Red River Basin Disaster Information Network
On-Line Workshop
June 10, 1999 -- 12:00 Noon CST

The International Flood Mitigation Initiative

Brad Crabtree
Program Coordinator
North Dakota Consensus Council

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The International Flood Mitigation Initiative was launched December 14, 1998 with the announcemnt of a Project Impact grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the purpose of " ... engaging regional stakeholders in dialogue and partnerships aimed at helping communities and regions move from repetitive flooding and other natural disasters to effective, long-term disaster prevention and mitigation." This cross-border initiative includes support from the Province of Manitoba to fund Canadian project staff as part of the Initiative's team.

A series of 12 consultation meetings over 18 months and two rounds of community meetings are planned. Brad Crabtree presented the progress of efforts over the last several months, current directions, and future activities.

North Dakota Consensus Council's Home Page

Nature & the Environment Partnerships Key to Reducing Disaster Losses
Press release regarding FEMA Director Witt's remarks at the ASFPM Conference, May 25, 1999.

FEMA's Project Impact Home Page

The Case for a National Mitigation Policy, Brad Latta, Emergency Preparedness Digest, October - December 1998.

Cooperating with Nature: Confronting Natural Hazards with Land-Use Planning for Sustainable Communities, 1998, NAP On-line book.

About Brad Crabtree
As Program Coordinator, Brad Crabtree helps design, coordinate and facilitate Consensus Council programs aimed at building agreement on diverse issues of public policy and concern. His areas of responsibility at the Council include citizen participation, community and regional visioning, flood recovery and mitigation, and the integration of economic development and environmental management. Before returning to the region and joining the Council in 1997, Brad worked with several nongovernmental organizations on environment and economic policy issues. His background also includes consulting to the Netherlands Embassy in Washington and the Pew Charitable Trusts, a fellowship with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and two years developing environmental training programs in Brazil. A graduate of the Georgetown School of Foreign Service, Brad has an MA in history from Johns Hopkins University.