When natural disasters hit, politics and personality conflicts between local leaders must be set aside to provide the most immediate and effective care to the citizens. To ensure a coordinated and efficient disaster response, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, Subrecipient Leader Todd Gibson, encourages emergency managers to facilitate relationships between community leaders and key decision makers… Read more
When natural disasters hit, politics and personality conflicts must be set aside to provide the most immediate and effective care to the citizens. To ensure a coordinated and efficient disaster response, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, Subrecipient Leader Todd Gibson, is a strong advocate of building relationships between community leaders and key decision makers ahead of… Read more
A program specifications document is required for communities participating in HUD’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program. The document provides a framework for materials and construction methods that addresses common needs encountered by the program, from inception to closeout. Below, IBTS Build it Back Recovery Team Project Leader Josh Cummings provides tips for… Read more
After a major disaster, entire communities often need to be elevated and rehabbed. This is a huge, often multi-year challenge to the imagination, ingenuity, perseverance and fortitude of the recovery team. To alleviate these headaches, a comprehensive program specifications document can help guide the process by outlining specifications that span from paint color to roof pitch.… Read more
Although home inspections and building code enforcement aren’t often top-of-mind for residents and community stakeholders rebuilding from a disaster, they should be at the forefront of a program manager’s disaster rebuilding agenda. Hiring building inspectors trained in disaster recovery is a must, and what’s more, inspection costs are eligible for reimbursement under ’s program.… Read more
Although home inspections and building code enforcement aren’t often top-of-mind for residents and community stakeholders rebuilding from a disaster, they are vital to a successful disaster recovery and rebuilding program. Hiring building inspectors trained in disaster recovery is a must, and what’s more, inspection costs are eligible for reimbursement under ’s program. “What can… Read more
Before FEMA leaves, localities are required to establish a Long-Term Recovery Group (LTRG) if one does not already exist. LTRG’s are independent of FEMA, HUD or any other federal agency, and exist to help meet the unmet disaster recovery needs of the community and individuals. Involve as many community stakeholders as possible. This ensures… Read more
In the chaos of natural disaster response and recovery — or any natural disaster planning, response or recovery activity — it’s important to remember that it is against the law to discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, or economic status in all disaster assistance programs in Presidentially declared disaster areas. This… Read more
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD’s) comprehensive “Disaster Recovery Guide for Homelessness” offers a framework for collaboration between local governments and services providers to ensure the needs of the entire community are met. The toolkit provides guides for all three phases of the natural disaster timeline, including a Local Planning Guide, Response… Read more
In disaster recovery, the relationship and interaction between FEMA and the 50 states is critically important and based on state sovereignty concepts defined when the U.S. Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution. Federal disaster assistance is intended to supplement — not replace — state, local, and private-sector resources. In almost all cases, states must formally… Read more
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