Building Resiliency in Local Government

Nearly every day we hear about extreme weather impacting a community. Flooding, heat, wildfires, coastal erosion, strong hurricanes, or other events disrupt life in that community and cause billions of dollars in damage.   

Surprisingly, the affected communities aren’t always the ones you suspect. Which state has had the most weather-related damage? … Texas. 

According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, "Texas tops every other state in damages because of billion-dollar weather disasters since 1980." Through early June 2024, the state had suffered more than $417 billion in losses because of such events since NOAA records begin. 

But Texas is not alone. Disasters like these are happening all across the country. The data is clear -- it’s not a matter of if things are going to happen, but when. The real question is how can you prepare, withstand, and recover when it happens in your community?  With Brightly’s Asset Management for Government solution we can help you do all three. 

Prepare

Much of the U.S. infrastructure was built over 50 years ago and is reaching (or has reached) the end of its useful life. It’s not only the deterioration to consider, but also current and future needs. Gone are the days of capital plans being built based on 1:1 asset replacement. Today, cities need solutions that enable them to see the health of their assets and better understand where there are gaps.  

By reexamining the capacity and strength of public infrastructure, cities can work cross-departmentally and cross-functionally to make the best decisions (financially, operationally, ecologically and strategically) to meet current and future needs and keep their community safe.  

There is always a cost for taking action, but there is also a cost for inaction too. For example, Houston has been beset with horrible flooding. The same communities have endured flood after flood. But it’s not a problem that can be fixed quickly. The infrastructure was not built with the capacity (or the expectation) to handle so much rain. And now, its citizens are getting tired and considering leaving the city, citing flooding as the reason.

Withstand

Even if local governments are doing the hard work of preparing their communities to withstand unexpected weather – disasters can still happen. Now your efforts need to turn to mitigating the impact.  With a full understanding of the assets you have, Brightly can help you monitor the functioning of those assets in real time – perhaps being able to prevent further damage to your community.

Smart sensors can let you know if a storm drain has reached capacity or if the generator for the emergency shelter is running hot.  It’s like having a crystal ball that helps you manage during the storm. .

Recover

Once the danger is past, local governments need to assess and fix the damage. With Brightly, governments are in a great place to understand and document the damage done to public assets. With the asset data already in place, you can know asset conditions and replacement value. 

This foundation helps governments receive the maximum reimbursement from FEMA or other insurance companies, getting the money you need to get back on your feet faster. See how Waco got an $8M increase in their insurance payout by having their assets and their value documented. 

Conclusion

With all information that Brightly's Asset Management for Government solution offers, you can keep your community informed before, during, and after a storm and show your constituents the data that supported your actions. Your community will feel better knowing you are using all the available data to help keep them safe.   

Brightly can help you prepare for, withstand, and recover from unexpected weather events and build a more resilient community for the future. Learn more about our Asset Management for Government solution or click here to learn 3 ways you can mitigate risks and build a more resilient community.