Wanda Edwards Named to Advisory Committee of National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program

RCI Senior Director of Technical Services Wanda Edwards has been appointed to represent RCI as a member of the Advisory Committee of the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program.

The program was established by Congress “to achieve major measurable reductions in the losses of life and property from windstorms through a coordinated federal effort, in cooperation with other levels of government, academia, and the private sector, aimed at improving the understanding of windstorms and their impacts and developing and encouraging the implementation of cost-effective mitigation measures to reduce those impacts.” As designated by Congress, the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) is the lead agency for the program, and will work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to coordinate research and implementation activities.

The 15-member Advisory Committee is charged with offering assessments and recommendations on trends and developments in the natural, engineering, and social sciences and practices of windstorm impact mitigation; the priorities of the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program’s Strategic Plan; the coordination of the program; the effectiveness of the program in meeting its purposes; and any revisions to the program that may be necessary.

The Advisory Committee will meet several times between April and September to carry out the charge of the committee.