By Brimer H.C.R. No. 102 77R5255 MJS-D HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, Building disaster resistant communities requires 1-2 extensive coordination and expertise and is an ongoing process; and 1-3 WHEREAS, It is incumbent upon each community to determine the 1-4 disaster planning measures that are necessary to reduce risk; and 1-5 WHEREAS, Many of our nation's communities are not prepared 1-6 for the potential devastation that can be caused by a natural 1-7 disaster because of inadequate planning and insufficient 1-8 mobilization of resources; and 1-9 WHEREAS, The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 1-10 strongly urges communities throughout Texas to implement the 1-11 Project Impact: Building Disaster Resistant Communities initiative; 1-12 and 1-13 WHEREAS, Since its inception in 1997, the innovative Project 1-14 Impact program has helped numerous communities protect and 1-15 safeguard themselves from natural disasters; and 1-16 WHEREAS, Today, there are approximately 250 Project Impact 1-17 communities in the United States that are better equipped to handle 1-18 disasters such as tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes; 1-19 and 1-20 WHEREAS, Saving lives, reducing property damage, and 1-21 preserving the environment are some of the benefits communities 1-22 have reaped from incorporating tenets of this highly successful 1-23 program; in addition, the Project Impact initiative has proved cost 1-24 effective; and 2-1 WHEREAS, Instead of waiting for disasters to occur, 2-2 communities that adhere to the principles of the program take a 2-3 proactive approach and assess their vulnerabilities to natural 2-4 disasters; moreover, they enforce stricter building codes, improve 2-5 existing structures, and educate residents about preventative 2-6 maintenance steps they can take in their homes and businesses; and 2-7 WHEREAS, Sustaining effective disaster resistance policies is 2-8 a long-term endeavor that requires active partnerships between 2-9 individual citizens, businesses, educators, and civic and 2-10 community-oriented organizations as well as local, state, and 2-11 federal government agencies; and 2-12 WHEREAS, FEMA is promoting the initiative with public service 2-13 announcements on television and radio and spreading the word about 2-14 Project Impact through other media; and 2-15 WHEREAS, Making communities disaster resistant is an 2-16 important and necessary undertaking, and the Project Impact 2-17 initiative is helping to change the way American citizens deal with 2-18 natural disasters; now, therefore, be it 2-19 RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-20 hereby encourage communities across the state to embrace the 2-21 principles contained in the Project Impact: Building Disaster 2-22 Resistant Communities initiative and encourage local governmental 2-23 entities to foster and develop initiatives that complement and 2-24 support comprehensive community-based mitigation as well as 2-25 responsible land use and flood plain management; and, be it further 2-26 RESOLVED, That the legislature hereby designate the week of 2-27 May 20-26, 2001, as Make an Impact Week in Texas and encourage its 3-1 observance throughout the state.