Katie Skakel, CFM Natural Hazards Planning Consultant Natural Hazard Mitigation Association (NHMA)

Natural Hazard Mitigation Association

Introduction to the Disaster Risk Reduction Ambassador Curriculum

Partnerships for Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Best Practices

Four NHMA Local Initiatives• The Living Mosaic

• Resilient Neighbors Network (RNN)

• Disaster Risk Reduction Ambassador Curriculum

• Outreach to Non-Traditional Partners

2. Resilient Neighbors Network (RNN)

Four NHMA Local Initiatives

How NHMA DRR Program facilitates innovation and learning

• Focus on unmet needs at community-level DRR. RNN

experiences serve as test-beds and models to fulfill FEMA

Natural Hazard Mitigation Planning (NHMPs) including the NFIP

Community Rating System (CRS).

• These successful DRR projects build upon the “win-win” nexus of

health, safety, and economic prosperity. There is need and

opportunity to assist community groups in methods, models, and

exemplars to engage “the whole community,” to bridge gaps and

connect dots between “planning” (before), response (during) and

“recovery” (after) DRR operations.

Disaster Risk Reduction Ambassador Curriculum

Emphasis is placed on the concept of disaster resilience, or “the ability to prepare and plan for, absorb, recover from, and more successfully adapt to adverse events” (National Research Council 2012).

The curriculum provides citizen leaders with best practices, the science underlying our understanding of natural hazards phenomena and a critical analysis of the policies, programs, and plans in place that are intended to help societies manage the effects of natural hazards and disasters, to include actions that increase disaster resilience. 

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The Framework for the DRR Ambassador Curriculum Categories include:

Introduction to current situation concerning natural disasters.

Impediments to Disaster Risk Reduction aspects of resiliency.

Overcoming Impediments: What a community can do and what others are doing.

Current national and local efforts in resilience and the need for changes in policy and law.

Multihazards are addressed. The curriculum addresses the broad set of DRR

natural hazards and risks, and best mitigation practices to

improve economic, social, and environmental quality of life, and to

protect public health and safety.

Multidisciplinary. The curriculum provides an overview of many

expert disciplines, to show connections gained through collaborative

teamwork.

Part of the larger national and international efforts to support

Community Resilience. The curriculum recognizes the need to connect across the

separate sectors of those engaged in the larger scope of climate science,

emergency management, and comprehensive planning, to coordinate with others

committed to build a more resilient future.

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DRR Ambassador Curriculum

Will be CROSS-CUTTING

Disaster Risk Reduction Ambassador Program

DRAFT OUTLINE NHMA CTP Community Ambassadors

Curriculum DRAFT: June 29, 2015

Getting Started

1 A FRAMEWORK FOR RESILIENCY: NEGOTIATING FOR BUY-IN

2 WHOLE COMMUNITY MITIGATION & ADAPTATION

3 RISK ASSESSMENT TO ACHIEVE COMMUNITY DRR

4 LEGAL AND POLICY OPPORTUNITIES

Cities, Communities, and Buildings

5 RESILIENT CITIES: NATURAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLANNING

6 HAZARD MITIGATION AND LOCAL PLANNING ORDINANCES

7 BEYOND CODE: BUILDINGS & DEVELOPMENT

DRAFT OUTLINE NHMA CTP Community Ambassadors Curriculum

DRAFT: June 29, 2015

Natural Hazards in detail

8 STRUCTURAL VULNERABILITY

9 EARTHQUAKE MITIGATION

10 TORNADO SAFEROOMS

11 FIRE & FLOOD

Putting It All together

12 FOLLOW THE MONEY: RNN BEST PRACTICES

13 CRAFTING PROGRAMS FOR A SAFE FUTURE

The key here is improved community engagement with

buy-in and a clear guide to risk reduction

options/opportunities. Which is what asset-based

appreciative inquiry risk assessment provides.

“...don’t drop a problem on people and not give them an

avenue where they can minimize the threat through their

own actions.”

“There aren’t any barriers if the community wants to do a

serious job addressing the hazards it faces. I take that

back – the community may have the will, but not the

expertise.”

Take Home Messages

• Communities need to know where to start and how to proceed.

• Assessing needs, accessing help, and identifying funding sources requires creativity, vision, leadership, and time.

• CITIZENS CAN BE THE LEADERS TO CREATE A COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP IN DISASTER RISK REDUCTION.

• Any time is the best time to change development practices from developing in a manner which will cause harm to individuals, businesses, the economy, and the environment to a “No Adverse Impact” approach, which emphasizes the need for development and a sustainable future.

• Certainly, as a community picks up the pieces after a disaster and begins to rebuild, there is a window of opportunity. However, the best possible time to develop safely and properly is before natural processes, such as floods, cause devastation, which could have been avoided with proper planning.

*Don Watson, FAIC, Author Design by Flooding

Built on Systems Thinking Key Elements of a

Resilient CommunityLike the string that holds a necklace together

Food

Water

Energy

Transportation

ArtsEducation

Heart & Soul

Health

Recreation Currency

Waste Water

Land Use

Key Themes

We need to think in a systems analysis manner to solve the serious problems we face

We need collaboration among diverse groups to solve serious issues surrounding the mounting toll of losses following foreseeable natural events

We must develop a system that rewards resilient and safe behavior; and discourages unsafe development