Hazard Mitigation News Jun/Jul 2000

APRIL 2001

CONTENTS:

Feature Story: Operation Mitigation: A Success Story In South Florida

Flooding is a natural phenomenon in Florida, commonly occurring along streams, rivers, lakes and coastal areas. Floodplains, the low-lying lands that are subject to inundation from floodwaters, provide a variety of benefits, including, water storage, filtration, erosion control, habitat and recreation. However, rapid population growth has changed the face of the state’s landscape. Urbanization has brought with it increased impervious surface areas, causing more severe storm water runoff. Unchecked development has fostered construction of drainage systems in a piecemeal fashion without a comprehensive design that fully considers the potential flood hazard. (full story)

Governor's Hurricane Conference

Hazard Mitigation Grant
Program (HMGP)

Media Center

May 14-18, 2001
See website for
Registration Information

Mitigation Highlights
TRAINING
May 14-15, 2001
TS-R2 and TS-R3, 'Recovery - A Gaming Simulation'
A hands-on course that gives insight to the major decisions made by local governments during hurricane recovery. Demonstrates opportunities and constraints for mitigation during post-disaster recovery.

WORKSHOPS
May 16, 2001
WS-R6, 'Building Disaster Resistant Neighborhoods and Communities.'
WS-R7, 'Historic Preservation and Mitigation'

Panhandle to Receive HMGP Funds
On October 3, 2000, federal disaster funds were approved for Florida to aid local government recovery from Tropical Storm Helene. The Federal Emergency Management Agency declared the state a major disaster area because of damage to public property from heavy rains, high winds, tornadoes and flooding that began on September 21. The declaration will assist affected counties with 75% of the approved cost for debris removal, storm-related emergency services, restoration of damaged public facilities, and projects that reduce future disaster risks pursuant to the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Jefferson, Leon, Okaloosa and Wakulla counties were declared eligible for federal funding. These counties all have approved Local Mitigation Strategies (LMS’s), thus, mitigation projects shall be funded according to the priorities established by the LMS’s. Each declared county has a prorated share of an estimated $2.6 million in Hazard Mitigation Program funds that will be used for proposed projects. It is expected that all projected applications will be submitted by the end of July.

THE SHELTER RETROFIT PROGRAM
(FUNDS GENERATED FROM IRENE AND FLOYD)

UPDATE ON PROJECTS, FUNDS AND CONTRACTS

1999 Projects

55 projects were submitted
$6,115,931.54 in funding requests
23 projects totaling $1,448,481.54 have been issued contracts

2000 Projects

236 projects were submitted
$18,877,961.97 in funding requests
33 projects totaling $2,426,111.41 have been issued contracts

2001 Projects

22 projects were submitted
$11,538,962.58 in funding requests
We have fully executed contracts for nine projects

APPLICATIONS

The Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program application cycle for Fiscal Year 2000-2001 began February 21 and will close May 21. For more information, please contact Cornell Cummings at (850) 922-4444 or Fred Peacock at (850) 922-4077.

PUBLICATIONS

Our newest publications give information about federal funding availability for mitigation projects, as well as, explain how to define and plan a project. Publications will be made available through our web-site. Please contact Karen Krejci at (850) 410-3159 for more information.

Handbook for Hazard Mitigation Projects (March 2001)

Handbook for Floodplain Acquisition and Elevation Projects (January 2001)

VIDEOS

The Department of Community Affairs is working on three technical assistance videos that will be available to Florida communities:

Acquisitions and Elevations Video- Provides guidance on implementing acquisition and elevation projects to reduce repetitive flood losses.

Mitigation Success Stories- Highlights success stories in through various funding programs in hazard mitigation.

Local Mitigation Strategy- Focuses on the importance of maintaining a Local Mitigation Strategy.

From The Director

The Division of Emergency Management is excited about the success that our Local Mitigation Strategy efforts have achieved in our Florida communities. After reading the articles in this issue, we hope that you are encouraged to continue strong hazard mitigation in you own community and are educated on the many options for assistance that our Division offers to prepare for natural disasters. The Bureau of Recovery and Mitigation is working hard to ensure that all Florida communities are prepared when disaster strikes. Together, we can make Florida a more enjoyable, safer place to live.

Joe Myers, Director
Division of Emergency Management

Published bi-monthly by the Department of Community Affairs:

www.dca.state.fl.us