Trainings

The COAST (Community Outreach and Strategic Training) Resilience Institute will offer training in four sessions: winter, spring, summer and fall. There are no minimum attendance requirements to participate, and you can join as few or as many trainings as you are interested in. You can watch past recorded training webinars on our YouTube channel.

Participants are eligible for continuing education credits for AICP and CFM. Each session will also have a swag item as an attendance incentive. Additionally, the municipality with the most total training participants at the end of the program year will receive a free catered lunch of their choice!

Training topics include the following:

Spring 2026 Training Topics and Schedule (flier, register)

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 managaing 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. April17, 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. CT
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. CT, 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.
 

Winter 2025-2026 (flier)

Date: Tueday, Feb. 24, 10-11 a.m. CT, Health and the Changing Environment, offered virtually via Zoom. Participants will get an overview of how changing hazards like flooding and heat are expected to worsen existing health hazards and introduce new health hazards to our region. Understanding these health hazards will allow communities to consider how resilience actions may benefit their population.

Date: Friday, Jan. 23 from 10-11 a.m. CT, The Community Rating System, Activity 610, offered virtually via Zoom. Participants in this course will leave with a sound understanding of how points can be earned in Activity 610 of the Community Rating System. Special guest Collins Simoneaux will share how St. Tammany Parish is securing credit for this activity.

Fall 2025 (flier, register) All times are Central Time

Date: Thursday, Sept. 4, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Disaster Meal Preparation, Graham Creek Nature Preserve, 23030 Wolf Bay Drive, Foley, AL).

Date: Thursday, Sept. 25, 10-11 a.m., Resilience Tools to Address the Heat, Virtual via Zoom.

Date: Wednesday, Oct. 8, 10 a.m.-noon, RAD Training for Coastal Land Stewards, Virtual via Zoom. 

Date: Friday, Nov. 7, 10 a.m.-noon, The Community Rating System from a Planning Perspective, South Alabama Regional Planning Commission (110 Beauregard St. #207, Mobile, AL)

Date: Wednesday, Nov. 12, from 10-11 a.m., Expanding Risk Communication Through the Use of Comics, Virtual via Zoom

Spring 2025

Date: Wednesday, March 5, Smart Home and FORTIFIED Building Standards, virtual. Time to be determined.

Date: Wednesday, March 19: Sea Level Rise and Flooding Basics, Mississippi State University Coastal Research and Extension Center, 1815 Popp's Ferry Road, Biloxi, MS, and virtual. Time to be determined.

Date: 8-10 a.m., Friday, March 21, Is Your Business Disaster-Ready? A Business Continuity Planning Workshop, Knight Nonprofit Center, 11975 Seaway Road, Gulfport, MS, free. 

Tuesday, April 15: Risk Behaviors During Severe Weather Events, virtual. Time to be determined.

Wednesday, May 14: New and Updated Resilience Tools, Hurricane Edition, virtual. Time to be determined.

2024

Nature-Based Solutions for Coastal Hazards (Co-hosted with NOAA Office of Coastal Management and Grand Bay NERR) - Discuss green infrastructure practices that can reduce hazard impacts, build resilience in communities, and understand considerations for choosing techniques.

Date: 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 12, Mississippi State University Coastal Research & Extension Center, 1815 Popp's Ferry Road, Biloxi, MS 39532.

Register

Community Rating System (CRS) - Learn how communities can secure additional points in the CRS by implementing a Program for Public Information (PPI) to structure community outreach on flood hazards and flood insurance.

Date: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 7, at South Alabama Regional Planning Commission (SARPC), 110 Beauregard St. # 207, Mobile, AL 36602 

Business Continuity Planning - Discuss planning strategies to enhance a business’s ability to recover after natural or man-made disasters.

Date: Wednesday, July 17, 1:00-2:30 PM (virtual)

Tools and Data for Resilience - Understand how to access and navigate mapping tools to support resilience planning and other relevant work.

Date: Wednesday, July 24, 11:00-12:00 PM (virtual)

Risk Rating 2.0 - Understand the different variables used to generate insurance rates under Risk Rating 2.0 and how this affects local building practices.

Date: Friday, July 26, 12:00-1:00 PM, at the Marine Education Center, 101 Sweet Bay Drive, Ocean Springs, MS  

Smart Home Legislative Update - Learn about various legislative efforts and local policies aimed at enacting higher building standards and improving pre-disaster mitigation practices.

Date: Friday, August 2, 9:00-10:00 AM (virtual)