REGION III

NATIONAL D ISASTER RECOVERY FRAMEWORK

STRENGTHENING DISASTER RECOVERY FOR THE NATION

FEDERAL DISASTER RECOVERY COORDINATOR’S CORNER By: Kevin Snyder, Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator, FEMA Region III

Happy New Year! Since the last edition of “Forward Recovery” in October 2017 I have been deployed to West Virginia to serve as the Director of

the West Virginia Recovery Office, which we stood up to support the State’s recovery from the June 2016 flooding event. This role, in addition to

leading another WV disaster operation (DR-4331-WV) stood up after July 2017 flooding in the northern part of the state, have offered me a slight-

ly different perspective from what an FDRC would “normally” expect. More than a year and a half out from June 2016 the State and some of its

most heavily impacted communities are still focused on their recovery efforts. At the State level the WV Division of Homeland Security and Emer-

gency Management, WV Department of Commerce, FEMA, HUD and other state and federal partners continue to work on shared priorities and

establishing coordination mechanisms to maximize the recovery funding available through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and the

Community Development Block Grant –Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) allocation. (See James Young’s article on the Recovery and Alliance Ses-

sion.) At the local level one of the most pressing recovery issues is the reconstruction of schools destroyed by the 2016 floods. Stakeholders in

Nicholas County are actively engaged in a consensus building effort that will lead to a plan that will satisfy the needs of the County’s current and

future residents. These experiences are helping us develop new tools that will benefit this and future recovery efforts while offering a reminder of

how the relationships built through interagency coordination – federal, state, and local – are critical to achieving an effective and efficient recovery.

On another note, as many of you may already know, Michelle Diamond will be leaving her position as the Region III Community Planning & Ca-

pacity Building Recovery Support Function Regional Coordinator. Michelle offers a goodbye later in the newsletter, but I would like to take a mo-

ment to recognize her work over the past five-plus years to build-up the Region’s capability to support community recovery efforts. In my short

time as the Region III FDRC, I have seen how we’ve all benefited from the relationships Michelle has built, particularly those amongst our state,

federal, and local partners. That work, and many other examples, will have a lasting impact in the Region. She won’t be going far, so we should all

continue to see her as a resource and part of our recovery capabilities moving forward – I know I will.

KEEPING HISTORY ABOVE WATER CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS By: Matt Bodnar, AICP, planner, Resilience Action Partners

Our nation’s oldest communities are located in coastal areas and along waterways. As the number and severity of extreme weather and flood events

continue to increase, conversations about the vulnerability of historic and cultural resources have become more common. In 2016, the Newport

Restoration Foundation in Rhode Island organized and hosted Keeping History Above Water, a conference focused on discussing ways to protect

historic buildings, communities, and resources from the increasing risk of flooding. In 2017, the conversation was continued in Annapolis,

Maryland.

Annapolis was selected as the host city for the conference’s second year in recognition of its innovative Weather It Together initiative, which was

highlighted in the Spring 2017 issue of the Resilience Report. The conference was hosted by the city’s Historic Preservation Division and was held

from October 29, 2017, to November 1, 2017. Discussions at the conference ranged from case studies about making specific historic sites and

communities more resilient, to methods of educating and empowering communities to take action in response to changing future conditions.

Several presentations of interest included the following:

Philadelphia, PA: Disaster Planning for Historic Properties in a World Heritage City

Farnsworth House Flood Mitigation

Resilient Rural Landscapes & Communities: A Collaborator’s Toolbox

Show and Tell: Annapolis Uses Story Book Map to Illustrate Flood Risks

In the Face of the Flood: A County’s Efforts to Mitigate a Potential Massive Loss of Cultural Resources

Zoning and Building Code Regulations for Floodplain Management: Conflict or Corporate with Historic Preservation Regulations

Historic Structures and the National Flood Insurance Program: Is There a Balance?

The conference was full of other interesting discussions and presentations linking historic preservation and mitigation planning. The conference

agenda and presentations are available on the conference web page. Stay tuned for more updates about the Keeping History Above Water initiative

and related projects.

