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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: A Safe Place to Call Home
"The residents of the Bay View Heights community in Dunn Wisconsin now have one less thing to worry about if a tornado strikes, thanks to a safe room constructed in their community in 2009. The safe room is designed to withstand wind speeds up to 250 mph and can temporarily hold over 400 people. Built with 12-inch- thick walls, the safe room offers a place of protection during a tornado, for residents of Dane County who would otherwise be left to fend for themselves. Before the safe room was constructed, residents were forced to try to flee the area and find shelter in neighboring towns or to brave it out in their manufactured homes. The planning for the safe room did not happen overnight; it took years of work, patience and motivation. Cathy Hasslinger, Town of Dunn Clerk Treasurer, was an advocate for building the safe room long before its existence, 'The Town of Dunn identified this as a need, and the county identified this as a need, and we spent an awfully long time; over a decade working on all the possible solutions.' The safe room project planning started over 15 years ago, when a number of tornados hit the Dane County area and came within a half mile of the Bay View homes twice. It was then that others began to understand the importance of this project."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Harris County, Texas Uses Hazus-Multi Hazard for Risk Assessment & Hurricane Preparedness
"Harris County, Texas is the latest in a growing number of urban counties that has used Hazus-Multi Hazard (Hazus-MH) for risk assessment and preparedness planning. In 2005, the county enlisted the support of CivilTech Engineering, a FEMA authorized Hazus vendor for flood and hurricane models, to assess the risk to flood and hurricane hazards. Harris County has a population approaching four million, encompasses 1,746 square miles, and is frequently subjected to damaging winds and flooding. Harris County was in a unique position to initiate a Risk Assessment Program using Hazus-MH in 2005. The Tropical Storm Alison Recovery Project (TSARP) provided up-to-date hydrologic and hydraulic data and new mapping tools. In addition, the County's unique relationship with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provided extensive economic and risk assessment data from multiple completed and ongoing federal flood reduction projects. In summary, the County already paid for extensive data collection and data generation for other projects which it now was able to applying to Hazus-MH to a Risk Assessment Program. CivilTech worked with the County to develop a Phase 1 project that would test the capabilities of Hazus-MH. In Phase of the Harris County Risk Assessment Project, a basic Hazus-MH Level 1 analysis using the Hurricane Wind and Flood modules was run for the entire county to familiarize personnel with the program and provide a useful product that could be immediately used. This was among the largest applications to date of the Hazus-MH program."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Adhering to Floodplain Management Practices Saves Business
"As a local business owner in Estes Park watched flood waters inundate nearby homes and businesses in September, he was grateful he followed the advice of the local floodplain manager and the director of community development - to elevate and to add at least one and a half to two feet of freeboard. Freeboard is the amount of watertight surface between a given water level and the lowest possible entry point during flooding. 'I listened to them,' said Bret Freedman, broker/owner of Estes Valley 8z Real Estate. 'All of that stuff was new to me and it sounded very expensive. I didn't really want to do it. But my wife Jan said, 'You either have to put your trust in this town or get out.' So I listened to her.' Will Birchfield, floodplain manager in Estes Park, said, 'I recall Bret was pretty upset at the time. The town has no freeboard requirements,' said Birchfield. 'However, we do recommend that structures be built to exceed our base flood elevation of 7,548.6 feet above sea level by at least one and a half feet.' Freedman's wife Jan designed the building. He took the plans to a local builder who informed him that building the kind of structure that he had always dreamed of owning was going to be a challenge because of its proposed proximity to the Big Thompson River. Freedman met with an engineer to determine what needed to be done to fulfill the construction requirements. An elevation certificate was secured that documents the building's elevation."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Keeping the Highway Safe
"The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has been faced with some serious challenges since the June 2012 Waldo Canyon Fire in El Paso County. The catastrophic fire burned over 18,000 acres of vegetation leaving a burn scar that does not absorb water. Because of the burn scar, CDOT officials have been concerned about frequent rain storms that cause debris runoff. This runoff can result in floodwaters flowing over stretches of U.S. Highway 24 through Waldo Canyon. This overflowing can quickly turn into a catastrophic event. Traffic on U.S. Highway 24 averages 25,000 vehicles per day between west Manitou Springs and Cascade, four miles to the northwest. This roadway is a key transportation corridor between Colorado Springs and communities nestled throughout the Front Range. This problem was demonstrated on July 9, 2012, when a mudslide crossed Highway 24 just west of Cascade after an afternoon rainstorm in the region. It sent charred logs, mud, rocks, and ash to the roadway. CDOT quickly closed one lane of the road each way. 'For the safety of the motorist we have had to close the highways due to sediment and other debris on the road,' said Dave Watt, resident Engineer for the Department of Transportation. 'The closing of Highway 24 affects motorists, commuters, gamblers, and tourists, along with local business owners and civic leaders.'"
