Post on 13-Dec-2015
Sandy: Building Back Stronger, Safer & More Resilient
Tim Crowley, Director, Mitigation Division, FEMA Region IIDecember 2012
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Content The FEMA Mission Building Back Jersey Strong Community-Based Informed Decision Making Everyday Risk Identification
• Advisory Base Flood Elevations (ABFEs)
Risk Reduction The New Jersey Situation and Path Forward Conclusion: Community Resilience Q&A Appendix
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The FEMA Commitment
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.
We are committed to building disaster resilient communities
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Building Back as a Whole CommunityFEMA is only one part of our nation’s emergency management team. We must collectively work together to build back safer, smarter and more resilient
The National Disaster Recovery Framework
Housing Economic
Social Environmental
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Building Back Jersey Strong
Working together to build back safer, smarter, and stronger• Citizens are looking to you to better
protect the community from flood risk
Mitigation is the foundation for building back more resilient communities• Mitigation is taking action now-
before the next disaster
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Community-Based Informed Decision Making One approach does not work for all communities FEMA partners with your community to provide tools and support for
informed planning and decisions that fit a community’s specific needs:• Advisory Flood Risk Information• Building Sciences• Floodplain Management and Insurance• Mitigation Planning and Assistance• Communications and Outreach
We’re taking steps to
protect our community
and reduce the impact of
future flooding.
We’re working to keep you informed about your flood risk and taking proactive
steps to protect our community.
Flood insurance is only one way to protect
ourselves. As we rebuild our community, there are steps we can and should take to reduce the impact
offuture floods.
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Every Day Risk Identification FEMA is providing tools to local
communities to make informed decisions to build back stronger and more resilient while maintaining a community’s unique character• Advisory Base Flood Elevations
(AFEs)
During non-disaster times, FEMA provides tools to communities in order to enable more informed decision making• Flood Risk Database• Flood Risk Report• Flood Risk Map
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Risk Identification: ABFEs
ABFE prototype for illustrative purposes only.
What are ABFEs?• ABFEs offer the best available data post disaster
recovery and building How do property owners benefit from
ABFEs?• Rebuilding using ABFEs may have a higher
initial cost, but will likely result in lower term costs for property owners
What outcomes are we trying to achieve?• Building safer and stronger to help mitigate risk
against future disasters
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Risk ReductionUnderstanding the updated flood risk allows communities to take action
to reduce their risk to future flood events
Benefits• Lower flood insurance premiums for buildings in high-
risk areas that are elevated above minimum requirements
• More eligibility for FEMA grant programs
Proactively Reduce Risk • Add vents to enclosures, install breakaway walls, or
relocate structures further from potential flood sources, where possible
• Ensure property owners build with freeboard• Engage the community in mitigation planning
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The New Jersey Situation and Path Forward The Devastation of Sandy
• Hurricane Sandy caused $29.4 billion in damages to New Jersey
• FEMA estimated more then 122,000 structures in New Jersey were damaged or destroyed*
The Path Forward• Federal funds obligated to assist the residents and
communities in New Jersey have totaled more then $730 million
• Additional dollars being spent from SBA Loans, Insurance claims, and property owner funds to rebuild
• Property owners are striving to “rebuild by Memorial Day”
*http://www.fema.gov/news-release/new-jersey-recovery-one-month-later
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Conclusion: Community Resilience
Together, we all can create stronger and safer communities that are better equipped to handle the
next major storm
FEMA Provides Best Available Data
(e.g ABFEs)
Community Officials Adopt
Higher Standards
Everyone Takes
Mitigation Action
Create More Resilient
Communities
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Q&A
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Tim Crowley| tim.crowley@fema.dhs.gov