2011.  Tragedy occurs when a storm collapses the Indiana State Fair stage of super country group Sugarland – killing 5 fans and seriously injuring numerous others.  It was reported that miraculously the band’s Tour Manager at the last minute, on gut instinct, hadn’t let his band go out on stage – and moments later the storm twisted the metal into fatal falling debris.  Linkin Park’s Production Manager Jim Digby had experienced tragedy on stage once before early in his career, and the Sugarland fatalities combined with the birth of his own son motivated his heartbreak – into action.

With great empathy Jim states, “I’m guilty of playing amateur meteorologist on the road and we all know now that that’s a BAD best practice – meteorology is NOT an amateur sport.  Many of us, in that leadership role have have at one time or another used unsophisticated methods to determine the timing and severity of a weather threat – holding a pen up to a computer screen attempting to measure the distance and time of the fast approaching red blob saying ‘Yep that’s going to be here in about 30 minutes,   Now…God forbid you should find yourself in court attempting to defend your decisions and the lawyer asks ‘Where did you get your Meteorology Degree?’  You’re left to say, ‘Umm….well I don’t have one.’  Well…Goodbye!”

Thankfully we are in a much more informed place thanks to technological advances and increased resolution of weather monitoring equipment.  Professional meteorologists are now capable of providing predictive, accurate forecasting with as much as two hours lead time for approaching weather events bearing down on geo specific locations. Being prepared for severe weather is what Plan!t Now is all about, and it now also defines the cornerstone of being for Jim, and for one of the biggest rock and roll acts in the world,  mega-band – Linkin Park.  Being prepared anywhere in the world at anytime for any challenge- natural or man-made -  is essential not only to keeping such a massive machine running – but more importantly to making sure that everyone goes home safely.

And so motivated by the great tragedy in Indianapolis, Jim and many other forward thinking professionals in the live event space have created the Event Safety Alliance (ESA), a non-profit group dedicated to memorializing industry best practices that could help the folks on the ground producing events be better trained and better prepared.

The Event Safety Alliance has pulled together data, safety standards and governmental related codes from around the globe, and has just released the draft version of a 300-page document called the Event Safety Guide.  The US is lagging behind many international communities when it comes to event safety and many feel it’s time to create the paradigm shift from within the industry,  for US bands and performances.

As much as there are concerns, there is significant and relevant industry consensus for the work, all who have taken the time to become aware of the mission of the ESA have pledged complete support. “The Event Safety Alliance has several motivations.  First – everyone must make it home – in one piece from an entertainment event.  Second, as an industry we need to demonstrate that we are both capable of policing ourselves and of building the required relationships with those in public office who are already responsible for the safety of the public.”

One early and extremely relevant improvement spawned by the Event Safety Alliance – was an instantly deployable technology developed with the help of the forward thinking group at Weather Decision Technologies (WDT).  “I discovered WDT at a Severe Weather Preparedness training in Norman, Oklahoma last year in an attempt to find a private firm capable of providing event specific forecasting models that put the job of weather monitoring into the hands of the professionals.”  WDT is already in the business of monitor weather threats for billions of dollars of unrelated industries.  With the permission of extremely safety minded artist Linkin Park, Jim moved forward with their full authority to develop and test drive these systems on their behalf.

Now  Jim or any event producer can have at their fingertips these very accurate and specific tools and humans monitoring their events.  A degreed meteorologist, live from the hub of US weather data central, watching over us at all times, providing to the minute accuracy of any number of climatological concerns.  “The EXPERTS are now watching our weather, they are aware of our unique concerns and are capable of giving us the kind of lead times necessary to protect human life”, says Jim. Jim and the Event Safety Alliance have also become supporters of the work of Plan!t Now and the Young Meteorologist Program.  Quoting Jim, “Educating young minds at an early stage, raising awareness of an individuals responsibility for the planet and the effects of climate change on mother earth is a crucial step in finding solutions that may someday save our planet.”

“We are so grateful to our partnering organizations for their help in creating and promoting YMP,” says Donna Lee, founder PLAN!T NOW. “Together we can help create a weather- ready nation.”

