As a champion of the CARRI project, Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley opened the meeting saying, "What we have will be shared with communities large and small across the country." He emphasized that in the face of a disaster, resiliency requires that the full community take ownership in the recovery process in order for normal functions to be restored.

Held at the Trident United Way facilities in North Charleston, the meeting included key public officials from county and municipal governments. In addition to Riley, government leaders included North Charleston’s Mayor Keith Summey; R. Mac Burdette, Mount Pleasant town administrator; Larry Hargett, chair of Dorchester County Council; Jason Ward, Dorchester County administrator; Daniel Davis, Berkeley County supervisor and county council chair; Lori Lambert, Charleston County administrator’s office; and Dennis Pieper, Summerville town administrator. The attendees represented CARRI’s goal of inclusion of government, nonprofit and private sector participants.

Other advisory group attendees included senior members of a broad range of organizations, including the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, Santee Cooper, MeadWestvaco, S.C. State Port Authority, A.M.E. Church, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Trident United Way, Charleston Regional Development Alliance, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments, Charleston Police Department, Isle of Palms, Maritime Association, Town of Summerville, the Medical University of South Carolina National Crime Victims and Research Treatment Center, and the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.

Because of its bounce-back from Hurricane Hugo and the ability of the region to deal with the closure of the Navy Base, which resulted in the loss of more than 30,000 jobs in the mid-90s, the Charleston region has a reputation for exhibiting resiliency and thus offers an excellent environment in which to explore characteristics of resiliency, as well as look for potential areas for improvement. The region has long been known for its ability to pull together when faced with disaster.

Connie Best, a professor at the Medical University of South Carolina with the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, also emphasized the profound importance of having leaders who are trusted, and who "capture the heart and soul of the community." Other participants commented on the positive leadership throughout the region as a key factor in how quickly and well the region rebounded from the disaster.

Mac Burdette, Mount Pleasant town administrator, raised the issue of insurance companies, which triggered a spirited discussion. Plodinec indicated that the economic impact of resiliency was part of the research portfolio, and discussions were under way with national insurers as well as the Federal Reserve. The research portfolio will combine national research with the ‘on-the-ground’ research areas in the three target cities.

Finally, the group was apprised of linkages that CARRI-Charleston/Low Country had formed with area organizations such as the Chamber, the regional Council of Governments, Coast Guard, and United Way. The information helped the group see CARRI in the context of ongoing efforts coming from different segments of the community and to understand how CARRI is working to integrate as part of these efforts. The team also noted the importance of the advisory board in assisting CARRI over the next 12 months in conducting a community assessment and asset analysis.

As a challenge to start that process, several questions were posed that prompted a lively discussion among the group. Highlights of those discussions included:

• Understanding the distinction between disaster preparedness/response and long-term recovery.
• Broad consensus among the group that consistent and reliable communication during disaster recovery was crucial. Those who were in the Charleston/Low Country Area during the post-Hugo recovery period emphasized this aspect of recovery.
• A ‘sense of place’ was established as an essential ingredient to resiliency.
• When faced with disaster recovery, differences among government entities were put aside in favor of regional cooperation.
• Community weaknesses that exist before a disaster are magnified during a disaster.

Advisory members offered a number of comments and observations. Of note:

• A new county emergency management initiative has been undertaken that will position first responder "boxes" strategically distributed throughout the area, containing communication systems, tents, HVAC, medical and other critical supplies. The county has been divided into 18 areas, with designated areas for command centers.
• The "After Action Reports" compiled in the wake of the Hugo disaster offer important lessons that should be learned and not just observed.
• What makes a community resilient to disaster makes it healthy in normal times.

The meeting concluded with a brief summary of the steps that will be taken in the next few months.

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Charleston Shows How It Can Work
Special to the Biloxi Sun Herald 

April 13, 2008

Members of the Gulf Coast Business Council's Masters Program traveled to Charleston, S.C., March 26 for a two-day session focused on exploring the elements that make Charleston a dynamic, sustainable community. Masters Program participants interacted with community and business leaders from Charleston who encouraged the class members to explore ways to apply these lessons to the Coast community.