WINDSOR, Conn. – Connecticut home builders and skilled do-it-yourselfers undertaking repair and rebuilding projects in the wake of Hurricane Sandy can get detailed guidance from free, comprehensive publications offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

FEMA’s Coastal Construction Manual outlines best practices for planning, siting, designing, constructing and maintaining homes in coastal environments.

• Volume I provides information about hazard identification, siting decisions, regulatory requirements, economic implications and risk management. Volume I is primarily intended for design professionals, local officials and those involved in the project decision-making process.
• Volume II contains in-depth descriptions of design, construction and maintenance practices to increase the durability of residential buildings in the coastal environment and reduce economic losses associated with coastal natural disasters like Sandy. Volume II is aimed at design professionals who are familiar with building codes and standards and have a basic understanding of engineering principles.

The Coastal Construction Manual is available to download for free from FEMA’s online publication library at http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?fromSearch=fromsearch&id=1671.

Also available is the Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction – Technical Fact Sheet Series, which can be downloaded at http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=2138.

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 800-621-3362. For TTY, call 800-462-7585.

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.