FEMA Awards $63.6 million to New Mexico for Road Repairs in Eddy County

DENTON, Texas — The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently awarded more than $63.6 million to the state of New Mexico for road repairs and hazard mitigation as a result of severe storms and flooding in September 2014. A federal disaster declaration (DR-4199-NM) designated eight counties eligible for Public Assistance grants.

This award provides $63,602,780 in federal funding to Eddy County for permanent repairs and hazard mitigation to 24 aggregate, asphalt, and chip-and-seal roadways. A total of 111 miles of county roads sustained base and surface erosion due to flooding.

The FEMA grant includes more than $35.3 million for permanent road repairs. Another $28.3 million in funding is for hazard mitigation – measures taken to avoid future damage from flooding. This funding is provided to raise the roadways where additional elevation will prevent the road from becoming a water drainage channel.

“We are committed to working with our state partners to assist communities as they recover from natural disasters and rebuild critical infrastructure,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “This grant will help Eddy County rebuild roads to withstand flood waters in the future.”

FEMA obligates funding for this project directly to the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Following the state’s review process and upon receipt of appropriate documentation, it will provide funds to Eddy County on a reimbursable basis.

FEMA Public Assistance grants pay the federal share of the eligible costs for the work and will cover 75 percent of the work performed on this road project. The funding is provided by FEMA under authority of Section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Act.

The mission of FEMA’s Public Assistance Grant Program is to provide assistance to state, tribal and local governments, and certain types of private nonprofit organizations so communities can respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies declared by the president. Learn more about FEMA’s Public Assistance at http://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit.

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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.  Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 , on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA and visit the FEMA blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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FEMA Awards $63.6 million to New Mexico for Road Repairs in Eddy County

Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Cameron County for Texans

AUSTIN, Texas – A State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is now open in Cameron County for homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage as a result of the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding from Oct. 22 to Oct. 31.

Specialists from the State of Texas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), nongovernmental organizations and the local community are on hand to answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available to survivors.

All Disaster Recovery Centers are accessible and equipped to accommodate disaster survivors who need disability-related communication aids.

The DRC’s location and normal operating hours are as follows:

Bob Clark Social Service Center
9901 California Road
Brownsville, TX 78521
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday – Friday
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday
Closed Sunday
Closed Dec. 23 to Dec. 27 for the Holiday

Disaster survivors who have questions may call the FEMA Helpline.

Visiting a DRC is not required to register for FEMA assistance. Survivors can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. (TTY users should call 800-462-7585.) The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week except Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. 

If possible, register for FEMA assistance by phone or online before visiting a center. Going to a DRC is not a requirement of registration, but specialists there can provide guidance regarding disaster recovery and rental resources, explain written correspondence received from FEMA, inform survivors of the status of their application, make referrals to other organizations and answer questions.

When registering applicants will be asked to provide:

  • Social Security number
  • Address of the damaged primary residence
  • Description of the damage
  • Information about insurance coverage
  • A current contact telephone number
  • An address where they can receive mail
  • Bank account and routing numbers for those preferring direct deposit of funds

The presidential disaster declaration of Nov. 25 makes federal assistance available to eligible individuals and business owners in 16 counties: Bastrop, Brazoria, Caldwell, Cameron, Comal, Galveston, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Hays, Hidalgo, Liberty, Navarro, Travis, Willacy and Wilson.

Assistance for eligible survivors can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and for other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses or funeral and burial costs. Also, low-interest disaster loans from the SBA are available for Businesses of all sizes (including landlords), private nonprofits, homeowners and renters.

Low-interest disaster loans help fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. Economic Injury disaster loans are available to businesses and private-nonprofits to assist with working capital needs as a direct result of the disaster.

Eligible survivors should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but under-insured applicants may receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.

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All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. 

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

Visit www.fema.gov/texas-disaster-mitigation for publications and reference material on rebuilding and repairing safer and stronger.

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Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Cameron County for Texans

Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Caldwell County for Texans

AUSTIN, Texas – A State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is now open in Caldwell County for homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage as a result of the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding from Oct. 22 to Oct. 31.

