Working Together to Build Back Stronger and Safer Roy Wright, Deputy Associate Administrator for Mitigation Karen Helbrecht, Program Specialist 9:15-10:00.

Working Together to Build Back Stronger and Safer

Roy Wright, Deputy Associate Administrator for MitigationKaren Helbrecht, Program Specialist

9:15-10:00 a.m.January 31, 2013

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Agenda Strategic Foresight Initiative

• Overview• Driving Forces• Climate Change Implications

Hurricane Sandy Recovery• Advisory Base Flood Elevation Maps• Policy Implications• National Disaster Recovery Framework

Moving Forward• Mitigation Planning• NHMA and the State of Vermont

Perception of Risk• 2012 Flood Survey Results

Further Studies Q&A

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Strategic Foresight Initiative: Overview Understand factors driving

change that will impact emergency and disaster management over a 20-year horizon

Develop a shared sense of direction and urgency in the emergency management community that enables us to drive to action

Collectively prepare for the future across multi-sectors

Plan for and take action to meet the evolving needs

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Strategic Foresight Initiative: Driving Forces

Changing Role of the IndividualUniversal Access to/Use of Information

Technical Developmentand Dependency

U.S. Demographic Shifts

Government Budgets

Evolving Terrorist Threat

Critical Infrastructure

Climate Change

Global Interdependencies

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Climate Change Implications Coastal development patterns and demographics are

changing Climate change and sea level rise are increasing the risk

of inundation and storm damage FEMA is assessing the “current risk”

• Using Advisory Base Flood Elevations (ABFEs), partners are working on future risk information

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NOAA Interactive Maps

Interactive map shows future areal extent of one-percent annual chance coastal flood hazard areas, resulting from sea level rise

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Hurricane Sandy: Flood Risk Information

New Jersey (10 Counties)

Released December 2012• Atlantic County, NJ• Bergen County, NJ• Burlington County, NJ• Cape May County, NJ• Essex County, NJ • Hudson County, NJ• Middlesex County, NJ• Monmouth County, NJ• Ocean County, NJ• Union County, NJ

New York (8 Counties)Westchester County and portions of New York City were released January 28,

2013• Bronx County, NY• Kings County, NY• New York County, NY• Queens County, NY• Richmond County, NY• Westchester County, NY

Remaining areas of New York will be released in February 2013

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Hurricane Sandy: Flood Risk Information

Prior to Sandy, FEMA was performing a restudy of the New Jersey and New York coastline with anticipated products to be delivered in mid-2013

Effective information for many of the areas of NJ and NY does not currently reflect the best available data

FEMA provided near-term Advisory Base Flood Elevations (ABFEs) to support reconstruction efforts

Advisory information reflects current risk

Coastal flood zones updated using ABFEs may extend further inland than the SFHAs shown on current effective FIRMs

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Advisories: Engaging Whole Community

What We Have Completed

Proposed Plan Post Data Release (in order of timing)

State: • Worked with DEP & SHMO on Outreach

Plan• Gave ‘first look” at the data

Public/Elected Officials: • Conduct webinar with elected/public officials to give them a “first look” at

the data• Conduct a “telethon” and reach out to counties and communities that have

had the greatest impact

Elected Officials: • Conducted ABFE Webinars for State &

Congressional Stakeholders• Will conduct “first look” at data prior to

release

Public Officials: Conduct Public Official Outreach Meetings-base future outreach on specific county/community needs

Other Federal Agencies & Recovery Partners: Tie ABFEs into infrastructure, public works and other recovery elements.

Public Officials: Conducted 7 ABFE Overview Webinars

Media: Send media packet and conduct media briefings

Builders, Architects, and Engineers: Engage National, State, and Regional Associations on ABFE importance & implications

Public Officials: Called All County Planners, shared ABFE overview and scheduled public outreach briefings

Insurance, Builders & Architects: Defined a call plan for reaching targeted groups in these industries

Insurance Community: Engage National, State, and Regional Associations on ABFE importance & implications

NGOs & Public Institutions: Engage the major NGOs and Public Institutions on ABFE importance & implications

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Hurricane Sandy: Elevated RestaurantSee how building to higher standards helped Windansea

Restaurant in Hurricane Sandy 

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Hurricane Sandy Lessons Learned: Coastal Residential Construction Key Takeaways:

• Setbacks key to reducing damages

• Inadequate foundations for coastal flood and erosion conditions

• New construction was placed atop old foundations

Key Successes :• Damage to V-zone house

elevated above Base Flood Elevation was minimal

• Building setbacks and wide dunes reduced damage

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Hurricane Sandy Lessons Learned: Critical Facilities

Key Observations:• Flood damage nearly all due to

inundation• Emergency power system design focus is

to mitigate normal power loss• Flood protection plan typically two

dimensions

Key Take-Aways:• Below-grade spaces and utility systems

are extremely vulnerable to inundation• Emergency power systems are not being

looked at holistically• Need to examine quick connects for

temporary power and other systems

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Policy Implications: Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012

On July 6, 2012 the President signed into law MAP-21 (P.L. 112-141), Otherwise known as the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act 2012 or “BW 12”

What it does: • Reauthorized of NFIP for 5 years• Eliminates a variety of existing flood insurance

discounts and subsidies. Results of the law: • New flood insurance rates will reflect the true flood risk of an insured property. • Policy rates could increase based on one or all of the following circumstances:

1. Change of ownership2. Lapse in insurance coverage3. Change in flood risk4. Substantial damage or improvement to a building

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National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF)

Hurricane Sandy presented an opportunity to fully implement the NDRF

FEMA appointed Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinators and Mitigation Advisors

All 6 RSFs are still active with full participation from supporting agencies and organization

Mitigation and Recovery staff are ensuring a coordinated approach to delivery all programs

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State of Vermont & Tropical Storm Irene

State of Vermont received assistance from the Environmental Protection Agency (APA)

Partnered with the National Hazard Mitigation Association (NHMA) and the Coastal Hazard Center to:• Develop policy options to improve resiliency• Create community guidance promoting long-

term resilience• Evaluate selected state programs and policies • Identify conflicts with what new river science

reveals about vulnerabilities to future flooding and erosion hazards

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Mitigation PlanningEvaluation of State Mitigation Plans

• Overall plan quality has improved over the past decade

Strengths

•Articulating Goals•Fact Based•Mitigation Policies•Implementation and Monitoring•Inter- organizational coordination•Participation across groups and Organization

Areas for Improve

ment

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Perception of Risk: 2011-2012 Flood Survey Results – Flood Awareness

There is a stark difference in perception of flood risk between the public and local officials in Risk MAP areas vs. Non Risk MAP Areas Do You Believe Your Community is at Risk of Flooding?

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Flood Survey Results: Public Findings

Proximity to a hazard does not prompt action• Being located near a flood hazard did not

make individuals feel that their community was at greater flood risk, but it did make individuals feel that their home was at greater risk

• Despite that, they did not act significantly differently than those who were not located near flood hazards in terms of their behaviors to protect their homes against flooding

Those who didn’t take action to reduce flood risk didn’t think there was a risk

• 81% did not take actions because they did not believe there was a risk

• 5% mentioned cost as a reason • 4% did not know what actions to take

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Further Studies What truly informs local decision making on climate

change adaptation? How do we see, from a adaptation standpoint, the

integration of economics, housing, infrastructure, health and social services, and natural and cultural resources?

How can we better integrate programs and processes across Federal agencies, State departments, and local governments?

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Q&A

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Roy Wright| [email protected]

Karen Helbrecht| [email protected]