disaster preparedness
Credit: The National Guard/Flickr
Hurricane season could overwhelm disaster response systems
Grim forecasts for an active hurricane season highlight significant gaps in America's disaster preparedness.
In short:
- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts up to 25 named storms this hurricane season, driven by warm Atlantic waters and La Niña conditions.
- America's disaster-preparedness system, including FEMA and private insurers, lacks the resources to handle consecutive severe storms.
- Public complacency and inadequate disaster response infrastructure exacerbate the risks posed by increasingly frequent and intense hurricanes.
Key quote:
"Big ones are fast. They don’t care about our timelines. Preparedness is absolutely everything."
— Ken Graham, director of the National Weather Service
Why this matters:
With predictions of a highly active hurricane season, the inadequacies in current disaster response systems could lead to severe consequences for vulnerable communities, emphasizing an increasing need for better preparedness amid escalating climate-related risks. Read more: Robbie Parks on why hurricanes are getting deadlier.
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Credit: VTrans/Flickr
Biden's latest climate initiative aims to bolster US infrastructure
The Biden administration has earmarked $830 million for infrastructure projects across the nation to combat the effects of climate change.
In short:
- The funding will support 80 projects designed to enhance the resilience of critical infrastructure in the face of extreme weather events.
- Grants will be distributed across 37 states, plus Washington, D.C., and the Virgin Islands, targeting areas most impacted by climate change.
- Projects include flood control in Colorado, bridge replacement in Iowa, stormwater upgrades in Michigan, and a coastal management plan in Rhode Island.
Key quote:
"America’s infrastructure was not built for the climate that we have today."
— Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of Transportation.
Why this matters:
Infrastructure upgrades that can withstand the realities of today's climate are important for maintaining public safety and economic stability. With scientists predicting warmer temperatures and more frequent flooding due to climate change, the urgency is growing to address aging infrastructure.
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Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash
Pa. Red Cross volunteers train for climate change-related disasters
Red Cross volunteers are preparing to offer emergency shelter to people who might be displaced by disaster.
North Charleston/FlickrPhoto by Ryan Johnson
Climate change driving need for Pa. Red Cross training
The American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania is conducting trainings across the state to make sure volunteers are ready to set up and run temporary shelters for people who can’t return to their homes.
How are people supposed to rebuild Paradise, California, when nobody can afford home insurance?
Efforts to rebuild a California town nearly wiped out by wildfire five years ago are being stymied by high home insurance costs.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/caguard/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
5 years after deadly Camp Fire, Paradise aims to create a fireproof town
A town some feared might be permanently wiped from the map is welcoming a new generation of young families.
California proposes big insurance changes as it faces climate risks
The actions of the nation’s biggest state could have implications for U.S. consumers, as more carriers leave disaster-prone states.
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