Florida Council of 100 recommends major upgrades in state severe weather prep

A new report on Florida’s resilience to natural disasters concludes there are key challenges ahead for the state, as well as opportunities to modernize infrastructure to help streamline recovery after an emergency.

The Florida Council of 100 (FC 100), made up of of business leaders who analyze some of the biggest challenges facing the state, published a report called “Resilience Reimagined: Modern Policy and Innovation for a Stronger Florida.”

The document analyzes how long-term economic competitiveness can expand in the face of severe weather endemic to the state. The report concludes that even as hurricanes, flooding and other severe weather events are part of Florida living, resilience can become an economic component as well as an environmental effort.

“Florida’s future will be defined by how well we prepare for and respond to storms and flooding,” said George S. LeMieux, Chair of FC 100. “Resilience is not just about repairing damage. It is about protecting our economy, safeguarding communities, and ensuring Florida remains one of the most competitive places in the world to live and do business.”

Some of the key findings in the report, published Tuesday, include warnings that failure to invest in storm preparedness will result in lost economic activity, business closings and disruption to the job market, while insurance costs could rise. Long-term investments in recovery plans can reduce losses and accelerate recovery after major weather events.

Beyond outlining the issues that could damage Florida’s business sector, the FC 100 report provides several recommendations, including:

— Streamlining post-disaster recovery and permitting to reduce delays and uncertainty

— Hardening infrastructure and utilities to limit outages and economic disruption

— Modernizing Florida’s building code to reflect evolving flood, wind, and energy risks

— Incentivizing resilience investments by homeowners and communities

— Supporting resilience innovation and commercialization to grow new industries and jobs

“The choices we make now will shape Florida’s quality of life and economic strength for generations,” said Michael Simas, President and CEO of the FC 100. “This report offers a clear path forward and an opportunity for Florida to define itself not by its exposure to storms, but by its ability to thrive despite them.”

The FC 100 has more than 200 companies in its membership that represent more than 1.3 million workers in the state.