NCDP: Improving Housing Recovery in Communities Affected by Disaster
The National Center for Disaster Preparedness (NCDP), Columbia University, is offering three FREE web-based trainings on post-disaster housing recovery: AWR-370-W: Conducting Impact Assessments, AWR-371-W: Pre-Disaster Planning, and AWR-372-W: Post-Disaster Planning. The trainings contain COVID-19 information as well as information for communities recovering from natural disasters.
ASFPM: New Story Map: Communities Gaining Ground in the Race Against Rising Waters
Communities Gaining Ground in the Race Against Rising Waters is a story map from ASFPM's Flood Science Center featuring case studies of eight communities that successfully addressed their flood problems. Examining each community’s response from an historical angle lets us see how they adapted over time, shifting their approach as conditions changed. With locations as diverse as their flooding challenges and solutions, the story map serves a valuable tool for all types of communities looking for sound approaches to address flooding.
|
Updates from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: DHS Coastal Resilience Center of Excellence
DHS Center Releases Report on Diversity Efforts in Education Projects
Coastal Resilience Center of Excellence (CRC) staff and education project leaders collaborated on a report, “Diversifying the Homeland Security Enterprise,” which focuses on the progress of its supported undergraduate and graduate programs at four Minority Supporting Institutions – two in Mississippi, one in North Carolina and one in Puerto Rico – over the first 5 years of the Center. More information can be found in the report on the CRC website.
Videos Explore Successes of Plan Integration Resilience Scorecard
CRC researchers Phil Berke, UNC-Chapel Hill, and Jaimie Masterson, Texas A&M University, are the subject of four new videos from CRC on their work with the Plan Integration for Resilience Scorecard™ (PIRS™). Now in a partnership with the American Planning Association to distribute the tool to communities nationwide, the researchers have worked with pilot communities across the country. Planning and emergency management staff in three of those communities – Rockport, Texas; Norfolk, Virginia; and Nashua, New Hampshire – speak in the videos about how PIRS™ improved their planning process and resilience to disaster.
University of Rhode Island Website Highlights Decision Support Tools Used by Local, Regional Emergency Management
CRC's University of Rhode Island partners have developed a website showcasing how their Center-funded projects help local, state and federal end users in the Northeast. Tools from two CRC projects – "Modeling the Combined Coastal and Inland Hazards from High-Impact Hurricanes" (led by Isaac Ginis) and "Hazard Consequence Threshold Models for Emergency Management and Response Decision Making" (led by Austin Becker) – are featured on the new website richamp.org. Named for “Rhode Island Coastal Hazards, Analysis, Modeling & Prediction,” the site focuses on Analysis of Impacts, Modeling, Prediction System and Visuals. The site also includes descriptions of four case studies in which the tools have been used for real-world and simulated hazard impacts. For more information, visit richamp.org.
ICLR: An Impact Analysis for the National Guide for Wildland-Urban Interface Fires
Risk of fire in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) is large and growing fast with climate change. An impact analysis of a new Canadian WUI fire design guide shows that building better in the WUI can save over 30 times the cost.
|
|
 |
Updates from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Report Release: Enhancing Community Resilience through Social Capital and Social Connectedness: Stronger Together!
The report explores three important applied research topics within the natural hazard mitigation and resilience realm:
- Inspiring Communities to Create and Sustain Social Capital and Connectedness
- Bolstering Community-Created Digital and Public Spaces
- Building Social Capital through Financial Investment Strategies
The National Academies will host a release event on June 30 to give an overview of the report and answer questions from applied researchers and funders interested in further investigating these topics.
Sign up for our mailing list to get updates!
National Institute of Building Sciences and SPA Risk LLC: A Resilient Runway Will Save Portland Over 50 Times its Cost, and Benefit the Entire Community
Oregon will inevitably experience a catastrophic Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake. This study estimates that protecting a Portland International Airport runway saves $50 per $1 spent in safety, faster return to homes and workplaces, and reduced business interruption and repairs.