The YMP centerpiece, its online game, features a junior data collector for the Weather Center-   Owlie (a digital evolution of the NOAA/NWS’s famed Owlie Skywarn). He helps kids on their online severe weather preparedness adventure. Players encounter lightning, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and winter storms- all while learning severe weather science and safety. Players who successfully complete the game earn a Young Meteorologist Certificate. The website, www.youngmeteorologist.org, also provides Young Meteorologist’s opportunities to put their knowledge to work through launching community service projects. Resources for educators, parents and meteorologists to guide Young Meteorologists are also available.

“YMP offers a fun and interactive way to educate our youth about otherwise complex issues,” says Ron Gird, National Weather Service Outreach Program Manager. “In fact, we have found YMP helps them not only retain the information but gets them excited to share what they have learned with friends and family- keeping everyone around them involved and safe.”

YMP is already being incorporated in curriculums across the nation and has plans to reach 55 million kids by the end of 2012 through direct and partner-based outreach. From teachers and camp leaders to parents and youth volunteers, the possibilities to introduce YMP to kids are endless. In addition, the National Weather Service plans to utilize its roughly 120 forecast offices and countless meteorologists to help push YMP even further. The National Education Association will also engage its 3.2 million teacher members and the AMS will promote the program to its 14,000+ members.

YMP is not only helping children stay safe during severe weather activity but it also entices them towards careers in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM),” says Gird. “It’s a win-win for everyone.”

For more information regarding YMP, please visit: www.youngmeteorologist.org

North Carolina was hit hard in August 2011 by Hurricane Irene, including a boat repair facility in Bayboro, shown above. The Hazards Center at UNC-Chapel Hill had an important role in tracking Irene as it reached the coast. Photo courtesy of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The Center for the Study of Natural Hazards & Disasters at UNC-Chapel Hill (UNC Hazards Center) is a PLAN!T NOW partner and leading source of research on the impacts of disasters. For more information on the Center, visit http://hazardscenter.unc.edu.

The Center for the Study of Natural Hazards and Disasters has been engaged in a range of exciting activities in 2011, applying research to improve national resilience, initiating new projects, and refining the Center’s future direction, all while continuing to pursue an intense research agenda with our many colleagues and partners.

Established in 2008 as a research center headquartered at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Hazards Center seeks to advance the understanding of hazards resilience through rigorous interdisciplinary research; create translational models that move knowledge into practice; and develop education, extension and training methods that reflect the diversity and needs of targeted audiences. With a major grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the UNC Hazards Center also administers the research component of the Coastal Hazards Center of Excellence, a coalition of principal investigators located at 19 institutions throughout the United States. Hazards Center partners are pursuing innovative projects in disciplines as diverse as engineering, planning, coastal modeling, psychology, and economics, as well as projects in other fields that have direct bearing on the policy and practice of hazards management in its broadest context.

Applied Research

Hazards Center researchers have been heavily involved in the development of the ADCIRC/SWAN Coastal Circulation and Storm Surge Model, an advanced computer program that models and displays impacts of coastal storms. As Hurricane Irene approached the Atlantic coast in August 2011, the model was tremendously successful in forecasting useful information to help decision-makers effectively prepare for the impacts of the hurricane. In fact, based on predictions of the potential storm surge, wave, and flooding impacts from the model, the U.S. Coast Guard was able to relocate a Command Center and Incident Management Team. Although the original location of the Command Center flooded, the Coast Guard was able to operate effectively in response efforts without interruption.

The recently published book by Executive Director Gavin Smith, “Planning for Post-Disaster Recovery: A Review of the United States Disaster Recovery Framework,” blends what we know about disaster recovery from the research literature and an analysis of existing practice to uncover both problems and recommended solutions for recovery planning. Findings of the book are being injected into a project with the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management to help develop an improved Disaster Recovery Plan. Similarly, Dr. Smith will be traveling to Vermont in December to participate in a workshop to assist Governor Peter Shumlin and his administration with their rebuilding efforts following the recent devastating flooding. Copies of the book can be ordered from Island Press.

As a partner in the North Carolina Sea Level Rise Risk Management Study, the Hazards Center has begun assessing program and policies within state and federal agencies that are influencing the ability for North Carolina to adapt to sea level rise and increased storm frequency. Using these findings and a risk assessment based on different scenarios of development and sea level rise, the Study will evaluate strategies to reduce risks associated with sea level rise.

