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2013 Colorado Floods Federal Assistance Fact Sheet

FEDERAL AGENCY ASSISTANCE OVERVIEW

Immediately following the historic September 2013 flooding in Colorado, federal agencies coordinated in a unified approach. Some federal agencies provided assistance under mission assignments from FEMA. In many other cases, agencies also responded and provided funding under their own authorities. Together, these agencies contributed to combined, collaborative effort to respond to public health and safety needs throughout the State. Federal life-saving and life-sustaining personnel worked under the direction, and at the request of, state and local leadership. Here’s a summary of the federal actions funded by FEMA and the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to ensure communities and people in the area were protected from further harm and could begin their recovery.

In all, FEMA directed 66 federal response and recovery assignments at a cost of more than $13.4 million to FEMA and almost $2.3 million to the State of Colorado.

In addition, FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program has approved nearly $65.5 million on 2,093 claims, which is approximately 98 percent of all submitted claims.

National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA)

NGA provided geospatial analysts to supplement Geographic Information System production with the Urban Search and Rescue White Incident Support Team. Analysts provided analytical expertise, computer equipment, and a suite of GIS software to support disaster operations.

NGA deployed two analysts to Boulder and Loveland, Colo., and launched its suite of analysis and collaboration tools to aid search and rescue efforts and provide flood and damage assessments.

Utilizing a new system, GeoQ, imagery and analysis from multiple sources and geographically dispersed analysts facilitated the use of crowdsourcing to define the extent of damaged areas. It enabled analysts to review imagery from different sources simultaneously, rather than sequentially, which results in much faster damage assessments.

NGA’s imagery-derived damage assessments were especially critical because flooding did not take the course of typical river- and stream-bed patterns.

The technology NGA provided enhanced urban search and rescue operations by depicting, graphically, where searches already had occurred and areas search and rescue personnel had already covered.

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Bicentennial Volunteers, Inc. (BVI)

TVA Bicentennial Volunteers, Inc. (BVI) provided experienced Public Assistance project specialists with intensive FEMA eligibility experience. Specialists assisted FEMA by assessing damages, developing scopes of work, writing project worksheets, and providing general assistance to FEMA’s disaster recovery Public Assistance program. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)

U.S. Department of Agriculture/Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS)

USDA activated personnel to assist recovery activities and operations. The agency has also supported the Recovery Support Functions by providing expertise, assisting with damage and impact assessments and long term recovery planning activities.

NRCS has provided an estimated $14.3 million to help over $15.7 million in construction costs. This funding will help cover costs of 40 projects at more than 170 sites.

U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)

DoD provided both air and ground search and rescue support operations with heavy lift, medium lift and medical evacuation rotary wing aircraft as well as high water vehicles from the Colorado National Guard and 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson. Numerous DoD subject matter experts from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Army North; and U.S. Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base provided technical planning and assessment support.

The Defense Coordinating Element supporting staff with its Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officers working in the state emergency operations center; Joint Field Office; Regional Response Coordination Center; incident command posts; congressional joint task force base; and federal staging area at Buckley Air Force Base provided knowledge and liaison support to FEMA Region VIII and other agencies.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)

USACE provided support to the state of Colorado, including: technical assistance for debris removal and stream restoration work; infrastructure assessments of water and wastewater treatment plants; technical assistance in the development of engineering scopes of work under FEMA’s Public Assistance Program; external affairs support to the FEMA Joint Information Center; and coordination/facilitation with the integration of interagency capabilities focused on regional long-term recovery.

U.S. Air Force Civil Air Patrol (USAF – CAP)

USAF – CAP provided aircraft for transportation of FEMA, State and other federal agency personnel to assess infrastructure and property damage.

The Colorado Wing of USAF-CAP provided aerial and ground photos that were used to help assess damage. Photography missions flew out of Centennial, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal and Rocky Mountain Metropolitan airports. By September 19, 2013, the teams had captured 10,000 photographs of flooded rivers, roads, towns, farms, residential property and vehicles.

The mission included flights over Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Clear Creek, El Paso, Gilpin, Jefferson, Larimer, Logan, Morgan, Sedgwick, Washington and Weld counties.

Aircrews in red, white and blue CAP planes and ground team members provided images of flooded rivers, roads, highways, bridges, towns, farms, residential property, vehicles and more at minimal cost to taxpayers.

CAP aircrews also flew representatives of FEMA, ABC News and Good Morning America over sections of the South Platte and Big Thompson rivers. The photographs and video included damage south of Greeley, where a bridge on U.S. 34 across the South Platte had been washed away.

