SOUTHEAST DISASTER RECOVERY PARTNERSHIP
2019 ANNUAL WORKSHOP
Workshop Summary
The 2019 Workshop took place in Savannah, Georgia on January 23-24, 2019. Both days were packed with panels and interactive sessions. Participants took the opportunity to learn more about one another's work, to engage each other in structured activities to advance our collective knowledge, and to mingle and network over meals. Many participants arrived in town early to take advantage of a full day National Disaster Preparedness Training Center training, Planning for Community Disaster Recovery. Learn more about the individual sessions of the workshop below!
Resilience & Recovery Perspectives from Savannah and the Georgia Coast
Savannah and the Georgia coast are home to unique cultural and environmental assets. However, the coast is also vulnerable to hurricanes, sea level rise, erosion, and even wildfires. In this panel, we heard from a variety of perspectives about disaster recovery and resilience in Savannah and the Georgia coast. Panelists shared their approach to this work, their thoughts on collaboration and partnerships, and perspectives on opportunities and challenges. In the Q&A, panelists discussed untapped resources for building resilience.
High Tide and Other Chronic Flooding
Chronic flooding is a growing problem for communities across the Southeast. Some coastal cities and towns flood during cyclical high tides, while others have nuisance flooding caused by inadequate stormwater management. With sea level rise and greater precipitation driven by climate change, we will need more creative and holistic strategies to manage this type of flooding. Three experts from federal government, local government, and academia discuss their approaches to coping with chronic flooding.
Learning from Recent Disasters
One of the challenges of disaster recovery is that disasters do not happen in the same way and in the same place every time. It can feel like every recovery program or initiative is starting from scratch. Bringing together leaders from different backgrounds, panelists whose careers span multiple disaster recoveries shared their perspectives. This session included a breakout discussion for all participants to explore the lessons learned from recent disasters, the lessons that haven’t been learned, and how we can use our knowledge to implement better recoveries.
Day 1 Interactive Session:
New Friendships and Connections
In this session, we developed an understanding of next steps to build or strengthen relationships between disaster recovery and energy efficiency, conservation, and private insurance.
Reaching Businesses Before and After Disaster
Reaching businesses is one of the Southeast Disaster Recovery Partnership's cross-cutting themes. Businesses are key partners in disaster recovery, from meeting everyday needs like groceries to providing jobs that allow families to rebuild their homes. In this panel, we heard from leaders who are strengthening their relationships with the private sector and serving businesses in new ways.
Day 2 Interactive Session:
Innovation, Barriers, and Underutilized Resources
In this session, we distilled our understanding of the field of disaster recovery and resilience in three areas: innovation, barriers, and underutilzed resources. Using discussion and structured prioritization, participants identified highest priority issues for each topic. Learn more about these issues in the brief that was based on this discussion.
Public-Private Partnerships
After the release of our white paper For the Long Haul: Public-Private Partnerships for Disaster Recovery, collaborators from NOAA and Sea Grant agencies in the Southeast and the Caribbean worked on in-state projects that strengthened public-private partnerships. In 2018, these partners led our Workshop participants in an initial discussion session. Between the 2018 and 2019 Workshops, several pilot efforts began, and during this panel, we heard about these projects.