HLS 19RS-565 ORIGINAL
2019 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 51
BY REPRESENTATIVE DAVIS
SPECIAL DAY/WEEK/MONTH: Designates September 1 through 7, 2019, as Resiliency
Week to raise awareness about the importance of disaster preparation
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To designate September 1 through 7, 2019, as Resiliency Week in Louisiana.
3 WHEREAS, hazard mitigation is the effort to reduce loss of life and property by
4lessening the impact of disasters; and
5 WHEREAS, hazard mitigation is most effective when implemented under a
6comprehensive, long-term mitigation plan; and
7 WHEREAS, the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program, administered by the Federal
8Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is designed to assist states and local communities
9in implementing a sustained pre-disaster natural hazard mitigation program; and
10 WHEREAS, federal legislation recently signed into law, the Disaster Recovery
11Reform Act, makes available new dollars for states and communities to undertake pre-
12disaster mitigation measures and creates new incentives for states to build resiliency; and
13 WHEREAS, since 1980, natural disasters have cost the country more than one trillion
14dollars; and
15 WHEREAS, disasters affect the local and state economies in lost payrolls, lost sales
16and income tax, and increased disaster recovery times; and
17 WHEREAS, according to a FEMA-commissioned study conducted by the National
18Institute of Building Sciences, every one dollar spent on hazard mitigation provides the
19nation with six dollars in future benefits; and
20 WHEREAS, twenty-five percent of small businesses that are impacted by a natural
21disaster never reopen their doors; and
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HCR NO. 51
1 WHEREAS, September is National Preparedness Month in recognition of the need
2for all Americans to prepare and plan for recovery after a disaster; and
3 WHEREAS, mitigation planning is a key process used to break the cycle of disaster
4damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage; and
5 WHEREAS, effective pre-disaster mitigation reduces the demand for relief services
6on volunteer organizations such as disaster rescue and recovery teams, along with food
7banks and homeless shelters that serve our communities by changing their operations to
8provide additional services to those affected by disaster; and
9 WHEREAS, the legislature honors the brave men and women who as first responders
10selflessly provide aid in a disaster to safeguard Louisiana citizens; and
11 WHEREAS, the legislature encourages Louisiana communities to build resiliency
12and develop long-range mitigation strategies for protecting people and property from future
13hazard events.
14 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
15designate the week of September 1 through 7, 2019, as Resiliency Week to raise public
16awareness about the continuing need to plan for future disasters by instituting a pre-disaster
17mitigation strategy.
18 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
19Regional Vice President-Southwest of the National Association of Mutual Insurance
20Companies.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCR 51 Original 2019 Regular Session Davis
Designates September 1 through 7, 2019, as Resiliency Week in Louisiana.
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