Bill supports FEMA National Risk Index

U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) recently introduced legislation that seeks to make permanent the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Risk Index (NRI) to aiding natural disaster vulnerable communities.

The measure would also require FEMA to use data from the NRI to form community disaster resilience zones (CDRZs) designating communities nationwide most in need of mitigation projects.

“Knowing exactly which communities in Michigan and across the nation need assistance to invest in resilient infrastructure will be critical to helping protect lives and livelihoods where disasters strike hardest,” Peters said. “This commonsense, bipartisan legislation will utilize a data driven approach with existing FEMA information to ensure communities that are most vulnerable to extreme weather events receive assistance. This will help drive public and private resources towards these areas to help them fund mitigation projects that will not only improve resiliency but also save taxpayer dollars in the long run.”

The bill aids at-risk communities in making important investments limiting natural disaster damages.

“In states like Ohio, not every community has the same vulnerabilities or experiences the same level of catastrophic outcomes for the same type of disaster,” Portman, chairman and ranking member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, said. “While natural disasters can be highly unpredictable, FEMA has risk index tools to help us know where we should prioritize our disaster mitigation funding. Research has found that for every dollar invested into mitigation, communities are saved six dollars due to reduced future losses. This bill will help states and communities prioritize and focus these mitigation programs to ensure we maximize the safety and well-being of future disaster victims.”