FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky lawmakers are moving to strengthen the state’s disaster preparedness with a proposal to create a centralized office focused on prevention and resilience.
The Disaster Resiliency and Prevention Task Force, established by the 2025 General Assembly, met six times this year to gather input from state agencies, recovery groups, research institutions, and insurance associations. The meetings examined the unique challenges Kentucky faces from tornadoes, flooding, forest fires, earthquakes, ice storms, infectious diseases, and cyberattacks.
Sen. Robin Webb emphasized the need for a state resilience office, describing it as a centralized hub for tracking data, mapping history, and projecting future risks. The office would serve as a coordinating body to prepare for disasters across the state.
While some disasters are unavoidable, lawmakers hope targeted infrastructure investments, such as green sink basins in flood-prone areas, can reduce future damage.
Rep. Mitch Whitaker noted that while creating a new government division can be controversial, the long-term cost savings from preparedness outweigh repeated rebuilding expenses.
Other recommendations from the task force include promoting community-based sheltering over reliance on state parks, expanding long-term recovery groups to all 120 counties to streamline benefits, and extending the task force’s work beyond the 2026 legislative session.
Budget considerations will be a key question for lawmakers in the next session.
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