ENROLLED
2019 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 51
BY REPRESENTATIVE DAVIS
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To designate September 1 through 7, 2019, as Resiliency Week in Louisiana.
WHEREAS, hazard mitigation is the effort to reduce loss of life and property by
lessening the impact of disasters; and
WHEREAS, hazard mitigation 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, federal legislation recently signed into law, 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 resiliency; and
WHEREAS, since 1980, natural disasters have cost the country more than one 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 one dollar spent on hazard mitigation provides the
nation with six dollars 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
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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 that serve our communities by changing their operations to
provide additional services to those affected by disaster; and
WHEREAS, the legislature honors the brave men and women who as first responders
selflessly provide aid in a disaster to safeguard Louisiana citizens; and
WHEREAS, the legislature encourages Louisiana communities to build resiliency
and develop long-range mitigation strategies for protecting people and property from future
hazard events.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
designate the week of September 1 through 7, 2019, as Resiliency Week to raise public
awareness about the continuing need to plan for future disasters by instituting a pre-disaster
mitigation strategy.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
Regional Vice President-Southwest of the National Association of Mutual Insurance
Companies.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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