From Disaster Management to Resilient Communities

Introductions

• Matthew Lieuallen – Senior Emergency Planner• Amy DiCarlantonio – Senior Planner

Learning Objectives

• Define a working definition of Resilience• Identify easy to understand metrics to measure

community resilience• Review steps you can take to increase your

community’s resilience• Share resources for continued growth

Northwest Resilience Planning Efforts

• Resilient Washington State: A Framework for Minimizing Loss and Improving Statewide Recovery after and Earthquake

– Washington State Seismic Safety Committee Emergency Management Council

• The Oregon Resilience Plan– Oregon Seismic Safety Policy

Advisory Commission

Defining Resilience

Merriam Webster1. “The capability of a strained body to recover its size

and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress.”

2. “An ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.”

Defining Resilience

FEMA National Preparedness GoalMission Area: MitigationCore Capability: Community Resilience“Lead the integrated effort to recognize, understand, communicate, plan, and address risks so that the community can develop a set of actions to accomplish mitigation and improve resilience.”

Defining Resilience

Resilient Washington State InitiativeA resilient state is one that “maintains services and livelihoods after an earthquake. In the event that services and livelihoods are disrupted, recovery occurs rapidly, with minimal social disruption, and results in a new and better condition. In accordance with this definition, a number of values have been established for Washington State to achieve resilience.”

Community Resilience

“ ……a society that is flexible and able to adjust in the face of uncertainty and surprise is also able to capitalize on positive opportunities the future may bring.”

— Berkes and Folke 1998; Barnett 2001

Elements of Resilience

Longstaff, Patricia H. et al. “Building Resilient Communities: A Preliminary Framework for Assessment.” Homeland Security Affairs 6, issue 3 (September 2010)http://www.hsaj.org/?article=6.3.6

Disaster Resilience

Moving Beyond Emergency Management

Regional Economic Capacity

• Income Equality • Economic Diversity

• Regional Affordability• Business Environment

Pathways to Community Resilience

• Educational Attainment• Without Disability • Out of Poverty • Health Insured

Community Connectivity Capacity

• Civic Infrastructure• Metropolitan Stability• Home Ownership• Voter Participation

Ecological Capacity

Efficiency•Transportation •Buildings •Land •Water •Materials

Reuse•Infrastructure•Buildings•Land•Water•Products

Quality•Air •Water •Nutrients•Habitat

Pathways to Community Resilience

1. Play Together2. Get Organized3. Focus on the

Whole Community

4. Think Outside of the Box

Play Together

• Regional Planning and Collaboration

– Regional Problems require Regional Solutions

– “Systems” don’t stop at Political Boundaries

– Efficiency through Economies of Scale

• Develop a Shared Vision & Plan

– Envision a future that inspires

– Identify barriers to overcome

– Agree on and prioritize actions

– Determine who needs to be involved

Get Organized

• Do Your Homework!– Game Over …. past

trends are no longer reliable predictors

– Know your baselines – Keep your eye on the

ball

• Identify, Protect & Enhance Unique Assets

– What makes you special?– Identify your differentiators – There are no “Silver Bullets”– Bigger is not always better– Trends fade over time

Focus on the Whole Community

• Engage & Empower Citizens

– EVERYONE has something to contribute

– Sometimes the process is more important than the outcome

– People take care of what they are vested in

• Leverage Public Private Partnerships

– Expand resources & benefits

– Share risk– Look for new partners and

structures

Think Outside the Box

• Encourage Creativity & Innovation

– Incentivize going beyond the standard

– Avoid prescriptive solutions

– Understand the market & technology is changing faster than policy

QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU!