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Mitigation Saves: A Resilient Runway at Portland International Airport Could Save Up to $50 for Every Mitigation Dollar Invested

Using NIBS’ groundbreaking Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves research, a resilient runway at Portland International Airport could come with $460 million in health and medical benefits, among other recovery and business interruption benefits. The Portland area has nearly three million people, but fewer than 400 vacant ICU and emergency department beds. Medical evacuation through PDX could save up to 1,600 lives.

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NIBS Mitigation Saves Research Highlighted During House Hearing on Mitigation

The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management held the hearing, “Building Smarter: The Benefits of Investing in Resilience and Mitigation,” on March 18.

Mitigation Saves represents the most comprehensive benefit-cost analysis of natural hazard mitigation, from adopting up-to-date building codes and exceeding codes to the upgrade of utility and transportation infrastructure.

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August MMC Webinar to Spotlight Florida’s Flood Resiliency and Incentives Program

Florida recently created a Community Rating System (CRS) - Community Assistance Visit (CAV) pilot program to support the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The National Institute of Building Sciences Multihazard Mitigation Council (MMC) will spotlight Florida’s implementation in the next MMC webinar, “NFIP and CRS: The Way Forward in Florida,” to be held Tuesday, August 25, from 1:00 to 2:00 pm EDT. The aim of Florida’s CRS-CAV program, which has been approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is to increase flood resiliency and incentives in the state’s smaller communities, including those that have been excluded from the CRS program in the past because of building compliance issues.

Protecting Infrastructure from Disaster to Be Focus of September MMC Webinar

In recent years, a number of disasters around the world have caused damage to critical functions in affected communities. Hurricanes Sandy and Katrina; tornadoes in Joplin, Missouri and Moore, Oklahoma; and earthquakes in Christchurch (New Zealand), Bío-Bío (Chile) and Nepal all resulted in severe damage to local hospitals, putting great strain on the healthcare systems of the impacted regions. In its next webinar, Disasters and Infrastructure,” to be held September 29 from 1:00 to 2:00 pm EDT, the National Institute of Building Sciences Multihazard Mitigation Council (MMC) will spotlight the importance of protecting such critical infrastructure.

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October MMC Webinar to Look at Incentives to Mitigate before Disaster Strikes

The need to achieve resilience against natural disasters is growing sharply, even as public funding and appetite for mitigation programs wane. A new approach is necessary—one focused on leveraging incentives to attract new sources of private capital for pre- and post-disaster investment. This “incentivization” approach can help the nation to achieve resilience cohesively and cost-effectively. In its next webinar, “Incentivizing Pre-Disaster Mitigation,” to be held Wednesday, October 28 from 2:00 to 3:00 pm EDT, the National Institute of Building Sciences Multihazard Mitigation Council (MMC) will look at ways communities can use incentivization programs to help keep their citizens safe.

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Institute White Paper Spotlights Incentives as the Way to Achieve Resilience

The National Institute of Building Sciences, through its Multihazard Mitigation Council (MMC) and Council on Finance, Insurance and Real Estate (CFIRE), has released a new white paper to promote the use of private and public incentives to achieve resilience in U.S. communities.

Resilience has come to occupy a place in public policy and programs across the United States. Yet, even in the face of growing losses, the nation’s capacity and appetite is waning for continued funding of federal and state disaster mitigation efforts. This lack of support will likely result in an increased need for funding response and recovery efforts following disasters in the future.

Institute Testifies About Using Incentives to Reduce Cost of Disaster Response

The way to achieve resilience in U.S. communities is through an approach that incorporates input, consensus, leadership and action from a broad spectrum of stakeholders, ranging from insurance and finance-related companies, lenders and foundations; forward-thinking communities and government agencies; and important decision makers, including homeowners, businesses and utilities. That is the message National Institute of Building Sciences Multihazard Mitigation Council (MMC) Chairman Kevin Mickey gave during his testimony today to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.

Civil Engineer Joins National Institute of Building Sciences Team

The National Institute of Building Sciences has added a civil engineer to its employee roster. JiQiu (JQ) Yuan, PhD, PE, comes on board as a project manager. He will be supporting activities of both the Building Seismic Safety Council and Multihazard Mitigation Council.

Formerly a research engineer for Professional Service Industries, Inc. at the Federal Highway Administration Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center in McLean, Virginia, and an adjunct professor at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., Yuan has a strong background in materials engineering, structural analysis, structural design, seismic engineering and sustainability engineering. He is currently an adjunct professor at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, teaching classes in reinforced concrete design and prestressed concrete design.

Live August 3: White House to Stream Forum on Smart Finance for Disaster Resilience

The National Institute of Building Sciences will participate in the White House Forum on Smart Finance for Disaster Resilience, to be held tomorrow, August 3, in Washington, D.C. The introductory portion of the event will be streamed live by the White House from 8:30 am to 10:30 am ET.

The White House Council on Environmental Quality is hosting this forum on innovative finance options to support pre-disaster mitigation and community resilience. The convening is an opportunity for White House and Administration officials to learn about new investment approaches and incentive programs that are being deployed in communities now, and to explore partnerships and opportunities to leverage additional resources in the future.

Institute Participates in White House Forum on Smart Finance for Disaster Resilience

The White House Council on Environmental Quality hosted a forum this morning on innovative insurance, mortgage, tax and finance-based strategies to support pre-disaster mitigation and community resilience. The White House Forum on Smart Finance for Disaster Resilience brought together White House and Administration officials; representatives from federal, state and local government; mortgage and insurance representatives; codes and standards developers; and others interested in promoting mitigation. Among those participating were representatives from the National Institute of Building Sciences.

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