Recent Events

This past year marked the middle of a six-year grant from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to administer the Coastal Hazards Center of Excellence. These Centers perform research and administer educational programs to provide tools, technologies and training to improve national resilience.

In May, the Hazards Center directors participated in a Midterm Review in Washington D.C. to discuss research progress and achievements and guide the future direction of the Center.

In October, the DHS Undersecretary Tara O’Toole visited the Hazards Center to discuss current research and efforts to get results into the hands of key stakeholders including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Coast Guard and state and local government officials. After the visit in Chapel Hill, N.C., O’Toole and several Hazards Center researchers attended a roundtable at Research Triangle Institute hosted by Congressman David Price (D-N.C.) featuring Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano. Price emphasized the importance of research and development to the U.S. economy.

Future Activities

Looking ahead, the Center will continue to expand the scope and application of ongoing research, develop new research activities in critical areas, and adapt the direction of research as dictated by critical events, including major disasters such as Hurricane Irene. We look forward to an exciting year as our Center continues to mature, evolve, and expand our understanding of hazards and disasters and apply these findings in practice.

The 2011 Atlantic hurricane season featured 19 named storms, but one in particular stands out for its long-term impacts along the East Coast and the ample media coverage it garnered.

Hurricane Irene, which hit the United States in South Carolina as a Category 1 hurricane on Aug. 27, traveled along the coastline and up into New England as Tropical Storm Irene. Over two-plus days, it is estimated to have caused damages estimated at $10 billion and to have led to deaths of about at least 50 people.

Of the 18 named storms, six were hurricanes, and three of those six were major hurricanes (Category 3 or above). About 120 people died as a result of these storms, which caused more than $11.5 billion in damage in the Atlantic basin. This activity was in the high range of predictions made before the season by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center, which predicted between 12 and 18 named storms. A Colorado State University prediction estimated 16 named storms, and Weather Services International predicted 15.

The season began in late June with Tropical Storm Arlene, which caused large-scale flooding and mudslides in central Mexico, leading to more than 20 deaths. It was followed by tropical storms Bret and Cindy in mid-July, which largely did not affect populations in the Atlantic. In late July, Tropical Storm Don formed in the Gulf of Mexico but also had little impact on land.

In early August, Tropical Storm Emily caused structural damaging, flooding and mudslides in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Haiti before dissipating over the Atlantic. Tropical storms Franklin and Gert followed the next week in the Atlantic, but did not make landfall. Mid-month, Tropical Storm Harvey formed in the Gulf of Mexico and caused mudslides and flooding in eastern Mexico.

On Aug. 22, Tropical Storm Irene strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane, the first storm of the season to reach that classification. On Aug. 24, it became a Category 3 storm with wind speeds of 120 mph, prompting governors in many eastern coastal U.S. states to begin preparations for evacuations. The storm caused flooding in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic and Haiti, and hit The Bahamas as a major hurricane, with winds approaching 140 mph. Irene caused massive damage to some of The Bahamas islands, including nearly completely destroying the Lovely Bay settlement. By causing more than $40 million in damages, it was the most destructive tropical storm to hit the country in 12 years.

After causing limited power outages in South Carolina, Hurricane Irene made landfall early Aug. 27 in North Carolina, spawning tornadoes in the eastern part of the state, causing as much as 14 inches of rain in some areas and destroying a bridge from Hatteras Island to the mainland. In the mid-Atlantic states, the storm left hundreds of thousands without power. As it weakened, Irene caused flooding for several days in many areas in New Jersey and New York and caused more than 750,000 power outages in Connecticut.

In its aftermath, the storm led to questions about the response to power outages in areas of the Northeast, severely damaged agricultural production in several states and led to an estimated 65 deaths across the Caribbean and North America.

What followed was a period of high storm activity but few impacts on land. In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Jose and Hurricane Katia formed in the Atlantic but did not make landfall. In early September, Tropical Storm Lee made landfall in Louisiana, leading to flooding in several U.S. states. Hurricane Maria passed harmlessly in the Atlantic, and Tropical Storm Nate caused little more than rains in Mexico.

