Hosted by the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado
Webinar Description:
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s updated State and Local Mitigation Planning Policy guides are in effect as of April 2023. Among other changes, this guidance requires a more systematic focus on reducing disaster risk among communities that are disadvantaged and socially, economically, or civically underserved. These recent policy changes call for greater community engagement in the planning process and more robust use of social vulnerability indicators in risk assessments for floods, wildfires, hurricanes, and other hazards.
This session will open with an overview of the changes to FEMA’s Mitigation Planning policies, with a focus on how state and local governments can leverage their planning process to advance social equity and resilience goals. This will be followed by a summary of resources available from the Natural Hazards Center regarding effective risk communication and building partnerships with socially vulnerable populations. The Natural Hazards Center will then share some preliminary research results regarding the inclusion of social vulnerability and vulnerable populations in State Hazard Mitigation Plans.
There will be time at the close of the session for participants to ask questions about the updated policy and research, to share resources regarding social vulnerability indicators, and to otherwise help advance efforts to improve equitable engagement. Please join us!
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar.
Speakers:
Cathleen Carlisle, Federal Emergency Management Agency
Carson MacPherson-Krutsky, Natural Hazards Center
Mary Angelica Painter, Natural Hazards Center
Lori Peek, Natural Hazards Center
Melissa Villarreal, Natural Hazards Center