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Alleviating Flooding in the Park Hill Drainage Basin
"Frequent flooding was no stranger to the Park Hill drainage basin in northeast Denver. The basin includes a mix of industrial, commercial, and residential properties. At least 716 structures were affected by urban flooding within the basin, including a critical infrastructure (police station) until mitigation measures were initiated. 'The city of Denver decided to construct a detention pond that would manage storm water, up to the five-year storm event,' said Saeed Farahmandi, senior storm drainage engineer for the Department of Public Works, Wastewater Management Division. 'This project was the most cost effective measure to minimize flooding in that area.' Before mitigation, the Park Hill drainage basin experienced frequent flooding due to inadequate storm sewer drains and no regional detention facilities within the 7.7 square mile basin. In 2005, the city and county of Denver applied for a grant under the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) pre-disaster mitigation (PDM) grant program. The PDM grant program is an annual competitive grant offered through statutory allocations. Almost every project type eligible for funding under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) is also eligible under PDM. However, initiative projects, code enforcement and advance assistance are not allowed under this program. The city and county of Denver were awarded the PDM grant funding for the project that totaled $3 million. The project included using a seven-acre site dominated by abandoned buildings that was owned by Denver. The site was cleared and excavated to provide approximately 35 acre-feet of regional detention storage. Existing storm drain pipes were connected to the pond and an outlet was constructed."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Hurricane Straps Save a Roof
"The weekend of April 26-27, 2014, gave Beverly Thomas and her husband, Bob Herring mixed blessings. Bob had just gotten out of the hospital on that Saturday and they were celebrating his birthday at a friend's house on Sunday evening when a tornado hit central Arkansas. They were not at their house when the tornado ravaged the cities of Vilonia and Mayflower, but they raced home when they heard about the storm. Their dachshund, Jackie Sue, had ridden the storm out alone as the wind barreled around and through the house, and remained unharmed. Inside the house, the winds had pulled kitchen cabinets from the wall, blown out all but two windows and torn bedroom doors off their hinges. Outside, the storm leveled their shed, wrecked two trucks, and did about $5,000 in damage to the enclosed porch where they often entertained. The storm's fierce winds had ripped the siding off the two-year-old, $90,000 house and had torn away 90 percent of the roof's shingles. Nevertheless, the damage could have been far worse. The roof itself remained intact, thanks to the hurricane straps bolted onto each thick rafter and reinforced steel rods supporting the walls. When they decided to build their home, they had turned to a North Carolina builder familiar with the use of straps and clips. The builder's experience in constructing homes strong enough to withstand hurricane force winds is exactly what Beverly and Bob wanted for their new home."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Risk MAP Success Story: The Herbert Hoover Dike Presented a Unique Challenge; FEMA Responded With a Unique Solution
"The Herbert Hoover Dike, which surrounds Lake Okeechobee in South Florida, could not be accredited to protect against the 1% annual chance flood event by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Portions of five counties surrounding the lake - Glades, Hendry, Martin, Okeechobee, and Palm Beach - would be mapped into a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) as a result. […] Before completing the Flood Insurance Study updates for the counties around Lake Okeechobee, FEMA Project Manager Mark Vieira proactively reached out to both the USACE and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) to obtain their latest modeling. At that time it was discovered that the USACE was updating their two dimensional model for the Herbert Hoover Dike. FEMA put all five countywide studies on hold so that the new modeling results could be used in a comprehensive statistical analysis to determine the 1% annual chance flood event. […] The initial benefit of coordination with the USACE and SFWMD was multiple government agencies using the same model and information. But the real impact of this effort was through public outreach - how would FEMA help the counties and communities around Lake Okeechobee explain the SFHA changes to their citizens?"
