For Immediate Release: June 1, 2016
Contact: William Gerlich, 212-390-8860
SMARTERSAFER URGES DISASTER POLICY REFORMS AND GREATER MITIGATION EFFORTS FOR HURRICANE SEASON
WASHINGTON, D.C. — SmarterSafer.org, a national coalition of taxpayer advocates, environmental groups, insurance interests, housing organizations and mitigation advocates, released a statement to mark the start of the 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season, which begins today and runs through November 30.
In a statement, SmarterSafer.org said, “Hurricane season is a reminder that the federal government must do more to reform our nation’s outdated disaster policies. The House of Representatives recently made progress on this front with the unanimous passage of the Flood Insurance Market Parity and Modernization Act, which would encourage the expansion of a private flood insurance marketplace and finally give consumers more options for their flood coverage. It is now up to the Senate to take action on this critical legislation. Mitigation and resiliency efforts also need to become a greater priority so that communities can proactively reduce storm damage. Simple measures taken now, such as updating building codes or maintaining natural barriers, would go a long way towards saving lives and money in the future. Natural disasters are both devastating and unpredictable, making it necessary to ensure that our communities are well-prepared.”
About SmarterSafer.org
SmarterSafer.org is a national coalition that is made up of a diverse chorus of voices united in favor of environmentally responsible, fiscally sound approaches to natural catastrophe policy that promote public safety. The coalition believes that the Federal government has a role in encouraging and helping homeowners to undertake mitigation efforts to safeguard their homes against natural disasters. At the same time, the coalition opposes measures that put people’s lives at risk at the expense of taxpayers. Measures such as subsidizing artificially low rates for homeowners’ insurance policies help to encourage construction in environmentally sensitive and unsafe areas. The coalition is working to ensure that Congress does not incentivize people to live in harm’s way in places prone to hurricanes and floods.