Hurricane Irene: Hurricane Irene: A Test Case for New Jersey Hazard Mitigation A Test Case for New Jersey Hazard Mitigation

PlanningPlanning

ASFPM 2012 National Conference - Session D4 May 23, ASFPM 2012 National Conference - Session D4 May 23, 20122012

Stuart Wallace - Witt AssociatesStuart Wallace - Witt Associates

What does this session include?What does this session include?

► Long-term InitiativeLong-term Initiative► Background, Interest & CommitmentBackground, Interest & Commitment►New Jersey Hazard Mitigation PlansNew Jersey Hazard Mitigation Plans► Completed / On-going Planning ProcessCompleted / On-going Planning Process► Current Opportunity Work-in-Progress – Current Opportunity Work-in-Progress –

Hurricane IreneHurricane Irene►Next StepsNext Steps

Long-term InitiativeLong-term Initiative

Long-Term InitiativeLong-Term Initiative

►Work-in-Progress …Work-in-Progress …► Improve Hazard Mitigation Planning under Improve Hazard Mitigation Planning under

the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000)2000) Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment

(HIRA) predictive reliability (HIRA) predictive reliability Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) utilityHazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) utility Plan Maintenance & Update ProcessPlan Maintenance & Update Process

Background,Background,Interest & Interest &

CommitmentCommitment

BackgroundBackground

►Witt AssociatesWitt Associates Emergency management & preparedness Emergency management & preparedness

consultants since 2001consultants since 2001 Founder, James Lee Witt, as FEMA Director Founder, James Lee Witt, as FEMA Director

under President Clinton, energized hazard under President Clinton, energized hazard mitigationmitigation

Primary consultant firm for state, regional, Primary consultant firm for state, regional, county, and local hazard mitigation planscounty, and local hazard mitigation plans

BackgroundBackground

► Stuart WallaceStuart Wallace Landscape Architect (RLA), Civil Engineer, Landscape Architect (RLA), Civil Engineer,

Comprehensive Land Use Planner (AICP) Comprehensive Land Use Planner (AICP) since 1980since 1980

Emergency management consultant since Emergency management consultant since 19991999

BackgroundBackground

► Stuart WallaceStuart Wallace Consultant project Consultant project

manager for FEMA manager for FEMA “State & Local “State & Local Mitigation Planning Mitigation Planning how-to guides”how-to guides”

Consultant project Consultant project manager for manager for dozens of state, dozens of state, multi-jurisdictional, multi-jurisdictional, and local HMPsand local HMPs

Interest & CommitmentInterest & Commitment

► Client service – Professional obligationClient service – Professional obligation► Repeat business - Corporate sustainability Repeat business - Corporate sustainability ► Professional satisfaction Professional satisfaction

Providing more than regulatory Providing more than regulatory compliance; making a differencecompliance; making a difference

Creating long-term partnerships Creating long-term partnerships Solving “typical consultant” problem of Solving “typical consultant” problem of

lack of familiarity & understanding of lack of familiarity & understanding of specific issuesspecific issues

New Jersey Hazard New Jersey Hazard Mitigation PlansMitigation Plans

NJ HMPs – Witt AssociatesNJ HMPs – Witt Associates

►Witt Associates supported Witt Associates supported development of twelve development of twelve (12) of 21 NJ county-level (12) of 21 NJ county-level multi-jurisdictional HMPsmulti-jurisdictional HMPs

► $1.8 million aggregate $1.8 million aggregate contract valuecontract value

► Adoption dates – 2009 Adoption dates – 2009 through 2011through 2011

► Update deadlines – 2014 Update deadlines – 2014 through 2016through 2016

NJ HMPs – ContextNJ HMPs – Context

►NJ = strong home rule stateNJ = strong home rule state►Multi-jurisdiction HMPsMulti-jurisdiction HMPs

12 counties12 counties 277 municipalities277 municipalities

► Client PMs / POCsClient PMs / POCs Strong background/interests in EM/HSStrong background/interests in EM/HS Multiple priorities / Decreasing staff Multiple priorities / Decreasing staff

levels / Limited time on tasklevels / Limited time on task

NJ HMPs – Planning ProcessNJ HMPs – Planning Process

► All hazards All hazards ► Flooding dominant Flooding dominant

concern for most concern for most counties/municipaliticounties/municipalitieses

► Flood risk Flood risk assessment via assessment via HAZUS-MH default HAZUS-MH default data setsdata sets

NJ HMPs – Planning ProcessNJ HMPs – Planning Process

►Direct interactions with jurisdictionsDirect interactions with jurisdictions► Reliance on local experience versus hard Reliance on local experience versus hard

datadata

NJ HMPs – Flood Mitigation NJ HMPs – Flood Mitigation ProjectsProjects

►Over 700 flood mitigation projects identified Over 700 flood mitigation projects identified in the 12 counties (277 municipalities)in the 12 counties (277 municipalities) Repetitive & Severe Repetitive Loss Repetitive & Severe Repetitive Loss

PropertiesProperties Critical FacilitiesCritical Facilities InfrastructureInfrastructure

NJ HMPs – Flood Mitigation NJ HMPs – Flood Mitigation ProjectsProjects

Completed / On-going Completed / On-going Planning ProcessPlanning Process

Completed ProcessCompleted Process

► Contracted Work EffortContracted Work Effort Completed HMPs – i.e., FEMA “approvable Completed HMPs – i.e., FEMA “approvable

pending adoption” determinationpending adoption” determination Training for Plan Adoption, Training for Plan Adoption,