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Community Rating System Users Group - FAST
"The Floodplain Awareness Success in Texas (FAST) Community Rating System (CRS) users group is based in Houston, Texas and is made up of CRS communities that meet on a monthly basis to share ideas and best practices, learn new approaches to successful floodplain management, stay current on CRS trends, learn about available resources, and network with other communities. FAST communities are mostly from Harris County and Galveston County; however, other cities in the state have participated either by attending meetings in person or via a call-in line. The National Flood Insurance Program's (NFIP) CRS is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum NFIP requirements. As a result, flood insurance premium rates are discounted to reflect the reduced flood risk resulting from the community actions meeting the three goals of the CRS: 1. Reduce flood damage to insurable property; 2. Strengthen and support the insurance aspects of the NFIP, and 3. Encourage a comprehensive approach to floodplain management."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Left Hand Creek Project Shrinks Flood Plain
"During September 2013, the state of Colorado was hit hard by catastrophic flooding that impacted many cities. Lives were lost, property was damaged, and many structures were completely destroyed. Longmont, located less than 40 miles from metropolitan Denver, was one of the hardest hit cities. Luckily, only months before, the city had completed a mitigation project known as the Left Hand Creek Flood Control Project. This mitigation effort helped reduce the amount of damage to property and protected the majority of area residents from danger. Left Hand Creek meanders through Longmont and has a history of flooding in the city's Southmoor Park neighborhood whenever rainfall exceeded levels of only a 20-year storm. The creek channel was not large enough to carry additional water and bridges were subject to being washed out. Stormwater would overflow the channel and flood approximately 200 neighborhood homes. This repetitive result created a need for upgrading the channel and bridges so they would stand up to water flows from 100-year storms. The goal of the Left Hand Creek Project was to reduce the mapped floodplain so most of the homes in Southmoor Park would not be affected. Upgrading bridges and channel capacity would keep storm water in the channel and away from the homes in the neighborhood. The project was multi-faceted. The South Pratt Parkway Bridge was replaced, bridge structures were added at Main Street, the Left Hand Creek channel was enlarged between Main Street and South Pratt Parkway, the channel on the north side of Pike Avenue was improved, and the bike path to cross under South Pratt Parkway was reconstructed."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Mitigation Alleviates Economic Impact of Flooding at Airport
"The existing crossing at Coal Creek, located at Erie Municipal Airport (EMA), was in desperate need of repair and unable to withstand an annual storm event. The city replaced the culvert through a grant funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program (PDM). The culvert system consists of two parallel precast reinforced concrete box culverts, each measuring approximately ten feet in height and twenty feet in width. The ends of both culvert sides were anchored and poured in concrete wing walls approximately 30 feet long and tapered to meet the creek bank. The new system was in place during the September 12, 2013, flood disaster that devastated the state of Colorado. The airport was able to operate during the event, since Coal Creek Crossing was not overwhelmed by the rushing flood waters. The project was initiated on December 12, 2008, and completed on June 6, 2011. The total cost of the project was $417,082.85. PDM pays up to 75 percent of approved projects that will prevent or reduce damage from storms and other natural hazards. PDM funds are designed to assist state and local communities with implementing long-term mitigation measures. EMA is owned by the town of Erie and is strategically located in the Denver-Boulder Metropolitan Area on Colorado Highway 7, three miles west of Interstate 25. The culvert system connects the airport's 4,700-foot-long paved runway to several maintenance facilities. Damages from the annual flood events had deteriorated Coal Creek Crossing to the point that significant repairs were required to keep it operational."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Land Use Ordinance Protects Buildings in Estes Park