Eight Maine Communities Selected for Local Climate Change Planning Projects
Eight Maine communities have been selected to participate in pilot projects for local climate resilience planning, to help them prepare for the effects of climate change and develop climate planning models for towns and cities in Maine.
|
ASCE Library: Exploring a Community’s Quest for Resilience: Struggling with Past Plans
This narrative policy analysis shows how applying different resilience definitions can result in different resolutions. The author uses a fictional account to explore how, in the search for resilience, a community devises a new trajectory while recovering from storm damage.
Announcing New Homeland Security and Emergency Management Journal
The e-journal, called Pracademic Affairs, was created "to provide emergency management and homeland security practitioners a welcoming platform to write, explore, analyze, and examine real-world critical lessons learned to improve the resilience of our communities."
FMIA and Waterloo University Release Listing of Flood Proofing Projects
The Flood Mitigation Industry Association (FMIA), 501c3, has published the first listing of flood barrier products as a part of the Waterloo University, Intact Center Program. It took a year to compile and vet all of the products on the list.
|
|
 |
Announcing FEMA's Center for Domestic Preparedness
FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness aids the resiliency of U.S. communities by teaching responders to prepare for, and safely respond to, a wide range of natural and manmade disasters.
The advanced, all-hazards training is free and delivered on the CDP campus in Alabama, at sites around the nation, and online.
ICF and Pew Charitable Trusts: Flooding Impacts on Maryland’s Transportation System and Users
ICF conducted an analysis to quantify the toll that roadway flooding takes on a state transportation system and its users, with Maryland as an illustrative example. One key finding is that 78% of analyzed roadway flood incidents are located outside FEMA 500-year floodplains, indicating that flooding is not limited to mapped flood zones. A second key highlight of the study is the quantified economic impacts of flooding to roadway users, to communicate the value of infrastructure services. The Pew Charitable Trusts commissioned this research but does not necessarily endorse the findings or conclusions.
EESI Briefing Series: Modernizing the U.S. Energy System - Opportunities, Challenges, and the Path Forward
EESI’s June briefing series will cover the energy system of tomorrow, modernizing America’s transmission network, and leveraging grid edge integration for resilience and decarbonization. Resilience to climate impacts will be discussed throughout the series. Visit the web page to watch the recordings and access additional resources.
|
|
 |
Pacific Disaster Center: Partnering to Support Advanced Decision-Making in the EOC: The Hawaii State EMA Recently Formalized the Role of the PDC-Liaison in the EOC Command Structure
A recent update to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) standard operating procedures that formalized the Pacific Disaster Center (PDC) technical support liaison within the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency’s (HI-EMA’s) incident command structure provides a replicable model for state and local agencies.
For more information, see: http://www.pdc.org/FEMACaseStudy or contact Damon Coppola and Julie Greenly, PDC, at jgreenly@pdc.org.
|
|
 |
EDF Action Blog: New poll shows statewide, bipartisan support for investing in flood resilience in Virginia. Here’s what the state has underway.
Ahead of statewide elections in Virginia, EDF Action and Global Strategies Group conducted polling of likely voters on flooding, climate change and coastal resilience. Results show broad, statewide and bipartisan support for taking action to protect Virginia from future flooding.
EDF Blog: Virginia is taking bold climate action to address flood risk across the state.
Virginians statewide are experiencing increasing flood risk and state leadership is working diligently to fund and implement risk reduction and resilience. Learn more about the Community Flood Preparedness Fund, which is accepting applications for its first round of funding through September 3.
The Nature Conservatory: New Guide Promotes Nature-Based Hazard Mitigation
The Nature Conservancy and AECOM, an engineering firm, recently produced a guide designed to help communities develop nature-based projects that are eligible for FEMA funding and that help mitigate the risks of flooding and wildfire.
|
|
 |
Book Announcement: Blueprint for Coastal Adaptation: Uniting Design, Economics, and Policy
The Wharton Risk Center is excited to share the release of Blueprint for Coastal Adaptation: Uniting Design, Economics, and Policy, edited by Carolyn Kousky, Billy Fleming, and Alan M. Berger.