Specialists from the State of Texas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), nongovernmental organizations and the local community are on hand to answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available to survivors.

All Disaster Recovery Centers are accessible and equipped to accommodate disaster survivors who need disability-related communication aids.

The DRC’s location and normal operating hours are as follows:

Allen Bates River Park
Intersection of FM 1979 and Fannin Street
Martindale, TX 78655
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday – Friday
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday
Closed Sunday
Closed Dec. 23 to Dec. 27 for the Holiday

Disaster survivors who have questions may call the FEMA Helpline.

Visiting a DRC is not required to register for FEMA assistance. Survivors can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. (TTY users should call 800-462-7585.) The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week except Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. 

If possible, register for FEMA assistance by phone or online before visiting a center. Going to a DRC is not a requirement of registration, but specialists there can provide guidance regarding disaster recovery and rental resources, explain written correspondence received from FEMA, inform survivors of the status of their application, make referrals to other organizations and answer questions.

When registering applicants will be asked to provide:

  • Social Security number
  • Address of the damaged primary residence
  • Description of the damage
  • Information about insurance coverage
  • A current contact telephone number
  • An address where they can receive mail
  • Bank account and routing numbers for those preferring direct deposit of funds

The presidential disaster declaration of Nov. 25 makes federal assistance available to eligible individuals and business owners in 16 counties: Bastrop, Brazoria, Caldwell, Cameron, Comal, Galveston, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Hays, Hidalgo, Liberty, Navarro, Travis, Willacy and Wilson.

Assistance for eligible survivors can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and for other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses or funeral and burial costs. Also, low-interest disaster loans from the SBA are available for Businesses of all sizes (including landlords), private nonprofits, homeowners and renters.

Low-interest disaster loans help fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. Economic Injury disaster loans are available to businesses and private-nonprofits to assist with working capital needs as a direct result of the disaster.

Eligible survivors should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but under-insured applicants may receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.

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All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. 

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

Visit www.fema.gov/texas-disaster-mitigation for publications and reference material on rebuilding and repairing safer and stronger.

Continue reading – 

Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Caldwell County for Texans

Help Remains Available After Disaster Recovery Center Closes in Bamberg

COLUMBIA, S.C. – One disaster recovery center will close Tuesday, Dec. 22 at 6 p.m.:

  • Department of Social Services building, 374 Log Branch Road in Bamberg

Applicants in Bamberg may still visit other recovery centers to ask disaster assistance questions. They can locate their closest center by visiting asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm.

Representatives from the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Small Business Administration and other agencies are at centers to answer questions about disaster assistance and low-interest loans.

Many services available at disaster recovery centers are also available by calling the FEMA helpline. Applicants can get help by calling 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585; those who use 711/VRS can call 800-621-3362. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. The helplines will be closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Survivors can use the helpline to:

  • Register for federal assistance. Households should register only once.
  • Ask questions about FEMA decision letters.
  • Learn how to appeal FEMA decision letters. All applicants may appeal.
  • Inquire about the status of a registration.
  • Provide change of address, telephone and bank account numbers and insurance information to avoid disaster assistance processing delays.
  • Receive information about FEMA home inspections.
  • Get questions answered about federal disaster assistance and the application process.

Applicants should have their nine-digit FEMA registration number and zip code if they want to discuss their application.

For the latest information on South Carolina flood recovery operations, visit scemd.org and fema.gov/disaster/4241.

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Help Remains Available After Disaster Recovery Center Closes in Bamberg

Lake County Receives $883,000 Federal Grant for Flood Control

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Lake County has been approved to receive $883,110 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for a culvert project that will reduce localized flooding and debris flow at selected sites burned by the Valley wildfire, which began Sept. 12, 2015.

FEMA covers 75 percent of the eligible costs with the county paying the remaining 25 percent, for a projected total cost of $1.1 million.

The project includes installing 55 culverts in areas where burn scars prevent rainwater absorption. Engineers found debris and flood flow potential is up to 1.7 times the normal amount, which presents an expected inundation of existing drainage facilities.