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REGION III

NATIONAL D ISASTER RECOVERY FRAMEWORK

STRENGTHENING DISASTER RECOVERY FOR THE NATION

WEST VIRGINIA HOSTS FIRST RECOVERY AND ALLIANCE SESSION By: James Young, Interagency Recovery Coordination Lead, West Virginia Recovery , FEMA Region III

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice convened senior-level state and federal officials to discuss and create a unified strategy for effectively using federal disaster recovery funds allocated to the state stemming from the June 2016 flood disaster. The Nov. 7, 2017 Governor’s Recovery and Alliance Session was the first in a series of senior-level meetings to look at strategically aligning and disbursing those funds.

The disaster marked the first time that West Virginia received a Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant –Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) allocation and it was the largest amount of FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds ever received. Due to the complexity of the situation, the meeting was convened to ensure that there was a holistic strategy for the use of these recovery funds.

Participants agreed that infrastructure, economic development and housing should be priority areas for the disaster recovery funding. Participants also discussed overarching ideas that should be implemented as part of the decision making process. Overall, the participants wanted to ensure that funding decisions and recovery efforts decrease specific risks over time and make communities more resilient. The group decided that state agencies would use the guiding principles of resiliency, mitigation and job creation as “decision points” when evaluating at the merit of state-funded projects.

With the influx of disaster recovery funds, recovery programs have the potential to duplicate efforts and even inhibit the recovery process. Partici-pants raised concerns that CDBG-DR and HMGP were allocating more funding toward housing recovery beyond what is needed. Participants also discussed other significant unmet needs in addition to housing. As a result, the state Dept. of Homeland Security and Emergency Management de-

cided to re-prioritize grant applications with a focus on infrastruc-ture. Also, the state Dept. of Commerce agreed to work with HUD to determine the steps and requirements to ultimately real-locate housing funds once the unmet needs have been fully met.

Senior officials empowered action officers to further explore addi-tional strategies and make recommendations to the group for ap-proval and implementation. The group agreed to meet on a regular basis with the goal of drafting a unified strategy for the 2016 funds and explore the roles and responsibilities of state departments and divisions during recovery. This role will also support the establish-ment of the West Virginia State Resiliency Office (SRO). The senior leaders agreed that their agencies’ combined efforts will work ensure that West Virginia becomes more resilient and con-tinues to take a unified and strategic approach to disaster recovery.

FEMA Region III Regional Administrator, MaryAnn Tierney, meets with West Virginia

Gov. Jim Justice at Governor’s Recovery and Alliance Session, Nov. 7, 2017.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF BUILDING SCIENCES ISSUES NEW REPORT ON THE VALUE OF MITIGATION The National Institute of Building Sciences issued Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves: 2017 Interim Report, more than a decade after releasing its original report on the same topic and only days after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) declared 2017 the costliest year on record for weather and climate disasters.

During the ongoing study, the Institute’s project team looked at the results of 23 years of federally funded mitigation grants provided by FEMA, EDA, and HUD, and found mitigation funding can save the nation $6 in future disaster costs, for every $1 spent on hazard mitigation. In addition, the project team looked at scenarios that focus on designing new buildings to exceed provisions of the 2015 International Codes (I-Codes), the model building codes developed by the International Code Council (ICC).

The project team estimated that just implementing these two sets of mitigation strategies would prevent 600 deaths, 1 million nonfatal injuries and 4,000 cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the long term. In addition, designing new buildings to exceed the 2015 International Building Code (IBC) and International Residential Code (IRC) would result in 87,000 new, long-term jobs, and an approximate 1% increase in utilization of domestically produced construction material.

The 2017 Interim Report is an independent work, funded with the support of public- and private-organizations interested in expanding the under-standing of the benefits of hazard mitigation. In addition to FEMA, sponsors include HUD, EDA, ICC, IBHS, the National Fire Protection Associa-tion and the American Institute of Architects. For more information, download the Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves: 2017 Interim Report.

