If the Seine rises to historic levels, Paris officials want to be ready. Earlier this month, an 11-day drill sought to prepare the city for what would happen if the Seine and Marne Rivers rose above their banks.
The 1910 flood of Paris saw much of the city submerged as the River Seine rose 26 feet above its normal level. In preparation for what continues to be a looming threat of a repeat, Parisian first responders carried out drills over an 11 day period (March 7 to March 18th) to practice in case of a real emergency. The drills, known as Operation Sequena 2016, were arranged by France’s Urban Planning Institute. Serina Sandhu writes in The Independent that part of the exercise is also to test how different agencies communicate in the time of crisis.
The most important part of the exercise, they said, was for the big operators such as the Interministerial Crisis Centre and regional authorities to exchange information on crisis management. The chain of decision-making will also be tested.
The exercise will also test how almost 90 public and private institutions such as hospitals, energy firms and waste disposal companies cope with the situation, France 24 reported.
A flood of this magnitude could result in damages of over $20 billion dollars, affecting as many as 830,000 people who live in the flood zone.
FULL STORY: Paris prepares for possible deluge similar to 1910 Great Flood
FEMA Resilience Program Cuts Grant Funding
The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program funded projects from flood prevention to power station upgrades.
How US Communities Are Building Resilience Against Flooding
Flooding causes over $400 billion in damage in the United States every year.
How US Cities Can Prepare for Climate Disasters
Resilience, encompassing infrastructure, governance, economic strength, and social cohesion, is critical for cities to mitigate rising climate risks like flooding, wildfires, and heat, ensuring long-term recovery and adaptability.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?
In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.
Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.
Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service