Background
The city of Hamedan, one of Iran's historic and significant urban centers with a population of about 560,000 across 70 neighborhoods, conducted a large-scale "Neighborhood Self-Reliance Drill" on 18 August 2025.
Hamedan is a recognized member of the Making Cities Resilient (MCR 2030) global network, selected by UNDRR as a Regional Educational Hub since 2024 for urban resilience, and serves as the National office for Making Iranian Cities Resilient (No4MICR) in Iran.
The drill aimed to strengthen local preparedness and resilience in situations where critical infrastructure-including water, electricity, gas, internet, and communications-may be disrupted, and where immediate central government support is not available.
Objectives and Design
The drill was designed in alignment with the Ten Essentials of the MCR Framework, with the following core objectives:
- Strengthening localized crisis management and testing command structures (C2 → C4).
- Identifying and mobilizing neighborhood capacities: human resources, infrastructure, and social networks.
- Testing service continuity under disruption scenarios for water, energy, food, health, shelter, and communications.
- Enhancing social capital and psychosocial resilience through participation and solidarity.
The exercise incorporated lessons from national defense experiences and socio-cultural practices (Arbaeen mobilization), embedding both technical and cultural dimensions of resilience.
Local Organization and Preparedness
- Leadership and Command: Crisis management was delegated to neighborhood leaders and community institutions (cultural centers and mosques).
- Volunteer Engagement: DAVAM teams (Neighborhood Emergency Response Volunteers) and trained citizens played an active role.
- Resource Mapping: Local professionals (doctors, nurses, drivers, bakers, family counselors) and assets (wells, generators, shelters) were registered in a GIS platform.
- Critical Services: Emergency kitchens, water distribution stations, field hospitals, psychosocial support hubs, and safe shelters were activated at the community level.
Implementation and Phases
- Initial Phase: Internet-based communication (Rubika) linked the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) with 70 neighborhood leaders.
- Disruption Scenario: Internet and radio communications were assumed disrupted.
- Alternative Reporting: Reports were transferred through motorcycle couriers to the EOC.
- Local Service Management: Neighborhoods independently managed essential services-water, food, health, shelter.
- Evaluation: Provincial governor, members of parliament, and municipal officials conducted on-site assessments.
Outputs included
- Neighborhood SOPs,
- Rapid Damage & Safety Assessment forms,
- Evacuation maps,
- Comprehensive after-action reports.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
- Rapid organization of local leadership.
- Creative use of cultural and social infrastructure.
- Strong community participation and cohesion.
- Deployment of health and psychosocial resources.
Weaknesses
- Gaps in specialized training and SOPs.
- Limited food and fuel reserves in some neighborhoods.
- Weaknesses in resilient communications systems.
- Uneven participation levels across neighborhoods.
Follow-up Actions
To ensure sustainability, a structured After-Action Review (AAR) framework was adopted, including:
- Collecting feedback from all participants.
- Analyzing strengths, weaknesses, and best practices.
- Preparing corrective action plans.
- Enhancing training and capacity-building for local leaders.
- Updating GIS databases and evacuation maps.
- Investing in critical reserves (water, fuel, medicines).
- Conducting supplementary multi-hazard drills (earthquake, flood, cyberattacks).
Conclusion
The Neighborhood Self-Reliance Drill in Hamedan demonstrated how community-driven leadership, volunteer engagement, and integration of cultural-social infrastructure can sustain essential services under crisis conditions.
This initiative positioned Hamedan as a national and regional model for localized resilience-building.
By institutionalizing lessons learned, standardizing protocols, and continuing multi-hazard exercises, other cities can adapt this experience to strengthen their own resilience pathways towards safe, sustainable, and resilient urban systems.