Flood Ready Tennessee Welcomes AIA Tennessee, ACEC Tennessee, and Tennessee Society of Professional Engineers
Groups latest to join the growing coalition of Tennesseans working for proactive flood policy
Flood Ready Tennessee today announced that the American Institute of Architects – Tennessee, the American Council of Engineering Companies of Tennessee, and the Tennessee Society of Professional Engineers have joined the coalition to help promote proactive flood resilience policies in Tennessee.
“Preparing our communities to be resilient against the increasing dangers that flooding poses to the health, safety and welfare of Tennessee’s residents aligns with our organization’s mission,” said Ashley Cates, Executive Vice-President of AIA Tennessee. “Architects are uniquely equipped and prepared to join with Flood Ready Tennessee to take on the critical issue of flooding and work toward on a comprehensive plan with civic leaders and partners industries to deliver solutions to our most vulnerable communities.”
“Engineers are vital to the design of both public and private infrastructure in Tennessee. Making our structures more resilient to flooding will benefit our economy by reducing the damages from flooding and in turn protecting the lives of Tennesseans. We look forward to lending our industry’s expertise in this endeavor” said Kasey Anderson, Executive Director of ACEC Tennessee & Tennessee Society of Professional Engineers.
Floods cost Tennessee on average $243 million every year, according to a 2020 TACIR report. It is far less expensive to prevent damage than it is to recover from it. Every dollar invested in resilience results in up to $12 savings. From 2000-2020, there have been 2,825 flood events in Tennessee, according to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency’s website.
“Flood Ready Tennessee welcomes AIA Tennessee, ACEC Tennessee, and the Tennessee Society of Professional Engineers,” said Dwain Land, Tennessee Renewable Energy & Economic Development Council President, and former Dunlap Mayor. “The devastating floods we’ve seen in just the last year demonstrates the pressing need to not only help communities recover and rebuild, but also prepare for flooding before it happens. Architects and engineers are integral to the designing of our communities and will play a huge role in executing flood mitigation solutions in the future.”
Following the lead of other southern states like Florida, Texas, and South Carolina, Gov. Lee and the General Assembly can work together to develop and implement a comprehensive, statewide flood resilience plan which will recommend thoughtful infrastructure investments and demonstrate smart stewardship of taxpayer dollars to support regional solutions to flooding.
About Flood Ready Tennessee
Flood Ready Tennessee is a coalition of elected officials, homeowners, small business owners, faith leaders, and community members across the state dedicated to making Tennessee resilient against the impact of frequent flooding. Across Tennessee, flooding is widespread, destructive, and costs Tennessee taxpayers and individuals an average of $243 million each year. Flood Ready Tennessee believes Tennessee should take executive and legislative steps to better prepare for future floods and avoid damage by investing in statewide coordination efforts, green infrastructure solutions, and hazard mitigation. For more information about Flood Ready TN, please visit www.floodreadytn.com.