SanCap Resilience will host its next community event in collaboration with the City of Sanibel on Feb. 1 from 6 to 8 p.m. at BIG ARTS, 900 Dunlop Rd., Sanibel FL. The program will also be streamed live on the city’s Facebook page.
The event, “Emerging from Hurricane Ian Stronger and More Resilient – Part 4:
Lessons Learned in Essential Services,” will explore key lessons learned, actions taken, and future plans related to the resiliency of our power grid, water supply, and wastewater management.
“While there are many things that contribute to our community’s resilience, there are probably none as fundamental as electricity, water and wastewater,” said Sanibel Mayor Richard Johnson, who will be giving a keynote address at the event. “The response by our utilities to restoring these systems after the storm was truly admirable, but it’s important that we take the lessons learned from that experience and identify what can be done to both reduce damage in future storms and restore services more quickly if possible.”
The program will feature a panel of experts, including Tricia Dorn, Key Account Executive, and Allan Ruth, Incidence Commander for Hurricane Ian, from Lee County Electric Co-op (LCEC); Diane Wilson, General Manager for Island Water Association; and Scott Krawczuk, Deputy Director of the city’s Department of Public Works, which manages the city’s wastewater system.
Chair of SanCap Resilience Bob Moore will moderate the event. “We’re grateful to our panelists for making the time to be a part of this event. This is a chance for the community to learn what actions have already been taken to improve resilience and to ask questions that reflect their concerns for the future,” said Moore.
“It is an honor to participate in this important community event alongside other essential services on Sanibel,” Tricia Dorn, Key Account Executive from LCEC commented. “Partnerships and communication continue to make Sanibel a resilient community.”
Panelists will each give a short presentation addressing three key questions:
• What did Hurricane Ian teach your organization about the strengths and vulnerabilities of your operations in Sanibel and Captiva?
• How have you been able to address those vulnerabilities in the time since the storm or plan to address in the near term?
• Considering the expected future impacts of climate change (e.g., extreme heat days, stronger storms, increased flooding, sea level rise and storm surge, etc.) how is your organization planning strategically for the future?
Following panelist presentations, audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions in a Q&A session facilitated by the City of Sanibel’s Public Information Officer, Eric Jackson. “I’m looking forward to hearing the concerns of the community related to these essential services and supporting a forum where our expert panelists can address those concerns,” said Jackson.
Admission is free, and no registration is required.
SanCap Resilience is a coalition of 16 community organizations and concerned citizens. Its mission is to lead a community-based initiative to build resilience and protect the vibrancy of our sanctuary islands long into the future. SanCap Resilience is dedicated to planning, educating, and taking action to protect our natural and built environments. It is committed to advancing mitigation and adaptation strategies to reduce risks from climate change and other environmental threats. It believes in the values of the Sanibel Plan and the Captiva Community Plan, including promoting a diverse community, conservation, and living in harmony with one another and with nature to promote a high quality of life for our citizens.
