Trump and his allies could kill funding for life-saving resiliency hubs

Local Meals on Wheels programs are known for delivering food to low-income seniors, but during climate disasters, they are in the position to check in on the most vulnerable. The programs’ volunteers and staff do just that, whether that means giving fans to clients during a heatwave, tarping roofs after a hurricane, or making check-up calls.

Groups like the Mutual Aid – New Orleans Facebook group take a community-focused approach to disaster response and gather volunteers to deliver supplies to those in need in the aftermath of disasters like hurricanes and flooding. Frustrated by slow and oftentimes nonexistent government aid, these communities are taking matters into their own hands to effectively provide relief to fellow residents when disaster strikes.

Solar microgrids can improve community resilience to natural disasters by quickly restoring power. California-based startup, BoxPower, has developed an easy-to-install solar panels, packaged in a cargo shipping container. Housing the units in a shipping container allows for easy transport to disaster zones, such as the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and to communities in California left without power due to wildfires.

With wildfires becoming more and more common, Californians have become improved their evacuation procedures. Alerting residents earlier via cellphone and then ongoing door-to-door notices have made a difference, along with residents trusting the evacuation calls more than before. Notable improvements have been made in hospitals, with staff making arrangements with other hospitals as soon as they receive the evacuation notice.

When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, amateur radio help connect communities with emergency response teams. Across the United States, amateur radio stations are acting as frontline communication systems for those who have no other method of communication. Organizations like Oregon’s Jackson County Amateur Radio Emergency Service provides training and skill -building and -sharing for participants, who are then able to use those skills in an emergency or disaster.

Collecting data in the moments after a natural disaster occurs is key to understanding their impact as well as increasing preparedness. When a disaster strikes, the RAPID Facility, a partnership between several universities headquartered at the University of Washington, dispatches researchers armed with drones and other high tech to collect crucial data such as aerial photos of disaster zones, and 3D images of damage. RAPID then makes the data publicly available in an effort to improve hazard forecasts.

The city of Houston is changing its approach to measuring the full scope of damage from Hurricane Harvey so it can get help where it is most needed and improve future flood mitigation. Using data from numerous sources, Civis Analytics found unmet housing needs were far greater than initially recorded and low-income areas were hit disproportionately harder, even though recovery funding often goes to areas with higher housing values. Now city officials are working to implement solutions based on the data in order to allocate limited funds where they will be most effective.

Solar power is a great advancement for renewable energy, but traditionally relies on connecting to a grid in order to function correctly. So when hurricanes hit Puerto Rico, even those with solar panels lost access to electricity. A micro-grid offers an alternative solution, however, by relying on battery power.

Bringing data analysis technology into post-disaster scenarios can improve methods of allocating funding for disaster relief and reconstruction projects. The UN and Microsoft have partnered to develop the Building Damage Assessment app. Teams on the ground can use the software package to collect and analyze data, which can then be easily disseminated and shared with policymakers.

Around the globe, countries have taken actions that have helped reduce carbon emissions and increase the use of renewable energy. Although the state of Florida feels the effects of climate change, its state representatives have not produced policy addressing it. Local policy makers and organizers have made the biggest difference in the state.