In this book, coastal adaptation experts discuss the interrelated challenges facing communities experiencing sea level rise and increasing storm impacts and provides tools for evaluating necessary tradeoffs to think more comprehensively about the future of our coastal communities.
To purchase a copy from Island Press, which ships worldwide, use the code ADAPT for a 20% discount here: https://islandpress.org/books/blueprint-coastal-adaptation. Check out other books by Risk Center Affiliated Scholars here: https://riskcenter.wharton.upenn.edu/books/.
|
|
 |
FEMA to Provide $1 Billion for Communities Through the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Grant Program
As was recently announced, FEMA will post a funding notice this summer for the $1 billion that will be available through the agency’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program.
The BRIC program provides a critical opportunity for governments to invest in a more resilient nation, reduce disaster suffering and avoid future disaster costs.
Tulane DRLA Summer Institute to Focus on Disaster Equity
The Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy is pleased to announce disaster equity as the theme for its summer institute.
|
|
 |
Texas Sea Grant Hosts “Hazards Webinar Wednesday” Series
To build a culture of hazard preparedness in coastal communities, Texas Sea Grant developed a webinar series that brings resources to the public during the pandemic. Presentations from state and federal partners are followed by a Q&A session. Topics include insurance basics, resilient building codes, business continuity, and recovery programs. Visit the Texas Sea Grant Hurricane Season YouTube playlist and Facebook event page for past and upcoming webinars.
|
|
 |
The Alliance for a Climate Resilient Earth and SustainChain™
The Alliance for a Climate Resilient Earth (ACRE) is a partnership that unites the strength of member organizations through strategic communications and advocacy for an action agenda. ACRE is the collective voice for the alliance of member organizations in private industry, civil society, and academia. To improve the ability of organizations to collaborate, ACRE is deploying SustainChain™, a software platform developed by the U.S. Coalition on Sustainability. The platform uses artificial intelligence to match and support joint action across organizations. ACRE is developing an enhanced version focused on resilience.
AEM: Understanding Risk and Resiliency in Water and Transportation Infrastructure Sectors
Minimizing risk and maximizing resiliency is a focus of many critical infrastructure sectors. AEM’s PARRE tool helps water and wastewater utilities evaluate their risks to natural and man-made threats in order to understand where investments can see the greatest benefit. An expansion of the tool for the transportation sector is coming soon! Check out the benefits at www.aemcorp.com/riskassessments.
|
|
 |
International Code Council: Building Safety Month Celebrates Role of Building Codes and Building Safety Professionals
Building Safety Month is an international campaign that takes place in May to raise awareness about building safety. With the campaign being strictly virtual this year, the International Code Council (ICC) hosted virtual events covering the themes of energy and innovation, training the next generation, water safety, and disaster preparedness. The month also featured the release of two ICC Pulse Podcast episodes covering opportunities to engage people of color in code development and enforcement and the importance of garage doors in building safety.
FEMA: Listen Now: Level Up Audio Project Season 2!
Season 2 of FEMA Region 9’s Level Up Audio Project is now available! Each episode features conversations with practitioners who share their stories in hazard mitigation and resilience.
This season explores tsunami resilience, mitigating extreme heat, multi-benefit solutions, and more!
On Safer Ground: Floodplain Buyouts and Community Resilience
Flooding is the most expensive and common natural disaster in the United States, and managing flood risk is critical to protecting homes, local and regional economies, and community well-being. On Safer Ground: Floodplain Buyouts and Community Resilience highlights how local governments across the United States are increasingly turning to buyouts as one strategy to cost effectively reduce flood risk, offer relief to residents, and potentially improve access to open space in urban areas. The report explores best practices for community resilience involving floodplain buyouts and models for partnerships with the private sector.
|
|
 |
FEMA: Building a Home that Stands Strong During a Hurricane
Check out one of FEMA’s latest blog posts, which tells the story of how Al Dintino and his family took steps to rebuild their home and mitigate against future risk after Hurricane Florence.
|
