New research examines how the United States is facing a dual crisis: a growing shortage of affordable housing and an increase in climate-driven disasters. The team, which was led by University of Washington researchers, found that disasters disproportionately affect extremely low-income renters living in federally subsidized housing managed by Public Housing Authorities (PHAs). A national survey revealed that PHA characteristics – such as size, urban location, political context and perceived hazard risk – significantly influence their disaster risk management (DRM)…
Center updates
NWPHEPR launches new series of public health peer learning sessions
“Mentorship and peer learning are like the holy grails of adult learning and public health training,” according to Kevin deVoss (pictured), an adult education specialist who helps lead the Dissemination Core of the Northwest Center for Evidence-Based Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (NWPHEPR) with Betty Bekemeier, Associate Director of the Dissemination Core. Bekemeier and deVoss have worked together for many years with the team at the Northwest Center for Public Health Practice (NWCPHP) to provide training for public health…
UW researcher authors op-ed calling for California to treat wildfires like earthquakes
Joseph Wartman, director of the Natural Hazards and Disaster Reconnaissance Facility and a professor of civil engineering at the University of Washington, recently authored an op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle calling for California’s leaders to master wildfire safety in the same way that they mastered earthquake safety. He notes that California has become a global leader in earthquake preparedness through decades of investment in infrastructure, policy and public education, spurred by past disasters like the 1971 San Fernando quake….
December CDRC workshop to focus on applying AI to disaster resilience
The Center for Disaster Resilient Communities announced today a free, in person workshop taking place December 8 and 9, 2025, that is focused on training University of Washington researchers who have little to no background in artificial intelligence (AI). Through an inquiry-based learning approach, participants will learn how to harness the power of AI for their disaster resilience projects, such as hazard characterization, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Date, time and location Day 1: Monday, December 8, 2025, 8:30 –…
Readiness through relationships: Meet Snohomish County’s Gabby Hadly
For Gabby Hadly (pictured), Manager of Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response at the Snohomish County Health Department, readiness is both personal and professional. “I’ve always been drawn to preparedness. The first Christmas present I remember asking for as a child was a fire escape ladder,” she said with a laugh. Today, Hadly leads countywide efforts to prepare for and respond to emergencies that impact community health. She approaches this challenge by building partnerships that bring plans and processes to…
Building regional resilience: Outcomes of the first Crisis Leadership Institute
The inaugural Crisis Leadership Institute was developed using effective practices from peer-reviewed literature On September 8, 2025, 16 regional partners from state agencies, local health jurisdictions, and Tribal nations convened at the University of Washington’s Seattle campus for the inaugural Crisis Leadership Institute, hosted by the Northwest Center for Evidence-Based Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (NWPHEPR). During disasters and public health emergencies — from pandemics to earthquakes — effective leadership is essential for crisis resolution. The goal of the…
Inaugural Northwest Preparedness and Resilience Conference brings together public health practitioners from across Region 10
More than 100 representatives from states, Tribes and local health jurisdictions shared expertise in a two-day conference in Seattle On September 9th and 10, 2025, the Northwest Center for Evidence-Based Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (NWPHEPR) and the Center for Disaster Resilient Communities (CDRC) hosted the inaugural Northwest Preparedness and Resilience Conference. The event brought together public health practitioners from across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Region 10 — which is made up of Oregon, Washington,…
New research seeks to reduce the risk of soil liquefaction during earthquakes
Liquefaction of soil is a major risk during earthquakes, responsible for significant damage to buildings and other infrastructure. A team from the University of Washington’s Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering is developing biocementation – a newer, sustainable alternative to traditional soil stabilization methods. This new approach utilizes bacteria to help soils strengthen against earthquake liquefaction. Unlike conventional cement-based soil treatments, biocementation is much less invasive, with a simple nutrient solution being injected into the soil. This solution enables bacteria…
UW researchers design a new emergency preparedness tool
University of Washington researchers from the Center for Disaster Resilient Communities have developed a new digital tool to standardize emergency preparedness assessments for Washington’s 35 local health jurisdictions. The Health and Hazards Risk Decision Support Tool (H2azaRDS) aims to assist counties in assessing their readiness for natural disasters such as earthquakes, wildfires and tsunamis. Led by Nicole Errett, an associate professor in the University of Washington’s Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, the team created the tool at the…
Regional medical surge partners convene to innovate new approaches to longstanding gaps
The University of Washington Center for Disaster Resilient Communities, in partnership with the National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, convened a meeting of military, healthcare, public health and emergency management partners on June 10, 2025, to address gaps in preparedness for a sustained medical surge event. The goal was to generate innovative, research-informed ideas to bridge those gaps. Over the past several months, the CDRC has reviewed regional plans, after-action reports and other relevant documents, and conducted interviews…