In late September, Hurricane Ophelia, which along with Hurricane Katia reached the season’s strongest classification at Category 4, passed north in the Atlantic but avoided landfall. Hurricane Phillipe formed at about the same time but dissipated east of most Caribbean islands. Nearly a month later, Hurricane Rina brought heavy rains to the Yucatan Peninsula, and in November, Tropical Storm Sean passed east of Bermuda.

In total, about 120 deaths and $11.6 billion in damage were attributed to the season’s storms, creating less of an impact on land than 2010’s storms.

Every year, thousands of people evacuate their homes for a variety of reasons, including severe weather emergencies. Many of the steps to prepare for an evacuation apply to everyone, but certain groups require special attention. Among those are people who cannot drive due to physical or mental limitations, or lack of a personal vehicle. Emergency planning for this group begins with a deepened awareness of an individual’s situation, including discussing potential hazards with friends, family and co-workers. During these conversations, people should explore their community’s mitigation plan, and try to identify potential barriers to personal safety. Those without transportation should try to make car-sharing arrangements with community members. Also, knowing evacuation routes and having a store of local maps is important, even for those who do not drive.

If after talking to family members, neighbors and coworkers, transportation has not been found, those with special transportation needs should contact their local emergency management agency. Many county emergency management offices have services for people who do not have access to private vehicles in the event of an evacuation. Some regions address people with special needs exclusively, such as the elderly or disabled. Others combine everyone who needs transportation into one group.

In Carteret County, N.C., for instance, announcements regarding transportation services are posted for residents in newspapers and sent in the mail with utility bills. The county checks contact information annually. If an evacuation is ordered, the county provides the local Carteret County Area Transportation System (CCATS), with a list of people needing assistance. CCATS then brings residents to the closest open shelter. Miami-Dade County, Fla., also requires residents to register if they need transportation assistance, but their bus system will operate along a set evacuation route during an emergency. Residents can find the closest pickup point in the county by dialing 311 locally.

Most counties ask individuals needing assistance in the event of an evacuation to register well in advance of any emergency. It is important to register at the county level, to keep personal contact information updated and to take all required steps once an evacuation is ordered to ensure safe delivery to a shelter.

Creating a disaster kit also helps individuals who cannot drive plan for how to keep themselves and their loved ones safe during an emergency. To get started, visit www.ready.gov and see their disaster supply kit list. A three-day (72-hour) supply of food and water is suggested in addition to extra clothes, a portable weather radio and important family documents. The question now is, how does one evacuate with all of these things and no private mode of transportation? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website provides evacuation information for people with limited mobility, which includes people with disabilities or those who lack private transportation. Those who evacuate will likely have to leave belongings behind, but having a complete kit assembled will at least provide the option of bringing supplies and necessary belongings.

Not all disaster kits look the same, and it is best to have multiple kits ready in the event of an emergency. Those without space to bring a full-sized disaster kit during an evacuation should put together a backup kit better suited to their specific needs. For people relying on public transportation, having a waterproof bag and clothing is especially important.

Many of the suggested items, such as a flashlight and batteries, medication, hand sanitizer, a whistle and a portable weather radio, are small enough to carry. While it would be difficult to bring a three days’ supply of food and water, it is possible to bring some food. Fatty, high-protein or salty foods are best. Another way to reduce the size of your kit is to convert several bulky paper documents, which are difficult to transport during an evacuation, into a digital copy to store on a flash drive.

If severe weather threats lead to evacuations, this can create a state of panic among some residents, no more so than with people who lack private transportation with which to leave home With a disaster plan in place, those without a private vehicle can ensure their safety in the event that an evacuation is issued for their community.

Test is first nationwide implementation of alert system

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced that on Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. ET, the federal government will conduct the first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS). The test will last 30 seconds. During this period, regularly scheduled television, radio, cable and satellite shows will be interrupted as the system is being tested.

In a release, FEMA representatives said they want to assure the public that this event will be just a test, and not a real emergency alert. The test is being conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), as part of their ongoing efforts to keep the nation safe during emergencies and strengthen our resilience against all hazards. The national Emergency Alert System is an alert and warning system that can be activated by the president, if needed, to provide information to the American public during emergencies.  NOAA’s National Weather Service, governors and state and local emergency authorities also use parts of the system to issue more localized emergency alerts.

