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
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
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
FEMA offers seven online independent study related to public works, transportation, energy and infrastructure restoration. IS-558 — Public Works and Disaster Recovery IS-921.a — Implementing Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience IS-554 — Emergency Planning for Public Works IS-801 — Emergency Support Functions (ESF) #1 – Transportation IS-812 — Emergency Support Function (ESF) # 12 –… 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
Providing proper documentation is crucial to ensuring that your community will receive and keep funding assistance following a disaster. Yet, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the detailed documentation requirements for FEMA, HUD’s program and other funding programs. It’s always a good idea to enroll in a FEMA or CDBG-DR training course prior to… Read more
You never know who you will need to call on for assistance during a disaster; unforeseen issues will arise, and you may need to call on a neighboring city or county, your state, or even your Congressman for assistance. Although it’s difficult, near impossible, to predict who will be able to provide what your… Read more
Homeowner appeals during the recovery process are inevitable and time-consuming, they should be a last resort for applicants. IBTS has processed close to 2,500 homes for programs receiving funding from the the HUD’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program, and been able to mitigate nearly all homeowner appeals — saving the locality and the applicant valuable… Read more
Without a comprehensive debris management plan, the debris removal process can escalate into one of the most difficult and expensive response tasks after a natural disaster. To reduce costs and accelerate the process, FEMA introduced debris removal alternative procedures. Yet despite cost benefits and incentives for quicker debris removal, few localities have taken advantage… Read more
The following FEMA online independent study courses introduce the fundamental framework of federal disaster response. In addition, specialized courses focusing on the and National Response Framework (NRF) from the perspective of specific roles are listed below: IS-2900 — National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) Overview IS-100.b — Introduction to Incident Command System, ICS-100 IS-700.a — National Incident Management… Read more
Stay up to date with all the latest IBTS news.