On August 1, 2023, the Rural Opportunity and Development Sessions (ROADS) hosted a hybrid in-person and virtual event from the Reservoir Center for Water Solutions in Washington, DC, as part of the larger ROADS series.

This two-hour event featured a roundtable discussion by panelists and extended breakout room sessions focusing on the key issues facing rural communities related to disaster preparedness and unique strategies for overcoming these issues based on previous experiences.

This blog gathers resources and big-picture insights shared during the event. You can watch the recording, read the speaker bios, and view the PowerPoint on the event webpage.

Whole Community Approach and Regional Collaboration for Resilience

The ROADS conversation covered numerous scenarios and strategies for overcoming the hurdles listed above, but the foundational strategy for greater rural resilience that was highlighted is a combination of a Whole Community Approach at the local level and greater collaboration between multiple communities at the regional level.

Building Back Stronger

Panelist Alan Nazzaro is the Disaster Recovery Services Program Manager with the Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) and was previously a Group Supervisor with FEMA. Alan shared insights on his experience working with rural and tribal communities in post-disaster recovery and mitigation. In particular, Alan discussed his three years of work in Paradise, CA, which was devastated by the “Camp Fire” in 2018.

Community Driven Recovery

Kristyna Jones, a representative from IRAD who joined the panel, highlighted the necessity of a community-driven approach to recovery efforts in small rural communities. Kristyna’s stories from IRAD’s work are an example of how local residents can lead the effort to re-envision the future of their community and be the driver of that future.

New SBA Resources for Disaster Relief

Rafaela highlighted the new Disaster Assistance for Rural Communities Act that authorizes the SBA to declare a new disaster in a “rural area” upon request by the Governor of a State or the Chief Executive Officer of an Indian Tribal government. This legal change will allow the SBA to more easily provide disaster assistance to businesses and communities, even in the event of a smaller-scale disaster.

Read the full article about rural disaster resilience at Aspen Institute.