When Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit the coastal city of New Orleans, Louisiana in 2005, they left a trail of destruction in their wake, including a monumental amount of debris. Dr. Chuck Carr Brown, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, managed the massive debris removal effort in New Orleans. Below are Brown’s tips… Read more
In disaster recovery, the role that the Stafford Act plays in how FEMA is authorized to provide disaster assistance funding is critically important, but it is challenging for localities to understand all the requirements. Below is a brief overview of the Stafford Act. Additionally, tools and resources are available for helping communities meet requirements.
Housing cooperatives and other planned communities present their own challenges during the post-disaster recovery process. A single apartment block might yield more opinions and challenges than an entire small town. Add in the profusion of city, state and national ordinances and regulations that the process must meet, and the task can quickly become unmanageable. Yet… Read more
At the end of post-disaster response, many communities start to feel abandoned – their FEMA representative leaves and it often seems like funding options are diminishing. Communities often find themselves asking the question, “What do we do now?” During this period of transition, a long-term recovery group (LTRG) can play an integral role in keeping… Read more
Throughout a disaster, send messages through local media and post messages on social media that let volunteers know: When they’re needed and what they’re needed for. Where to go at the disaster site. When it’s safe for them to arrive at the disaster site. Be clear about when help is needed and when to… Read more
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and its offshoot discount incentive program, the Community Rating System (CRS), help communities get back on their feet in the wake of flooding incidents by providing affordable insurance to property owners and encouraging communities to adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations. The program, managed by the Federal Emergency Management… Read more
Volunteers are often a valuable resource following a disaster, but only if managed properly. To avoid a potentially chaotic volunteer situation during or after a disaster, localities should factor volunteer engagement into their disaster planning process. Localities can start by identifying which localities and volunteers are available to help in a disaster event. This process… Read more
Volunteers are one of the most versatile and cost-effective resources in disaster response and recovery, however they come with a big caveat – when not managed properly, they can escalate an already dangerous and chaotic situation by overwhelming first-responders and putting themselves and others in danger. Public information officers can play an important role in helping… Read more
Taking a centralized approach to managing volunteers can help localities maximize the potential of volunteers and leverage the efforts of enthusiastic community members. IBTS subject matter experts and community emergency management professionals share their experiences and lessons learned in how to centralize volunteers. The Volunteer Reception Center (VRC) is a designated location used to connect… Read more
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