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REGION III

NATIONAL D ISASTER RECOVERY FRAMEWORK

STRENGTHENING DISASTER RECOVERY FOR THE NATION

PHILADELPHIA CENTER SERVES MORE THAN 1,800 PUERTO RICAN SURVIVIORS By: Melissa Wiehenstroer, Public Affairs Specialist, External Affairs Division, FEMA Region III

Over 1,800 clients visited the Disaster Assistance Service Center (DASC) since it opened on October 11th. Managed and operated by the Philadel-

phia Office of Emergency Management, the Center was a central location for displaced hurricane survivors to register for and receive assistance

from a dozen state, local, federal and nonprofit agencies. Agencies represented at the Center included: Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha,

Children’s Disaster Services, Concilio, HACE, HUD, PEMA, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Philadelphia Department of Behavioral

Health and Intellectual Disability Services, Philadelphia OEM, Salvation Army, and SBA. In addition, volunteer language interpreters, including a

few dozen from other federal agencies in Philadelphia, were at the Center every day to help translate for survivors with limited English proficiency.

As Pennsylvania was not designated as a host state by FEMA, disaster survivors that chose to come to Philadelphia have self-evacuated and then self-

identified as needing assistance by registering at the DASC. Most clients were

staying with friends and family within five blocks of the Center, and visited more

than once to receive status updates on their FEMA applications and to obtain as-

sistance from other agencies. With a median income of $19,518, and less than 1%

of homes covered by the NFIP, Puerto Ricans face an uphill battle repairing and

rebuilding their homes. With so many challenges facing them back on the island,

most of the survivors we met with said they planned on staying in the Philadelphia

area, finding jobs, and building a new life with their friends and family here.

With fewer and fewer visitors each day in the final weeks, the DASC closed on

December 22nd, although Hurricane Maria survivors may still register for assis-

tance through March 20th. Information regarding how to register, or check the

status of a registration can be found at https://www.disasterassistance.gov/ or by

calling 1-800-621-3362.

Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management and partners assist

displaced Hurricane Maria survivors at the Disaster Assistance

Services Center in North Philadelphia.

MITIGATION CORNER - VIRGINIA ASSESSES THE COSTS AND BENEFITS OF THE CRS PROGRAM

By: Eric Von Hofen, Civil Associate, Resilience Action Partner

The Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities that

exceed the minimum National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) standards. The program incentivizes these activities by offering discounts on flood

insurance premiums to policyholders in communities that participate in the program.

While the financial incentives to participate in the CRS can be great, many communities still opt not to get involved. Only 6 percent of eligible

localities across the entire nation have chosen to participate in the CRS. One reason communities often cite for not participating is the cost – many

don’t believe that the potential savings from flood insurance premium discounts will be significantly greater than what they will have to spend to

comply with the CRS activities and staff the program. But, are those costs actually greater than the savings the locality would receive from

participating?

To answer that question, Wetlands Watch, a regional environmental organization in Virginia, conducted a cost-benefit analysis based on 25

localities in the state that volunteered to be interviewed and share information about their CRS programs. Wetlands Watch interviewed local

floodplain managers and other officials involved in the CRS program to examine how much each community saved on their premiums compared to

how much they spent on staffing to maintain their status in the program. The methodology, results, and other information from their analysis were

published in The Costs & Benefits of the CRS Program in Virginia.

Coordinators from across the state estimated the amount of time they spent on CRS projects so that Wetlands Watch could estimate the benefit-

cost ratio (BCR). Some localities have a dedicated CRS Coordinator, whose sole job is to work on CRS-related projects, whereas other localities

have one or more of their employees in existing positions spend a portion of their time on CRS tasks. A few communities did not disclose their

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REGION III

STRENGTHENING DISASTER RECOVERY FOR THE NATION

NATIONAL D ISASTER RECOVERY FRAMEWORK

MITIGATION CORNER CONTINUED estimated average time spent on CRS projects, so Wetlands Watch used the median estimated percentage of staff time from the other localities.

Wetlands Watch then multiplied this percentage by the estimated CRS coordinator salary for the state to determine the estimated cost to the community of participating in the CRS program. The estimated CRS coordinator salary was approximated at $89,000 a year. This value accounts for staff in various positions with different levels of seniority and the varying costs of living across the state.

