1 / 14

Community Disaster Mitigation Programs

Innovative Solutions for Complex Problems: Tulsa, OK a Model for Success Kyle Overly Dr. David M. Neal Oklahoma State University Fire & Emergency Management Administration. Community Disaster Mitigation Programs. Purpose.

rigg
Download Presentation

Community Disaster Mitigation Programs

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Innovative Solutions for Complex Problems: Tulsa, OK a Model for Success Kyle Overly Dr. David M. Neal Oklahoma State University Fire & Emergency Management Administration Community Disaster Mitigation Programs

  2. Purpose • Demonstrate how emergent citizen groups can solve disaster vulnerability problems • Demonstrate how organizations can survive major external changes

  3. Methods • Case Selection • Tulsa, Oklahoma • Project Impact national example • Convenience • Interviews • Sample • Purposeful Selection • Document Analysis

  4. Background of Case • Population of 590,000 • Typical Hazards • Tornadoes • Frequent Flooding • Severe Weather • Tulsa settled at the crux of the Arkansas River and numerous creeks • Oil booms of the 1920’s – expediential growth • Little attention given to where growth was occurring

  5. Fed up with getting flooded out… • 1974 flood – a group of citizens gather in a soggy living room and decide to take action • Local police officer tired of taking off gun belt and wading into the waters • “Tulsans for a Better Community” • Advocacy program had 4 main points • Stop building in the floodplain • Clear out flood-prone buildings • Channels and detention ponds • Involve citizens at every point

  6. “Fix the problem”… the 70’s & 80’s • After 1976 Memorial Day flood enraged citizens phone city hall - demand the problem be fixed • City listened – moratorium of floodplain building • City hires first full time hydrologist • 1984 – worst flood in the history of Tulsa • Mayor urges that problem will be solved • FEMA buys 500 homes • Within 2 years - $2 stormwater utility fee

  7. Early resilience in the 90’s • Actions of TFBC continue to influence policy • New public works department – committed to flood control • 1992 – FEMA ranks Tulsa top of new Community Rating System • By the end of the decade, Tulsa cleared over 1000 flood prone properties • 1990’s – 1st decade without a major flood

  8. Tulsa attracts national attention • James Lee Witt selects Tulsa for Project Impact based upon their mitigation history • Tulsa Public Works opens the P.I. Office to manage the grant • 2000 - Tulsa Project Impact Foundation founded to support P.I. • Allows for donations and non-profit grants

  9. Project Impact gone…still alive in Tulsa • 2001 - FEMA Project Impact Discontinued • City of Tulsa funds P.I. activities at 100% level • Legacy of mitigation programs in Tulsa • Tulsa P.I. continues to build public-private partnerships while encouraging community participation • Scope of activities expands with Citizen Corps Grant

  10. Public to private…the legacy continues • 2006 – City Financial problems end Tulsa P.I. • Ongoing activities continue – Shifted completely to Tulsa Partners INC 501 (c) (3) • Activities continue, very little change in the mission of the organization

  11. Results • Community members can have a substantial impact on disaster policy • Broad goals allow program flexibility • Networks are vital to any organization • Merge grass roots efforts with technical experts • Resource mobilization key to long-term existence of an organization • Tulsa P.I. Foundation – in part founded in anticipation of a change in funding level

  12. Future Research • Comparative case study using multiple Project Impact cities • Multi-case comparison of other models used to manage Project Impact • Comparative case study between disaster management and other policy domains

  13. An important note… • Although Tulsa was successful in their mitigation programs, so too were other cities • The model Tulsa used was one of many different used • “We were successful, but we weren’t the only ones”

  14. Questions/Discussion • Contact Information: Kyle Overly Oklahoma State University Fire & Emergency Management Program Kyle.Overly@okstate.edu 717-629-2288

More Related