PHILADELPHIA – In June 1972, Hurricane Agnes caused widespread damage across the eastern United States. Five decades later, FEMA Region 3 and our partners are remembering this significant storm through an interagency website, videos, webinars, and other products and events. We welcome you to use these resources to help tell the story of Agnes and encourage everyone to take steps now to be prepared for future storms.
Resources for Hurricane Agnes
50th Anniversary of Hurricane Agnes: Learn from the Past and Prepare for the Future Website
State-led flood risk management teams, known as the Silver Jackets, of Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia collaborated with partners including FEMA Region 3 to create this interactive and comprehensive website. It contains details about the impact of Hurricane Agnes, information about how emergency response has evolved in the past 50 years, actions people can take to be prepared for hurricanes and flooding, and information about flood mitigation efforts in the northeast since Agnes, including an interactive map showing the storm track of Agnes and the location and type of various mitigation projects.
Agnes50 Mitigation: Controlling the Flood Since Hurricane Agnes Video
1972: The world of flood control and mitigation changed when Hurricane Agnes devastated many communities in the mid-Atlantic with her floodwaters. Those charged with fighting floods have used a variety of mitigation methods and policy to keep rising waters at bay, and this documentary short gives a brief introduction and local area perspective.
Learn From the Past
Working Hurricane Agnes Video
1972: The world of flood control and mitigation changed when Hurricane Agnes devastated many communities in the mid-Atlantic with her floodwaters. Those charged with fighting floods have used a variety of mitigation methods and policy to keep rising waters at bay, and this documentary short gives a brief introduction and local area perspective.
Dave DeCosmo saw firsthand what the damage of a hurricane can do to the flow of information and how important it is to make sure people get truthful, timely updates during and after a storm. Listen to his incredible, moving story as Dave recounts his experiences during Hurricane Agnes in locations he hasn't visited since she blew through the mid-Atlantic states 50 years ago. This Atlantic hurricane season, we are encouraging everyone to learn more about their flood risk and take actions NOW to be prepared. Even decades later, the stories of Agnes still resonate and can help us be better prepared for the threats of the future. With climate change, extreme rainfall and flooding events are becoming more common, and lessons learned after storms like Agnes will be even more valuable.
Surviving Hurricane Agnes - 50th Anniversary Video
Deb Kennedy lived through Hurricane Agnes in 1972. Her family didn't evacuate in time. She shares her harrowing story, commemorating the 50th anniversary of a storm that brought destruction to the mid-Atlantic and in part, led to the creation of FEMA several years later.
Episode 93: Remembering Hurricane Agnes on the 50th Anniversary of the Storm Podcast Episode
On this episode, FEMA remembers Hurricane Agnes on the 50th Anniversary of the storm by looking back at the impacts to the Mid-Atlantic and looking ahead to predicting the future effects of hurricanes in the region. We discuss how Hurricane Agnes shaped the field of emergency management and the how emergency managers today are still using lessons that were learned from the storm.
Flood Mitigation Then & Now: 50 Years of Reducing Flood Risk Since Agnes Webinar Recording
Mitigation works. Agnes was a devastating flood but projects in place at the time of the storm significantly reduced its impact. US Army Corps Baltimore District estimates projects in its region prevented $480 million in damage. Since Agnes, federal state and local governments have invested even more to reduce the harm of future floods but the nature of mitigation is changing. During this webinar, panelists discussed the history of mitigation at the time of Agnes, what we’ve done since the storm, and how mitigation programs are evolving to overcome increasing challenges.
Agnes at 50: Learn from the Past. Prepare for the Future Webinar Recording
It’s been half a century since Hurricane Agnes caused widespread devastation in our region but there are still many lessons to be learned from the impacts of the storm and the emergency response. During this webinar, panelist David DeCosmo, a former WYOU news broadcaster who was appointed to be the Luzerne County Civil Defense Public Information Officer during the storm, described his experience working as part of the response efforts and communicating with the public. FEMA Region 3 Hurricane Program Manager Mike Bilder accompanied David to provide insight into the immediate impacts of Agnes and how this storm compares to others we have experienced more recently.
We all have a role to play as we prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters, and reflecting on Agnes now will help us be more prepared for the future. Visit Hurricanes | Ready.gov and Floods | Ready.gov to learn more about your risk and act today.