It's been twelve days since the southern Appalachian region was devastated by a hurricane made more powerful by human-induced climate change. Over 200 lives confirmed lost, 1000s more remain missing. The region has years of recovery ahead of it.
Twelve days. And still no official acknowledgment that #Helene even happened from either of the national city and regional planning organizations in the US.
Thousands of families without homes. Not damaged homes, *gone* homes. Swept down the river homes.
Tens of thousands of cars -- opportunity lifelines in these mountains -- flooded, totaled, buried in the mud.
Jobs gone. Businesses gone. Water and sewer systems gone. Roads gone.
Entire means of production gone.
#Planners, this is our bag. This is what we've trained for, what we tell people we're best at. WHERE ARE WE????
@DrTCombs
I understand your point, yet many of the folks for which we plan often see their desires differently.
Too often the plans we arrive at are more costly than the funding available or the concept is a bit more overwhelming than they can see.
Sadly , the simple, rustic lifestyle some people want takes a lot of complex planning to pull off, which most are not willing to take the time to do.
@Streetsweeper Oh, I don't think planners from outside the region have any business swooping in to take over (though no doubt many will try). But we do, as a field, need to at least acknowledge what happened and our role in it.
@DrTCombs I don't advocate outside planners either but I recognize the distrust of the locals in the actions of the local planners. I see the rugged individualism of those who have been in the area for decades playing a part.