FEMA conducts participatory mapping exercises in towns to boost recovery efforts

As part of Puerto Rico’s resilient recovery from future disasters, strategic planning and reconstruction projects take on greater importance, especially for municipalities with limited resources and grassroots nonprofits.

To help expand the technical knowledge of municipalities and those organizations, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) conducted participatory mapping exercises in municipalities around the island to help them identify solutions in their disaster recovery efforts.

Many municipalities lack geographic information systems or need high-resolution printed maps to carry out their planning efforts more effectively. Participatory mapping exercises allow municipal officials to better observe the potential risks and vulnerabilities that exist in the environment of their municipalities and visualize their recovery plans.