This audit of FEMA’s response to the 2014 landslide that wiped out a small community near Oso, Washington, reports on FEMA officials’ quick and effective response to the disaster. The officials were resourceful in overcoming significant challenges, implemented a variety of disaster-specific policies, obtained needed resources and effectively coordinated with its disaster response partners. The… Read more
Although it’s impossible to predict how many residents will be displaced and what housing stock will be available to provide temporary living arrangements for these residents after a natural disaster, these tips can help your locality maximize the resources that are available to get residents on the fastest track to permanent housing. Work on… Read more
Planning for temporary housing assistance can be one of the most difficult aspects of preparing for a natural disaster due to the unpredictability of a storm’s impact on a locality’s housing stock. Likewise, each community has unique risks and resources when it comes to temporary housing — there is no “one-sized-fits-all” approach. It’s important to… Read more
This presentation, given at the 2013 Disaster Preparedness Summit, provides a basic explanation of social media and its prevalence, followed by an overview of social media use during the 2011 Joplin tornado, during Hurricane Sandy and during the Boston Marathon bombings. It concludes with best practices and lessons learned from the three events. Social Media… Read more
FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate speaks to the impact of social media on emergency management over the years and how it is changing the way emergency managers do everything from gathering information to protecting the public. Video: Social Media and Emergency Management
During a long-term power outage, communications with utility companies often present one of the biggest challenges for local emergency management agencies. Use these tips to build and maintain a relationship with the local utility that allows for an open flow of information before, during and after a weather-induced power outage. Maintain your relationship with utilities… Read more
Using interviews with officials from North Carolina counties with established registries, this paper identifies key features of registries, considers challenges and offers tools for other counties to use in the development of special needs registries based on the experiences of their peers. Safe from the Storm: Tools for Establishing Special Needs Registries in North… Read more
Reimbursement for snow assistance and winter storms requires highly-specific documentation, often for specific time periods or completing certain tasks. FEMA typically reimburses for a continuous 48-hour period of the storm, and for specific tasks like making two lanes passable on an arterial roadway. Use these tips to ensure your agency has proper documentation to provide… Read more
This report describes snow assistance and assistance for severe winter storms, the declaration process, the criteria used to make eligibility determinations and the types of assistance that are provided after the President has issued a major disaster declaration for the incident. Major Disaster Declarations for Snow Assistance and Severe Winter Storms: An Overview
Communicating during a natural disaster is essential to emergency response, but is often intensely difficult due to inconsistent or nonexistent cell, internet and landline service. Amateur (or “ham”) radio enthusiasts can be an invaluable resource for your community during a disaster. Below are several tips for creating or improving your plan for calling on these… Read more
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