The GridWise Alliance (GWA) conducted a workshop entitled “Grid Modernization Impacts During Superstorm Sandy and Other Very Large Scale Grid Events” to explore challenges and opportunities that very large scale events (VLSEs) events present to the electric system. This report notes that grid modernization alone cannot adequately ensure that the electric grid is safe, secure,… Read more
The Obama administration aspires to work with communities to help them rebuild smarter and better by providing the best data about the risks they face, setting clear resilience standards to help protect against those risks, and bringing a wide range of stakeholders together to foster innovative ideas and ensure a comprehensive regional approach to rebuilding.… Read more
A post-disaster town hall meeting is first and most important opportunity for localities to update their community on the status of recovery efforts underway. The agenda and content of a press release notifying the community of the meeting will vary widely depending on the locality, peril and extent of damage. Below are several examples of how… Read more
The post-disaster town hall meeting, is one of the first and most important opportunities for the regional state emergency management office to update an impacted locality on the state assistance and equipment being provided. Click here to download a post-disaster town hall meeting agenda template, and here for press releases and agendas used by other localities.… Read more
An EF-5 Tornado struck Joplin, Missouri, on May 22, 2011, with damage estimated at up to $3 billion. Yet Joplin has seen a rapid recovery despite the extensive damage. The Joplin tornado provides an opportunity to determine if findings from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina apply to other major natural disasters. This study uses interviews… Read more
A collection of 13 reports on lessons learned from Hurricane Sandy related to health systems and services. The report’s first section includes and Executive Summary of each article. Common recommendations included filling gaps in planning, communication and coordination, more integrated systems, more practice and training between facilities, building in redundancies, clarifying authority, preparing for environmental… Read more
Frequently-asked questions about the Stafford Act from the Public Risk Management Association. (PDF). Stafford Act
The Federal Emergency Management Agency: FEMA
The Stafford Act constitutes the statutory authority for most federal disaster response activities especially as they pertain to FEMA and FEMA programs. In response to the to the evolving demands for federal disaster assistance, Congress has passed legislation to amend the Stafford Act to improve the role of the federal government in disaster assistance. Pre-1950… Read more
Communities who have been through a presidentially declared disaster cannot stress enough the importance of detailed, proper record keeping systems from the day the disaster strikes, if not before. Use these tips to setup a record keeping system in your own locality that ensures compliance with FEMA documentation requirements. Have a well-defined system in… Read more
