Over the last few years many regions across the nation increasingly have experienced major disasters and other calamitous events that have caused widespread disruption and destruction to communities. This devastation has cost billions of dollars, displaced thousands of individuals, and will necessitate, in many cases, years of cleanup and rebuilding. Unfortunately, this trend is expected to continue, even accelerate, as demand on infrastructure services and the effects of climate change are exacerbated in a technologically advancing world. Much of the most recent damage has been triggered by significant floods from a variety of causes.
At the same time, localities and state governments across the United States have been partnering with the private sector and other stakeholders to improve regional and community resilience through identifying significant gaps that need to be addressed to better prepare for, and in particular, to mitigate vulnerabilities associated with interdependent infrastructures. Some of the most important preparedness shortfalls are associated with inefficient and deteriorating infrastructures that already pose significant hazards under normal conditions and would be especially vulnerable under stressed conditions. These include dams and levees, and water/wastewater, natural gas and fuel pipelines. Since the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) came out with its Report Card for America’s Infrastructure series in 2005, there has been recognition that much of the infrastructure underpinning our nation’s communities is in poor condition and needs improvement.
Improving the health and integrity of critical infrastructure will require rebuilding and upgrading, reducing demand, and other mitigation activities such as adopting useful policies and standards. Some of these measures will require substantial investment. Virtually all will necessitate approval, commitment and resources from diverse stakeholders.
Workshop Series Structure and Purpose
The workshop series will begin at the offices of Booz Allen Hamilton in Washington, D.C., on September 7, 2012, at 8:15 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. It will focus on resources provided by the Federal Government to states and public private partnerships which are intended to support Whole Community. The majority of the workshop series, held in the West Coast, Southeast, Midwest and Northern regions of the nation, will focus on regional, community, and infrastructure resilience challenges associated with impeding a reduction of the impacts caused by disastrous hazards (flooding, tornados and hurricanes, earthquakes, pandemic illness, economic failure, weapons of mass destruction, etc.). The workshops will highlight case studies that are relevant to each of the respective regions. Attendees will highlight regional resilience solutions and strategies that ensure communities have reliable access to food and water, energy, shelter, and economic development during pre and post-disaster. Attendees will discuss essential values of structural and operational resilience in lifeline systems and components to facilitate core functions and core services during preparation, response and recovery disaster phases. TISP will document the workshop series in a Final Report to include discussion highlights, sited resources for planning and education, and a set of recommended actions for public sector and private sector stakeholders.
Workshop Series Venues Scheduled:
Washington, DC hosted by Booz Allen Hamilton: September 7
Tampa Bay, FL hosted by South Atlantic/South Central SAME Regional Posts: October 3
St. Louis, MO hosted by Scotts Field SAME Post February 4
Additional Venues to be Announced in the Following Cities or Regions:
San Francisco, CA hosted by the Bay Area Center for Regional Disaster Resilience
Great Lakes Region hosted by the Great Lakes Hazards Coalition
Fort Worth/Dallas, TX
Seattle, WA
New England Region
Workshop Series Goal and Objectives
The overall goal of the TISP Workshop Series is to highlight the intersection of regional and community for resilience, the need to condition healthier infrastructures that serve them, and how to develop and implement a risk-based strategy supported by public-private partnership making the improvements.
· Raise awareness of key issues and decision points that regional stakeholders need to take into account when determining infrastructure resilience-based mitigation actions;
· Identify criteria and model mechanisms for public-private collaborative decision-making on priorities, investment needs, and funding arrangements; and
· Discuss other available tools and unavailable capabilities to assist in development and implementation of regional collaborative infrastructure resilience mitigation strategies.
7:30 a.m. Registration Begins
8:15 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. Welcome and Introductions: Determining and Implementing Mitigation
Priorities Overview and Objectives
8:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. National Strategies Supporting Regional and Infrastructure Mitigation and
Prioritization
Facilitator: Marko Bourne, Booz Allen Hamilton
10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Break
10:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Regional and Infrastructure Mitigation Challenges and Case Studies
Facilitator: David Greenwood, Michael Baker, Jr. Inc.
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Lunch
12:30 p.m. – 1: 45 p.m. Breakout Sessions:
1. Financing Options and Alternatives
2. Policy, Regulatory and Legislative Actions
3. Principles Guiding Prioritization of Regional Assets
4. Building Public Support for Mitigation
5. Maturity of assessment methodologies which focus on integrated/coordinated action
1:45 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Summary of Breakout discussion
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Path Forward—developing a Public-Private Collaborative Mitigation Strategy to Build Resilient Regions and Infrastructures
Facilitator: Albert Romano, TISP Chair