U.S. Department of Energy (DoE)

DoE provided 24-hour support to the FEMA Region VIII Regional Response Coordination Center, Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT), and worked with stakeholders to identify power restoration hurdles and mitigation actions. The Department also closely monitored impacts of the event on energy infrastructure.

U.S. Department of the Interior (DoI)

The Department of the Interior provided natural and cultural resources expertise, including knowledge about National Environmental Policy Act and Endangered Species Act compliance and cultural and historic property preservation.

DoI Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

The BLM provided on-call aviation personnel to support Disaster Operations. BLM support included aircraft and personnel necessary to accomplish evacuations, assessments of critical infrastructure, personnel, cargo transport and aerial photography for missions.

U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT) – Federal Highway Administration

FHWA provided $270 million to the Colorado Department of Transportation for help in repairing flood-damaged roads, highways and bridges. That amount includes $5 million provided in “quick release” emergency relief funds on September 13, 2014, as well as $25 million provided just three days later, on September 16.

FHWA’s Central Federal Lands Division provided an estimated $482 million to the Colorado Department of Transportation. Of this amount, $326 million is for repair and replacement required to state infrastructure and $156 million is for repair of local infrastructure.

The agency also activated personnel to assist with highway design and environmental information. Specialists also coordinated with the Colorado DOT to help plan road repairs. FHWA has also provided support to the Recovery Support Functions by helping with damage and impact assessments and long-term recovery planning activities, including highway design and environmental information and coordination.

U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA)

The U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) has provided $426,683 in grants to support disaster and community economic resiliency efforts in Colorado. Through the EDA, the Department of Commerce led the highly coordinated interagency and whole community effort to help state and local governments and the private sector sustain and rebuild businesses and employment. The grants include:

$126,683 in Local Technical Assistance funds to the Estes Park Local Marketing District, Estes Park, Colorado, to fund a tourism marketing plan to boost tourism in the northern Colorado region. Using print and digital placements, the campaign’s goal is to increase tourism to help the region recover and make up for lost revenues that resulted from the devastating floods in September 2013.

$300,000 in Economic Adjustment Assistance funds to the Town of Estes Park (including surrounding region) to develop a strategy that will guide their economic diversification and resiliency efforts. One key component of this grant is developing specific actions to make use of Estes Park’s existing fiber optic ring to deliver improved broadband services to the town and surrounding region. By working with other affected communities – including nearby Loveland and Lyons – this strategy will help the region diversify while strengthening their existing established industry clusters.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

EPA coordinated and executed necessary actions associated with debris clearance, removal, and disposal from public property to eliminate or lessen immediate threats to public health and safety. EPA removed debris from critical access routes, roads, bridges, waterways, and rights-of-way for emergency vehicles and public access. This support included pick-up, segregation, hauling, and disposal of flood debris at a landfill or reuse for stream stabilization.

EPA provided health-related analysis in heavily impacted areas. EPA conducted a landfill assessment in the Town of Evans. “Phase I” included initial observation and information gathering. This included use of contractor resources and other specialists, including the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, (ATSDR). “Phase I” informed the development of recommendations for action and defined the scope of work for subsequent phases. “Phase II” included more in-depth investigation of the nature and extent of the potential threats associated with the landfill.

EPA personnel performed a wide range of supportive initiatives to the FEMA Region VIII Regional Response Coordination Center, Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT), and other teams.

EPA provided aerial technical analysis of potential impacted areas to help identify immediate threats associated with oil and hazardous materials that may have been discharged or released by the flood. The review was necessary for mitigating actual and potential threats to public health and safety.

EPA also conducted oil and hazardous materials field operations. EPA personnel and contractor specialists provided assistance to counties to estimate the volume of household hazardous waste and other waste containers. Field operations also included pick-up, segregation, hauling, and disposal of the orphaned containers and household hazardous wastes.

U.S. Fire Administration (USFA)

USFA supported command, control and coordination personnel and resources to Incident Management Assistance Teams (IMATs), area command teams and multi-agency coordination groups. The teams provided command, control and coordination resources, including incident search and rescue, and medical and security needs for assigned resources.

U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

HUD invested more than $320 million through the department’s Community Development Block Grant program. The funding will support the State of Colorado’s long-term recovery efforts, primarily in Boulder, Weld and Larimer counties. HUD’s CDBG grants are intended to confront housing, business and infrastructure needs.

Additionally, subject matter experts assisted survivors by answering questions and providing direction and disaster-related resources. HUD personnel staffed Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) and other locations.

