What Local Emergency Managers Find Out Too Late about Mitigation Plans

1. What Local Emergency Managers Find Out Too Late aboutMitigation Plans FEMA Higher Education Conference 2011 Dr. Thomas D. Phelan, Director Emergency & Disaster Management & Fire Science School of Public Safety and Health American Public University System tphelan@apus.edu

2. Preface • Mitigation planning is funded by FEMA, making it highly attractive to local jurisdictions. Most states provide ample assistance in administering the funding and providing some technical support. What local emergency managers learn too late in the process is the degree of detail required and the level of participation required by local jurisdictions who must participate in the planning process of a multi-jurisdictional all-hazards mitigation plan. Can we do more to teach mitigation planning skills in our college programs? In this session, the sub-skills will be identified and experiences shared by participants.

3. Course Content • We teach: • The laws pertaining to mitigation funding • DMA2000 and its updates • Interim Final Rule, Title 44, Chapter 1, Part 201 (44 CFR Part 201) • The value of mitigation • $4.00 saved for each $1.00 invested • The tools for mitigation planning • Basic such as writing, speaking, facilitating

4. Sub-Skills of Mitigation Planning:Content from the Field • Contracting with the State • GIS/HAZUS-MH/ESRI • Gaining 100% Local Participation • Specifics of Strategies • Integration with Local Plans and Ordinances • Public Participation

5. Risk MAPMapping, Assessment, Planninghttp://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/fhm/rm_main.shtm

6. Points to Ponder • The Crosswalk • FIRM Maps and HAZUS-MH • Total Participation by all Jurisdictions • No Funds Distributed Until the Plan is Completed • A “Draft” is the FEMA term for “Completed Plan” • FEMA Approval Takes Longer than Expected

7. The Crosswalk • A Crosswalk is an instrument used by the state to review a draft plan. • It is highly detailed. • Ask for a sample copy of a completed Crosswalk from your state agency at the start of the planning process.

8. Bacon, R. (2011). The Disaster Management Act of 2000: EDMG515 Research Paper. American Public University.

9. Bacon, R. (2011). The Disaster Management Act of 2000: EDMG515 Research Paper. American Public University.

10. FIRM Maps and HAZUS-MH • FIRM maps can be outdated or unavailable for certain rural counties. • They can be illegible and of little assistance. • HAZUS-MH is free from FEMA. • The tools to use it are NOT free. • It is a huge application with 600Mb patches. • You need ESRI to use it. • It will not work on a Vista platform.

11. Total Participation • In New York, we were told that mitigation strategies MUST be submitted by all participating jurisdictions (30 in some cases). • A Proxy will not substitute for participation. • A representative Mitigation Task Force will not be a substitute for local participation. • You should be cautioned NOT to use a sample list of strategies from a previously approved plan.

12. Clearly define how each municipality participated in the plan development, i.e. meetings representatives attended, deliverables each municipality met, etc…

13. Fund Distribution • Grant funds will not be distributed to the county or local jurisdiction until a “DRAFT” plan has been approved. • The local jurisdiction may have to fund the plan development for up to two years before any FEMA funds become available.

14. Draft • FEMA uses the term “Draft” to describe any stage of the plan until it has been both approved by FEMA and adopted by all participating jurisdictions. • Funds may not be distributed until a “Draft” plan has been approved. • Be prepared to fund plan development for a long time.

15. FEMA Approval • In my experience, FEMA approval has taken more than 12 months. • Be prepared for a long wait for FEMA approval and fund distribution.

16. Questions