Disaster-readiness project is in the works

As coastal communities become increasingly vulnerable to severe weather events like hurricanes, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is launching new initiatives and pilot programs around the country and along the Gulf Coast. Federal officials are currently scouting and securing locations to carry out the “weather-ready” projects that are aimed at “saving more lives and protecting livelihoods.” The National Weather Service’s test projects will range in focus from emergency response to ecological forecasting. The South and the Mid-Atlantic region are also being targeted for sites. Jack Hayes, director of NOAA’s National Weather Service, says the nation’s disaster-related losses this year, such as the record flooding along the Mississippi River, have so far amounted to more than $35 billion. “Severe weather represents a very real threat to public safety that requires additional robust action,” Hayes says. “The increasing impacts of natural disasters, as seen this year, are a stark reminder of the lives and livelihoods at risk.” There are nine nationwide test projects on the books so far, with one slated to be held in the Slidell area later this year. The local project will focus on coastal environmental decision-making. To read the full story, click here. For the rest of 10/12 Corridor Weekly, click here.—Jeremy Alford