The results found that only 2 of the 21 communities analyzed measured negative BCRs. However, for both of those communities the median staff time of 13 percent had to be used. If the actual value was made available, the results may have been different. The average BCR among the 21 localities was 15:1, and the median was 8:1. The highest BCR was for the City of Norfolk, which saves approximately $68 for every $1 spent.

While the premium discounts were the only benefits measured to determine the BCR, the report does explore some of the secondary benefits of the CRS program. Seventeen of the localities interviewed discussed other benefits that the CRS program has had in their community. Almost all agreed that, because of the CRS, their communities have a better-informed citizenry, improved public safety, and better protection of property. The CRS coordinators generally agreed that there are definitive benefits to the CRS program in addition to the discounts.

Wetlands Watch also interviewed the localities about other barriers, besides cost, to participating in the CRS. They determined that a challenge the CRS faces is marketing the program to prospective communities, particularly those that have concerns about costs. This report makes it clear that the program benefits communities far more than it costs them, and this crucial information may encourage more localities to enroll in the CRS program. The report also compiled other barriers that coordinators listed as to why they did not initially enroll, and offers suggestions to help alleviate those concerns.

The report came out the same year that FEMA published the 2017 CRS Coordinator’s Manual. The new manual contains clarifications, updated information on how to join the CRS program, and several new ways to earn credits. If you are interested in joining the CRS or increasing your CRS class rank, and therefore your savings, the 2017 CRS Coordinator’s Manual has everything you need to know.

UTILIZING FEMA SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE 2017 HURRICANE SEASON By: Melissa Wiehenstroer, Public Affairs Specialist, External Affairs Division, FEMA Region III

The FEMA Digital team rose to the occasion during the record-shattering 2017 hurricane season and continues to work nonstop to provide information to the public and answer their inquiries across all of our social media platforms, including the FEMA app, Instagram, LinkedIn, and multiple Twitter and Facebook accounts.

By far, Hurricane Maria has been the most discussed disaster we’ve seen on social media. Mentions of FEMA reached 1.5x the peak during Hurricane Sandy, largely due to some high-profile stories including comments made by the mayor of San Juan about the response effort and the Whitefish contract.

While we were fortunate not to have a hurricane make landfall in Region III, that does not mean that our states were not called on to support the response and recovery efforts in other areas. For instance, Maryland responded to numerous inquiries they received through social media about how residents can volunteer, how the state is preparing for Hurri-cane Irma (pre-storm track change), how to get in touch with family and friends, etc. The Maryland team did a great job responding directly to inquiries and spreading important safety and other FEMA messaging, but it was a big lift.

One key takeaway for us is a better understanding of the staffing

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We also need to be vigilant about how information, or a lack of infor-

required for social listening and inquiry response during a catastrophic event (or events in this case). We saw a surge of interest within FEMA to use social media as a source of situational awareness, and with so many members of the general public and the media using social media to con-sume and share information, significant resources are necessary to keep up with the demand.

mation, is perceived. Even something minor, such as when Puerto Rico recovery statistics were removed from the FEMA website and users were directed to www.status.pr for the statistics, which were updated directly by the Common-wealth, created a lot of controversy. These are just a few of the lessons learned from this hurri-cane season and the FEMA Digital team is working hard to apply them as we go, and be even more prepared for the next season.

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COMMUNITY PLANNING & CAPACITY BUILDING FEATURETTE

The Community Planning and Capacity Building (CPCB) Recovery Support Function supports and builds the community planning resources and recovery capacities of Tribal, State and local governments needed to effectively plan for, manage, and implement disaster recovery activities in large, unique, or catastrophic incidents.

A CPCB COORDINATOR’S FAREWELL AND THANK YOU By: Michelle Diamond, Community Planning and Capacity Building Coordinator, FEMA Region III

I can pinpoint exactly when my passion for community planning began to flourish. In 2004, I was a senior Sociology undergrad at Temple Universi-ty, living in a trinity apartment in South Philadelphia, and bartending at a local music venue. I was taking my first course dedicated to the study of how space and location are linked to social and political problems, Urban Sociology. As the curriculum dove deeper into an understanding of how communities shape their environment, everything clicked for me right then— I knew that I wanted to be a part of the decision making process that helped improve the quality of life for communities. Halfway through the semester I applied to, and was accepted into, Temple University’s Urban Studies Master’s Program. During my two years of Grad School, I interned with the City of Philadelphia’s Managing Director's Office, working with the Neighborhood Transformation Initiative, the Mayor’s plan to revitalize distressed urban neighborhoods and improve access to public open space. It was there that I cultivated an even greater passion— public service. My dedication to planning and working with the public led me into the world of local (followed by federal) community planning and emergency management, where I have served for the past 11 years.

