SR0306 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0306 LRB101 11998 MST 59255 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Hazard mitigation is the effort to reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters; it is most effective when implemented under a comprehensive, long-term mitigation plan; and

WHEREAS, The Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is designed to assist states and local communities in implementing a sustained pre-disaster natural hazard mitigation program; and

WHEREAS, Recently enacted federal legislation, the Disaster Recovery Reform Act, makes available new dollars for states and communities to undertake pre-disaster mitigation measures and creates new incentives for states to build resiliently; and

WHEREAS, Since 1908, natural disasters have cost the country over $1 trillion dollars; and

WHEREAS, Disasters affect the local and state economies in lost payrolls, lost sales and income tax, and increased disaster recovery times; and

WHEREAS, According to a FEMA commissioned study conducted by the National Institute of Building Sciences, every $1 spent on hazard mitigation provides the nation with $6 in future benefits; and

WHEREAS, Twenty-five percent of small businesses that are impacted by a natural disaster never reopen their doors; and

WHEREAS, September is National Preparedness Month in recognition of the need for all Americans to prepare and plan for recovery after a disaster; and

WHEREAS, Mitigation planning is a key process used to break the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage; and

WHEREAS, Effective pre-disaster mitigation reduces the demand for relief services on volunteer organizations such as disaster rescue and recovery teams, along with food banks and homeless shelters who serve our communities by changing their operations to provide additional services to those affected by disaster; and

WHEREAS, The brave men and women who, as first responders, selflessly provide aid in a disaster to safeguard citizens should be commended and recognized; and

WHEREAS, Communities should be encouraged to build resiliently and develop long-range mitigation strategies for protecting people and property from future hazard events; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare the week of September 1- 7, 2019 as "Resiliency Week" to raise public awareness about the continuing need to plan for future disasters by instituting a predisaster mitigation strategy.