TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — The Resilient Infrastructure and Disaster Response Center, also known as RIDER, started just a few years ago and has already made enormous strides for the community. This center started after Hurricane Michael hit the Panhandle. FAMU-FSU College of Engineering took notice to the impact but more specifically to the communities recovering at slower rates after the disaster. After receiving donations from both schools, the program was up and running in no time.
The RIDER Center went on to team up with Community Partners and are currently working on a project that helps communities post disasters.
Assistant Director of the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering RIDER Center Will Hill, says, “Right now in real time we’re taking what already existed this idea of libraries serving as resiliency hubs post disaster and formalizing it. Helping libraries within a county develop a network, develop shared resources, develop formalized ways of improving their capabilities.”
Leon County’s Emergency Management Director Kevin Peters feels as though disaster relief programs are a benefit due to Florida being vulnerable to hurricanes.
The Leon County Emergency Management Director Kevin Peters says, “We’re subject to the high winds of hurricanes the torrential rain falls the tropical system could bring and could create flooding.”
Even with their ambitious start the center still has many goals they’d like to accomplish.
Hill says, “We want to found businesses. We want to work with industry partners. We want to find philanthropic opportunities where people can leverage their donation through us to benefit communities.”
The work doesn’t stop there. The RIDER center also plans to tackle green infrastructure, decision support tools, and technical support.
