When disaster strikes — a hurricane, an earthquake, a wildfire, a major storm surge — we see the impact: homes lost, critical infrastructure damaged, lives disrupted. What we often don’t see is the story behind what could have been prevented, what losses could have been avoided, and how cost-effective mitigation can be. That’s why the national coalition BuildStrong America is so vital — and why the field of emergency management should rally behind it.
The problem: mounting disaster losses and reactive mindsets
The United States is experiencing more frequent and intensifying natural hazards, and the built environment is often caught unprepared. The costs of disaster recovery, rebuilding, economic disruption, and human suffering keep rising. Yet all too often our strategy is reactive — we respond and rebuild rather than prevent. As emergency managers, we know that the cost of failure is high: delayed services, displaced families, infrastructure lifelines knocked out, and communities set back for years.
Enter BuildStrong America: mission, structure and value
BuildStrong America unites a diverse coalition of stakeholders dedicated to minimizing disaster costs and fostering resilience across the country. Its mission is clear: draw down disaster costs and losses by reducing risks to individuals, communities, and lifeline infrastructure — and maximize government investment in mitigation. The coalition brings together firefighters, emergency responders, insurers, engineers, architects, contractors, manufacturers, consumer organizations, and code specialists. In short — BuildStrong is the kind of cross-discipline, whole-community partnership that emergency management has always called for.
Why BuildStrong matters for emergency management
1. Mitigation works, and BuildStrong helps scale that work. Mitigation — strengthening buildings, updating codes, making lifeline infrastructure more resilient — is far cheaper than disaster recovery. BuildStrong focuses on that “front-end” investment, shifting the emphasis from “repair and rebuild” to “resist and endure.”
2. It maximizes the value of government investment. In times of tight budgets, every dollar counts. By reducing risk ahead of time, we get better returns on taxpayer dollars. Emergency managers know that supporting mitigation pays dividends — and BuildStrong gives a platform and policy engine to make it happen at scale.
3. It enhances professional and community capacity. Because its membership includes practitioners across disciplines — responders, code specialists, and insurers — BuildStrong builds networks and knowledge. That means better coordination, shared tools and guidelines, and ultimately a stronger posture for when disasters do occur.
4. It makes resilience a policy and legislative priority. BuildStrong engages directly at the federal level, helping shape legislation and programs that put resilience at the forefront — from hazard-resistant building codes to infrastructure protection. As emergency management professionals, we know that policy frameworks matter. BuildStrong helps ensure that resilience isn’t an afterthought — it’s a foundation.
A real-world example: Babcock Ranch, Florida
In 2022, Babcock Ranch, Florida — designed from the ground up to withstand severe hurricanes — delivered a striking proof of concept. When Hurricane Ian roared through southwest Florida, this community experienced minimal damage and maintained power while many surrounding areas suffered major losses. Homes were built to exceed wind- and flood-resilience standards, with underground utilities, robust load paths, elevated foundations, and systems engineered for extreme events. In the words of one resident: “It’s a damn strong house.” What makes this story powerful isn’t just that one house held together — it’s that a whole community designed for resilience held together. That’s the kind of outcome BuildStrong seeks to make standard.
Support for BuildStrong yields tangible results
1. Communities empowered with stronger building codes and construction practices that reduce vulnerabilities.
2. Fewer damaged structures, less business interruption, and less displacement of citizens — meaning faster recovery.
3. Reduced burden on disaster response and recovery systems, saving time and money during emergencies.
4. Greater insurance-market stability and fewer shifting costs to government, taxpayers, or citizens because risk is managed more proactively.
5. Enhanced coordination between private, public, and nonprofit sectors — critical in emergency management where multi-sector cooperation is vital.
Why now? The urgency is real
With climate change multiplying certain hazard frequencies and intensities, the built environment cannot be static. We face new stressors: stronger storms, heavier rainfall, shifting flood patterns, aging infrastructure. If we simply rebuild what was, we’ll remain vulnerable. BuildStrong’s model of “resilience before disaster” is not optional — it is essential for sustainable risk management.
What we can do (and why our support matters)
1. Advocate locally. Encourage your local government to adopt or update building codes and engage with BuildStrong’s message and resources.
2. Invest or join. Organizations and professionals in emergency management, insurance, engineering, and contracting can align with BuildStrong’s coalition to widen reach and amplify impact.
3. Promote awareness. Share the message that mitigation and resilience aren’t abstract — they’re cost-effective, life-saving, community-saving.
4. Align your emergency management practice. Use BuildStrong’s principles to inform planning, mitigation strategy, grant pursuit, and public education outreach.
Final thought
As emergency management professionals, our goal is always to reduce suffering, protect communities, and preserve critical services when disaster hits. But equally important is the vision of a nation that is stronger before the next disaster — that withstands rather than rebuilds, that protects rather than simply responds. BuildStrong America offers a vehicle to transform that vision into reality. Supporting this coalition isn’t just good policy; it’s smart risk management. It’s fiscally responsible. It’s life-guarding. And it’s an investment in a safer, more resilient nation.
If we believe in building not just in recovery but in prevention, then BuildStrong deserves our support — now, and for the long haul.
Dan Stoneking is the Owner and Principal of Stoneking Strategic Communications, the Author of Cultivate Your Garden: Crisis Communications from 30,000 Feet to Three Feet, the Founder and Vice President of the Emergency Management External Affairs Association, and an Adjunct Professor in the Communications Department at West Chester University.
COLUMN: Building Resilience Before Disaster Strikes: Why We Must Rally Behind BuildStrong America
