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PROJECT IMPACT. Building Disaster-Resistant Communities . UNFORTUNATELY!!!. Project Impact fell victim to politics and was discontinued under the leadership of FEMA’s new director, Joe Allbaugh
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PROJECT IMPACT Building Disaster-Resistant Communities
UNFORTUNATELY!!! • Project Impact fell victim to politics and was discontinued under the leadership of FEMA’s new director, Joe Allbaugh • However, there are still plenty of opportunities to pursue the same goals under FEMA’s Mitigation programs
Heavy Disaster Costs • FEMA spent $20 billion responding to disasters in 49 states over past ten years • Other federal agencies spent billions more • State and local government, private sector and individuals also pay heavy costs
The Damage to Business is Real • Structural loss • Business interruption • Community infrastructure loss • Customer loss • Community loss
Economic Toll from Disasters • Businesses close • People lose their jobs • 40% of small businesses never open again
Project Impact- Working Together • Building Partnerships • Identifying Risks • Prioritizing Needs • Implementing Long-Term Plans To Protect Communities • Community Information Sharing
Making Communities Disaster Resistant Strengthening Structures • Homes • Businesses • Bridges • Roads • Public facilities: schools, hospitals
Making Communities Disaster Resistant • Examining Building Codes • Strengthen codes to meet disaster risks of your community • Restricting Building Areas • Local measures to discourage building in floodplains or high risk areas • Protecting At-Risk Structures • Protect structures in floodplains or high risk areas
PROJECT IMPACT is about cutting disaster costs. Taking Responsibility--Taking Action.
PROJECT IMPACT GOAL is to Make Each and Every Community Disaster-Resistant.
Americans Prepared • Witt launches Project Impact at El Niño summit in Santa Monica in October ‘97 • People took action • Californians secured roofs, cleaned culverts and drains and elevated utilities and electrical panels
El Niño Prevention Pays Off • Despite El Niño related storms and related severe weather, FEMA disaster-related costs remained level.
P R O J E C T I M P A C T A M o d e l f o r C o m m u n i t y A c t i o n
Where It Happens: At the Local Level • 7 pilot Project Impact communities • Over 100 communities by 1999.
Business Partners:Protecting Their Communities • Business partners help to protect their company, employees, and community • Goal to have 500 business partners by September • Small, Medium and Large Companies...Home Depot, Bell Atlantic, Washington Mutual…. • Contingency Planning Exchange Mentoring Program
Businesses Can Contribute-- What They Can Do. • Responsibility to your Company • Anheuser Busch Mitigation Efforts • Responsibility to your Employees • Michael Baker Associates - 10% or $50 off of flood insurance premium • Responsibility to your Community • Washington Mutual - loan program helps to protect their community
The Business Impact is Real • An investment in mitigation gets 100% return -- at least.
The Anheuser-Busch Return • Pre-disaster investment in mitigation efforts saved $300 million in Northridge Earthquake --15X cost of investment in mitigation.
PROJECT IMPACT 4 Phases to a Disaster-Resistant Community 1 Building Partnerships 2 Assessing Risk 3 Prioritizing Needs 4 Keep Your Community Informed
First Phase: Building Partnerships • Organize A Disaster-Resistant Community Planning Committee Invite: • business and industry • public works and utilities • volunteer/community groups • government • education, health care, workforce
Second Phase: Are You Vulnerable?Risk Assessment • What are the community’s risks for natural disasters? • What specific structures and areas are most vulnerable?
Third Phase: Taking ActionSetting Priorities • Identify mitigation priorities and take action • Identify the measures you will take and do it! • Identify and secure resources
Fourth Phase: It Takes Everyone!Communicate Your Progress • Keep your community informed as you take actions • Promote involvement of your partners • Maintain support for your long-term initiatives
Deerfield Beach, FL., A Disaster Resistant Community • Business Alliance meets to.… • Has relocated critical city services into one disaster-resistant building • Retrofitted school to serve as safe shelter • Developed residential home retrofitting program to withstand threat of hurricanes
Where to Get HelpProject Impact Resources • Project ImpactGuidebook • Project Impact Brochure • Project Impact Overview and “Changing the Way America Deals with Disasters” Video • FEMA Technical Assistance • Local Project Impact Coordinator • Award Winning Website www.fema.gov • 1-800-480-2520 • Other Communities
PROJECT IMPACT Changing the Way America Deals with Disasters
Coastal Georgia’s PROJECT IMPACT Building Disaster-Resistant Communities
The IMPACT of a Natural Disaster • Heavy Disaster costs: FEMA spent $20 billion responding to disasters in 49 states over past ten years. • Businesses Shut Down: jobs lost, 43% of businesses will never reopen, 51% will fail within two years after the disaster = failure rate of 94%. • Personal Toll: loss of loved ones, personal property destroyed, emotional scars.