"Estes Park adopted a land use ordinance to protect Estes Valley stream and river corridors. This ordinance clearly defines the boundaries at which structures should be set back to promote, preserve, and enhance the important hydrologic, biological, ecological, aesthetic, recreational, and educational functions that stream and river corridors and their associated riparian areas and wetlands provide. Adhering to this ordinance protected many buildings in Estes Park during the September 2013 catastrophic flood event. 'For new construction, we have an ordinance which states that all buildings and accessory structures shall be set back at least 30 feet from the annual high-water mark of stream corridors, or if not readily discernible, from the defined bank of the stream,' said Will Birchfield, local floodplain administrator. 'With regard to rivers, all buildings must be set back at least 50 feet from the annual high-water mark of river corridors.' In the downtown area, all buildings and accessory structures in the Community Development (CD) district have to be set back at least 20 feet from the annual high-water mark of river corridors. Where a principal building in the CD district provides public access, the setback may be reduced to 10 feet. Setbacks were also addressed for parking lots. Except in the CD zoning district, parking lots must be set back at least 50 feet, and in the CD district, at least 12 feet from the defined bank of the river or stream. Located along the Big Thompson River, Estes Park, a small town and popular summer resort, received a large portion of the flash floods that wreaked havoc on the state of Colorado in September 2013."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Water Pumps Mitigate Simonton's Flood Problem
"As floodwaters ravaged the state of Texas during Memorial Day weekend 2015, the water pumps in Simonton were hard at work protecting the city. The city of Simonton in Fort Bend County, Texas, had been plagued by flooding in the past, but escaped the flood waters of the Brazos River during this recent event largely because of its drainage pumps. Simonton is a community of just over 800 people located some 25 miles west of Houston, Texas, and one mile east of the Brazos River. It is a relatively new city established in 1957 and incorporated in 1979. However, since its origin, the city has been plagued by repeated flooding due to its location in the 100 year floodplain of the Brazos River."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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2012 Assistance to Firefighters Grants Self Evaluation Sheet: Operations & Safety
"This Self Evaluation Sheet has been developed to help you understand the criteria that you must address in your Narrative
Statement when applying for the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG). The Panel Reviewers will review all the criteria in the
Narrative Statement and assess the degree to which your proposal best describes your community risks, the requirements you
have listed that will r'educe those risks' and how your project(s) align with the AFG Program priorities."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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2012 Assistance to Firefighters Grants Self Evaluation Sheet: Vehicle Acquisition
"This Self Evaluation Sheet has been developed to help you understand the criteria that you must address in your Narrative
Statement when applying for the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG). The Panel Reviewers will review all the criteria in the
Narrative Statement and assess the degree to which your proposal best describes your community risks, the requirements you
have listed that will reduce those risks and how your project(s) align with the AFG Program priorities."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Homes are High and Dry Protection from Verde's Floodwaters
"Arizona's Verde River showed its dangerous side by flooding four times during the winter of 2004-2005. But for the most part, the Cottonwood homeowners along Comanche Drive with front-row views of the river escaped serious damage. Under a Yavapai County requirement, homes built in the Verde's floodplain must be elevated at least one foot above the base-flood level. Although the rising water entered some of the lower-level crawlspaces, no flooding was reported in the living areas of these homes. The recent flooding -- the worst since 1993 -- proved to be a lesson for those who wondered whether elevating a home was worth the bother and expense. Before the recent severe winter weather, some homeowners had questioned the need for elevation." This and other individual FEMA Best Practices documents are also combined in 'Mitigation Best Practices: Public and Private Sector Best Practice Stories for All Activity/Project Types in All States and Territories Relating to All Hazards [August 10, 2011],' which can be accessed at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=683132]
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: HIHUG Hawaii HAZUS Atlas
"To help Hawaii's disaster managers better prepare for and respond to potentially devastating earthquakes, the Pacific Disaster Center (PDC)--in collaboration with Hawaii State Civil Defense and the Hawaii State Earthquake Advisory Committee (HSEAC)--has created the Hawaii HAZUS Atlas (HHA). The PDC formally unveiled the HHA at the HSEAC-sponsored workshop, Estimated Earthquake Losses for Hawaii County. Over 100 participants attended the event in Hilo, including Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim. Stakeholders from emergency management and planning communities identified several potential applications of the HHA, ranging from assisting emergency response operations to supporting future exercises." This and other individual FEMA Best Practices documents are also combined in 'Mitigation Best Practices: Public and Private Sector Best Practice Stories for All Activity/Project Types in All States and Territories Relating to All Hazards [August 10, 2011],' which can be accessed at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=683132]
