April 9, 2024, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. MST
Strengthening Hazard Mitigation in Under-Resourced Communities
Webinar Description:
Communities with limited resources can struggle to prioritize, plan, and implement solutions that reduce their risk to hazards. For such communities, the capacity to implement strong mitigation plans can be out of reach due to financial shortages, lack of people power, and a dearth of skills and technical expertise. Recently, however, researchers at the University of Oklahoma have been exploring how to build capacity for hazard mitigation planning and implementation in these communities.
This webinar will discuss how the project has engaged local planners, emergency managers, and other decision-makers from communities in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Texas to improve mitigation outcomes and build mitigation capacity. Efforts include developing communication strategies that promote mitigation planning, helping local personnel access training, and offering guidance and technical assistance to mitigate risk. Join us as speakers highlight the study's initial findings and gather feedback on developing solutions for the future.
This webinar is the second in a special series focuses on providing place-based hazard mitigation to underserved communities. The series is made possible by a collaboration between the National Hazard Mitigation Association and the Natural Hazards Center.
Speakers:
Rachel Riley, University of Oklahoma
Natural Hazards Center Overview Slides
Presentation Slides
Resources:
SCIPP: Building Capacity for Hazard Mitigation Planning in Low-Capacity Communities
Simple Planning Tool for Climate Hazards
Rachel Riley is the director of the Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Adaptation Partnerships (CAP)/ Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) team, at the University of Oklahoma. She has over a decade of experience co-producing useful and usable research and information that helps communities and states in the South Central U.S. better plan for and respond to climate-related challenges. Riley has expertise in climate adaptation and hazard mitigation planning, communication, decision support tool evaluation, and social science methodologies. She holds a B.S. in meteorology from Iowa State University and an M.S. in interdisciplinary studies (communication and meteorology) from the University of Oklahoma.
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.