COLUMBIA, MD —This morning, the Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD) and the Howard County Economic Development Authority (HCEDA) announced the release of the ISD-HCEDA Maryland Report and Planning Guide for Economic Resilience and Disaster Recovery.
“Over the last five years, disasters have cost the state of Maryland over $1 billion. Ultimately the report is meant to be used as a resource for Maryland’s state and local emergency managers and economic development leaders as they navigate disaster recovery and economic resilience challenges. With climate change, extreme weather events, pandemics, and the like, Maryland is pioneering preparedness and recovery practices that should pay significant dividends in the future. No matter where you live, you’re vulnerable to a disaster—we want to shift the focus to preparation as opposed to response and we believe this report helps to achieve that goal,” explained ISD CEO, Stephen Jordan.
The report was released at the Second Annual Maryland Economic Resilience and Disaster Recovery Conference and was directly followed by keynotes from Russ Strickland, Executive Director of the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and Hon. Kelly Schulz, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Commerce. Both Strickland and Schulz are quoted in the report.
The report was created by ISD, HCEDA and local, state, and national subject matter experts who participated in a year-long process analyzing lessons learned from the recent disasters that have affected Maryland. This process included, most notably, the extreme rain and flood event of 2018 that dropped 6.56 inches of rain in three hours on Ellicott City and the surroundings, including Washington County, Frederick County and Baltimore County. In addition to the findings of the workshops, the report also addresses recommendations for ongoing economic resilience improvements.
The program was made possible by a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
About the Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD): ISD is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to catalyzing resilience so that communities can realize their potential. www.isdus.org
