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How church volunteers are preparing for the next natural disaster

Wyatt Massey

August 27, 2019 |

Chattanooga Times Free Press |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Decatur, Alabama

Rather than wait for disaster to strike, a network of churches across the Southern United States brings volunteers together to pack buckets with the essentials to prepare for families whose homes have been damaged by tornadoes or hurricanes. Though often the supplies run thin in the aftermath of a storm like Hurricane Florence, the church communities manage to get buckets out to those in need much quicker than other networks, who struggle to gather supplies after the storm has hit.

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Buried lines helping prevent outages during Carolina hurricanes

John Sharpe

July 26, 2019 |

Carolina Public Press |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, North Carolina

Coastal cities across South and North Carolina are considering the benefits of underground power lines. With hurricane winds doing major damage to above-ground lines, buried lines often go unharmed, leaving residents with power during such storms. Those in the field note that the cost of rerouting power underground is substantial, and something that residents must cover themselves.

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This Is What the U.S. Could Look Like When Our Coasts Are Under Water

Shayla Love

July 23, 2019 |

Vice |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Wisconsin

Over the last several decades, climate disasters have resulted in many communities relying on managed retreats. These "proactive, intentional shift(s) of civilization away from an environmental threat" are increasingly being seen as the best solution for many in harms way, but the focus is now shifting towards ways to make these retreats more efficient in the longterm.

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How Dutch stormwater management could mitigate damage from hurricanes

Nichole Marks

July 21, 2019 |

CBS News |

Broadcast TV News |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Netherlands, Rotterdam

Designing room for rivers and coastlines can mitigate catastrophe. Following a massive flood in 1953, the Dutch government reallocated its resources toward disaster prevention and mitigation. Through measures like building surge barriers and reservoirs into recreational spaces, the Dutch have moved implemented defensive design methods. Additionally, by lowering some dykes, practices have moved from flood control to controlled flooding. The Dutch Water Ambassador serves a global role advising the UN and other countries about the Dutch engineering and design methods.

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As Floods Keep Coming, Cities Pay Residents to Move

John Schwartz

July 06, 2019 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Nashville, Tennessee

The city of Nashville is a model for other U.S. cities focusing on how to deal with homes that are flooding more consistently than before. The National Flood Insurance Program exists to help insure homes that wouldn't be covered by private insurance; for some homeowners, the frustration of constant flooding is alleviated by the city's initiative to buy back those properties from their owners, turning them instead into more environmentally friendly parks, paths, and other flood buffers.

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Building Resilience and Preserving History in Charleston

Betsey Russell

June 14, 2019 |

Shelterforce |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina's Eastside neighborhood takes strides towards building efficient infrastructure by implementing a weatherization and flood protection plan. The plan, though in early stages, has included community voices and feedback to ensure disenfranchised populations in the area are heard.

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New York is building a wall to hold back the ocean

Kimberly Mas Diana Budds

June 11, 2019 |

Vox |

Video |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Resilient infrastructure is one way to prepare cities for the unpredictable effects of climate change. In Staten Island, which was devastated by Hurricane Sandy, officials have secured millions in funding to build a seawall, which will prevent coastal erosion and decrease the risk of flooding. Seawells or any type of resilient infrastructure, however, need to be combined with other solutions for the best chance of success.

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Women lead the way in disaster preparedness, recovery in Odisha's Ganjam

Sahana Ghosh

June 03, 2019 |

Mongabay |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: India, Ganjam, Odisha

A group of women in the state of Odisha, India works as the district's disaster responders in an area that has seen a record number of monsoons and other tropical storms. The women, many of whom live in the region's most vulnerable areas, act as ground-level support, evacuators, and trainers when a storm hits.

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Why you want oysters and a salt marsh between you and a hurricane

Anne N. Connor

June 03, 2019 |

Vox |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Beaufort, North Carolina

Instead of building hard seawalls to protect communities from hurricanes, some are turning to “living shorelines.” These are made out of crushed rock or oyster shells that are placed offshore in front of a wetland. There are more than 120 of these types of habitats — including in Beaufort, North Carolina — and they have shown that they can absorb 50 percent of wave energy, which can reduce the risk of loss of human life and property from flooding. This might not work for all coastal communities, but living shorelines are cheaper than the traditional seawalls.

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Cañada Cove COPEs with disaster planning

Libby Leyden

May 15, 2019 |

Half Moon Bay Review |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, San Mateo, California

San Mateo County’s coastside residents have created their own, volunteer-based disaster response system. Considering that they make up just 5% of the county’s population, and are just as much at risk for natural disasters like wildfires, flooding, and landslides, they recognized that they had to be proactive in the event that help and resources would be limited in such an event. The Cañada Cove Community Association developed a localized plan for disaster preparedness, including manuals, communication systems, and a database of residents that provides information on the specialized needs of citizens.

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