View previous Hazard Mitigation editions: Here
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Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) Funding Deadline for Covid-19 Passed
The application period for open COVID-19 disaster declarations for Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding ended on February 1st, 2023. FEMA made $3.46 billion in HMGP funding available for all 59 COVID-19 major disaster declarations and provided extensions to the application period for states, tribes, and territories across the nation that needed more time to work with communities to develop quality sub-applications that will make them more climate resilient.
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Climate Change
Climate change is the crisis of our generation. The effects of extreme weather events are magnified in underserved communities located in risk-prone areas, with poor quality or aged infrastructure, and lacking sufficient resources to invest in preparedness and building resilience. Areas that do not typically experience catastrophic weather events are experiencing flooding and extreme temperatures. Extreme weather affects other aspects of well-being, like supply chain operations, infrastructure stability, food security, and overall public health.
FEMA developed tools people can use to understand their immediate and future climate risks in order to make a plan:
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Home Mitigation: Flooding Toolkit
Winter is here, and although communities look forward to the eventual start of spring, it’s also a time to be aware of the current threats of Mother Nature. We might think of hurricanes or spring downpours when we think of floods, but rapid snowmelt, ice jams or a few inches of rain can cause flooding during the winter. A flood emergency of any magnitude is stressful for home and property owners. Please take a moment this February to know your risk. Every pre-disaster mitigation step you take can help reduce your flood risk, improve your level of preparedness and in some cases even help to lower insurance premiums.
Flooding is the most common and costly disaster in the United States and can happen anywhere. There are many ways homeowners can minimize their homes’ potential risk of flooding, and not all of them are difficult or expensive. The following toolkit offers pre-disaster mitigation tips relevant to homes and businesses. We encourage everyone to use the resources available to help prepare themselves and others before disaster strikes.
Now is the best time to protect your home against future flooding. Reduce your risk by:
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Know Your Risk: Anywhere it can rain, it can flood. To check your specific flood risk, look up your address in the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
Reduce Your Risk: By preparing now, you can protect your family, home, and belongings from flooding.
Insure Your Property: Flood damage isn’t covered by standard homeowners insurance policies, and flood damage is expensive. Just one inch of floodwater can cause more than $25,000 in damage. Talk to your insurance agent about flood insurance or visit www.floodsmart.gov.
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Flood Insurance
- Most standard homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.
- Talk to an insurance agent about your coverage and risk, and ask about a flood insurance policy.
- Even if your home is in a low- or moderate-risk flood zone, purchasing flood insurance is a smart choice.
- More than 20 percent of flood insurance claims come from properties that are not in identified high-risk zones.
- Renters should purchase a flood insurance contents policy.
- Flood-damaged household goods are rarely salvageable.
- Talk to an insurance agent about flood coverage and visit www.floodsmart.gov
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Talking Points for Home Mitigation
Review Your Landscaping: Remove snow from around rural yards to minimize soft, wet, soil conditions. Remember that a 20-foot wide, 10-foot high pile of snow contains about 2,600 gallons of water. Move the snow to well-drained areas. Clear debris from drainage ditches and storm drains. Improve your lot grading so stormwater will drain away from the building.
Maintain Gutters: Inspect downspouts, and splash pads so rainwater flows away from your house. Make sure downspouts carry water several feet from your house to a well-drained area. About 2,500 gallons of water will come from a 1,000-square-foot roof with one foot of snow.
Seal Foundation Cracks: Close any foundation cracks with mortar and masonry caulk or hydraulic cement, which expands and fills gaps completely. Seal walls in your basement with waterproofing compounds to avoid seepage, making sure floor drains are free of obstructions.
Install a Sump Pump: Sump pumps propel groundwater away from your home and can be an excellent defense against basement seepage and flooding. Choose a battery-operated sump pump in case the power goes out.
Prevent Sewer Backups: Install drain plugs for all basement floor drains to prevent sewer backups. Have a licensed plumber install sewer backflow valves for all pipes entering the building to prevent floodwater and wastewater from backing up into your home through toilets, sinks, and other drains.
Elevate Appliances and Electrical Equipment: Have a licensed electrician raise electric components (switches, sockets, circuit breakers, and wiring) at least 12 inches above your home's projected flood elevation. If you have appliances in your basement, elevate them on masonry blocks. Raise and anchor service equipment and appliances such as air-conditioning units, water heaters, heat pumps, and water meters onto platforms, so they are at least one foot above the potential flood height. Move major appliances such as washers, dryers, and hot-water heaters above the ground floor.
