RECOVERING FROM DISASTERS, LESSONS FOR IRRIGATION DISTRICTS

摘要

Irrigation districts and other water supply agencies frequently experience damage fromnatural disasters, including floods, fires, earthquakes, and hurricanes. The FederalEmergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides grants to make repairs to damagedfacilities and to cover other disaster-related expenses through its Public AssistanceProgram. Federal grants can cover 75% or more of the costs of repairs and otherexpenses, and many states provide additional grants so that the local agency only has topay a small portion of the recovery costs.While performing repairs and other emergency work, it is important that the local agencykeep accurate and detailed records of costs, and follow reasonable practices in hiringcontractors. FEMA can also provide grant funding for system improvements to preventor minimize future disaster damage; however it is important that improvements are notmade prior to FEMA approval and environmental compliance.During the past 15 years, the author has had several assignments as a FEMA DisasterAssistance Employee (DAE) and a Technical Assistance Contractor (TAC) employee.The paper will cover several of the author’s experiences documenting damage andwriting reports to justify FEMA grants for water districts and other local agencies. Thepaper will also discuss how FEMA obtains staffing for disaster recovery, and theresulting opportunities for engineers and other water experts for part-time work.