Disaster Mitigation Planning
An Inclusive Approach to Disaster Preparedness and Recovery
More than 23 million Americans live in areas vulnerable to hurricane catastrophe. A fifth of those living in these areas are poor and, if the lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina hold true, many will not have the resources they need to save themselves when disaster hits. Other potential disasters impacting Americans across the fifty states include fires, mudslides, storms, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, and acts of terrorism.
Each phase of disaster and emergency preparedness presents opportunities for effective community engagement and inclusion of racial minorities in positive ways. The inevitability of disasters and the disproportionate vulnerability of low income communities create an imperative for innovative approaches to "connecting the dots" between emergency preparedness efforts, public health systems and community-based resources for strengthening mitigation and recovery capacities.
An initiative funded by The California Endowment Fund
