By Ted Fischer
October 8, 2007

Orlando (FL) Solid Waste Management Department Bureau Chief Mike Carroll, Beck Disaster Recovery CEO Jonathan Burgiel, and DRC Emergency Services COO Mark Stafford presented FEMA’s new regulations and guidelines and disaster preparedness at the MWMA Fall Summit in Philadelphia.

“Disasters happen anywhere, not just in Florida. If you have any place within your community that could be flood prone, have severe thunderstorms or tornado damage, live on an active fault line or near a man-made disaster then you need to know how to react in the face of a disaster,” said Carroll. “Training for a disaster is crucial, having nothing in place after a disaster is the worst choice.”

MWMA attendees were encouraged to look into standby monitoring contracts that would protect city assets and allow companies to help assist when disasters strike. Carroll said that FEMA’s guidelines typically change after every major disaster and having standby monitoring contracts allow them to work with companies to make sure the latest FEMA guidelines are known. Carroll also encouraged cities to employ a stand by debris removal contractor as well as train for a disaster.

Carroll said, “Make sure you have receipts and a record of everything you spent on the clean up, FEMA is very by-the-book when collecting information on how much was spent by the city on clean up.”

“Think of FEMA as inexpensive insurance,” Stafford said. “The FEMA public assistance pilot program has grants that are based on estimates, includes an increased federal share, a debris recycling incentive, a forced labor incentive, and has many pros and cons that you will want to understand before disaster strikes. FEMA has publications in 30 areas and their rules do change after every major disaster.”

“There are benefits to having stand by contractors. FEMA gives a five percent funding enhancement, and they will expedite response and recovery. You will have a dual familiarity with personnel, joint planning capability and joint training exercises that can be done,” said Burgiel.

For more information on stand by contracts and presentations from the MWMA Fall Summit, visit the website at usmayors.org/uscm/mwma.