disasters

Forgotten First Responders: Caregivers for Sick and Elderly

Caregivers are underappreciated and underutilized partners in disaster response. But with proper recognition and support, they could become a linchpin of successful disaster response.

Bounce Forward: Building Resilience for Dangerous Times

When Superstorm Sandy came ashore in 2012, thousands of New Yorkers were plunged into what seemed like an earlier century. No lights. No heat. No refrigeration. No elevators. On the upper floors of high-rise apartment buildings, the taps went dry and toilets would not flush.

Disaster assistance (finally!) takes nature into account

If a tree falls in the forest, what does it cost? From the perspective of federal disaster assistance, the answer traditionally has been “not much.” But now — thanks to improved number-crunching — the federal government is taking nature into account when it tallies the cost of disasters.

What happens when disaster strikes during gridlock?

I was late for an appointment, sitting in traffic on one of the major arteries out of Washington DC. It was miserable, barely moving traffic of the kind that makes you whimper with frustration as yet another green light turns yellow, then red, as you inch along

The Coastal Triple Threat of Natural Hazards

Have you ever been to a community that was exposed to inland flooding, hurricane surge, and future sea level rise? A community that is exposed to such poor air quality that a 2005 Houston Chronicle report compared it to "sitting in traffic 24/7"? Welcome to the super neighborhoods of Manchester, Harrisburg, and Magnolia Park, adjacent to oil refineries and the Houston Ship Channel in East Houston, Texas.
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Identifying Your Community's Vulnerability Hotspot

Identifying and mapping vulnerable areas in your community can reveal highly vulnerable hotspots. Vulnerability hotspots are exposed to hazards, and have both physical vulnerabilities and social vulnerabilities. Mapping these three community characteristics can reveal patterns that may not have been understood otherwise.