BATON ROUGE, La. – Seven months after Hurricane Isaac slammed into the Louisiana coast, two Louisiana parishes are creating new paths to recovery with the help of state and federal partners.

Scores of residents and community leaders in St. John and Plaquemines parishes have gathered at open houses and community meetings over the past few months to learn how they can get involved in their communities’ recovery and to identify projects to help bring their visions of recovery to life.

In St. John Parish, a volunteer Citizens Advisory Committee launched the initiative “One Parish, One Future: Building Back Better and Stronger” in January to help rally public support for and participation in the local effort. Since then, residents of all ages and walks of life have contributed ideas and strategies for rebuilding — both in person at community events and through the parish’s online surveys. Plaquemines Parish, meanwhile, has held public input sessions and is forming committees to begin organizing its local initiative.    

“This kind of grassroots participation lays the foundation for successful recovery in any community,” said National Disaster Recovery Coordinator Wayne Rickard. “When the people who live and work in affected communities set their own recovery priorities, they take ownership of the plan and their enthusiasm infects their friends and neighbors – and that can help jumpstart a community’s cycle of success.”

One motivation behind both of the local efforts is the pledge of federal assistance in developing their plans – and the potential that state and federal agencies will help steer dollars their way.

“To have the support at the state and federal level not only during the disaster and immediately after it, but during the long haul, is something we’re extremely grateful for,” said St. John Parish President Natalie Robottom. “With the Framework, there are other agencies at the table that have an understanding of other resources. Their presence with us has been extremely powerful.”

This assistance has come under the aegis of the new National Disaster Recovery Framework, which defines an overall process by which hurricane-affected communities can capitalize on opportunities to rebuild stronger, smarter and safer. Rickard is the recovery coordinator at the federal level; Mark Riley serves as Louisiana’s disaster recovery coordinator.

Although the Framework relies greatly on government resources, the private sector also plays a role. At the local level, businesses may be able to contribute resources or personnel as well as participate in community recovery planning.  At the regional, state and national levels, corporations, foundations, individuals or other entities may be approached for technical assistance and grants or other resources.  

To help parishes identify potential resources, the National Disaster Recovery Support team in Louisiana has developed a Community Recovery Resource Guide containing Louisiana-specific information. Currently available on CD, the guide profiles nearly 900 specific recovery assistance programs through which communities can seek funding possibilities, grant writing guides, planning manuals and even examples of how governments can create recovery-related staff positions. 

Louisiana activated the Framework shortly after Hurricane Isaac hit the state in late August, opening the door for parishes to ask for technical assistance and guidance that fall outside the restrictions of the Stafford Act, the law under which the Federal Emergency Management Agency provides assistance immediately after a disaster. Plaquemines and St. John parishes soon named local disaster recovery managers to start the process. Additionally, Orleans Parish and the City of New Orleans sought technical assistance to add a recovery preparedness plan to the parish’s existing development plan.

St. John has used the Framework to organize local recovery and development planning around the economic development, health and social services, housing, infrastructure, and natural and cultural resources sectors. At the parish’s meetings and open houses, residents, business owners and others submitted dozens of ideas to move the parish’s recovery forward. Ideas have ranged from creating a farmers market to improving drainage capacity at critical points in the parish to initiating a St. John Parish cultural history project. Voting to prioritize those projects has just concluded.

Although state and federal agencies provide help, community leadership and local involvement are vital in developing recovery priorities and activities that are realistic, well-planned and clearly communicated.

“As the first parish or county in the nation to make full use of the resources outlined in the Framework, St. John one day may serve as a model for the recovery efforts of other communities across the nation,” Rickard said.

Indeed, St. John Parish officials note how working together has benefited the parish.   

“This whole process has made St. John stronger,” Robottom said. “We’re very pleased to be a part of this.”  

Further details about the Framework are available at http://www.fema.gov/pdf/recoveryframework/ndrf.pdf.   

More information on Louisiana disaster recovery is available online at www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. FEMA is also on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion6 and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA.

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.

Excerpt from: 

Parishes Take Charge of Recovery Using National Disaster Recovery Framework

WARWICK, R.I.–Americans live in the most severe weather-prone country on Earth, according to The National Weather Service. To raise public awareness of severe weather threats and the importance of being prepared, The National Weather Service and FEMA have designated March 3 to 9 as National Severe Weather Preparedness Week.

Each year, Americans cope with an average of 100,000 thunderstorms, 10,000 of which are severe; 5,000 floods; 1,000 tornadoes; and an average of 2 landfalling deadly hurricanes.  And this on top of lethal winter storms, summer heat, high winds, wild fires and other severe weather.

“Severe weather can happen anytime, anywhere,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “We urge everyone to take steps in advance and to pledge to prepare, take action and share what you have done with others.”

We have more information than ever before to let us know when severe weather is approaching. “But this information can save lives and property only if individuals and communities know when and how to take proper action,” said Dr. Louis Uccellini, director of the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service.

You can find a tool kit to help your family be prepared for severe weather at ready.gov/severeweather.

