IEDC Sends Condolences to Communities Impacted by Zeta and Urges Caution

IEDC sends condolences to those communities already impacted by Hurricane Zeta, the Category 2 storm that has killed at least two people and cut power to more than 2 million utility customers across the South. Many of these communities are still struggling to recover from other weather events this year. Zeta is the 27th storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which is one less than the record for the most storms in a season. 

 

Zeta has been downgraded to a tropical storm, with winds still clocking 60 m.p.h. As it continues it's fast path inward, it is not losing momentum. Communities in the path of the storm should encourage residents to stay home and shelter in place. 

 

IEDC is committed to sharing resources that help communities build back in a stronger and more resilient way after a major catastrophe. Some of those include:

• Download the Leadership in Times of Crisis toolkit for resources and information, as well as links to recovery information.
• A webinar recording on prioritizing economic recovery after disaster features efforts after the Joplin tornado and Jefferson Parish’s recovery from Katrina.
• A webinar recording on securing capital for economic recovery is available for listening on RestoreYourEconomy.org.
• A webinar recording on building organizational capacities in rural areas features economic recovery efforts in communities impacted by Hurricane Katrina, the BP oil spill and an EF-3 tornado.
• Download five case studies of recovery and resilience in the publication, The Role of Public-Private Partnerships in Economic Disaster Recovery and Economic Resiliency.

We encourage the entire economic development community of professionals to explore RestoreYourEconomy.org, which advises on critical activities to conduct and after a disaster that will assist in economic recovery. It also offers advice on encouraging business to engage in disaster preparedness, how to establish a business recovery center and/or finance recovery tools and a host of other resources. Case studies show how communities have worked to restore their economies after a major disaster. Our thoughts go out to those whose family members and friends were affected and to those involved in the recovery work that lies ahead.