Not every natural disaster comes with a two-month notice, so Yakima County, Washington, is counting its blessings. For several months, roughly 20 acres of a hillside — Rattlesnake Ridge — has been sliding away, threatening homes, highways and the Yakima River. In recent weeks, the slide’s acceleration has slowed, muddying predictions as to when it… Read more
Hurricanes, wildfires, economic collapse, and other disasters can be natural or man-made, acute or long-term, foreseeable or unpredictable. Preparation for and recovery from such events requires both long-term planning and immediate action. NACo works to strengthen county resiliency by building leadership capacity to identify and manage risk, and allow counties to become more flexible and… Read more
FEMA administrator Brock Long explains the role of FEMA in disaster recovery and stresses the importance of disaster preparedness at the National Association of Counties (NACo) 2018 Legislative Conference. In his talk, Long notes that in his 17 years in emergency management, there are three things he’s learned: “First, all disasters begin and end at… Read more
Like every one of us, the horrific hurricane, wind and water damage in much of Texas compels our attention no matter where we live. Even now, I am awaiting specific predictions about the path of oncoming Hurricane Irma. I think back to my experience working for many years as a county and city-appointed official in… Read more
Counties and parishes that took a hit from two monster storms — Hurricanes Irma and Harvey — are digging out from flooding, high winds, loss of power and more in Florida, Texas, Louisiana and elsewhere in the Southeast. Hurricane Irma claimed at least 26 lives on the U.S. mainland, The Associated Press reported. Much of… Read more
A little over a month ago, St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, found itself facing the third threat of the tropical hurricane season, Hurricane Nate. The storm was rapidly forming in the Caribbean Sea, and the parish had just days to inform and possibly mobilize the public to evacuate. The good news: It was prepared. Before the… Read more
It was about 1:30 a.m. Oct. 9 when Carmel Angelo, Mendocino County, California CEO, was notified by the sheriff’s office that a deadly wildfire was threatening the community. “As I was talking with our captain in the sheriff’s office, who was on the ground notifying neighbors and closing roads, he was trying to apprise me… Read more
Although the House and the Senate remain at odds over how to advance legislation that would reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), the House on Nov. 14 approved its measure by a vote of 237–189 along party lines. The legislation, the 21st Century Flood Reform Act (H.R. 2874), combines a series of bills that,… Read more
Before disasters strike your county, you should be certain about which local or regional faith-based groups you can work with to help provide temporary shelter, hot meals and other types of assistance to residents, said Gregory Forrester, president and CEO, Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. The national group also has state-level associations that you can… Read more
Dear National Association of Counties Membership – Thank you for inviting me to speak at the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference. FEMA supports and shares your goal of creating healthy, vibrant and safe counties across the U.S. FEMA is leaning forward, both strategically and operationally. We are building on the successes of 2017 and… Read more
Stay up to date with all the latest IBTS news.