Action Items Emerging from Build it Better Forum

• Disaster safety leaders need to redouble efforts to raise awareness of the risks associated with natural perils, especially in areas that haven't been affected for some time and may be unprepared.
• Recognizing that there are clear steps needed to make America's buildings stronger and communities less vulnerable to natural perils, disaster safety leaders need to focus their efforts on encouraging policy makers to implement specific measures that help America become a safer nation.
• Population growth in areas at high risk for hurricane storm surges, including the West Coast of Florida, Savannah, Charlestown, and Virginia Beach, is leading to increasingly complex evacuation challenges. Public safety officials need to focus additional pre-planning resources on addressing this increased evacuation hazard.