| EIIP Virtual Library User-Submitted Document | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Document Type: Paper | Phase: MIT | ||
| Title: Natural Disaster Reduction Efforts at the Local Government Level in the United States | |||
| Author: Coile, Russell, PhD. CEM | Affiliation: Emergency Program Manager, Pacific Grove Fire Department | ||
| Abstract: Hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and other disasters seem to be occurring in the United States with increasing frequency. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is now encouraging local governments to assume more responsibility for disaster reduction activities rather than just waiting for the federal government to provide assistance for recovery after a disaster. FEMA announced a new program called "Project Impact: Building a Disaster Resistant Community in 1997. The objective of this initiative is to provide technical advice on disaster mitigation in an effort to encourage local communities to undertake actions that will protect families, businesses and the community. Congress has been willing to fund demonstration projects for disaster mitigation but feels that local communities and local businesses must form partnerships to cope with their own local hazards. The Department of Energy has developed another approach consistent with its responsibilities. The Department of Energy's Center of Excellence for Sustainable Development has been working with a number of communities to develop and evaluate quantifiable and relevant indicators of sustainability and quality of life indicators. This approach includes a number of natural hazard reduction efforts to improve safety in communities in the United States. A separate but related approach has been developed by the insurance industry. The Institute of Business and Home Safety in Boston has a Showcase Community program sponsored by the insurance industry which has many of FEMA's goals. For example, the Showcase Community program builds demonstration homes incorporating new disaster resistant features to educate both the public and home builders. | |||
| Date: 6/8/99 | Name: tiems99.txt | File Format: txt | File Size: 33KB |
| Instructions: Click to view, or Shift Click to download this text file. | |||