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Floodprone Structures Acquisitions Becomes Park Area
"Floods have devastated the City of Tulsa many times, an average of about once every 5 years. Through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Program, the City has taken measures to mitigate against these costly floods. The City has also taken measures to increase public awareness and support of flood mitigation via the production of videos and publications. Through HMGP funding, the City of Tulsa acquired 17 repetitive loss structures. An additional five structures were acquired under the FMA program. These structures were among the 100 repetitive loss structures addressed in the City's Master Drainage Plan. As a result of the acquisition, all acquired homes were demolished and the land was reverted to a park area and water detention site." This and other individual FEMA Best Practices documents are also combined in 'Mitigation Best Practices: Public and Private Sector Best Practice Stories for All Activity/Project Types in All States and Territories Relating to All Hazards [August 10, 2011],' which can be accessed at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=683132]
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Home Elevation Proved Successful After Tropical Storm Isabel
"Ray and Caroline Warehime bought their waterfront property in the early 1990s with the plan of building a home for relaxation and future retirement. As they spent more time on the property and began to develop their building plans, they became acquainted with Nick Lyons, the Building Codes Administrator for Dorchester County. Through Lyons, they learned about the hazards that the location was at high risk for, notably hurricanes and flood. As a result, they made the informed decision to build to FEMA hurricane standards. Building of the house began in 1993 and was completed in 1998. Ray Warehime designed the building, and together with Lyons monitored the building process step by step to insure that recommended codes and standards were incorporated correctly. The footer was sunk into the ground and the building was elevated 4 feet up (six cinderblocks above ground) above the base flood elevation (BFE). The foundation is bolted to the footer, threaded rods are through each block, fastened to steel plates, fastened to studs and the roof trusses secured with hurricane ties and clips. Warehime chose to use plywood for the siding rather than particleboard. The siding is nailed every twelve inches, which creates a stronger resistance to wind and pressure. Additionally, the roof is strapped to the foundation at all corners. " This and other individual FEMA Best Practices documents are also combined in 'Mitigation Best Practices: Public and Private Sector Best Practice Stories for All Activity/Project Types in All States and Territories Relating to All Hazards [August 10, 2011],' which can be accessed at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=683132]
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Mitigation Education and Outreach North Carolina State Fair
"A problem with mitigating natural disasters is knowing what threats are most likely and what can be done to protect against them. Another problem is thinking, 'Disasters only happen to other people. It won't happen to me.' Throughout the 1990s, US taxpayers spent $25 billion fighting disasters. Insurance companies spent $106 billion over and above that in 1990s catastrophes, plus another $6.6 billion were paid through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), private companies uncounted billions above that figure, and private individuals even more beyond that. After Hurricane Isabel went through North Carolina, mitigation specialists reached out to the public with information on making their homes and businesses safer. They found many people hungry for information. Specialists set up information booths and passed out literature at the North Carolina State Fair, and at Lowe's Home Improvement Centers in the communities of Washington and Elizabeth City." This and other individual FEMA Best Practices documents are also combined in 'Mitigation Best Practices: Public and Private Sector Best Practice Stories for All Activity/Project Types in All States and Territories Relating to All Hazards [August 10, 2011],' which can be accessed at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=683132]
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Community Park Prevents Damage Acquisitions Prevent Future Flood Damage
"After 34 homes on the west side of the Skagit River, opposite downtown Mount Vernon, were severely damaged in the 1996 floods, city officials concluded it was time to take aggressive steps to prevent this kind of damage in the future. In partnership with the Washington State Division of Emergency Management and FEMA, the City of Mount Vernon acquired 34 flood-prone properties. The designated houses were then demolished (or moved), and the entire site was combined to form an enlarged community park." This and other individual FEMA Best Practices documents are also combined in 'Mitigation Best Practices: Public and Private Sector Best Practice Stories for All Activity/Project Types in All States and Territories Relating to All Hazards [August 10, 2011],' which can be accessed at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=683132]
