Washington, D.C. — This week, U.S. Senator Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, introduced the Investing in Community Resilience Act of 2024, designed to reduce the financial burden of disasters on local communities, enhance individual and community preparedness, and promote participation in federally-supported resilience programs.
“Our communities are stronger when they have the resources and capacity to invest in resiliency,” said Senator Butler. “This bill encourages local communities to make investments before natural disasters hit by expanding the list of preparedness activities eligible for federal recovery funds after a disaster.”
The Investing in Community Resilience Act of 2024 would amend the Stafford Act by adding additional resilience measures that FEMA may provide incentives to state or Tribal governments for adopting before a disaster. FEMA may recognize such resilience investments through an increased federal cost-share from the standard 75% federal cost-share up to 85% for post-disaster public assistance restoration and repair projects and associated expenses. This bill would also clarify that subrecipients are eligible to receive increased federal-cost share under this section.
New measures of the Investing in Community Resilience Act of 2024 include:
- Investments in disaster preparedness, including but not limited to proactively positioning resources, mapping local vulnerabilities to shocks and stressors, and creating emergency plans.
- Participation in programs designated by FEMA that strengthen communities and property from storms, tsunamis, wildfires, or equivalent disasters. Such programs include StormReady, FloodReady, TsunamiReady, FireWise, and FORTIFIED.
- Support for Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) programs and equivalent non-governmental organizations, by facilitating the establishment of mutual aid agreements supportive of such teams, providing or facilitating regular training, outreach, and soliciting participation in preparedness exercises, and other activities.
The bill also addresses equity issues in federal disaster relief. Individuals and communities with fewer financial and social resources often live in places that are physically vulnerable to hazards and increasingly in the path of extreme weather events and disasters. FEMA has identified cost-share requirements as barriers to disadvantaged communities, often lacking the financial and social resources to prepare for disasters. This legislation aims to make disaster relief more accessible and equitable for these vulnerable populations.
This legislation has been endorsed by BuildStrong America, Fire Services Training Institute, National CERT Association, Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, San Marcos Pass Volunteer Fire Department, Alertar y Preparar LISTOS, Wildland Residents Association, Merit International Inc., Black Emergency Managers Association International, and Deep South Center for Environmental Justice.
“As the former director of FEMA’s Individual and Community Preparedness Division, I have seen the transformative impact of CERT programs nationwide. The Investing in Community Resilience Act of 2024 is a vital step in creating stronger, more resilient communities,” said Natalie Enclade, Executive Director of BuildStrong America.
“Too often our answer to disasters has been to invest only after the fact. This new bill helps position resources where they need to be: helping communities develop resilience to shocks before they happen. Non-governmental organizations, Community Emergency Response Teams, and other resident-centered measures are critical to building a resilient society,” said Daniel Aldrich, Director of the Resilience Studies Program; Co-Director of the Global Resilience Institute at Northeastern University
“The members of the National CERT Association strongly support Senator Butler’s bill. Her efforts to bolster the funding and recognition of volunteer organizations are essential towards the success of local CERT teams and the community they serve,” said Carie Chouinard, Chair of Legislative Affairs and Public Policy at the National CERT Association
“Strengthening the relationships between civilian responders and professional civil servants is key to meeting our communities’ growing needs. This bill supports this initiative and ensures our communities are prepared for current and future emergencies,” said Jacob Orrin, Chief Operating Officer at Merit International Inc.
“We are grateful for Senator Butler’s leadership on building the capacities of communities to be better prepared and ready for major storms and other disasters,” said Monique Harden, Director of Law and Public Policy at the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice
“The national volunteer fire service, and public safety in general, requires significant support. The costs of recruitment and retention are overwhelming many organizations. This bill addresses these critical challenges,” said Michael S. Williams, President & Executive Director of the Fire Service Training Institute.
Read the bill text, HERE.
Read the one-pager, HERE.
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