Whether your community is a grantee or subgrantee of a award, you will be required to complete an unmet needs assessment to help prioritize your recovery projects and determine how your funding will be allocated between housing, economic development, and infrastructure recovery projects. Based on IBTS’s experience conducting unmet needs assessments across the country, IBTS… Read more
Cities and counties can incur millions of dollars in disaster response and recovery costs. Although FEMA reimburses most of these, if cost and time expenditures aren’t properly recorded localities may be denied assistance or forced to return money years after the disaster hits. It’s important that your locality has a plan in place for mundane… Read more
Cities and counties can incur millions of dollars in disaster response and recovery costs. Although most of these costs are eligible for FEMA reimbursement, if cost and time expenditures aren’t properly recorded localities may be denied assistance or forced to return money years after the disaster hits. Some municipalities have an appointed disaster financial manager,… Read more
Part of disaster preparedness includes creating a community culture of disaster awareness. While this begins internally with city or county emergency management, the entire local government organization – including elected officials – must be involved in community capacity and awareness building during disaster planning. This allows for successful emergency management services plan activation. Suggestions for… Read more
As one of the most vulnerable populations in disaster response and recovery, a community’s homeless population cannot be overlooked in disaster planning. June Gin, Veterans Emergency Evaluation Center (VEMEC) Research Health Scientist, recommends that stakeholders involved in the disaster planning process coordinate and collaborate with homeless service organizations during planning. If your community doesn’t have… Read more
As part of disaster planning, every community should have multiple shelter locations identified and assessed. These tips provide a starting point for communities to plan and prepare for getting fully-stocked, staffed and organized shelters in place quickly after a disaster. Pre-stock shelters with enough supplies. To avoid chaos, supplies like water, non-perishable food, chairs,… Read more
FEMA’s Commonly Used Sheltering Items & Services Listing (CUSI-SL) catalog provides a list of commonly used supplies in disaster shelters, in addition to an associated catalog number, description and suggested quantity. The catalog number and description are used when requesting supplies to help ensure the correct items are ordered and delivered to the shelter. Although intended… Read more
Trained staff are essential to making it through the initial 72-hour push after a disaster, when localities often have to go it alone. They also help ensure that the proper resources are attained in the weeks and months after a disaster and that the community is fully reimbursed for disaster recovery expenses. “The best work… Read more
Moving or disposing of debris improperly can disqualify communities and individuals from being eligible for FEMA reimbursement. Any stakeholder who may assist in debris removal efforts should take FEMA’s online independent study course devoted to debris management. IS-632.a — Introduction to Debris Operations
This FEMA guide outlines six planning steps and associated key activities to assist local governments in developing a comprehensive disaster response and recovery plan. Establishing clear roles and responsibilities and building relationships across community and regional leaders, organizations and individuals before a disaster can help your community become more resilient and recover faster from disasters.… Read more
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