The test is an important exercise in ensuring that the system is effective in communicating critical information to the public in the event of a real national emergency, officials said. Similar to emergency alert system tests that are already conducted frequently on the local level, the nationwide test will involve television and radio stations across the United States, including Alaska, Hawaii and the territories of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa. Under the FCC’s rules, radio and television broadcasters, cable operators, satellite digital audio radio service providers, direct broadcast satellite service providers and wireline video service providers are required to receive and transmit presidential EAS messages to the public.

A national test will help federal partners and EAS participants determine the reliability of the system, as well as its effectiveness in notifying the public of emergencies and potential dangers both nationally and regionally.  The test will also provide the FCC and FEMA a chance to identify improvements that need to be made to build a modernized and fully accessible Emergency Alert System. FEMA encourages the public to use this event as a reminder that everyone should establish an emergency preparedness kit and emergency plan for themselves, their families, communities, and businesses.

Visit www.Ready.gov for more information about how to prepare for and stay informed about what to do in the event of an actual emergency. To learn more about the planned test, see this FAQ page or view these resources:

- FEMA Administrator’s Message – In English: http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/6407

- FEMA Administrator’s Message – In Spanish http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/6408

This diagram details the conditions needed for hurricanes to form. Image courtesy of Windows2universe.org.

For residents of the United States, Central America, Caribbean nations and even Canada, hurricane and tropical storm season is a six-month-long period when circumstances are prime for the formation of destructive wind, rain and waves. While only a portion of storms that form in the Atlantic from June to November form into hurricanes, and even fewer threaten land, it helps to understand the factors that lead to tropical storm formation in the first place.

Meteorologists from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecast storms days ahead of their expected landfall. These warnings, as well as any evacuation orders from local officials, should be heeded, but it also helps to understand exactly what the storm is that is heading your way. Below is information about how hurricanes form, and travel, and how they are tracked by meteorologists. For more information, visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Hurricane Research Division information page here.

Q: What are tropical cyclones, hurricanes and tropical storms? What is the difference between them?

A: Strong tropical storms go by many names, depending on where they are located. In the Atlantic, Northeast Pacific Ocean east of the International Date Line and South Pacific Ocean, they are “hurricanes.” In the Northwest Pacific Ocean, west of the International Date Line, they are “typhoons.”

A tropical cyclone is the term used for what weather scientists call a “non-frontal synoptic scale low-pressure system” forming over tropical or sub-tropical waters with organized thunderstorm activity and definite circular (or “cyclonic”) surface wind circulation. If maximum sustained surface winds are less than 39 miles per hour, the storm is usually a tropical depression. Between 39 mph and 74 mph, it’s a tropical storm; beyond 74 mph, it is classified as a hurricane or typhoon.

In the Indian Ocean and Southwest Pacific Ocean, these storms are classified as “severe tropical cyclone,” “very severe cyclonic storm,” or “tropical cyclone.”

Q: What are the stages of tropical storm formation?

A: Tropical storms build progressively from a large collection of thunderstorm activity to a more organized storm system.

Tropical Disturbance – A discrete tropical weather system of apparently organized thunderstorms – generally 200 to 600 km (100 to 300 nautical miles) in diameter – originating in the tropics or subtropics, having a “non-frontal migratory character” (meaning it is not related to the general transition area between two large bodies of air), and staying that way for 24 hours or more.

Tropical Depression – A tropical cyclone in which the maximum sustained wind speed (using the U.S. 1 minute average standard) is up to 38 mph. Depressions have a closed circulation (counterclockwise winds blowing around a center of low pressure in the Northern Hemisphere).

Tropical Storm – A tropical cyclone in which the maximum sustained surface wind speed (using the U.S. 1 minute average standard) ranges from 39 mph to 73 mph. The storm formation is usually more concentrated near the center with outer rainfall organizing into distinct bands.

The wind speeds mentioned here are for those measured or estimated as the top speed sustained for one minute at 10 meters above the surface. Peak gusts would be on the order of 10-25 percent higher.

Q: Why is it called a “hurricane?”

A: The name is derived from Hurican, the Carib god of evil in an Arawakan language (adapted from native groups by Spanish and Portuguese explorers to Central and South America and the Caribbean islands). The Carib god is thought to be derived from the Mayan god Hurakan, a creator god who brought about dry land in the Caribbean and later caused a great storm and flood.