For Larger-Scale Projects: like elevating or relocating a property, coordinate with your local and state emergency management officials to see if any FEMA grant programs are an option. FEMA has multiple grants that are made available to states and local communities to mitigate the negative effects of flooding.
Homeowners can call FEMA’s building science hotline at (866) 927-2104 or submit questions by email to FEMA-Buildingsciencehelp@dhs.gov for technical assistance.
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Personal Property
- 30: The number of days it takes for flood insurance to begin. Don’t wait until it’s too late! https://www.floodsmart.gov/how/how-do-i-buy-flood-insurance
- Only flood insurance will cover the damage from floods. Review your property & flood insurance policies.
- Snap some pictures of your property & do an inventory. This will be handy if flood waters damage your property.
- Flood waters can damage important papers. Store critical docs in a waterproof container or electronically.
- Reduce potential property damage by elevating utilities & installing sewer backflow valves.
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Public Assistance Grant Program Resources For All Disasters
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Subrecipient Monitoring
Pursuant to the Code of Federal Regulations, 2 C.F.R. Part 200 explains many requirements of the State or “pass-through entity” for federal awards. One such requirement is Subrecipient Monitoring. The intent is to:
- Evaluate each subrecipient's risk of noncompliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the subaward for purposes of determining the appropriate subrecipient monitoring.
- Monitor the activities of the subrecipient as necessary to ensure that the subaward is used for authorized purposes, in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the subaward.
- And that those subaward performance goals are achieved.
Source: Code of Federal Regulations
To ensure compliance with this policy and procedure, representatives from DEMA’s Public Assistance Grant Program team have begun outreach to subrecipients of PA grant funding. The intent is for DEMA to perform Subrecipient Monitoring for all 3 current Disaster Declarations, beginning with DR4526 COVID-19.
DEMA’s PA support team will guide the subrecipient through the entire process including emails, coordinating virtual meetings and assisting with filling out paperwork associated with this process. Understanding Monitoring may be new to some of Delaware's PA applicants, but our team is fully prepared to guide subrecipients through every stage. We will be available for any questions, or concerns as it relates to Subrecipient Monitoring.
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The Delaware Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (DEVOAD)
The DEVOAD serves as an umbrella organization to encourage collaboration, communication, and cooperation of volunteer organizations in response to State disasters. Contact Delaware VOAD State Chair, Toby French, at delawarevoad@gmail.com for further information or questions.
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Please visit the DEVOAD site to learn more: devoad.org
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DEVOAD Quarterly Meeting
The Delaware VOAD held its recent quarterly meeting with 30 attendees on January 23rd, at the Kent County Department of Public Safety. Topics ranged from training opportunities offered by FEMA, DEMA, as well as Team Rubicon. DEMA Deputy Director, Paige Fitzgerald, also recapped "Lessons from Hurricane Ian" following the Cat 4 Hurricane that devastated Florida in 2022. Delaware VOAD members, as well as Team Rubicon, provided critical response and recovery efforts following this storm.
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Annual Delaware and Maryland VOAD Conference
Date: March 13-14
Time: 12:00 PM - 12:00 PM
Conference Registration: Here
Event Fee: $115
Location: Princess Royale Ocean Front Resort
9100 Coastal Highway
Ocean City, MD 21842
Book a Room: 1-800-476-9253
Use Reference Code: Maryland VOAD 2023 and/or Block Code: 23VOAD
Online Reservation: Link
Reservation Deadline: February 20
(The $109 discounted rate may not be available after this date)
You're invited to attend this year's Delaware and Maryland Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster Annual Conference.
The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine reports that "As Earth's climate has warmed, a new pattern of more frequent and more intense weather events has unfolded around the world." A study by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Coastal Resilience Center, said in their executive summary, "Recent work shows that continual and repeated disruption caused by natural hazards disproportionately harms marginalized communities." The Delaware and Maryland VOAD have experienced these effects in our states through an increased number of “ninja disaster events” (intense micro-bursts of rain, wind and/or flooding) concentrated in a small geographic area with a disproportionate impact on communities of color, those at the margins and those living below the poverty level.
This year’s Annual Conference will explore: the science and data behind this phenomenon; strategies for engaging funding sources in new ways; and envision ways to develop mitigation efforts to minimize the impact of these storms and improve the quality of life within these affected communities.
Contact: Bruce Morgenstern, Treasurer
Maryland VOAD
410-353-7218
treasurer@marylandvoad.org
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There are still properties that need assistance in our communities, please consider volunteering. If you or your organization wishes to volunteer please email Vice Chair, Marty Brett, at mbrett5@verizon.net and DEVOAD will arrange work to fit the skills and number of volunteers available.
