LEVERAGING THE ROLE OF EMERGENCY MANAGERS TO PROMOTE DISASTER RESILIENCE AS A CORNERSTONE OF COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY: A LOCAL PERSPECTIVE

Is there a seat at the table for disaster resilience in the framework of community sustainability?

Emergency managers have a unique role to play in having the ability to access community decision makers. Emergency managers should cultivate this role as a bridge for translating and sharing geohazard information to their audiences and help these public officials to “get it” while on their watch about understanding these low probability high impact events that need continued community investment.

It is often stated in the emergency management community that all disasters are local and likewise that all hazard mitigation is local. Ideally, the top-down view of international, federal, and state to local implementation of hazard research and policy, is to think globally, or at least nationally, and to act locally.

But acting locally to reduce risk from natural hazards and improve disaster resilience can be a very hard sell to local governments faced with tough economic times and development pressures. Improving and enforcing building codes for seismic and wind loads are hard work. Reviewing and limiting floodplain development is challenging as well. But what about preventing steep hillside development with prime views or changing zoning for limiting or even preventing future development? This can be very difficult.

Getting to the place of being disaster resilient is a horizon. We will never fully get “there.” But we can begin taking steps toward that goal and it is more feasible if local communities work together at the regional level to leverage each community’s assets.

In this keynote address the speaker will share insights as a local emergency manager in the Pacific Northwest on the continuing need for outreach to the sustainability community on the opportunities offered through the hazard mitigation process and the emerging need for collaborative long-term disaster recovery planning.