Q: How do tropical cyclones form ?

A: Several conditions must be met for a disturbance to form into a cyclone:
1. Warm ocean waters of at least 26.5°C (80°F) throughout a depth of at least 150 feet.

2. An atmosphere which cools fast enough with height such that it is potentially unstable to moist “convection,” or thunderstorm activity. It is the thunderstorm activity which allows the heat stored in the ocean waters to be liberated for the tropical cyclone development.

3. Relatively moist layers near the mid-troposphere (3 miles above sea level). Dry mid levels are not conducive for allowing the continuing development of widespread thunderstorm activity.

4. A minimum distance of at least 300 miles from the equator. For tropical cyclones to form, there is a requirement for non-negligible amounts of the Coriolis force to provide low pressure that maintains the storm.

5. A pre-existing near-surface disturbance with sufficient air rotation and air entering the storm system. Tropical cyclones cannot be generated spontaneously.

6. Low values (less than about 10 meters/second or 23 mph) of vertical wind shear between the surface and the upper troposphere. Vertical wind shear is the magnitude of wind change with height. Large values of vertical wind shear disrupt cyclone formation.

These conditions must be met for a storm to form, but do not guarantee tropical cyclone formation.

Q: What is the relationship between a hurricane’s size and its strength?

A: There is very little correlation between a storm’s intensity (either in wind speed or central pressure) and its radius. Changes in size and strength of a storm are thought to be independent of each other. For example, Hurricane Andrew was relatively small (a radius of about 90 miles) but very powerful Category 5 hurricane (winds of 165 mph at landfall in Florida in 1992).

New York to New Orleans (NY2NO) volunteers have been involved in rebuilding and community projects in the city since Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. Image from http://ny2no.com.

Aug. 29 marked the sixth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, one of the deadliest and most costly storms in U.S. history. Katrina devastated towns and cities along the Gulf Coast. The region’s urban hub, New Orleans, was hit especially hard, and suffered the highest loss of human life.  Not all sections of New Orleans were equally impacted. As is so often the case when natural disasters hit, the city’s poorest neighborhoods saw the greatest losses of life and physical structures. Nowhere in the city was the devastation greater than in the Lower Ninth Ward.

Last month, PLAN!T spoke to three youth activists taking on part of the responsibility for rebuilding this part of the city for their perspectives about where the Lower Ninth Ward is six years later. Two, Myaisha Hayes and Abby Beatty, work with New York to New Orleans (NY2NO), a youth-led activist organization created by high school students in New York City following Katrina. Since 2005, NY2NO has been bringing New York City high school students to the Lower Ninth Ward to help gut and rebuild homes, clean debris from green-spaces, canvass residents to document their stories, and educate participants about the power dynamics that determine where government resources go and where they don’t. One of the activists, Fatima Avellan, participated in a rebuilding trip arranged by Occidental College in Los Angeles. This trip was co-led by Myaisha Hayes. Myaisha, Fatima, and Abby’s insights raise questions about the role of race and class in response to natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, even while the existence of groups like NY2NO mark at least one positive step towards recovery. For more information on NY2NO, visit http://ny2no.com.

Q: Based on your observations, how far along are the rebuilding efforts in the Lower Ninth Ward?

Abby Beatty: Not far at all. It’s becoming one big overgrown lawn. When I first started going down there in February of 2008 there was a much more noticeable volunteer presence. All the houses had been gutted, and construction materials and assistance were available to citizens through organizations like Project Lower Nine. There was greater national attention to the area, but that had already begun to fade by 2008.

The problem is not just the city’s purposeful inability to provide solutions like physical rebuilding. There are many other deeply routed issues that affect New Orleans that simply became more evident because of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Structural discrimination in the New Orleans school and food systems, along with much else, has long plagued the Lower Ninth Ward.

Q: As of last year, news articles quote Lower Ninth Ward residents speaking of slow progress, many blighted homes and a landscape without stores or other economic engines. Do you agree based on what you’ve seen, and has it changed since last year?

