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
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
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
In order to remain healthy, vibrant and safe, America’s counties must continue to strengthen their resiliency by building leadership capacity to better identify and manage risk. In 2017, there were 16 disaster events across the U.S. that resulted in losses exceeding $1 billion, including: 8 severe storms, 3 tropical cyclones, 2 floods, an extreme drought,… Read more
County leaders, federal officials and corporate partners met March 2, at NACo to discuss county-driven mitigation efforts that have made communities resilient to disasters. “The issue of resilience is ready for prime time, and the Resilient Counties Initiative is working to build the momentum around this movement as we identify our path forward,” said… Read more
is one of the most difficult aspects of federal disaster recovery funding for both local stakeholders and citizens to grasp. It is a federal law that applies to all federal disaster assistance, including from , the , , and the , among others. applicants are more likely to have a DOB because they’ve already received funding… Read more
policies and procedures are critical to program success but can be challenging to develop. Although they can be daunting, as a program administrator it’s important to view them not just as another program requirement, but as a tool for helping your program run smoothly and for accomplishing your recovery goals. The following tips for… Read more
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