U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

The IRS provided subject matter experts to assist survivors by answering questions and providing direction and disaster-related publications/resources. Personnel staffed and/or provided publications to Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) and other locations as required during open hours, which was sometimes 12 hours per day.

The IRS provided tax relief to survivors in affected counties by postponing certain filing and payment deadlines.

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)

The SBA has provided $109.6 million in low-interest disaster loans to 2,127 renters and homeowners and 374 businesses.

SBA Business Recovery Centers in Estes Park, Greeley, Longmont and Loveland received a total of 933 visits. SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Centers in Aurora, Colorado Springs and Golden received a total of 403 visits.

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2013 Colorado Floods Federal Assistance Fact Sheet

2013 Colorado Floods Public Assistance Fact Sheet

FEMA Public Assistance Program Overview (as of August 25, 2014)

The FEMA Public Assistance program provides funding for emergency actions undertaken by communities as well as aid to repair or replace damaged public infrastructure.

FEMA has so far obligated $262,193,453 to 220 Public Assistance applicants. More funding is forthcoming as FEMA continues to review projects in partnership with the State of Colorado – as communities rebuild.
- $9,631,416.34 has been provided to a total of 15 applicants for removal of Stream Hazards to prevent flooding of which the Federal Share funded is $7,079,225.52. Projects under this program are determined based on data provided by applicants.
- $369,507.20 has been provide for Private Property Debris Removal funding with a federal share of $277,130 to three applicants who met all required criteria to participate in this program.
- $91,735,589 has been provided for those who participated in the Public Assistance Alternate Procedures Pilot Program (PAAP) for permanent work with a federal share in the amount of $68,791,808. This amount provided assistance for 24 projects to 12 applicants.
- 52 sub-grants opted into the debris removal pilot program for a total of $23,529,400.35 with a Fed Share totaling $17,995,522.38.

County Eligible Applicants Projects Obligated Total Obligated Federal Share

(75% of eligible project costs)

Adams 15 51 $6,627,011

Arapahoe 7 25 $2,205,031

Boulder 54 313 $125,049,962

Clear Creek 3 14 $1,178,766

Crowley 1 3 $239,575

Denver 3 20 $2,405,471

El Paso 8 106 $7,204,490

Fremont 7 28 $799,340

Gilpin 2 8 $ 451,896

Jefferson 21 73 $7,707,988

Lake 2 4 $156,569

Larimer 33 223 $51,295,628

Lincoln 1 2 $96,737

Logan 8 18 $590,547

Morgan 8 29 $3,403,672

Sedgwick 2 4 $20,617

Statewide 15 86 $32,463,090

Washington 1 3 $277,783

Weld 29 116 $20,019,270

Totals: 220 1,126 $262,193,453

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2013 Colorado Floods Public Assistance Fact Sheet

New York State Fire Training Facility Granted New, Fully Equipped Truck

Replaces 39-Year Old Vehicle Used to Train NYS Firefighters

New York, NY — The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services’ Office of Fire Prevention and Control (OFPC) has received a federal grant to purchase a new, well outfitted fire truck that will be used in the training of New York State’s firefighters that attend training at the New York State Academy of Fire Science, FEMA’s Ms. Dale McShine announced here today.

As Director of FEMA’s Grants Division in New York, which administers the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) program for Region II, Ms. McShine said that the grant was for $382,000, and totaled $450,000 with the local share of $67,500.

New York State is home to approximately 1786 municipal fire departments in the state, staffed by roughly 96,100 volunteer firefighters and 18,500 career personnel, according to Deputy Chief David Martinichio of OFPC’s Fire Operations and Training Branch. Through a network of 400 part-time instructors and 120 full-time fire protection specialists, OFPC annually trains 40,000 – 50,000 firefighters per year with 6,000 to 7,000 attending the residential fire training facility, located in Schuyler County.

The1975 vehicle no longer met current requirements, Deputy Chief Martinichio said, adding that “the condition of the vehicle and the high cost of repairs made it unsafe and too costly to keep in service.” The new engine has a six-person cab, can pump 1500 gallons per minute, and has an array of modern ladders, and other up-to-date equipment, all of which meet the criteria of the National Fire Protection Association.

DHSES Commissioner Jerome M. Hauer said, “I am pleased that the Office of Fire Prevention and Control is able to take advantage of the Assistance for Firefighters Grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Training is an integral part of any firefighter’s toolkit and having state of the art equipment for this purpose will allow New York’s firefighters to improve their skills to better aid the communities they serve.”

