Dimensions - Fall 2013 - 1

spotli g h t on
t h e sta f f

Ken
Logsdon, ENV SP

Water Resources Sustainability Professional

As my colleagues and I have been out talking to clients

Then we can identify anticipated stressors,

recently, we've noticed communities grappling with

including natural and man-made events,

resiliency. Community leaders are determining who's

regulatory issues, or anything that brings a

responsible for getting their community back on

disruptive change. Stressors are not treated equally

track after a disaster-and how they will sustain the

from community to community. For example,

community well into the future. Governments are trying

Florida looks at hurricanes differently than the

to find the right balance between central oversight and

mid-Atlantic. So, after all stressors are identified,

support versus local responsibility that is attuned to

they need to be ranked in order of susceptibility

the community's needs and issues. For instance, after

and importance. Then it's essential to overlay these

Hurricane Sandy, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie

two findings and evaluate them on a scenario

spoke out about the need for local governments to take

basis to start identifying appropriate response and

more ownership in their own resiliency. Moving beyond

recovery options.

who is responsible or liable, resilient communities

Recovery is unique for each community.

recognize that it's a combination of characteristics that

Although things will never be exactly as they were

determine their ability to respond to a problem, stressor

before, a community's resiliency planning will

or incident-to strengthen their ability to pick themselves

help determine just how different they will be.

back up.

Communities that know where their local resources

Each disaster, just like each community, is different.

are and how to apply them will bounce back much

Whether it's a flood, earthquake, or man-made event

faster; and the disruptive period will be shortened.

such as an oil spill, when it's mixed with a community's

Although it doesn't seem urgent to develop a

distinctive blend of people, needs, abilities, and

proactive plan when no clear and present danger

budgetary decisions, a unique situation is created. This

is imminent, it's critical to make the time. We

is why we've undertaken our community resiliency

need to strike a balance between forward-thinking

initiative. We start by establishing a baseline with the

and present circumstances so that our efforts to

community of its inherent strengths and challenges

strengthen resiliency will also be sustainable.

based on environmental, social, and economic factors.

Fall 2013

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Dimensions - Fall 2013

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