Submitted by Gerry Roll, founding executive director of the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky

Kentucky has become no stranger to historic weather events. In recent years we have experienced severe floods, ice storms, and tornadoes. As we work to recover, we must remember that while homes, businesses and bridges can be rebuilt, there are some things lost that can never be replaced. A little more than a year ago, severe flooding damaged or destroyed 9,000 homes and took the lives of 45 of our friends and neighbors in Eastern Kentucky.

As someone who personally helped provide immediate relief as neighbors helped neighbors muck and gut their flood-damaged homes, I’ve had the somber privilege of working with people from all walks of life as we struggle to rebuild our communities. As heartening as it’s been to see people come together and support each other after a disaster, we know the most cost-effective and life-saving effort we can undertake is one that takes place before disaster strikes. That’s why I am supporting a federal effort to increase resilience and protect Americans from natural disasters.

Last year, a bipartisan coalition of Republicans and Democrats in Congress introduced legislation that would consolidate nationwide resilience efforts and lay out a clear strategy to protect communities from extreme weather. This initiative, expected to be reintroduced soon, is supported by over 500 local leaders from across all 50 states. Private sector leaders in real estate, development, construction, and finance also support this concept because for every $1 invested in resilience now, we save roughly $6 in recovery and clean-up costs.

For Kentucky, passing this legislation would mean that as new housing, industrial, and commercial areas are developed, we will have greater access to federal data to ensure where we build isn’t vulnerable to flooding. It would also mean access to tools and resources to apply lessons we’ve learned from last year’s flood to proactively invest in our communities. If a bridge or road needs to be built, it can be done to standards that can withstand the next natural disaster. A resilient community is one that has planned for a future of unpredictable weather events.

While this bipartisan proposal would unlock federal support for strengthening community resilience, it does so while protecting local control and local decision making. This policy would ensure that national strategies complement what’s happening at the local level and would allow for input from state, local, private sector, and non-profit partners.

In response to last year’s disaster, I worked with many knowledgeable and caring state and federal first responders, people doing their best to distribute resources and save lives. I also witnessed the piecemeal federal disaster apparatus at work; 17 different federal agencies with overlapping jurisdictions and responsibilities. The lack of a consolidated, proactive federal strategy to address natural disasters leaves communities vulnerable.

The proposed legislation seeks to address this problem by creating a federal Chief Resilience Officer (CRO). The CRO would be in charge of coordinating federal agencies and initiatives to better streamline support. Many states and localities have already adopted this model to improve resilience planning and bolster community preparedness.

Our state is full of tough and caring individuals, willing to roll up their sleeves to help their neighbors in need. But when a major disaster hits, no community can rebuild on its own. We must learn from last year’s disaster and ensure federal resilience programming and relevant agencies are working efficiently to support communities. Together we can ensure all of Kentucky has the resources and tools necessary to guard against severe weather disasters and save lives.

Gerry Roll is the founding executive director of the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky, a Kentucky-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting and investing in people whose hearts and homes reside in Appalachia.

Bipartisan Adaptation and Resilience Effort Would Help Mitigate Kentucky Natural Disasters