FEMA’s Dale McShine said that the AFG program has been aiding firefighters and other first responders since 2001, “providing critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources” needed to help the public and emergency responders from fire and related hazards. “This award to New York State’s Fire Training Program, with its considerable reach,” she said, “is especially gratifying.”

State Fire Administrator Bryant Stevens added, “the new engine will be a welcome addition to the current cadre of fire apparatus utilized at the Academy of Fire Science and will allow us to continue to provide the quality training that New York’s firefighters expect and deserve”.

“This is the first year that state fire training academies have been eligible to apply for AFG awards,” the Academy’s Assistant Business Officer Kathyrene O’Connor pointed out, adding that provisions for grants to academies allow a maximum of $500,000 per award for equipment, personal protective equipment, or vehicles, with a 15 percent match from the state. “This is a significant development,” she said, “because it allows us to make our training all the more effective, along with enhancing the safety of the students attending the program.”

Tania Hedlund, FEMA’s Branch Chief for Grants, reported that, in 2012, the AFG provided funding of $25,340,000 for FEMA’s Region II (New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands).

For further information, please contact William H. Douglass at FEMA: 212-680-3665 or 917-561-3223.

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 FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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New York State Fire Training Facility Granted New, Fully Equipped Truck

FEMA Honors Achievement in Community Preparedness

2014 Individual and Community Preparedness Award Winners Announced

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced the winners of the 2014 FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness Awards, recognizing the outstanding efforts of individuals, programs and organizations throughout the country working to prepare their communities for emergencies.

“Strong emergency management requires teamwork, community engagement, innovation and strong relationships at all levels before disasters occur,” FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate said. “This year, we recognize individuals and organizations that exemplify this approach, and I congratulate them on their dedication to make our nation stronger and safer.”

This year’s honorees developed and implemented innovative tools, programs and resources, which provided opportunities for a wide variety of stakeholders to make their communities better prepared and more resilient. Some examples include:

The Mississippi State University Extension Service launched the Mississippi Youth Preparedness Initiative (MyPI), a grassroots effort to train and educate approximately 3,500 teens annually about emergency preparedness. Participating youth also completed service projects to prepare families in their communities for disaster.
The Delaware State Citizen Corps Council, Partnerships in Assistive Technologies, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Office of Preparedness and Emergency Management supported the development of smartphone apps to enhance communications between professional responders and people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.
The Smyrna Emergency Management Agency in Georgia became the nation’s first municipality to participate in America’s PrepareAthon!, conducting a community-wide tornado drill involving 200 businesses.
The New York City Office of Emergency Management’s Ready New York for Seniors Program conducted approximately 200 presentations to more than 8,000 older Americans living in the city.

This year’s winners of FEMA’s Individual and Community Preparedness Awards are:

Outstanding State Citizen Corps Council Initiatives: Delaware State Citizen Corps Council (DE)
Outstanding Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Initiatives: MOCERT1 (Southwestern Missouri Regional CERT) (MO)
Outstanding Local Citizen Corps Council Initiatives: Albany County Citizen Corps (NY)
Outstanding Achievement in Youth Preparedness: The Mississippi Youth Preparedness Initiative (MyPI) (MS)
Community Preparedness Heroes: Lieutenant Brian K. Rand (MA) and the Coalition for the Upper South Platte (CUSP) (CO)
Awareness to Action: Do 1 Thing (MI)
Technological Innovation: Partnerships in Assistive Technologies (PATHs, Inc.) (WV)
Survivor Empowerment and Integration: Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Office of Preparedness and Emergency Management (MA)
Fourth Annual Recipients of the John D. Solomon Whole Community Preparedness Award: Smyrna Emergency Management Agency (GA) and New York City Office of Emergency Management: Ready New York for Seniors (NY)

FEMA received more than 230 applications for the Individual and Community Preparedness Awards from public, private, tribal and nonprofit organizations as well as from individuals. Leadership from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the American Red Cross, Target and FEMA selected winners from among applicants from 43 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

The eleven recipients of FEMA’s Individual and Community Preparedness Awards will be recognized at a ceremony being held during National Preparedness Month in Washington, D.C. During the ceremony, recipients will share their perspectives, insights, experiences, success stories and lessons learned with fellow emergency management leaders.

More information on this year’s award recipients, along with details on the honorable mentions, is available at www.ready.gov/citizen-corps/citizen-corps-awards.

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FEMA Honors Achievement in Community Preparedness

FEMA Provides Federal Funding to Oregon Fire in Trinity County, California

OAKLAND, Calif. — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to assist the state of California combat the Oregon Fire currently burning in Trinity County.