The IMPACT of Hurricane Floyd • Historically high evacuation rates in Florida, South Carolina, & Georgia: 300,000 people evacuated (about 65% of the population). An estimated 38,000 people went to shelters. • 70 deaths; 117 million dollars in damage. • GEMA Evacuation and Shelter Task Force formed in October. • Georgia Hurricane Evacuation Study Focus Group conducting Human Behavior Analysis-Transportation Analysis.
PROJECT IMPACT: Building a Disaster Resistant Community • Initiated by FEMA in 1997 with 7 pilot communities; now there are nearly 200 nationwide. • Reduces the personal & economic loss caused by disasters through public/private partnerships. • Protects us against the impacts of severe weather and man-made hazards. • Saves lives and sustains jobs by preparing us BEFORE disaster strikes.
PROJECT IMPACT 4 Phases to a Disaster-Resistant Community 1 Building Partnerships 2 Assessing Risk 3 Prioritizing Needs 4 Keep Your Community Informed
First Phase: Building Partnerships • Organize A Planning Committee • Business & Industry: GA Power, Home Depot, Old South Protective Shuttering Company, Scana Energy, First Bank of Brunswick, TDS Telecom, Prime Outlet at Darien. • Volunteer/Community Organizations: American Red Cross, Home Builders Associations. • Federal & State Agencies: Kings Bay Navy Base, National Guard, Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA, GEMA, DOT, DNR, DHR, NOAA/NWS. • County & City Entities: County Commission, City Council, Planning/Zoning Departments, Emergency Management Directors, Emergency Medical Service Directors.
Second Phase: Where Are You Vulnerable? • What are the community’s risks for natural disasters (hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, etc.)? • What specific structures & areas have the potential for being a severe risk to life & property? • Identify repetitive problems - learn from experience.
Third Phase: Setting Priorities & Taking Action • Identify mitigation priorities & begin collaborating with your partners to draft an action plan. • Identify the projects that will make a difference & implement them. • Identify and secure resources.
Fourth Phase: It Takes Everyone!Communicate Your Progress • Keep your community informed as you take actions: utilize the media - Newspaper, Radio, TV, Internet. • Promote involvement of your partners. • Maintain support for long-term initiatives.
Current PROJECT IMPACT Activities • 90,000 FREE TO THE PUBLIC tri-county storm surge maps, including a web site (gastormsurge.com) and sample CD ROM’s. • Building 3 mobile demonstration homes. • Public outreach: ARC pamphlets, Emergency Action Wheels, hosting PROJECT IMPACT booth at Blessing of the Fleet/Darien April 7-9 and Severe Weather Conference/Jekyll Island May 1-2. • Hurricane Expo Summer of 2000
How To Become Disaster Resistant • Support your local PROJECT IMPACT efforts by participating in meetings, public outreach projects, & risk reduction activities. • Speak to your insurance agent about purchasing flood insurance for home and/or business. • Have emergency preparedness kit ready for use at all times. • Initiate a Business Continuity plan for your facility/workplace.
Where to Get More Information • FEMA: 1-800-480-2520 or www.fema.gov - PROJECT IMPACTGuidebook, Brochure & Video. • PROJECT IMPACT Coordinator- Nicole Cover, phone: 264-7363 x 220; fax: 262-2313; e-mail: ncover@gate.net. • PROJECT IMPACT State Point of Contact. • American Red Cross: Rita Brookshire, Emergency Services Director • Other PROJECT IMPACT Communities
Being prepared for a disaster could mean the difference between this... And this. So let’s lets GET READY TOGETHER!!! Our Community Needs You!