This grant is the first from a pilot program called Fire Management Assistance Grant Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (FMAG-HMGP). FMAG grants can reimburse 75 percent of the costs of firefighting operations to state, tribal and local governments. Eligible costs include funding for personnel, materials and equipment.

The FMAG-HMGP grant provides funding to reduce the flood risk after FMAG declarations. A critical requirement for this funding is having an approved county and state hazard mitigation plan.

FMAG-HMGP Pilot funds are available to states, territories and federally recognized tribes that received an FMAG declaration in the time frame covered by the Department of Homeland Security 2015 Appropriations Act, March 4 through Dec. 11.

FEMA encourages the use of the FMAG-HMGP funds for mitigation of burn-impacted areas to reduce the increased risk for wildfire, flood or erosion post event. However, the FMAG-HMGP Pilot is available for the mitigation of any hazard in the FMAG declared area.

The Valley Fire burn area is drained by a number of waterways including Big Canyon Creek, Putah Creek, Dry Creek, Crazy Creek, Kelsey Creek and Seigler Canyon Creek. The residential communities within and downstream of those creeks are serviced by a network of roads and highways. Numerous culverts, many of them inadequate, drain this area.

This project is expected to be completed 22 months following the award by Cal OES.

For more information on California’s wildfire recovery, visit: caloes.ca.gov or fema.gov/disaster/4240 and follow us on Twitter @femaregion9 or @Cal_OES and at Facebook.com/FEMA  or Facebook.com/California OES.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards.

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Lake County Receives $883,000 Federal Grant for Flood Control

State, Federal Assistance for California Wildfire Survivors Tops $30 Million

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) have approved more than $30 million in disaster recovery grants and loans for survivors of the Butte and Valley wildfires.

“The job isn’t finished,” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Tim Scranton. “We continue working with all of our recovery partners through the holiday season to help the survivors and communities in Calaveras and Lake counties recover and rebuild.”

“We have excellent teams who are dedicated to the mission,” said Cal OES State Coordinating Officer Charles Rabamad. “I’m continually inspired by the hard work and focus everyone has on trying to get those who were burned out of their houses into homes for the holidays.”

Here is a snapshot of state and federal disaster assistance approved to date:

  • The registration period for federal assistance ended Nov. 23, 2015. During that timeframe, more than 3,700 Californians contacted FEMA for information or registered for assistance with FEMA.
  • $940,000 approved for survivors through California’s State Supplemental Grant Program.
  • More than 1,500 survivor households have been approved for a total of more than $11.5 million in FEMA Individual Assistance grants.
    • Of that, nearly $7.5 million was approved in Housing Assistance, which can include grants to help cover home repair and replacement costs as well as financial rental assistance.
    • 833 survivor households are receiving rental assistance. Of that number, 606 are renters and 227 are homeowners.
    • More than $4 million was approved for Other Needs Assistance, which helps survivors cover the cost of replacing lost contents and other disaster-related expenses.
  • SBA has approved $19.2 million in low-interest disaster loans to help business owners and residents with their recovery.
    • $16.9 million approved for 190 homeowners and renters.
    • $2.2 million for 34 businesses.
  • 35 survivor households are currently sheltering at hotels and motels through FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance program. The program is designed to provide temporary sheltering until alternative housing accommodations are made available.

Helping survivors find a safe, secure temporary place to live is the number one priority of the state and federal recovery team. FEMA is working with eligible survivor households in both counties to ensure their temporary housing needs are met. When it comes to temporary housing for survivors, the first option is always rental assistance as it is the fastest and most efficient form of temporary housing.

FEMA continues connecting eligible survivors with available rental resources within a reasonable commuting distance from their community. For survivors in areas where rental resources are not available, the agency is working to provide Manufactured Housing Units on both private sites and commercial sites.

FEMA, the state and the counties are coordinating to complete debris removal, secure utilities and complete required local licensing to move more Manufactured Housing Units onto feasible private sites. FEMA is also working with property owners at various commercial sites to complete required upgrades and move more units onto those locations.

