This details specific actions taken by the city of New Haven, Conn., before, during and after Tropical Storm Irene. Overall, the city concluded that it had an excellent response to the storm, with over 200 personnel engaged in mitigation efforts. The city does not explicitly list weaknesses identified, but notes that information learned through identification… Read more
This presentation, developed by Blake Ratcliff, Director, IBTS for the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC), will walk you through grant administration and procurement. Included are the elements of a successful grant and the six areas of grant management, including the two priority areas. Note: PowerPoint presentations are best viewed in presentation mode. Grant Administration and… Read more
This report explores the challenges to retrofitting multifamily housing in New York City after Hurricane Sandy and reports the results of a workshop in which designers, engineers and other experts identified cost-effective retrofit strategies for NYC’s multifamily units in the floodplain. Urban areas with similar challenges can use this as an example of how to… Read more
Hurricane Sandy motivated the federal government to examine how it might improve community and infrastructure resilience so that communities are better prepared for existing and future threats, including those exacerbated by climate change. To ensure that federal agencies incorporate key principles of resilience into their formulation, evaluation, and prioritization of infrastructure investments related to Sandy… Read more
This provides a summary of recommended improvements to New York City’s operations based on operations before, during and after Hurricane Sandy. The report notes that it is not an exhaustive list of all lessons learned in Hurricane Sandy; rather, it is intended to provide “a roadmap of the strategic steps the City will take to… Read more
This case study examines the challenges encountered by Vermont localities affected by Hurricane Irene when trying to use federal disaster relief funds to increase resilience of their communities, particularly in transportation systems and infrastructure. Following Irene, Vermont encountered legal barriers when FEMA initially refused to reimburse communities for the added costs of rebuilding roads and… Read more
A field report, which examines the devastation due to Hurricane Sandy experienced in Red Hook, Brooklyn, New York, a neighborhood consisting of geographically isolated low-lying commercial and residential units, with a concentration of low-income housing, and disproportionate rates of poverty and poor health outcomes largely experienced by Black and Latino residents. The authors conclude that… Read more
The GridWise Alliance (GWA) conducted a workshop entitled “Grid Modernization Impacts During Superstorm Sandy and Other Very Large Scale Grid Events” to explore challenges and opportunities that very large scale events (VLSEs) events present to the electric system. This report notes that grid modernization alone cannot adequately ensure that the electric grid is safe, secure,… Read more
This article argues that the issues were related more to communication and coordination rather than capacity and capability. “Resources did not always make it the last mile to reach those most in need.” Also emphasizes the need for better understanding of (a) reasons that citizens defy public mandatory evacuation orders and (b) how to communicate… Read more
The author presents his experience in collaborating with the Sea Level Rise Tool for Sandy Recovery to underscore how collaborative scientific efforts and advances in science can improve and better manage extreme weather events, particularly those related to sea-level rise. Emphasizes the need for collaborations to be forward-looking and flexible (i.e., able to prepare for… Read more
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