This week find tweets about severe weather preparedness at www.twitter.com/femaregion1. Other resources include http://blog.fema.gov, www.facebook.com/fema and www.youtube.com/fema. On Twitter, use the hashtags #ImPrepared and #ImAForce to show you’ve pledged to prepare and are taking the first step in preparing your family and friends for severe weather.

Talk with family, friends and neighbors about preparedness. Other ideas for helping to spread the word: creating a preparedness video and posting it on a video sharing site, posting your preparedness story through your social media network or commenting on a blog. Be a good example and share the steps you took to help us achieve the goal of being a Weather-Ready Nation.

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources.

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.

 

See more here – 

Be Prepared: Severe Weather Is on the Way

NEW YORK – Most of us make New Year’s resolutions to look better, feel better or reach a long-term goal.

This year resolve to rebuild stronger, safer and smarter after Hurricane Sandy to save lives and property when the next weather disaster strikes.

Hazard mitigation is building smart, strong and safe to prevent future damage from severe weather. Smart building includes mitigating damage against floods, strong winds and even tornadoes.

Always contact a local building official before undertaking rebuilding, renovating or retrofitting to be sure your plans meet local and state government requirements. You also need the proper permits from your local municipality to avoid future problems.

Such simple mitigation measures as elevating electrical and heating systems and anchoring fuel storage tanks can provide a windfall of protection against severe weather. 

Mitigation can also include landscaping. For instance, sea oats and other grasses can provide soil stability against storm surge. Ask your landscaper what indigenous plants withstand severe weather and protect property. Professional tree pruning can save not only the tree but can minimize the damage caused by a tree in severe weather. 

Flooding

Just an inch of water can cause costly damage to your property.

The average annual U.S. flood losses in the past 10 years (2002-2011) were more than $2.9 billion.

Rebuilding smartly in a flood-prone area means preventing future damages from flooding such as elevating your structure above the base flood elevation or higher. Flood hazard maps show different zones of hazard which determines policy premiums. The lower the degree of risk, the lower the flood insurance premium.

By elevating your home above that potential flood elevation, you not only reduce the risk of flooding, you save on the cost of flood insurance. The FEMA’s NFIP policy can cover structures and personal property. You don’t have to live in a flood-prone area to buy FEMA’s flood insurance policy which is sold by most insurance agents.

To be eligible to buy FEMA’s flood insurance your community must participate in the National Flood Insurance Program. Check the Community Status Book to see if your community is already an NFIP partner. (http://www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program/national-flood-insurance-program-community-status-book)

Wind

Wind will quickly damage vulnerable homes and buildings. The roof is most susceptible to wind. The type of roof is the first factor in limiting damage.

Whether with new construction or retrofitting an existing roof, build to ensure the connections between the roof and walls are strong enough to resist the “uplift” effect of high winds. When the roof lifts off it may collapse back down on the house.

Getting down to the foundation, many homes are built on concrete pads to which they are only slightly connected. Severe winds pull the walls right out of the foundation. To resist high winds, structures must be firmly connected to foundations.

Mitigation Dollars at Work

For New York damages caused by Hurricane Sandy, the U. S. Small Business Administration has provided $357 million to help homeowners, businesses and private non-profit organizations rebuild their properties damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. Some funds have also been allocated for the mitigation of similar damages during future events.

More information about Resolving to Be Ready and Rebuilding Strong and Smart are available online:

  • Listo America –Ready.Gov

http://www.ready.gov/translations/spanish/america/beinformed/index.html

  • FEMA also has videos on YouTube: “What is Mitigation?”           

     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=057ZkeoFyc4

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/SandyNY, www.twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

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Resolve To Rebuild Stronger, Safer, Smarter

DENTON, Texas – Members of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Youth Preparedness Council are gathering for their inaugural meeting today in Washington, D.C., to discuss steps to strengthen the nation’s resiliency against all types of disasters.

The Council members are meeting with FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate and participating in roundtable discussions and plenary sessions during their two-day visit to the nation’s capital. They also will develop their annual work plan to address youth preparedness during national disasters, as well as meet with other federal and private sector partners committed to supporting their work.

“This has been an opportunity for members of the Youth Preparedness Council to share their ideas, experiences, solutions and questions on youth disaster preparedness with FEMA, other federal agencies and national organizations,” said FEMA Administrator Fugate. “Engaging youth is critical to including the whole community in national preparedness. The Youth Preparedness Council is contributing to set a national agenda for how young people play a role in emergency management.”

The Youth Preparedness Council is comprised of 13 members (13-17 years of age) from across FEMA’s 10 regions. They are all dedicated to public service; are making a difference in their community; and are expanding their impact as a national advocate for youth preparedness.

The members from FEMA Region 6 are Dorian Tre’Vaughn Gregory from Breaux Bridge, La., and Jonathan DeLong from Austin, Texas.

Council members are eligible to serve for two years.

To learn more about FEMA’s youth preparedness efforts, please visit http://www.citizencorps.gov/getstarted/youth/youthindex.shtm. To learn more about each council member visit http://www.citizencorps.gov/getstarted/youth/youthpreparednesscouncil.shtm

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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 http://twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

This article:  

FEMA’s Youth Preparedness Council Meets for the First Time; Council Includes Members from Louisiana and Texas