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Public School Retrofit Program Efforts Prompted By Parents and Staff
"It was April 29, 1965, when the last major earthquake struck western Washington State. While aware of the possibility of another event, locals had been lax in their efforts to take action. With population growth over the years, and the building of more schools in the Lake Washington School District, parents and district staff members began vocalizing their concern about the risk of earthquake and what would happen to their children in such an event. In early 1992, local engineers assessed the safety of the school buildings. Since schools did not have a lot of money, local funds would be used, and a plan was developed. The plan would determine the cost to complete structural and non-structural projects for seismic retrofit." This and other individual FEMA Best Practices documents are also combined in 'Mitigation Best Practices: Public and Private Sector Best Practice Stories for All Activity/Project Types in All States and Territories Relating to All Hazards [August 10, 2011],' which can be accessed at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=683132]
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Police Department Seismic Retrofit Strengthening A Critical Facility
"Early in the 1990s, the City of Seattle, Washington, decided to do an overall survey to determine the weaknesses and integrity of several older buildings. One of the worst identified was a police station that had been built in 1926, and purchased as is by the city in 1985 with an appraisal value of $2.3 million. A project to strengthen and seismically retrofit the building began in August of 1995 and was completed in January of 1998. Capital Improvement funds paid for the approximate $957,000 retrofit program. Diagonal bracing was done on the east and north walls of the basement and the first and second floor. One major brace was run through the middle of the building while extra members were strategically placed throughout each floor. Certain walls were reinforced with fiberglass and epoxy. In the basement, micro piles were driven into the footings, and additional diagonal and vertical braces were installed to carry." This and other individual FEMA Best Practices documents are also combined in 'Mitigation Best Practices: Public and Private Sector Best Practice Stories for All Activity/Project Types in All States and Territories Relating to All Hazards [August 10, 2011],' which can be accessed at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=683132]
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Food Mitigation Project Protects Bidwell Paiute Tribal Reservation
"Annually, the Bidwell Paiute Tribe experienced damage to their reservation from heavy storms. Their outdated dam and gutters were ill-equipped to handle the heavy amounts of rain. As a result, heavy runoffs caused serious erosion damage, especially to the earthen dam upstream from the community. The dam holds a water volume of 450,000 cubic feet and houses a hydroelectric system and generator. Damage often occurs to these systems from the rainfall. The effects of the erosion disrupt supply lines and access roads. The leadership of the Tribal Council applied for and received a grant from FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to mitigate the problem areas. Phase I of the project was to place a concrete gutter along the southern portion of the Dam Road and eastern portion of Penstock Road (downstream) to carry storm runoff down a 24-inch culvert to Soldier Creek. In Phase II, the hydroelectric water supply pipe, which had collapsed into Soldier Creek, was buried further downstream. In addition, a timber-retaining wall was built with compacted stone behind it. The earthen ditches on the east and west sides of Dam Road were renovated with either concrete lining or corrugated metal pipes." This and other individual FEMA Best Practices documents are also combined in 'Mitigation Best Practices: Public and Private Sector Best Practice Stories for All Activity/Project Types in All States and Territories Relating to All Hazards [August 10, 2011],' which can be accessed at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=683132]
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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ICS CYBERSECURITY FOR THE C-LEVEL
"Cyber threats against Industrial Control Systems (ICS)
continue to increase in intensity, frequency, and
complexity. Yet, basic cybersecurity practices within
many ICS organizations continue to be an afterthought
or significantly less than needed. This document was
developed as a tool to help facilitate the
communication of strong, basic cybersecurity
principles to the leadership of ICS organizations.
Through conversation with various stakeholders, the
need for a document that conveys concise
cybersecurity concepts and strategies to organizational
leadership became apparent. Thus, the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Industrial
Control System Cyber Emergency Response Team
(ICS-CERT), with direction from the Industrial
Control System Joint Working Group (ICSJWG),
developed this document to support communication
and improve cybersecurity practices across the
Nation's critical infrastructure (CI)."
