March 11 2025, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. MDT
Learning From Pajaro: Rethinking Disaster Mitigation and Community Engagement
Webinar Description:
In the spring of 2023, plans were underway to upgrade a levee system along the Pajaro River in Central California. But before the work could be completed, the levee breached and sent floodwaters into the community of Pajaro, devastating more than 2,000 homes and businesses.
During this webinar, Jessica Ludy, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ San Francisco district, will describe how the Corps has been advancing mitigation efforts to prevent flood disasters in the future. Last fall, the community broke ground on a new, stronger levee project, and they’re working to develop better emergency communication strategies.
Ludy will also share insights on pre-flood cost-benefit analysis, the aftermath of the flood, and how the Corps is changing their approach to better engage with their partners in Pajaro. For example, in Pajaro, the Corps is offering community meetings with English and Spanish language support, when possible, instead of hosting separate forums.
Please join us to learn more about how engaging with community members, city officials, and organizations can make mitigation work.
Speaker:
Jessica Ludy, United States Army Corps of Engineers
Jessica Ludy is the Silver Jackets coordinator and Flood Risk Program manager for the San Francisco District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. She has more than 15 years of experience in integrated flood risk management in private and public sectors. She co-chairs the Flood Risk Communication Committee at the Association of State Floodplain Managers. Ludy holds a master’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, where her research on flood risk perception and levees inspired her to pursue work in flood risk management and eventually make her way to the federal government.
Continuing Education Credits:
This webinar is eligible for one contact hour of emergency management training within the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) certification program. For more information about continuing education credits and how to earn them, please click here.