BCLC has often been asked what some states do well in disaster recovery, especially since other states seem to sputter in their response efforts. BCLC has forged new research to find out.

Professor Emeritus Daniel Alesch, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, is the lead researcher on this project and is one of the nation’s top experts in the effects of disasters and community recovery. He has pinpointed 10 policies that every state should have to become more disaster-resilient and to recover quickly.

But our research isn’t complete until we receive feedback from the many emergency management and community leaders out there. So, during our public comment period we invite you to review our study and offer your comments on the accuracy, usefulness, and rigor of the policies. Public commenting is ongoing until May 1.

This week I’d like to draw your attention to the first three policies, which focus on reducing the impact of extreme events. According to Prof. Alesch:

"The difficulty of achieving recovery in any given community is largely dependent on the nature and extent of both the initial and the cascading consequences of the extreme event, on the pre-event social, economic, and political strength of the community, and the appropriateness of post-event interventions intended to spur recovery. The best way to ensure ‘recovery’ is to prevent initial losses."

Furthermore:

"Recovery is generally much more likely in communities that suffer relatively little initial damage. Thus, it makes sense to make communities more disaster-resistant. State policies make communities more disaster resistant when they require state agencies, local governments, and private parties to build resistance into the community."

To that end, the first three policies in our study are:

1. Reduce exposure to extreme events.
2. Reduce vulnerability to extreme events.
3. Create Policies to build resistance and resiliency into the community.

To view the study in full and to leave your feedback, visit our website. A PDF download is available there, as well. Next week, I’ll introduce policies four and five, focusing on facilitating an effective response to emergencies.