Disaster response and resilience

Written By Debra Oakes

A recent survey revealed that many people believe that natural disasters are more frequent and severe than in the past[1]. It turns out that this observation is backed up by facts. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the frequency of natural disasters is increasing year-over-year. There were 28 weather and climate disasters in 2023, surpassing the previous record of 22 in 2020, tallying a price tag of at least $92.9 billion.[2] These disasters include drought, flooding, hail, wildfires, hurricanes, tornados and other severe weather including winter storms.

Month-by-month accumulation of billion-dollar disasters for each year on record. The colored lines represent the top 6 years for most billion-dollar disasters. All other years are colored light gray. NOAA image by NCEI.

When speaking of severity in terms of damage cost, some of the increase is simply because the cost of living has increased, the population has increased and there is more development in vulnerable areas.  However, statistics adjusted for inflation show that the cost per capita of natural disasters has increased. In the early 2000s, the average 5-year disaster cost was $150; today that cost is more than $400[1] per person. That’s because billion-dollar disasters have become more frequent.

Local impact

The cost per capita (see right y-axis in chart) is also rising for the U .S. as a whole meaning that the costs of the billion-dollar disasters is rising more sharply than general population growth. 

The aggregate view of how natural disasters impact the nation is important, but it’s more important to know how local governments and utilities are preparing for and responding to more frequent and severe natural disasters.

In most areas, people rely on their public works officials to prepare the community for natural disasters. Public works is:

…the combination of physical assets, management practices, policies, and personnel necessary for government to provide and sustain structures and services essential to the welfare and acceptable quality of life for its citizens*.

*According to the American Public Works Association, (APWA)

Studies are revealing

The above definition seems to cover just about everything in municipal government – including disaster preparedness and response. More and more resources and study is focused on managing disasters. Now, the language to describe these events has become more specific.  For example, there’s a difference between a disaster and a catastrophe.

First Responders are expected to be seen at the site of any disaster – fire, police and medical services are continually training for worst-case scenarios. Another, less heralded member of this response team is the public works staff who are committed to protecting the nation’s vast public infrastructure and facilities. Public works plays a key role in Homeland Security by ensuring our essential infrastructure is safe from man-made and natural disasters.

According to the APWA:

As First Responders, public works professionals are responsible for many aspects of disaster response, including, and disposing of debris; restoring lifeline services to their communities; managing traffic and transportation for responders, victims, and the public; managing and coordinating municipal vehicles, equipment and manpower; and restoring the infrastructure well after the initial event. Public works is also integral in emergency planning, hardening and security of critical facilities, and ensuring a safe public water supply.[4]

Technology can help reduce the impact of natural disasters

Recovery Survey - Molly Holt, an Army Corps of Engineers infrastructure team civil engineer for Hurricane Ian recovery, conducts a rapid evaluation safety assessment at Fort Myers Beach, Fla., Oct. 19, 2022. Edited image. Original photo by Patrick Moes, Army Corps of Engineers.

Fortunately, technology is helping officials predict and then respond to natural disasters. The ability to analyze large amounts of data from satellites, drones, social media, help officials before, during and after events. AI, machine learning and cloud computing are helping to predict weather, earthquakes, and floods,[5]

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is widely used by municipalities and are uniquely suited to help coordinate emergency response in real time. Location-based data gives officials situational awareness so that they can respond appropriately where help is needed most. This same platform helps municipalities assess damage after a natural disaster.

Berntsen has partnered with Esri’s ArcGIS to leverage RFID to mark infrastructure assets – an approach that can streamline response to disasters. GIS provides a digital map of all infrastructure assets, from buried gas lines to transformers. Unfortunately, in the case of some events, such as earthquakes and floods, these infrastructure assets may actually shift with the landscape, making maps less effective. That’s why some organizations are marking their assets with passive RFID tags. That way, any asset can be positively identified in the field with a quick RFID scan that will automatically link to its data in GIS. These RFID tags don’t require power or line of sight, making them particularly useful after widespread disasters.

Using RFID to help locate infrastructure after a natural disaster was first studied more than 10 years ago, and since that time, this technology has improved and been integrated into Esri’s data collection tools to better locate and verify assets, including assets that may have moved during natural disasters.

Thank you, public works officials

This week, public works officials from across the US and Canada will be meeting to learn about the latest technology and techniques that can make their communities more resilient at the upcoming APWA-PWX meeting in Atlanta. Throughout the year, public affairs officials collaborate locally and regionally to best prepare for and respond to natural disasters.

Here at Berntsen, we’re grateful for the hundreds of thousands of people who support our way of life through public works. We salute the first responders, police, fire, street maintenance, sanitation workers, GIS technicians, city administrators and planners and all the people that make our country a great place to live.

Footnotes:

Debra Oakes
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Richard Caswell, Surveyor and Father of North Carolina