On August 24, 2014, the State of California submitted a request for a fire management assistance declaration for the Oregon Fire and FEMA approved the State’s request on August 25, 2014. The authorization makes FEMA funding available to reimburse up to 75 percent of the eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling the fire.

At the time of the request, the fire was threatening 400 primary homes in and around Weaverville with a population of 1,000. Mandatory evacuations are taking place for approximately 375 people, and voluntary evacuations are taking place for approximately 375 people. The fire started on August 24, 2014, and has burned in excess of 650 acres of Federal, State,and private land.

The Disaster Relief Fund provides funding for Federal Fire Management Grants (FMAG’s) through FEMA to assist in fighting fires which threaten to cause major disasters. Eligible costs covered by FMAG’s can include expenses for field camps; equipment use; repair and replacement; tools; materials; and supplies and mobilization and demobilization activities.

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FEMA Provides Federal Funding to Oregon Fire in Trinity County, California

After Assault by Sandy, FEMA, State, Fund Model Mitigation Project for Passaic Valley Sewerage Authority

Eatontown, NJ — In October of 2012, storm surges caused by Hurricane Sandy rose from the waters of Newark Bay and engulfed the 152-acre Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission’s wastewater treatment facility.

Situated at water’s edge in an industrial area on Newark Bay, the sewage treatment plant lies just across the water from Jersey City and within sight of the New York skyline. Built in 1902, the facility was enlarged in 1924 and again in 1980, when secondary treatment capability was added. Today, it has an annual budget of $150 million, an employee base of approximately 600, and serves an estimated two million residents of New York and New Jersey.

The plant processes 25 percent of New Jersey’s waste and 15 percent of New York City’s. More than 1.4 million customers are on gravity feed, connected to PVSC via pipeline. Forty-eight communities feed into the system. The plant also processes waste that is delivered by truck, with some 200-300 trucks per day delivering to the facility. It is the fifth largest wastewater treatment facility in the nation.

With Hurricane Sandy bearing down on the Eastern United States, state officials and emergency managers in facilities up and down the coast began to take protective action.

“We were tasked with preparing for Sandy,” said Chris O’Shea, director of security and safety for PVSC. “But if you gave me a year, we couldn’t have prepared for it.”

The plant readied itself for Sandy as it had prepared for Irene and previous storms.

Plant workers installed covers to protect switchgears and other critical systems. PVSC prepared to deactivate some functions and evacuate the plant if flood waters infiltrated. Motor vehicles were moved to higher ground within the footprint of the plant

But flood waters rose swiftly, preventing facility workers from performing emergency actions such as de-energizing the system, which could have reduced damage and recovery times.

With Newark Bay on the east side of the plant, officials conducted a phased shutdown of operations on that side.

“As water began to encroach on the facility, we shut down 33 motor control centers throughout the plant.”

The flood waters followed the path of least resistance.

“It actually hit us from the west and then enveloped us,” O’Shea said.

“There was a 12-foot surge of water that enveloped us like a bathtub. It filled up all our infrastructure.”

Access roads were flooded; sewage treatment tanks were under water. Clarifying tanks, located in a basin with a height of 13 feet above grade, were overtopped by the surge.

Underground tunnels housing miles of critical infrastructure filled with contaminated salt water.

In the midst of the emergency, PVSC’s energy supplier, PSE&G, cut power to the facility, the largest energy consumer in New Jersey.

“We also lost power to all of the sump pump stations,” O’Shea noted. “PSE&G didn’t restore power until Thursday (Nov. 1, 2012).”

“There was no emergency power to keep sump pumps in action. There were no phones, no lights, no computers, and no internet. The Essex County Sheriff’s Dept. couldn’t raise us by phone so they sent a team here.”

The plant was inoperable. It would remain that way for 48 hours.

O’Shea said, “We actually shut our gates in order to prevent unprocessed waste from leaving the facility.”

But, faced with the threat of having millions of gallons of raw sewage back up into thousands of homes and commercial buildings in New York and New Jersey or having it discharge into the bay, the DEP ordered PVSC to open the gates and allow the untreated sewage to pass into the bay and on into New York Harbor.

Reacting to the emergency, NJ Governor Chris Christie contacted President Barack Obama, who directed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District, to remove the water from the facility.

“By Presidential decree, we became the Army Corps of Engineers No. 1 priority worldwide,” O’Shea said.

