Safe Homes for All Leadership Forum sponsors and partners visited Capitol Hill on June 23^rd, 2009 to discuss initiatives to help America become better prepared for natural disasters. Among the initiatives highlighted during the visits, which included a briefing with House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (D-SC), were Florida’s innovative My Safe Florida Home program and South Carolina’s Safe Homes program. The delegation pictured here with Congressman Clyburn included representatives from the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH), the Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), WeatherPredict Consulting,  RenaissanceRe Risk Sciences Foundation, the My Safe Florida Home program and the South Carolina Safe Homes program.

Download the presentation of John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation – “Federal Climate Change Legislation Safeguarding Nature For People and Wildlife”

Download the presentation of Andrew Fahlund, American Rivers – “ National Wildlife Federation – “Changing Climate Adaptation: Reforming Flood Management”

Download the presentation of Paul Harrison, Environmental Defense Fund

Moderator:
John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation

Panelists:
Jerome Ringo, Apollo Alliance
Andrew Fahlund, American Rivers
Paul Harrison, Environmental Defense Fun
Ghebre Selassie Mehreteab, National Housing Preservation Foundation

It is widely recognized that climate change is affecting extreme weather patterns. This session provided a solid set of facts about global warming and addressed historical, current and future trends. Climate change is not just a coastal community problem – extreme weather affects us all.

Download the presentation of Bill Stallworth, Hope Community Development Agency – “Rebuilding Biloxi – Lessons Learned from Katrina”

Download the presentation of Craig Tillman, WeatherPredict Consulting Inc. – “Effective Mitigation for Everyone”

Moderator:
Julie Rochman, Institute for Business and Home Safety

Panelists:
Craig Tillman, WeatherPredict Consulting Inc.
Bill Stallworth, Hope Community Development Agency
Miles Anderson, Florida Emergency Management Agency

Cost-effective and proven home mitigation programs and technologies really do exist. This panel presented the latest options available for safeguarding all homes.

U.S. Representative Bennie Thompson (D-MS) introducing The Predisaster Hazard Mitigation Enhancement Program Act of 2009, The Hazard Mitigation For All Act of 2009, and The First Responder Innovation and Support Act of 2009.

Moderator:
Bill Kelly, Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future

Panelists:
Lisa Blackwell, National Multi Housing Council
Denise Muha, National Leased Housing Association
Michelle Whetten, Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.
Ghebre Selassie Mehreteab, National Housing Preservation Foundation

The recent wave of natural disasters remind us that greater attention needs to be paid to how multifamily housing stock is affected by hurricanes and floods, and the role the federal government can play to assist tenants, developers, and owners with of loss mitigation. Panelists shared past experiences and lessons learned to show how we can work together to create safer, affordable and effective housing solutions to prepare for future emergencies.

Download the presentation of Walter Peacock and Jay Baker – “Evacuation Effectiveness: Meeting the Unique Challenges of Low-Income Households”

Moderator:
Debra Ballen, Institute for Business and Home Safety

Panelists:
Jay Baker, Florida State University
Walter Peacock, Texas A&M University

What perceptions do low income families and other vulnerable populations have about evacuation? What impediments to evacuation do these individuals now face? How can we make it more feasible for them to shelter in place, and how can we motivate them to evacuate to safety?

Download the presentation of Tami Torres, My Safe Florida Home

Download the presentation of Leslie Chapman Henderson, Federal Alliance for Safe Homes

Moderator:
Leslie Chapman Henderson, Federal Alliance for Safe Homes

Panelists:
Peter Mitchell, Salter Mitchell
Tami Torres, My Safe Florida Home

This panel discussed issues, roadblocks and strategies for delivering compelling information to the general public about safer and sustainable homes built to provide protection during disasters of all kinds. Presenters explored successful ways to gain homeowner involvement in advancing disaster mitigation through behavior change and social marketing.

Download the presentation of Howard C. Kunreuther, Risk Management and Decision Processes Center at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania – “At War With the Weather and Other Extreme Events”

Download the presentation of Michael Young, Senior Director of Mitigation at SMS – “Analysis of the My Safe Florida Home Program”

Download the presentation of Jeanne M. Salvatore, Insurance Information Instutute- “Safe Homes For All Leadership Forum”

Ghebre Selassie Mehreteab of the National Housing Preservation Foundation

Ghebre Selassie Mehreteab of the National Housing Preservation Foundation discussing lessons learned from Katrina, the widespread consequences of natural disasters such as hurricanes, and the need for President Obama to address mitigation and climate change.