Survivors can make changes or track their grant status online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362; TTY 800-462-7585; 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

Although the deadline has expired to apply for property damage loans from SBA, small, non-farm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size may continue to apply for an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage. These loans help meet financial obligations and operating expenses, which could have been met had the disaster not occurred.

EIDL applicants may apply online via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.  Disaster loan information and application forms are also available from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955 or emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call 800-877-8339. For more disaster assistance information, or to download applications, visit www.sba.gov/disaster.

For more information on California’s wildfire recovery, go to caloes.ca.gov and fema.gov/disaster/4240 and follow us on Twitter @femaregion9 and @Cal_OES, and on Facebook at facebook.com/FEMA and facebook.com/CaliforniaOES.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who are referred to SBA for a disaster loan must apply to be eligible for additional FEMA assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

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State, Federal Assistance for California Wildfire Survivors Tops $30 Million

Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Harris County

AUSTIN, Texas – A State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is now open in Harris County for homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage as a result of the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding from Oct. 22 to Oct. 31.

Specialists from the State of Texas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), nongovernmental organizations and the local community are on hand to answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available to survivors.

The DRC location and hours of operation are:

Denver Harbor Multi-Service Center
6402 Market St.

Houston, TX 77020

9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday – Friday
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday

Closed Sunday

If possible, register for FEMA assistance by phone or online before visiting a center. Going to a DRC is not a requirement of registration, but specialists there can provide guidance regarding disaster recovery and rental resources, explain written correspondence received from FEMA, inform survivors of the status of their application, make referrals to other organizations and answer questions.

Survivors can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. TTY users should call 800-462-7585. The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Applicants will be asked to provide:

  • Social Security number
  • Address of the damaged primary residence
  • Description of the damage
  • Information about insurance coverage
  • A current contact telephone number
  • An address where they can receive mail
  • Bank account and routing numbers for those preferring direct deposit of funds

The presidential disaster declaration of Nov. 25 makes federal assistance available to eligible individuals and business owners in 16 counties: Bastrop, Brazoria, Caldwell, Cameron, Comal, Galveston, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Hays, Hidalgo, Liberty, Navarro, Travis, Willacy and Wilson.

Assistance for eligible survivors can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and for other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses or funeral and burial costs. Also, low-interest disaster loans from the SBA are available for Businesses of all sizes (including landlords), private nonprofits, homeowners and renters.

Low-interest disaster loans help fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. Economic Injury disaster loans are available to businesses and private-nonprofits to assist with working capital needs as a direct result of the disaster.

Renters and homeowners may qualify for grants for other disaster-related necessary expenses and serious needs, such as clothing, child care, room furnishings and appliances, medical and dental costs, specialized tools, heating fuels, vehicles and moving and storage expenses.

Eligible survivors should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but under-insured applicants may receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.

For more information on Texas recovery, visit the disaster web page at www.fema.gov/disaster/4245, Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the Texas Division of Emergency Management website, https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem.

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Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Harris County

The Time to Buy Is While It’s Dry: FEMA Urges Public to Get Flood Insurance

DENTON, Texas – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) urges people to buy flood insurance now – before the next flood hits.

Flooding is the nation’s number one natural disaster, a fact people in this part of the United States know all too well. Yet statistics indicate most people ignore the risks associated with flooding and do not buy flood insurance.

However, with some forecasters calling for a wet winter in many parts of the country, local residents should buck that trend, said FEMA Region 6 officials in Denton, Texas. Those wet winter forecasts come on the heels of a spring and summer that saw Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas receive major disaster declarations for flooding.

“Nobody here will forget the heartbreaking images from this spring’s devastating floods,” said Regional Administrator Tony Robinson. “Losing your family’s treasured possessions to floodwaters is hard enough; not having insurance to cover the replacement costs makes a bad situation worse.”

People who want to know whether they live in a flood-prone area and how to get flood insurance can learn more on www.floodsmart.gov. The site contains a wealth of information about the risks and costs of flooding, and the benefits of insurance.

“Once you buy an insurance policy, it takes 30 days to go into effect – so the time to act is now, before the next heavy rains,” Robinson said.