Getting the plant back on line was critical to preventing what Dan Sirkis, Geo Environmental Chief for USACE Philadelphia, called “a brewing environmental catastrophe.”

Between October 29 and November 3, almost 840 million gallons of untreated sewage flowed into Newark Bay. It was the largest spill ever recorded of any such facility in the New York and New Jersey region.

On November 3, workers succeeded in restoring primary wastewater treatment and disinfection capabilities.

But all was not back to normal.

Between Nov. 3 and November 16, when the facility’s secondary treatment operations came back on line, an estimated 3 billion gallons of partially treated sewage had been discharged.

It would be two weeks before the facility was able to restore the primary and secondary treatment capabilities critical to environmentally sound disposal.

The plant was not able to return to routine capacity until 45 days after the storm.

Many more months would pass before the plant was considered to be fully functional.

As critical as it was to bring the plant back on-line, it was abundantly clear to PVSC officials, the state and to the federal government that a catastrophe of this magnitude could never be allowed to happen again.

Mitigation – taking steps to protect the plant from a similar future disaster – was the second greatest priority.

In the aftermath of the storm, the massive task of assessing the damage, projecting the cost of repairs and exploring what funding resources were available to repair, rebuild and mitigate the facility began.

“The complex infrastructure repair projects that are undertaken after a disaster require committed partners to manage all phases of the project – from the initial damage assessment, to repair and mitigation of the damaged facilities and structures,” said Mary Goepfert, spokesman for the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management. “Being able to support the request for FEMA Public Assistance funding is one the most important steps in the process. NJOEM has been providing ongoing technical assistance to the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC) regarding their application for funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency for facilities recovery from Hurricane Sandy. NJOEM technical experts aided with the project formulation, funding application, FEMA review of the funding request and extensive work related to mitigation measures intended to reduce risk from future storms.”

Starting in March of 2013, plant officials and consultants met weekly with Federal Emergency Management Agency engineers and mitigation specialists, representatives from the state and other federal agencies to map out a plan for the repair and mitigation of the facility. “DEP was here. ACE was here. FEMA was embedded here,” said O’Shea, a retired Commanding Officer for the NJ State Police. “The transparency, the questions, the ability to pool all those resources…it was an opportunity for all these agencies to come together and come up with a fix from the beginning. I can say without hesitation, this worked well.”

The mitigation plan for the facility includes approximately 50 projects eligible for FEMA reimbursement and is expected to take 5 to 7 years to complete. “This has clearly been a complex and challenging project for all involved,” said FEMA NJ-SRO Director John Covell. “It required a team effort by commission officials, and a number of state and federal agencies to insure that the repair and mitigation plan was developed in a way that is environmentally sound and economically prudent. We believe this project will stand as a model for best practices in mitigation for many years to come.”

As the design phase of the project gets under way, temporary mitigation measures for the facility are being taken or are already in place.

To date, the plant has invested approximately $10 million of its own funds in repair and mitigation procedures, with their estimated total investment projected at $25 million.

FEMA has written 46 projects for the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission. Forty-two of the forty-six have been obligated, for a project total of $72,017,026.81 and an obligated amount of $64,815,324.14.

The remaining four projects are in review/pending award and represent a project total of $291,521,375.47 that includes major mitigation initiatives to prevent a recurrence in any future similar events.

The Environmental Assessment (EA) comment period for the projects ended July 17, 2014 and obligation of remaining project funds is anticipated by late summer.

The Passaic Valley project – the largest of its kind in the state – will endure as a model of effective mitigation planning, said O’Shea, a member of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security Water Sector Security Working Group.

As the largest sewerage treatment facility in the state, similar facilities in New Jersey are paying close attention to the mitigation measures PVSC is taking to prevent another storm from creating another disaster at PVSC. “They certainly look to us for Best Practices,” O’Shea said.

Workers are presently elevating high voltage cabling on poles that extend 27 feet into the air. Plant security and control systems are also being elevated. ‘Muscle walls”’ (flood barriers) have been installed around critical buildings. Emergency gates have been built at the plant’s head end and numerous other measures are being taken to protect the plant until a permanent flood wall is constructed.

Should there be another storm before those permanent fixes are accomplished, O’Shea said, “No-one is going to accept (the excuse) that we were waiting for the project to begin.

