The Community Outreach and Strategic Training (COAST) Resilience Institute has released the spring schedule for new trainings and webinars! Trainings and workshops are offered on a quarterly basis, with the spring workshops focusing on topics including floodproofing techniques, resilient housing and more.
The COAST Resilience Institute is a training program offered through Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium that is designed to equip coastal decision-makers with technical and professional trainings and information that can support enhancing resilience in their communities.
Spring 2026 Training Topics and Schedule (Register here.)
Managing Change: A RAD Training for Coastal Land Stewards. April 14, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. CDT, virtual via Zoom
This training introduces the Resist-Accept Direct (RAD) framework, a practical approach for managing change on lands impacted by sea-level rise. Designed for anyone working on managed lands, whether in developed areas, natural spaces or protected reserves, this session provides a grounding in the RAD concepts and how they apply to both built and natural environments.
Resilient Housing Guide. April 17, 9-10 a.m. CDT, virtual via Zoom
Participants in this course will leave with a sound understanding of the Resilient Housing Guide and how application of this planning paradigm can assist with pre-disaster mitigation planning. Guest presenter Jonathan Cottis with the city of Foley will discuss how it has been implemented within their community.
Floodproofing Your Home. April 29,10 a.m.-12 p.m. CDT
Location: Coastal Research and Extension Center (1815 Popp’s Ferry Road, Biloxi, MS)
Coastal decision-makers with learn practical, hands-on guidance for implementing small-scale floodproofing measures that reduce damage during flooding events. Participants will learn how to properly fill and place sandbags, elevate critical appliances and utilities, and install temporary flood barriers or walls to protect structures. The session will highlight cost-effective techniques that communities and property owners can use to improve flood resilience and reduce recovery costs.
Disaster Meal Preparation. May 14, from 10-11 a.m. CDT, virtual via Zoom
Learn to plan for short-term emergency meal planning after a disaster. Participants will observe how to prepare and cook a meal using no electricity and utilizing non-perishable food items.
Our previous COAST webinars available on YouTube
Several COAST Resilience Institute webinars and trainings from previous seasons are available on the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium YouTube channel. Look for the COAST Resilience Institute playlist.
Recordings of past webinars:
- Community Rating System, Activity 610 gives a sound understanding of how points can be earned in Activity 610 of the Community Rating System. Special guest Collins Simoneaux shares how St. Tammany Parish is securing credit for this activity.
- Expanding Risk Communication Through the Use of Comics explores how comics have been used as powerful tools for risk communication and disaster education. It highlights recent comics created and adapted to help communities prepare for severe weather. We also share practical tips on visual storytelling, humor, visual cues and tailoring messages for different audiences.
- Resist, Accept or Direct (RAD) Training for Coastal Land Stewards introduces the Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) framework, a practical approach for managing change on lands impacted by sea-level rise.
- Risk Behaviors During Severe Weather Events explores the use of social media and how it is utilized by various audiences during severe weather including what time(s) most people are active on social media during storms, what information they are looking for, and what this means for staging resources and communicating risk.
- Resilient Building Standards discusses tested mitigation policies and techniques that produce safer and more resilient structures, such as the FORTIFIED Home building standard.
- The Community Rating System provides an overview of the National Flood Insurance Program's (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS). Information includes a look at the different activities and how to comply with program requirements.
- Resilience Tools introduces new and updated tools that can assist coastal decision-makers with understanding impacts of hurricanes including storm surge, coastal flooding, historical impacts and emergency planning.
Looking for more information about heat?
With hotter temperatures around the corner, check out the recorded COAST RI training on Resilience Tools to Address Heat.
Heat has become a stressor affecting many Gulf Coast communities and many decision-makers are unfamiliar with the types of tools available that can help them make decisions and communicate with their audiences. This webinar outlines three free heat resilience tools that can support resilience professionals, decision-makers and educators as they plan and make decisions regarding heat and outdoor activities.
The recorded webinar features a detailed walkthrough of the three free online heat tools and how they can be applied to real-world scenarios such as grant applications, planning outdoor events or scheduling outdoor field work for research projects.
If you’re looking for more information on heat projections, heat health risks or planning for heat, make sure to check out the Resilience Tools to Address Heat webinar!
Meet the author
Andrew Medhurst
Resilience Coordinator for PLACE
Andrew Medhurst assists in leading trainings and workshops for Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant's COAST (Community Outreach and Strategic Training) Resilience Institute. The COAST Resilience Institute... Read more
Phone: 228-546-1030
Email: [email protected]