The Gulf Coast region’s history tells a story of people and communities able to withstand adversity, rebuild after devastation, and navigate uncertainty. From Hurricane Katrina to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, multiple large, costly disasters have shown that if resilience is to be found in tangible, meaningful forms, it is in the Gulf Coast. I compiled a research team of 12 students from across the Gulf Coast, and we collected survey responses from emergency managers in coastal counties and parishes. The survey data, coupled with secondary data allowed me to assess capacities for resilience across Gulf Coast counties. I found that small communities were constrained in their economic, institutional, and infrastructure capacities for disaster preparedness and response. Interviews with local officials of small communities revealed the resources most important in small communities were people and their connections.
Local Disaster Resilience 