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From destructive pandemics to record-breaking hurricanes to quick-spreading fires, disasters are all too common occurrences in Main Street communities across the country. Despite their frequency and magnitude, there are very few disaster preparedness and recovery-related resources available to commercial district revitalization organizations. Without a comprehensive preparedness plan in place and tools to support both short and long-term recovery efforts, the physical and economic effects of disasters can be devastating to local businesses and community members, and prove destructive to the historic structures and public spaces in Main Street communities.
To better equip commercial district leaders in their disaster response efforts, Main Street America (MSA) is formally launching the Main Street Community Disaster Preparedness and Resilience Program, with generous support from the National Park Service (NPS)’s Emergency Historic Preservation Fund allocation for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, Florence, Michael, and Typhoon Yutu.
Through this multi-year program, MSA will:
convene experts and stakeholders;
aggregate existing resources and research in one easy-to-locate clearinghouse;
and create a multi-platform toolkit examining strategies for disaster preparedness and resilience.
Stay tuned in the coming months for more information, output, and follow-up engagement opportunities. If you have any questions about the program, please contact Lindsey Wallace, Director of Strategic Projects and Design Services at lwallace@savingplaces.org.