Type Of Work:
- Yard and alley cleanup with debris removal
- Removal of drywall, insulation, and carpets
- Replacing molding and baseboards
What You Need:
Long pants, sturdy shoes, and safety glasses. Depending on the work, heavy work gloves and a respirator mask (P100 Recommended) may also be needed.
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Volunteers are needed to help distribute food at our large monthly distribution! Come spend a few hours helping our neighbors in need!
Kent County
When: Mon, February 13 at 10:45 AM - 1:15 PM (2.5 hours)
Where: 5 Linstone Lane, Milford, DE 19963
Sign up to volunteer: Here
Sussex County
When: Wed, February 15 at 10:45 AM - 1:15 PM (2.5 hours)
Where: 41 Schulze Rd, Greenwood, DE 19950
Sign up to volunteer: Here
New Castle County
When: Tue, February 14 at 10:45 AM - 1:15 PM (2.5 hours)
Where: 100 Flamingo Drive, Newark, DE 19702
Sign up to volunteer: Here
When: Thu, February 23 at 10:45 AM - 1:15 PM (2.5 hours)
Where: 2300 Bowers St, Wilmington, DE, 19802
Sign up to volunteer: Here
If you are unable to attend the distribution, please visit www.fbd.org/get-help to learn about other ways the Food Bank and network partners can help you!
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EPA TOOLS & RESOURCES WEBINAR: CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION RESOURCE CENTER (ARC-X)
Date: February 09
Time: 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. EST
Register: Here
EPA’s Climate Change Adaptation Resource Center (ARC-X) is an innovative system designed to help all 40,000 communities across the United States anticipate, prepare for, and adapt to the impacts of climate change. It supports local government officials in every community, from those with extensive experience and expertise dealing with the impacts of climate change to those working in communities who are just beginning to meet those challenges.
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Data Mapping and Analyses to Identify US Locations with High Lead Exposures
Date: February 15
Time: 3:00 to 4:00 PM
Register: Here
The EPA Lead Strategy and the Federal Lead Action Plan highlight the need for a whole-of-government approach to map, identify, and address high lead exposure locations and disparities. EPA continues to work with partners, such as CDC, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and state agencies, on lead mapping and modeling. EPA, HUD, and CDC recently co-authored a paper in the American Journal of Public Health on the state of the science and federal collaborations regarding lead data mapping. Learn more at: Strategy to Reduce Lead Exposures and Disparities in U.S. Communities.
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Strategic Framing for Climate Change Communication
Date: February 22 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
February 23 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Cost: $20.00
Registration Deadline: February 8
Location: St. Jones Coastal Training Center: 818 Kitts Hummock Rd. Dover, Delaware
Register: Here
Learn about strategic framing as a communication approach to engage audiences in creating or supporting solutions to climate change. This is a two-day training opportunity provided by the DNREC Coastal Training Program. Participants will learn about strategic framing, a research-based approach to communication that engages audiences in thinking productively about how they can participate in creating or supporting solutions to climate change. This training introduces the elements of strategic framing, such as tone, values, explanatory metaphors and solutions. It will also provide an opportunity to practice applying strategies to increase participants’ confidence in their ability to overcome barriers to interpreting climate change issues.
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WEBINARS, TRAINING, & CONFERENCES
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Discovering Mitigation Alternatives
Date: March 22
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. EST
Register: Here
Hazard mitigation plans outline future projects to help communities avoid disaster impacts. Your plan’s mitigation actions should be kept up-to-date to ensure public, government and political support. This webinar will explore how the planning team can determine mitigation actions are best for the identified risk, align with community goals and identify capabilities that are needed to be successful.
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Find a Vaccination & Testing Location Near You!
- Find a Vaccine near you by visiting: Here
- Testing: A list of testing locations can be found: Here
- At-Home Testing Kits: Here
- COVID-19 Boosters Shots: Stay informed about who is available and where you can get your booster shots in Delaware by visiting: Here
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Stay Connected & Share With Your Networks!
Want to add someone to the distribution list, have a story to share, or are experiencing issues receiving this newsletter because of firewalls or spam filters, please add Stephanie Swisher (Stephanie.Swisher@delaware.gov) to your email contact lists. You can review any past newsletter editions here.
We Hope You Are Well & Thank You For Reading!
Brought to you by the Recovery Team at the Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA), in partnership with Delaware Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (DEVOAD).
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