“Nothing could have prepared us for a storm like Sandy,” he continued. “What the system was never built to handle was 170 miles of the state being destroyed. We weren’t built to have a system in place that could cover us for an event like Sandy. We are dealing with a scope of disaster that is enormous. Two years out, this is enormous. Once was enough, that’s for sure.”

http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4086/updates/sandy-one-year-later

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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After Assault by Sandy, FEMA, State, Fund Model Mitigation Project for Passaic Valley Sewerage Authority

United Efforts in Circle Bring Completion to Home Repairs

ANCHORAGE, AK – The final six repairs to homes in Circle damaged as a result of last year’s spring breakup flooding along the Yukon River have been completed thanks to a united effort that included faith-based skilled volunteers, the State of Alaska and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

For more than six weeks, 27 Mennonite Disaster Service volunteers worked nearly 3,000 hours to complete the final repairs. Last summer, 27 Mennonite volunteers, three of whom returned to Circle this year, completed work on eight homes in the Interior Alaska community.

“I think the fact that MDS had been there in 2013 helped pave the way for us,” said Mennonite Disaster Service team leader Harold Miller. “We were not new to the community and the quality of our work had been established, so we just really only finished what had already been started.”

Circle’s First Chief Jessica Boyle and Second Chief Tanya Carrol welcomed the rebuilding help.

“I think the Mennonites are the best thing that’s happened to this community since the flood,” Boyle said. “I don’t think a lot of people’s homes would have gotten repaired if they were not involved. They are master carpenters. These guys are craftsmen and they did more than I ever expected.”

According to Miller, the MDS mission is to restore hope. Miller said it took volunteers along with FEMA and the State of Alaska to make it happen in Circle.

Unlike other communities affected by the 2013 floods which are only accessible by air or barge, a 160-mile-long road connects Circle with Fairbanks. This allowed FEMA to transport construction supplies, equipment and other materials directly to the area. The state and FEMA also arranged for local lodging and in-state air travel for the volunteers.

“It was a real pleasure working with FEMA and the State of Alaska to get the needed materials and having them arrive in a timely manner,” Miller said. “I sincerely hope that any future disasters bring together the same partnerships to provide healing to those families whose homes have been damaged.”

In addition to leaving behind habitable homes for survivors, the Mennonites also left behind a reminder of the friendships made and the mission that brought them to the small, self-reliant community of about 90 people, primarily Athabascan Natives. The Mennonites presented homeowners and the community with a collection of handmade quilts symbolizing the unity of effort that came together in Circle.

Photos from Circle are available on the FEMA Multimedia Library at http://www.fema.gov/media-library. A video by FEMA videographer Adam DuBrowa on Mennonite Disaster Service volunteers in Circle is available on the FEMA Multimedia Library or link to the following for this news release: https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/97269

For more information on the Mennonite Disaster Service, please visit http://www.mds.mennonite.net/home/.

This article is from:

United Efforts in Circle Bring Completion to Home Repairs

Federal Aid Programs for the State of Washington Declaration

Main Content

Release date:

August 12, 2014

Release Number:

HQ-14-062-FactSheet

Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Obama’s disaster declaration issued for the State of Washington.

Assistance for the State, Tribal and Affected Local Governments Can Include as Required:

Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, taken to save lives and protect property and public health. Emergency protective measures assistance is available to state, tribal and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis. (Source: FEMA funded, state administered.)
Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for repairing or replacing damaged public facilities, such as roads, bridges, utilities, buildings, schools, recreational areas and similar publicly owned property, as well as certain private non-profit organizations engaged in community service activities. (Source: FEMA funded, state administered.)
Payment of not more than 75 percent of the approved costs for hazard mitigation projects undertaken by state, tribal and local governments to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural or technological disasters. (Source: FEMA funded, state administered.)

How to Apply for Assistance:

Application procedures for state, tribal and local governments will be explained at a series of federal/state applicant briefings with locations to be announced in the affected area by recovery officials. Approved public repair projects are paid through the state from funding provided by FEMA and other participating federal agencies.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders and 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.

Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts available at www.fema.gov/medialibrary and www.youtube.com/fema; follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fema and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fema.

Last Updated:

August 12, 2014 – 10:35

State/Tribal Government or Region:

Washington

Related Disaster:

Washington Wildfires

See more here:

Federal Aid Programs for the State of Washington Declaration

Ten Years Later: Remembering Hurricane Charley

ATLANTA—Ten years ago, Hurricane Charley’s arrival on the Florida shore kicked off an unusual string of four devastating hurricanes that hit the state within seven weeks. Florida was the first state to be struck by four hurricanes in one season since Texas in 1886.