United States. Department of Homeland Security
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U.S. Department of State: International Religious Freedom Report [website]
This webpage contains all annual reports of the U.S. Department of State's International Religious Freedom project. From the U.S. Department of State website: "The annual Report to Congress on International Religious Freedom -- the International Religious Freedom Report -- describes the status of religious freedom in every country. The report covers government policies violating religious belief and practices of groups, religious denominations and individuals, and U.S. policies to promote religious freedom around the world. The U.S. Department of State submits the reports in accordance with the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998." Users can access individual Country Reports and various Appendices to be downloaded separately.
United States. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Raising Hope While Lowering Costs
"Tom Paino is an architect with a New York City agency. He is also the owner of two side-by-side brownstones in the Queens neighborhood of Long Island City. Built in 1903, the three-story brownstones are located two blocks from the East River in the middle of a densely populated residential neighborhood. Paino has lived in one of the brownstones since purchasing it in 1995. The other unit was purchased in 2010 and has remained unoccupied, as the previous tenants left the unit in extremely poor condition. To make the unit livable, Paino knew it would require a significant refurbishment. Approximately five years ago, however, the flood hazard maps for the area were revised by the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and Paino's neighborhood was then determined to be located within the regulatory floodplain. With the revision of the maps, the lowest floor of the brownstone sat two feet below the Base Flood Elevation (BFE), which is determined to be the calculated height to which potential floodwaters could rise. […] NFIP regulations require that when a structure in the floodplain is either damaged or renovated with a cost of 50 percent or more of its fair market value, that structure must be brought into compliance with local floodplain management ordinances. This meant that because of the new mapping, to undergo any substantial renovation, Paino would have to cease using the lowest floor for anything other than parking or storage, or find a way to elevate the structure."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency; Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS)
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Elevation: Mitigation to Reduce Future Flood Risk
"The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has published Advisory Base Flood Elevation (ABFE) maps to show the elevations structures should be constructed to in order to minimize or eliminate future flood damage. These maps identify new flood zones for portions of communities which may impact flood insurance rates and building criteria. Communities are encouraged to adopt ABFE maps to reduce future flood risk and lower flood insurance premiums."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency; Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS)
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Grant Helps Small Road to Handle Its Large Responsibility
"After severe flooding damaged a 900-foot-long by 20-foot-wide section of the road's 12-inch base in October and November 2006, Evangeline Parish officials applied for and received a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant through the Public Assistance 406 Mitigation Program. Such funds, available following presidential disaster declarations, are used to promote life- and property-saving measures, protect infrastructure, and ultimately help build disaster-resistant communities. The program assists stateState, tribal, and local governments and certain types of private, nonprofit organizations with projects in several categories, including improvements to roads that are damaged by disasters and need to be repaired, replaced, or restored. FEMA pays 75 percent of the eligible costs of Public Assistance projects, while the state State and/or applicant cover the remaining 25 percent. For the Rixby Manual Road project, FEMA provided $101,475 of the $135,300 total cost. Once FEMA provides the grant to a state, it is the sState's responsibility to manage the funds, which includes making disbursements to local jurisdictions and organizations that incurred costs. The scope of work on Rixby Manual Road included the replacement of the damaged road base and the addition of a 24-inch corrugated polyethylene pipe and backfill to match the existing road elevation. In addition, concrete catch basins were installed every 100 feet to collect surface water during heavy rains or floods."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency; Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS)
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Hazard Mitigation Grant Pilot Provides Safe Haven for Louisiana Couple
"Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma struck Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida producing severe flooding and wind damage that resulted in catastrophic physical and economic impacts on these states, necessitating the need for financial assistance. The HMGP [Hazard Mitigation Grant Program] Reconstruction Pilot provided an opportunity for FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] to work with States and communities to incorporate mitigation directly into the reconstruction process. This resulted in more disaster-resistant communities as well as another option for the local and State governments that are responsible for making decisions and identifying appropriate mitigation measures for their communities."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency; Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS)
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Home Elevation Keeps Sandy at Bay
FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] has developed many techniques to guide homeowners and contractors on proper building measures and these methods allow for the home to better withstand future storms. Property owners should have their structures evaluated before any repair or improvement work is done in order to ensure the projects will be most effective during a storm.
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency; Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS)