Myaisha Hayes: I agree. I’ve been to the Lower Ninth Ward three times since 2005, the most recent trip being this past December. When I arrived this past winter, it had been two years since I’d been to the neighborhood, yet it looked exactly the same. It felt like a ghost town. It absolutely lacks infrastructure. There are no grocery stores, except the Magnolia Grocery, a small neighborhood store that sells more alcohol than food. The food it does offer is not nutritious. Other than that, there is a gas station and a few chicken joints. There is no public school in the neighborhood, which is why NY2NO partnered with Our School at Blair Grocery, a community center and school created by a passionate New York City transplant named Nat Turner. …

The levees in the Lower Ninth Ward are still not fixed. …If a sizable storm were to hit tomorrow, the neighborhood would be destroyed. The relatively quick recovery of New Orleans’s French Quarter compared to the neglect of the Lower Ninth has been very disappointing. In one of my first neighborhood canvassing trips several years ago, a Lower Ninth Ward resident told me he felt like he and his neighbors were being treated like cockroaches local and state officials wanted to be rid of. …In comparison, when forest fires threaten wealthy California communities, the local and federal response is immediate and strong. Where is the political will to repair the Lower Ninth?

Q: What is NY2NO’s relationship to the Lower Ninth? Share a little about your work there. What insights do you have based on your work there about how the Lower Ninth has been treated versus other parts of the city like the French Quarter?

Fatima Avellan: Our work with NY2NO entailed learning how to use sustainable farming methods to analyze oppressive systems and empower youth and community residents to hold government officials and others accountable. Our School at Blair Grocery, a former grocery store transformed into a home-school for youth in the Lower Ninth community after the flood, is the place where we had most of our interactions with New York City youth from NY2NO. Along with harvesting vegetables, learning how to compost and attending workshops that describe systems of power in order to transform them, we also visited Angola State Penitentiary together.

This was the turning point of the trip for me personally. It made me want to focus on education, youth and the prison industrial complex. My experience visiting the former plantation is a constant reminder of the desperately needed, radical change this nation must undergo. …As for the pace of the rebuilding efforts in the Lower Ninth Ward compared to the French Quarter: the French Quarter is city’s tourism epicenter, a place that was immediately rebuilt in order to bring the city revenue. However, when it comes to the parts of the city mostly inhabited by people of color and those of low socio-economic status (like the Lower Ninth), rebuilding efforts are slow or non-existent. The wealthy areas of the city, like St. Bernard’s Parish, have a Whole Foods, yoga studios, cafes and restaurants – obvious signs of a flourishing and economically vibrant community. The racial divide between the Lower Ninth Ward and areas like St. Bernard’s Parish, which are predominantly white, beg questions about the role of race and class in the popular and political will to rebuild following natural disasters like Katrina.

PLAN!T NOW (P!N) has joined with UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Social Work on a project will help people with special needs and their families develop personalized emergency plans.

The PREParation for Emergencies and Recovery (PREP) project will support individuals with developmental disabilities and their families by providing a step-by-step process to create personalized emergency plans, which can include emergency contacts, shelter information and medical and insurance information. Plans can be printed out by users and can be stored for regular updating. All information will be stored safely and securely on UNC-Chapel Hill’s servers.

The project is funded by the U.S. Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD) as a Project of National Significance. The goals of the PREP Project are:

- To ensure that individuals with disabilities and their families are prepared for emergency situations.

- To ensure that the service system is prepared to support individuals with disabilities and their families in the event of an emergency.

- While built for participants in North Carolina, PLAN!T NOW is helping raise awareness of this resource nationwide. We encourage people around the country and from all professions to develop their own plans to store online. The process takes about 20-30 minutes, and will allow you to store your vital information for later reference, saving valuable time and effort when severe weather is expected to strike.

The project includes these components:

- Identification, development, and implementation of a web-based process for emergency planning

- Development of user-friendly materials and resources to assist individuals and family members to create plans for emergency situations

- Training for individuals, families, service providers, and emergency responders

- Information and referral services for individuals, families, and community members focused on emergency preparedness and recovery

- Active involvement of individuals with disabilities and family members through state and national advisory groups that ensure that project activities reflect their concerns and priorities

- Active involvement of state level planners and policy makers to pool resources, coordinate services, and share expenses

- A public awareness campaign to promote the importance of emergency preparedness

- Comprehensive program evaluation

To develop your own PREP plan, go to https://myprep.org.

For related information and resources, click here.