So here I am a decade later. I find myself continuing to support the mission of an agency that I love, collaborating with a vast spectrum of dedicated partners, all sharing common goals to improve the health, safety and welfare of our Nation’s communities. We are catalysts for change, and we are dedicated to helping the whole community recover from disasters. I couldn't be more proud of myself for where my career path has taken me, or more honored to work with such great individuals.

In early January I took a new position within the FEMA Region III Recovery Division. I now serve as the Recovery Division Executive Office, where I will work closely with the Agency’s senior leadership in regards to program planning and development. I’m looking forward to utilizing the skills and abilities I have developed over the years to help make recommendations that will impact the delivery of FEMA’s programs and resources. While it is bittersweet to leave the position of Regional Coordinator for the CPCB Recovery Support Function, a position I have served in since June of 2012, I look forward to my continued service with the Agency and with the Whole Community.

Thank you, from the very bottom of my heart, for being a dedicated partner in recovery. And thank you for your continued service to our constituents. I look forward to working with you in this new capacity

M i c helle Diamond serving as the CPCB Field Coordinator for

the Silver Phoenix Phase II portion of the 2014 National Level

Exercise. April 2014, Washington Navy Yard in DC.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE REMS CENTER ANNOUNCE SITE ASSESS: A MOBILE APP DESIGNED TO SUPPORT SITE ASSESSMENT EFFORTS

The Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance (TA) Center is pleased to announce the release of SITE ASSESS, our latest EOP Interactive Tool designed to support education agencies—both public and nonpublic—with emergency manage-ment and emergency operations plan (EOP) development. SITE ASSESS is a comprehensive tool that allows school and school district personnel to walk around a school building and grounds and examine their safety, security, accessibility, and emergency preparedness. It generates a customized to-do list that may be used in the short and long term to address facility improvements, prompts teams to share pertinent information with first responders, and contains relevant resources on several education facility and safety topics. To support school and school district personnel, we developed this secure mobile application to do the following:

1) Provide critical information about potential threats and hazards in school communities, which will be used by school planning teams as theydevelop EOPs for threats and hazards;

2) Allow teams to add customized questions to the site assessment for their school, taking intoaccount state and local requirements;

3) Equip practitioners with information and knowledge about key fundamental site assessment top-ics, such as Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) and Universal Design; and4) Complement and support school and school district mitigation and prevention activities.

To access more information about downloading and using SITE ASSESS, visithttps://rems.ed.gov/SITEASSESS.aspx.

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COMMUNITY PLANNING & CAPACITY BUILDING FEATURETTE

The Community Planning and Capacity Building (CPCB) Recovery Support Function supports and builds the community planning resources and recovery capacities of Tribal, State, and local governments needed to effectively plan for, manage, and implement disaster recovery activities in large, unique or catastrophic incidents.

DISASTER SCIENCE MEETS DISASTER EDUCATION WITH REAL WORLD APPLICATIONS By Tricia Wachtendorf, PhD. & James Kendra, PhD. ,Directors, Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware

One of the best kept secrets for emergency management practitioners is the Disaster Research Center (DRC) at the University of Delaware. Despite its international reputation in the disaster science community, many emergency managers are unaware of the resources available at this state

