TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Florida’s first Chief Resilience Officer Dr. Julia Nesheiwat visited Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, Tuesday, to see first-hand the Tyndall Program Management Office’s plans to develop and rebuild a resilient “Installation of the Future.”
“We are extremely excited to have Dr. Nesheiwat with us here today,” said
Brig. Gen. Patrice Melancon, PMO executive director, “to not only learn about what we’re doing and how we’re doing it, but also to build advocacy for us at the state level.”
The main responsibility of the CRO is to prepare Florida for the environmental, physical and economic impacts of sea level rise and develop resilience goals that will help protect coastal communities.
The Tyndall leadership team briefed Nesheiwat on the current state of the installation and the commitment to incorporate resiliency, innovation and technology as main components of the rebuild plans. With these pillars at the core of the rebuild, the process is of particular interest to Nesheiwat.
“Tyndall is very unique,” Nesheiwat said. “I’m seeing some of these new technologies and innovations that are very central to this area. Tyndall certainly has unique innovations I think will be very important for our national security.”
She toured the installation to see the progress underway as Tyndall transitions from recovery to rebuild after Hurricane Michael.
“It’s good to look at best practices and how we look to rebuild, but at the same time we’ve got to prepare for that next hurricane or that next natural disaster,” Nesheiwat said. “We’re getting stronger storms and higher seas.”
During her visit, she spoke to press about the value of Tyndall and resiliency measures being taken.
“There’s no doubt resiliency is more than just a disaster relief issue,” she said. “It’s a national security issue. To hear about the technology and innovation is really important to be able to advocate and collaborate with other partners to help such an important military installation. It’s certainly the lifeblood of the economy here and the community.”
The visit solidified an important alliance for the Tyndall PMO.
“We already have a very supportive local community, but knowing the governor and the state of Florida are invested in what we’re doing is terrific,” Melancon said.