds like your community is already doing.
I theorize that the quality of local response to an emergency is dependent on the general mentality before the disaster. Before moving to MA, I lived in TX and worked in helping the poor. It was a tough market as the mentality looked down at the poor. In MA, people consider it a right and privilege to assist. Of course, good and bad individuals stand out in both places, but the overall feel is noticeable. I call it pudding proof: when people who care coordinate their efforts, it will show up when they are needed most, no matter where you live.