-of-the-art research facility. DRC was actually the first center in the world devoted to the social science and management aspects of disasters.Founded in 1963 at The Ohio State University by disaster research pioneers Enrico Quarantelli, Russell Dynes, and Eugene Haas, the Centermoved east to the University of Delaware in 1985. With interests in post-disaster behavior by individuals, groups, and communities, the Center atThe Ohio State produced such leading scholars as William Anderson, Kathleen Tierney, Dennis Wenger, Thomas Drabek, Robert Stallings, GaryKreps, David Neal, and Brenda Phillips – just to name a few. After its move to Delaware and in more recent years, DRC broadened its interests toa wide spectrum of interdisciplinary studies that unite the social, engineering, and policy sciences. With nine core faculty and many more affiliatefaculty, research scientists, and graduate students, the Center continues to advance the field. DRC’s mission includes “advancing the state of the artin disaster research and its scientifically guided practice; educating the next generation of disaster science scholars and informed practitioners in thefields of disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery; and creating, gathering, and disseminating disaster knowledge in a dynamic andresponsive way.” All DRC research intends to yield basic scientific knowledge and information that can be applied to develop more effective disaster-management policies. Every researcher strives to make a difference.

Pioneering the quick response research method throughout the mid-twentieth century, recent deployments have included the 2015Nepal earthquake, Hurricane Matthew in 2016, Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and most recently sending a researcher to Hawaii three days afterthe 2018 ballistic missile false alarm. This cutting-edge research fosters broader knowledge for years to come, but also is quickly crafted anddisseminated to local communities. Scholars and practitioners from across the globe come to DRC to make use of its resource collection.Recent visitors come from such countries as China, Japan, Italy, India, Indonesia, Sweden, Switzerland, and Spain. Now numbering morethan 70,000 items, the Collection is open to both interested scholars and agencies involved in emergency management.

Several undergraduate and graduate programs are affiliated with the Center. With close mentoring and attention to nurturing professional develop-ment and accountability, students quickly gain experience and confidence in the disaster science domain. DRC’s graduates have moved on to takepositions at leading academic institutions around the world, as well as careers at FEMA, state and local emergency managementagencies, non-governmental organizations such as the American Red Cross and the United Nations, as well as in the private sector areas of riskmanagement, business continuity, and disaster management consulting. DRC also recently partnered with the William A. Anderson Fund, aservice organization named for gifted researcher and revered DRC alum William (Bill) Anderson. The Fund works to increase thenumber of historically underrepresented students in disaster science and practice. This year, University of Delaware became the Flagshipinstitution for the William A. Anderson Fund, which will also include several satellite universities around the country.

For more information about DRC, visit www.drc.udel.edu or the Center’s Facebook back at www.facebook.com/

CPCB PARTNERS SPOTLIGHT: AARP’S CONTINUES SUPPORT DISASTERS AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, social welfare organization with a membership of nearly 38 million that helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families — such as health care, employment and income security, and protection from financial abuse. In order to safeguard open communication between FEMA and AARP, an MOA was signed in August 2013. AARP’s Preparedness Program & Office of Community Support are two offices that often collaborate with the FEMA Voluntary Agency Liaisons to ensure accurate information is disseminated to not only their membership, but all American residents age 50+.With the numerous disasters of 2017, AARP’s relationship with FEMA has proved to be more valuable than ever. For Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria; as well as the California wildfires, AARP participated in weekly calls with FEMA and various partners in order to offer support and resources. AARP state offices were instrumental in scheduling tele-town hall meetings affected members. Fraud prevention resources were pushed to all states with open federally declared disasters as the issue of defrauding the elderly is always a priority. With a reach in the 10s of millions, AARP is an invaluable partner that promotes FEMA messaging through their digital and print media, as well as via phone and community outreach events.

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COMMUNITY PLANNING & CAPACITY BUILDING FEATURETTE

The Community Planning and Capacity Building (CPCB) Recovery Support Function supports and builds the community planning resources and recovery capacities of Tribal, State and local governments needed to effectively plan for, manage, and implement disaster recovery activities in large, unique, or catastrophic incidents.

HURRICANE HARVERY - TEXAS CPCB TEAM CREATES NEIGHBORHOOD ANALYSIS TOOL On August 24, Harvey hit the coast near Rockport, Texas, as a category 4 hurricane. The winds weakened, but the storm continued to dump an unprecedented amount of rain that lingered around south Texas before slowly following the coast and making a final landfall around Cameron, Lou-isiana on August 30, 2017. The slow movement of the hurricane caused devastating flooding and property damage in more than 50 southeast and central Texas counties. The CPCB team in Texas has been compiling data to determine which communities are likely to face the greatest challenges to achieving a resilient recovery. More than 60 communities have been identified as having both significant impacts and potential capacity challenges.

