The Rising Cost of Natural Hazards and Growing Disaster Risk

Former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate (@WCraigFugate) talks about the future of disaster response, increasing disaster risk, the rising costs associated with natural disasters and his experiences serving as President Barack Obama’s FEMA Administrator. The Sept. 28, 2017 event in Pugh Hall was sponsored by the Bob Graham Center for Public Service, WUFT-FM, the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) and the College of Journalism and Communications.

Fugate led FEMA through multiple record-breaking disaster years and oversaw the Federal Government’s response to major events such as the Joplin and Moore Tornadoes, Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Matthew and the 2016 Louisiana flooding. FEMA’s effectiveness in dealing with more than 500 Presidentially-declared major disasters and emergencies restored the faith of the American people in the Federal Government’s ability to respond to disasters. Fugate is from Alachua County, attended Sante Fe High School and worked as a lieutenant with Alachua County Fire Rescue. He then worked as an emergency manager for the county for 10 years before moving up to the state level, serving as deputy director for the Florida Emergency Management Division and then becoming director under Gov. Jeb Bush in 2001. He returned to Gainesville after stepping down when the Trump administration took office in January.

News Coverage

• WUFT: Q&A With Former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate

Highlights

"Climate change is factual – there's data there, it's not a belief system." @WCraigFugate at @GrahamCenter

— UF College of Journalism and Communications (@UFJSchool) September 28, 2017

"We have set the price of risk so low that we continue to grow in unsustainable ways." @WCraigFugate on building in hazardous areas in Fla. pic.twitter.com/jphZIIqYpt

— UF College of Journalism and Communications (@UFJSchool) September 28, 2017

"We're growing disasters bigger and faster than we can possibly ever respond to them." @WCraigFugate at @GrahamCenter pic.twitter.com/8sWHRtAZqO

— UF College of Journalism and Communications (@UFJSchool) September 28, 2017

"Our past is not a good indicator for our future" in regards to natural disasters. @WCraigFugate at @GrahamCenter pic.twitter.com/emGy81SHM8

— UF College of Journalism and Communications (@UFJSchool) September 28, 2017

"We gotta build our systems around who we serve" @WCraigFugate on developing @fema programs. @GrahamCenter pic.twitter.com/yATQ8t4ycs

— UF College of Journalism and Communications (@UFJSchool) September 28, 2017

"As long as we price risk too cheap, there's no incentive to change behavior. Disasters will get bigger." @WCraigFugate at @GrahamCenter pic.twitter.com/EKP7hOZmGg

— UF College of Journalism and Communications (@UFJSchool) September 28, 2017

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZonxEChdQl

I just uploaded “The Rising Cost of Natural Hazards & Growing Disaster Risk” to #Vimeo: https://t.co/DPS0sPipCn

— Bob Graham Center (@GrahamCenter) September 29, 2017

Posted: September 28, 2017
Video Categories: Guest Speakers
Tagged as: Guest Speaker