~Community meetings promote resilient coastal communities~

A desire to improve coastal community resilience – a community’s capacity to withstand and recover from coastal hazards, like hurricanes – drew over 30 community members and decision makers to meetings sponsored by the Gulf of Mexico Alliance in cooperation with the Town of Fort Myers Beach, the City of Marco Island, the City of Sarasota, Cedar Key and Steinhatchee, Florida.

Recent community resilience meetings in Florida brought local leaders together to complete the Resilience Index, an assessment tool that helps communities identify their strengths and weaknesses to coastal hazards. Addressing critical facilities and infrastructure, transportation issues, community plans and agreements, mitigation measures, business and evacuation plans, the Resilience Index gives community leaders an opportunity to proactively respond to local resilience issues and therefore minimize unnecessary damage during the next hazardous event. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Office of Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas (CAMA) leads Florida’s efforts to implement Gulf of Mexico Alliance initiatives. Input gathered during these meetings will also help guide future development of the Resilience Index spearheaded by the Mississippi/Alabama Sea Grant Consortium.

“Completing the Gulf of Mexico Alliance’s Resilience Index allowed us to take a look at current operation plans and to identify any missing links that need to be addressed,” said Keith Laakkonen, Environmental Sciences Coordinator for the Town of Fort Myers Beach.

Improving coastal community resilience is one of six priorities outlined in the Gulf of Mexico Alliance’s 2009 Governors’ Action Plan, which identifies strategies to sustain a healthy and resilient Gulf Region. Initiated in 2004, the Gulf of Mexico Alliance partnership includes the five Gulf States of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, Mexico, and thirteen federal agencies.

Signed and supported by all five U.S. Gulf of Mexico state Governors, the 2009 Governor’s Action Plan also aims to promote environmental education, support habitat restoration, reduce nutrient inputs to coastal waters, mitigate impacts to water quality, and identify and characterize Gulf ecosystems.