To support early recovery decisions, the CPCB team created a new tool called the Neighborhood Analysis Tool, which is presented in a story-board format with related maps. The tool assesses pre-event conditions and post-event impacts to facilitate more informed risk-based, community-focused recovery decisions and strategies. In addition, this tool compiles structural damage, flood depths, building materials, code requirements, hazard information, and community characteristics for contextual decision-making analysis. Community characteristics include availability of wrap-around services, such as transportation, utilities, schools & childcare, healthcare, food availability, workforce housing, community centers, social vulnerability, and economic drivers.

The team continues to coordinate and collaborate with dozens of partners on strategies and activities that support Texas communities with recovery planning and local capacity. For more information about the CPCB Texas mission, please contact CPCB Field Coordinator, De’An.Bass@fema.dhs.gov or CPCB Deputy Field Coordinator, Richard.Martinjr@fema.dhs.gov.

AN HOUR WITH THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION VIRGINIA CHAPTER

On October 23rd, Michelle Diamond, CPCB Regional Coordinator, and Kevin Snyder, RegionaFederal Disaster Recovery Coordinator, had the opportunity to present “Building Community Capacity and Resilience through Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning”.

The training provided planners with the opportunity to better understand the National Disaster Recovery Framework, and how to work with community stakeholders to develop a recovery plan that includes recovery roles and capabilities, organizational frameworks, and specific policies and plans.

The webinar can be viewed on the APA Virginia’s YouTube Channel by clicking here.

On the Fourth Monday of each month, the Virginia Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA VA) hosts the “Your Hour with APA Virginia” webinar series. This hour-long freewebinar series, which covers different topics from the planning arena, is open to the public; both APA VA mem-bers and non members.

l

CHANGES TO THE CPCB COMMUNITY RECOVERY TOOLKIT! The Community Recovery Management Toolkit (CRMT) is a compilation of guidance, case studies, tools, and training to assist local communities in managing long-term recovery post-disaster. This toolkit is managed by Community Planning and Capacity Building Recovery Support Function (CPCB RSF). It assists local communities with organizing, planning for, and managing recovery. The toolkit will now also offer a section on training resources. This section was added to promote trainings and technical assistance on a variety of recovery topics to communities impacted by Harvey, Irma, and Maria. It is a continuously updated section that includes time-sensitive trainings, as well as ongoing training opportunities. If you have training opportunities focused on organizing, planning for, or managing recovery and would like them to be featured, please reach out to Community Planning Capacity Building’s Michael Gumpert at michael.gumpert@fema.dhs.gov.

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TOOLS,TRAININGS, AND RESOURCE UPDATES

TOOLS AND REPORTS

Community Recovery Management Toolkit

National Institute of Building Sciences Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves:

2017 Interim Report

U.S. Geological Survey preliminary post-fire hazards assessment map

PUBLIC INPUT NEEDED— New Draft National Mitigation Investment

Strategy (NMIS) for Public Comment

SIGN UP FOR A LISTSERV!

FEMA Region III Resilience Report (email for request to join)

Resilient Virginia newsletter

Coastal Resilience Center newsletter

HQ’s National Community Planning & Capacity Building Recovery Support Function

Quarterly Bulletin (email for request to join)

Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities Network (EPIC-N)

FY18

Q2VIDEO & WEB RESOURCES

MAX.gov Resources Harvey, Irma, Maria CPCB National Hub

Texas CPCB Home Page Florida CPCB Home Page

Puerto Rico CPCB Home Page U.S. Virginia Islands Home Page

American Planning Association’s Disaster Recovery Resources

EVENTS AND WEBINARS

Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) 2018 Annual Conference

Floodplain Management Course 273 Pennsylvania Offering

Internal Code Council’s When Disaster Strikes

Penn State Extension: Land Use Planning with Changing Climate

American Planning Association 2018 National Planning Conference

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