Congressional Research Service. Congressional Primer on Responding to Major Disasters and Emergencies; issued May 19, 2015.

Since CRS documents are not public, it takes a while to find out one has been issued. Thanks to HSDL for this document.

From the current issue of The Atlantic magazine: The Plan to Move an Entire Swedish Town. Can a city pick itself up and head down the road? The people of Kiruna intend to find out.

FEMA has finalized this new requirement.

Our Guest blogger today is John Coleman, who is from Christchurch, NZ

I found this article an interesting comparison – Different Approaches to Earthquake Recovery.

We have 2 Cathedrals in Christchurch. The Anglican one in the Square, the fate of which is still a subject of much controversy. The second, which is locally known as the Catholic Basilica is on the south east of the central city was also substantially damaged. The church leaders have just announced their conservation plans for the Basilica, which sounds a lot like the way Coventry cathedral was managed.

One of our difficulties here is that the Civil Defence Controller has almost absolute authority in the immediate response and demolition of any building is likely (and did) occur in the heat of the moment.

I find it fascinating to walk around Europe, especially Brussels, and look at all the old buildings, many of which, like those in Aquila, have been rebuilt several times.

We, here, have neither the resources nor the will to do the same.

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John Coleman is the Emergency Planning Co-ordinator in the South Island Alliance Programme Office, located in Christchurch. Contact Info: John.Coleman@siapo.health.nz

See this explanation from the HSDL. And see also the comment by Bill Cumming correcting the origins of the report.

We have seen this attitude prevail in recent years in OK and in TX.

See the article titled The Troubled Relationship Between Texas and FEMA. Texans don’t trust the federal government. But the state relies on federal disaster funds more than any other.

The source of the information about state requests for federal funds after a disaster is this report from the  Center for American Progress; see States of Denial – States with the most federal disaster Aid Sent Climate Science Deniers to Congress.

See this article about the Mayor of Christchurch’s apology to some of her constituents – – Mayor to East; I am really sorry.

Thanks to Ian McLean for the citation.

A personal note: I have met the mayor and she is a sincere, dedicated public servant.

Today’s guest author is Robert Parmer.

I know that the readers of this blog like infographics. Rob helped me locate the one I recently posted, and now he has come up with others that may be of interest. See:

• • Severe Impact Natural Disasters Can Have on Small Businesses
  • Top Natural Disasters That Threaten Businesses

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Robert Parmer is a freelance web writer, a student at Boise State University, and a chef. Contact: robparmer@gmail.com