From RollCall: Opinion: As Hurricane Season Approaches, It’s Time to Fix Disaster Funding. “Our federal government should stop treating natural disasters as surprises.”
Among the recommendations are to fix the Stafford Act and the National Flood Ins. Program. We have heard those many times; hope it happens one of these days!
NIST Launches Study of Hurricane Maria’s Impact on Puerto Rico.
The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced it will study the impacts of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico, focusing specifically on the performance of critical buildings and their dependence on distributed infrastructure (such as electricity and water), as well as emergency communications and the public’s response to those communications.
The Diva highly recommends a recent article titled A Comparative Analysis of the Roles Governors Play in Disaster Recovery.
Link: Smith_et_al-2018-Risk_Hazards__Crisis_in_Public_Policy(2)
This 40 page article provides a useful summary of recovery research, mentions H. Katrina and the resulting PKEMRA, as well as the role of the states in recovery.
See also other useful materials are available for the UNC Coastal Resilience Center.
Citizens and politicians in Alaska are well aware of the effects on their state. From the NY Times, see Impossible to Ignore’: Why Alaska Is Crafting a Plan to Fight Climate Change.
A preprint of an article from the American Geophysical Union: Hurricane Harvey links to Ocean Heat Content and Climate Change Adaptation
Once Lava Stops Rebuilding Futures Uncertain.
“We really don’t know the extent of the damage and whether or not people can actually rebuild,” Hawaii state Rep. Joy A. San Buenaventura, who represents the Puna district where Leilani Estates is located, told NBC News Thursday. Another question, she said, “is whether or not you should rebuild” in areas more likely to see lava flows.
From the NY Times: Puerto Rico Nervously Prepares for Hurricane Season: ‘What if Another One Comes?’
Emergency managers say they have revamped their plans since Hurricane Maria. But work is left to be done, and hurricane season begins June 1.
Update on May 16th: Hurricane season may be even worse in 2018 after a harrowing 2017. “The initial forecasts of an above-average season for hurricanes, beginning on 1 June, follow a punishing spate of storms last year.”
Update on May 17th: Advice from the Red Cross on Personal Preparedness.
Here are some recommendations for pet preparedness from a firm that provides insurance for pets. See: Trupanion Recommends National Disaster Preparedness With your Pet in Mind.
Here is a good example of local coordination for pet sheltering preparations.
Update: One more article on this topic – Preparing your pets for natural disasters
New Report: Building Resilience for Coastal Small Busineses. This 60-page report was produced by the Lowlander Center in LA.
Thanks to Alessandra Jerolleman for the citation. As one of the authors, she noted that it was the culmination of a two-year long project focusing on the resilience of small businesses along the Louisiana coast. The project was funded through a grant from Entergy to the Lowlander Center, with Water Works as as sub-consultant,
The importance of accountability after deadly disaster. An excerpt:
After the failure of complex systems that result in deadly disasters, we struggle to hold people to account.
Organizational anthropologists refer to four types of accountability: Market, bureaucratic, community and randomness. Each type characterizes accountability differently; all have strengths and important limitations.
Recovery Diva 