Implementation & Updates with County & Implementation & Updates with County & Municipal OEM CoordinatorsMunicipal OEM Coordinators

On-going ProcessOn-going Process

► Follow-up SupportFollow-up Support Annual +/- Circuit Ride – Meetings with Annual +/- Circuit Ride – Meetings with

County and Municipal OEM CoordinatorsCounty and Municipal OEM Coordinators► Identify opportunities Identify opportunities

Assess HIRA/HMP reliabilityAssess HIRA/HMP reliability Monitor plan performanceMonitor plan performance Support plan update processSupport plan update process

Current Opportunity Current Opportunity Work-in-Progress: Work-in-Progress: Hurricane IreneHurricane Irene

Hurricane IreneHurricane Irene

►New Jersey Landfall – August 28, 2011New Jersey Landfall – August 28, 2011

Hurricane IreneHurricane Irene

►1 million +/- displaced residents1 million +/- displaced residents

Hurricane IreneHurricane Irene

►1 million +/- homes & businesses 1 million +/- homes & businesses without power, thousands for > one without power, thousands for > one weekweek

Hurricane IreneHurricane Irene

►1,368 claims $28.25 million in Public 1,368 claims $28.25 million in Public Assistance (as of 5.4.12)Assistance (as of 5.4.12)

Test Case – HIRA/HMP ReliabilityTest Case – HIRA/HMP Reliability

► Comparison of:Comparison of: Public Assistance (PA) Project Worksheets per Public Assistance (PA) Project Worksheets per

Hurricane IreneHurricane Irene Identified flood mitigation project locations Identified flood mitigation project locations

as indicator of anticipated damagesas indicator of anticipated damages

► Note: Work-in-Progress – Current Study LimitationsNote: Work-in-Progress – Current Study Limitations 8 counties (192 municipalities) included out of 12 8 counties (192 municipalities) included out of 12

counties (277 municipalities) per Witt Associatescounties (277 municipalities) per Witt Associates All PWs (not sorted per purely flood damages)All PWs (not sorted per purely flood damages) PWs aggregated by jurisdiction (versus geo-PWs aggregated by jurisdiction (versus geo-

locations)locations)

Test Case – HIRA/HMP ReliabilityTest Case – HIRA/HMP Reliability

► Flood mitigation projectsFlood mitigation projects 534 flood mitigation projects were 534 flood mitigation projects were

identified for 8 counties (192 identified for 8 counties (192 municipalities) included in studymunicipalities) included in study

► Public Assistance Project Worksheets for 8 Public Assistance Project Worksheets for 8 counties included in studycounties included in study 424 claims 424 claims $8.33 million$8.33 million (~30% of NJ totals)(~30% of NJ totals)

Project Worksheet – Local Flood Mitigation Project Comparison

Next StepsNext Steps

Next Steps (ASFPM 2013?)Next Steps (ASFPM 2013?)

► Test Case – HIRA/HMP ReliabilityTest Case – HIRA/HMP Reliability Add other 4 counties per Witt Associates Add other 4 counties per Witt Associates

NJ experienceNJ experience Separate PWs by hazardSeparate PWs by hazard Match PWs to HMP flood mitigation Match PWs to HMP flood mitigation

projects where appropriateprojects where appropriate Hurricane Irene PW latitude / longitude Hurricane Irene PW latitude / longitude

data for detailed HIRA test case data for detailed HIRA test case comparisonscomparisons

Next Steps (ASFPM 2013?)Next Steps (ASFPM 2013?)

► Test Case – Hazard Mitigation Plan UtilityTest Case – Hazard Mitigation Plan Utility Hurricane Irene correlation between HMGP Hurricane Irene correlation between HMGP

project applications (due to NJ OEM project applications (due to NJ OEM 6.1.12) & HMP project identification & 6.1.12) & HMP project identification & prioritiespriorities

Similar/related efforts for other declared Similar/related efforts for other declared disasters and/or different hazard types disasters and/or different hazard types since plan adoption (e.g., Snow-tober since plan adoption (e.g., Snow-tober 2011)2011)

Next StepsNext Steps

► Test Case – Plan Maintenance & UpdateTest Case – Plan Maintenance & Update Determine need/desire for plan updates Determine need/desire for plan updates

due to events/aftermathsdue to events/aftermaths Support county and municipal level future Support county and municipal level future

plan update data compilation, periodic plan update data compilation, periodic reviews, etc.reviews, etc.

Next StepsNext Steps

► Test Case – Plan Maintenance & UpdateTest Case – Plan Maintenance & Update Support development & integration of Support development & integration of

other on-going & potential planning other on-going & potential planning initiatives initiatives ►FEMA Risk MapFEMA Risk Map►EOPs-HIRAEOPs-HIRA►EOPs-ESF #14/Pre- & Post-Disaster EOPs-ESF #14/Pre- & Post-Disaster

Recovery PlansRecovery Plans►Energy Assurance PlansEnergy Assurance Plans►Climate change/Sea-level RiseClimate change/Sea-level Rise

Questions?Questions?

Stuart Wallace, Senior PlannerStuart Wallace, Senior PlannerWitt AssociatesWitt Associates

swallace@wittassociates.com