USDA Rural Development’s Post

I love these maps! There are a lot of definitions of rural, and unique challenges the more rural your place is. As a nonprofit CEO, I spend a lot of time trying to explain just how rural the #pawilds is, often in the context of why we need more resources to find a solution that will actually work for our landscape, and why it has to be so tailored to fit the communities we serve. According to these maps, the PA Wilds region is one of only a few places on the East Coast with Frontier and Remote (FAR) Level 1, 2, 3, and 4 areas.

Facing two conflicting trends — rapid population growth and a limited supply of water — the city of Winter Haven in Central Florida responded with an ambitious $13.9 million project that will eventually reduce the amount of water pumped from a diminishing aquifer. #mswmagazine #municipalsewerandwater #WaterConservation #watertreatment #wastewatertreatment https://loom.ly/pEl1Q3c

As catastrophic #fires begin to be contained in the Texas Panhandle, our climate team Urban Institute analyzed data from the US Census Bureau and other sources and reflected on evidence from past #disasters to help assess the critical housing, aid, health, and economic recovery challenges facing the region. We lift up four key issues that likely need to be addressed as part of an equitable recovery: 1. Housing losses will be felt acutely given the rurality of the region 2. Households may struggle to access aid because of isolation and language barriers 3. Households could face significant health burdens 4. Economic recovery may be challenging https://lnkd.in/dmy6yg2d Andrew Rumbach Anne N. Junod, PhD Oriya Cohen Will Curran-Groome Amy Rogin

#rural places face distinct challenges during #disasterrecovery. Planning and permitting capacity is a common one...in Texas, communities impacted by last week's #wildfire build relatively little #housing, but now need to build hundreds of units. https://lnkd.in/dYPuierY

We don't have enough firefighters. Wildfires are raging across North America, and the reasons are many: climate change, lack of preparation, and outdated training, to name a few. But there's a critical issue we can solve now. Philip DeFranco recently highlighted the pressing problem. Government wildfire firefighters are - underpaid - under-resourced - leaving the service in droves. To give you some stats: - 1300 forest service firefighters have resigned in the past 3 years. - California has 84 forest service fire engines sitting unstaffed. - Pay hasn't significantly increased in over 30 years. - Many firefighters are living out of their cars. - Attrition rates for permanent firefighters are at 45% over the past 3 years. - Alarmingly, 1/5 of wildland firefighters experience suicidal thoughts. In 1984, the US had nearly 900,000 volunteer firefighters. Today, we have less than 680,000, while the US population has grown and calls to volunteer departments have tripled. We need to be prepared for wildfires and all emergencies firefighters handle. We need new recruits. We need a way to engage them. Enter XpertFire, a solution for recruitment and engaging recruits during training. Contact us for a free pilot now and join the mission to support our firefighters. #FirefighterCrisis #WildfirePreparedness #EmergencyTraining #firefighter California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) San Diego Fire-Rescue Department

We have a new article out about how older adult farmers used social capital in post-flood recovery. This, and all of the articles in this issue, are open access so anyone can read them! https://lnkd.in/gRV7NNzY

#TBT Did you see this crucial report from Headwaters Group and Hispanic Access Foundation finding that 44% of Latinos live in US counties with a high #flood risk, compared to 35% of non-Latinos? According to FEMA, 1 in 4 Latinos live in a county that experienced a flooding disaster in 2023, compared to 1 in 10 non-Latinos. Climate change and resiliency are civil rights issues and must be part of an all-sector strategy across housing, work force, health, and more. UnidosUS (@WeAreUnidosUS) Raza Development Fund Urban Institute Thanks Aniket Mehrotra for flagging!

For Latinos, exposure to flood risk is particularly acute. Nationally, 44% of Latinos live in counties with high flood risk, as opposed to 35% of non-Latinos. Decades of land use decisions and infrastructure investments (or lack thereof) have shaped this unequal exposure. Additionally, Latinos are often left out of disaster and evacuation planning due to language barriers, differences in access to information, and a lack of trust in interacting with the government. https://lnkd.in/e5WVtunk

🚨 New Blog Post Alert: Idaho's Most Dangerous Cities Unveiled! I'm thrilled to present my latest piece in the Southwest Journal: "Most Dangerous Cities in Idaho." 🌲 Exploring Idaho's Safety Landscape: Get into the heart of Idaho's urban centers. Uncover the cities that, unfortunately, top the list in terms of safety concerns. This eye-opening article sheds light on crime rates, public safety challenges, and the factors contributing to these issues. 🔍 A Closer Look at Urban Security: Understanding of what makes certain Idaho cities more prone to danger. From socio-economic factors to law enforcement strategies, this piece provides a comprehensive analysis of the intricate dynamics at play. 🏙️ Understanding Community Impact: Learn about the implications of living in these areas, how local communities are affected, and what's being done to improve safety. This article doesn't just present facts; it delves into the human stories behind the statistics. 🔗 Essential Reading for Residents and Policy Makers: Whether you're an Idaho resident, a community leader, or someone interested in urban safety and sociology, this article offers crucial insights. Join us in exploring the complexities of Idaho's most challenging urban environments! #UrbanSafety #IdahoCities #CommunityAwareness #PublicSafety #SouthwestJournal #CrimeRates #SocioEconomicFactors