Any of us who have worked in more than one coastal community know this simple truth: there’s no one-size-fits-all activity to make communities safer from storms and flooding. Geography and geology vary. Community goals and political climates vary. Organizational structures within communities vary (Do you have a mayor? A town manager? A Board of Selectmen?). […]
Author Archive | Wesley Shaw
Community Passes Forward-Thinking Floodplain Regulation
Posted on November 2, 2010
We acknowledge that this regulation wasn’t passed in Mississippi (or even in one of the Gulf of Mexico states) but we think it might still be worth a look here as a model to draw on if your community is considering passing a regulation designed to promote safe development in your coastal floodplains. Here’s the […]
New Hurricane Science and Society Website
Posted on October 28, 2010
The University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography launched a new website this week: Hurricanes: Science and Society. The site has loads of information on the science of hurricanes, methods of observing hurricanes, and modeling and forecasting of hurricanes. In addition to in-depth science content, the website includes educational resources, case studies, and a […]
Quick Proof that Building Codes Work [video]
Posted on October 27, 2010
The Institute for Business and Home Safety built a proper hurricane making machine, then constructed two homes in front of it. One was built to standard building codes, the other to their “Fortified for Safer Living” code. They turned the hurricane on and, well, you can see the results. Wow. Show this the next time […]
New Free Webinar on Climate Change Adaptation for Local Governments
Posted on October 26, 2010
Just got this press release announcing that EPA will continue a promising-looking webcast series designed to help local governments adapt to climate change. While the blurb doesn’t say the program is specifically targeting coastal communities, it seems likely that much if not all of what they discuss will apply to all of us abutting the […]
New Guidance for Post-Disaster Redevelopment Planning
Posted on October 21, 2010
The Florida Department of Community Affairs and Florida Division of Emergency Management yesterday released its long-awaited Post-Disaster Redevelopment Planning: A Guide for Florida Communities. [QUICK NOTE: while this is written for Florida, it’s likely to be useful for communities anywhere in the US.] From their announcement: Over the past four years the Department and the […]
Quick and Easy Way to Create Storm Surge Maps
Posted on October 11, 2010
They’re not precise enough to use for planning purposes, but the National Hurricane Center has created a neat tool to show projections for where hurricanes are likely to drive storm surge. Using it is as easy as visiting their Storm Surge Interactive Risk Maps webpage, selecting a category of storm (1-5) you’d like to see […]
Need Funding Advice? Here's Training!
Posted on October 11, 2010
Got a great community resilience project but you’re not sure how to pay for it? The Coastal Training Programs of the Grand Bay and Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserves have announced a series of workshops for decision-makers and grant-writers from coastal Mississippi and Alabama. As they describe the two classes: FUNDING YOUR PROJECT Are […]
White House Creates Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force
Posted on October 6, 2010
The Obama Administration yesterday designated a new Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force. This group, to be made up of a mixture of federal, state, tribal, and local representatives, will work to maximize efficiency in the Gulf of Mexico’s efforts to improve its resiliency in the wake of man-made disasters. To that end, heathy ecosystems […]
New Details on the $500 Million BP Independent Research Initiative
Posted on September 30, 2010
A new press release yesterday from BP, outlining how the committed $500 million will be distributed (here in its entirety): BP and the Gulf of Mexico Alliance Announce Implementation of BP’s $500 Million Independent Research Initiative HOUSTON – BP and the Gulf of Mexico Alliance today announced plans for the implementation of BP’s $500 million […]