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<br />Introduction
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<br />North Carolina is vulnerable to natural disasters, In one 12-month period alone, the
<br />state suffered damages from five Presidentially declared natural events, Hurricane
<br />Opal. which hit in 1995, was followed by two ice storms in January 1996, Shortly
<br />thereafter, Hurricanes Bertha and Fran struck the coast in July and September,
<br />respectively, causing tens of millions of dollars in damages and economic losses, Of
<br />North Carolina's 100 counties, 91 were declared eligible for federal disaster assis-
<br />tance for one or more of these events,
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<br />Every year, flooding causes more than 90 percent of the disaster,related property
<br />damage in the United States and accounts for over 75 percent of all Presidential
<br />disaster declarations,' While the performance standards of the National Flood
<br />Insurance Program (NFIP) have resulted in new construction that is designed to
<br />resist flood damage, buildings that pre-date a community's participation in the
<br />NFlP continue to be at risk, In North Carolina, there are more than 3,000 proper-
<br />ties that suffer repetitive losses,
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<br />Two fundamental factors suggest that North Carolina will continue to experience
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<br />costly damaging disasters into the next millennium:
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<br />. First, natural hazards will continue to occur. Historically. North Carolina has
<br />experienced virtually every type of natural hazard - hurricanes, storm surges,
<br />flash floods, riverine floods, nor' easters, tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires, and
<br />winter storms.
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<br />. Second, the areas most susceptible to hurricanes and flooding - the coastal
<br />communities - are experiencing rapid growth and development. This trend is
<br />likely to accelerate as these communi~ies become increasingly attractive to a
<br />growing market of retirees.2
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<br />Hurricane Fran - the Catalyst for Change
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<br />While North Carolina has long been vulnerable to natural disasters, it was not until
<br />1996 when Hurricane Fran impacted 60 percent of the state's population that the
<br />state began to intervene in a comprehensive manner, The state's goal is to reverse,
<br />or at least stabilize, the trend of escalating disaster losses,
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<br />Following Hurricane Fran, Governor James B, Hunt Jr. commissioned the Disaster
<br />Recovery Task Force, comprised of 23 leaders from public and private sectors, The
<br />lask Force was charged with developing a coordinated, long-term strategy to guide
<br />the state's recovery from Fran and future natural disasters, Action teams were
<br />established to develop comprehensive recommendations to address seven ele,
<br />ments: (1) Agriculture and Natural Resources, (2) Business Development and
<br />Employment, (3) Coastal Management, (4) Community Facilities, (5) Housing,
<br />(6) Human Resources, and (7) Public Health and Environment,
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