Hurricane Charley, first of the four in 2004, is remembered for its wind speed and force. Hurricanes Frances, Ivan and Jeanne bore their own distinct characteristics: Jeanne rambled across the state causing near-record flooding; Ivan was the most powerful; and Frances caused the most widespread destruction because of the 23 tornadoes it spawned.

Tropical Storm Bonnie struck south of Apalachicola hours before Charley made landfall, the first time a state had been directly affected by two tropical cyclones on the same day.

Fast-moving Charley landed on Florida’s west coast and hit Punta Gorda on Friday, the 13^th. Charley had peak winds of 150 mph as it came ashore, and sped through Orlando and across the state with wind gusts in excess of 106 mph.

Power outages lasted days, and in some cases, weeks. Many Floridians lost the roofs of their homes due to Charley’s powerful winds.

At the time, Charley was the strongest storm to strike Florida since Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and it left behind an estimated $15 billion in damage.

In the immediate aftermath of Charley, the American Red Cross sheltered 100,000 survivors. Some 3,800 patients received treatment from FEMA Disaster Medical Assistance Teams—rapid response teams of professional and para-professional medical personnel.

Following Hurricane Charley, FEMA provided:

$209 million to 116,789 applicants through the Individuals and Households Program. This included nearly $92 million to pay for lodging expenses, rental assistance, and minor home repairs;
More than $344 million to provide manufactured housing where insufficient housing resources were available to survivors;
Nearly $18 million for Disaster Unemployment Assistance to help people who were otherwise ineligible for unemployment compensation, such as farmers and self-employed individuals out of work as a result of the disaster; and
Nearly $5.3 million for crisis counseling.
FEMA also provided $609 million for the repair or replacement of public infrastructure and public utilities, including public parks, and some private nonprofit groups and emergency protective measures. Of this amount, $288 million helped cover the costs of removing 18 million cubic yards of debris scattered by Charley.
So far, FEMA has provided more than $81 million in funding for projects to help reduce damage from future storms. More funding may be forthcoming as FEMA continues to partner with the State of Florida on recovery from Charley.

The U.S. Small Business Administration provided:

Nearly $308 million in low-interest disaster loans to renters and owners of 11,287 homes;
Nearly $199 million to more than 2,141 businesses.

Hurricane Charley brought long term power outages and wind damage. Take time now, before the next storm, to check your roof for any necessary repairs and have emergency tarps to cover roof damage or to protect personal belongings. FEMA has developed a series of publications to help you protect your property from high winds. You can find them here. Batteries and other emergency lighting supplies belong in everyone’s emergency kit. You can also find a useful guide to preparing for hurricanes at FEMA’s America’s PrepareAthon!

“Each storm teaches a lesson,” said FEMA Region IV Acting Regional Administrator Andrew Velasquez III. “When the people who live and work in hurricane-prone areas apply those lessons to prepare for future storms, they strengthen their resiliency.”

After you’ve taken steps to prepare your home, inspire others: share your plan and how you prepared with a friend or neighbor.

Visit www.ready.gov or www.listo.gov for more information about how you and your family can be better prepared for the next disaster.

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Source article:

Ten Years Later: Remembering Hurricane Charley

Federal funds authorized to help fight Oregon Gulch Fire

August 2, 2014
News Release

Federal funds authorized to help fight Oregon Gulch Fire

Seattle, WA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Oregon Gulch Fire, burning in Jackson and Klamath Counties, Oregon.

FEMA Region X Regional Administrator, Kenneth D. Murphy determined that the Oregon Gulch Fire threatened such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. Murphy approved the state’s request for federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) on August 1, 2014 at 6:43 p.m. PDT.

On August 1, 2014, the State of Oregon submitted a request for a fire management assistance declaration for the Oregon Gulch Fire, burning in Jackson and Klamath Counties. At the time of the request, 123 homes were threatened and about 40 people had evacuated the area. Two major power transmission lines from a hydroelectric facility had been destroyed and a third transmission line was threatened. The fire was also threatening the municipal watershed area, the Pinehurst municipal airport and an elementary school. The fire started on July 31, 2014, and has fire has burned approximately 11,000 acres of Federal and private land. The Firefighting resources committed to the incident include fire crews, structural engines, helicopters, air tankers, dozers and two teams of National Guard forces. Federal Principal Advisor confirmed the threat to homes and power transmission lines. The fire is at zero percent containment.

The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of Oregon State’s eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires. These grants provide reimbursement for firefighting and life-saving efforts. They do not provide assistance to individuals, homeowners or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.

Fire Management Assistance Grants are provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies.

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Federal funds authorized to help fight Oregon Gulch Fire

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