KENTUCKY — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) recently established the creation of the Council for Community Recovery and Resiliency. The initiative was signed as an executive order with the purpose of promoting long-term recovery and resiliency efforts in the face of disasters.

The group will consist of members from a wide range of local, state and federal agencies. With support from Kentucky Emergency Management and Military Affairs, the group will provide leadership and guidance for community recovery and resiliency planning across the commonwealth.

"We've taken on a 1 in every 100 year pandemic. We've built out a vaccine network that was the biggest challenge logistically since World War Two. We can do this and we're actually making some really good progress. But what you have to do if you're going to rebuild towns that coal companies built in our 100 plus years ago, is you have to have a standing group of every state, local but also federal agency in a formal agreement that you can run funds through, and ultimately can give a vehicle for people to be flexible in their own programs tailored towards what's necessary," explains Gov. Beshear.

Among its roles, the council will lead efforts to improve building codes and land development codes, the order said. The council will be attached to the state Division of Emergency Management.

You can watch the full In Focus segment in the player above.