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The Time to Buy Is While It’s Dry: FEMA Urges Public to Get Flood Insurance

Help Remains Available After Disaster Recovery Centers Close in Little River, Summerville and Walterboro

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Three disaster recovery centers will close Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 6 p.m.:

  • North Strand Park and Recreation Center at 120 Highway 57 South in Little River

  • Seacoast Church at 301 E. 5th North St. in Summerville

  • Colleton County Recreation Center at 280 Recreation Lane in Walterboro

Applicants in Little River, Summerville and Walterboro may still visit other recovery centers to ask disaster assistance questions. They can locate their closest center by visiting asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm.

Representatives from the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Small Business Administration and other agencies are at centers to answer questions about disaster assistance and low-interest loans.

Many services available at disaster recovery centers are also available by calling the FEMA helpline. Applicants can get help by calling 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585; those who use 711/VRS can call 800-621-3362. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

For the latest information on South Carolina flood recovery operations, visit scemd.org and fema.gov/disaster/4241.

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Help Remains Available After Disaster Recovery Centers Close in Little River, Summerville and Walterboro

Multiagency Team Working to Reduce Erosion and Flooding Threat in Eastern Washington

CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – Washington’s devastating 2014 and 2015 wildfire seasons put vast areas of the state at risk of erosion and flooding, posing additional dangers to residents and communities.  Today, a collaborative effort among all levels of government is finding ways to reduce that risk.

On Dec. 15-17, 2015, the Washington Military Department’s Emergency Management Division (EMD) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will host a three-day workshop in Wenatchee to address topics such as assessments of burned areas in Eastern Washington, efforts already undertaken to reduce threats, analysis of unmet needs, and potential funding sources for new efforts to protect people and infrastructure.

The workshop will bring together partners on the Erosion Threat Assessment/Reduction Team, or ETART, a group first formed following Washington’s Carlton Complex Fire of 2014 and reactivated following the Oct. 20, 2015, federal disaster declaration for this summer’s historic wildfires.

Federal participants on the ETART include FEMA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the National Weather Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, among others.

The state and local partners include Washington EMD, the Washington State Conservation Commission, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Okanagan and Whatcom conservation districts.

ETART relies on reports and assessments developed by various Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) teams. BAER is a process created by the U.S. Forest Service and modified and used by several local teams to determine erosion risks and recommend appropriate treatments.

“When the land is stripped of trees and other vegetation by fire, healthy roots that soak up rainwater are lost,” said Anna Daggett, FEMA’s ETART coordinator. “Even moderate rain on burn scars can cause flash flooding or debris flows that can severely damage infrastructure, homes and businesses downstream.”

After the president issued a major disaster declaration for the 2014 Carlton Complex Fire, FEMA’s Public Assistance program provided about $2.4 million in grants targeted specifically for ETART-identified projects to reduce immediate threats of significant additional damage to improved public or private property. The federal share amounted to 75 percent of the total cost of $3.2 million for these projects. The state and local partners covered 25 percent, or $800,000.

ETART assessments provided important information to EMD and FEMA to justify these grants.

The 2014 measures were able to reduce substantially the effects of the wildfires by clearing culverts and ditches of debris, installing straw wattles to counter erosion, shoring up breached pond dams, and spreading grass seed over vast areas that had burned.

“ETART has shown to be an effective way to address post-fire dangers,’ said Gary Urbas, EMD’s ETART coordinator. “Merging the work of so many experienced partners allows the team to tackle tough problems in our state.”

ETART now will be looking for additional financing streams, including other FEMA and federal programs as well as local and state sources, with the goal of significantly reducing damages resulting from post-fire flooding and erosion in Eastern Washington.

More information about the PA program is available at www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit and on the Washington EMD website at http://mil.wa.gov/emergency-management-division/disaster-assistance/public-assistance.

Additional information regarding the federal response to the 2015 wildfire disaster, including funds obligated, is available at www.fema.gov/disaster/4243.

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Multiagency Team Working to Reduce Erosion and Flooding Threat in Eastern Washington

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