In late May 2024, the Institute for a Disaster Resilient Texas presented three innovative decision-support tools at the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) Conference in Fort Worth. The IDRT team in attendance highlighted exciting resources designed to enhance the understanding and management of natural hazard risks.

The featured tools included a State Hazard Mitigation Plan data and risk analysis tool, developed to provide comprehensive statewide risk data by county. This project was spearheaded and presented by Dr. Kayode Atoba.

Additionally, “Buyer’s Aware” was introduced, offering homeowners personalized risk assessments for fire and flooding. This tool was presented by Dr. Highfield and Laura Stearns, a Research Specialist at the Institute.

The third tool, a Community Disaster Data Collection tool and dashboard, was created to support underserved communities in Texas. This project, part of the Disaster Risk Infrastructure Program (DRIP), was developed in partnership with Hudspeth County was and presented by Dr. Keri Stephens of the University of Texas at Austin, along with Katharine Teleki of Teleki Consulting.

The conference session included demonstrations and a Q&A segment, providing attendees with a thorough understanding of these new tools and their applications in disaster risk management.