Lessons learned from Box Elder/Cache County Flooding

What an Emergency Manager Needs to Know about Preliminary Damage Assessments & Public Assistance - DR-4311 OR - How I learned to love and hate Public Assistance Utah State Emergency Managers Conference October 18, 2017

Presenters Mark Millett Emergency Manager Box Elder County

Josh Runharr, AICP Director of Development Services Cache County

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Judy Watanabe State Coordinating Officer DR-4311 Deputy Director Utah Division of Emergency Management

Brad Bartholomew Deputy State Coordinating Office DR-4311 Recovery Manager Utah Division of Emergency Management

DR-4311 Box Elder County Cache County Utah DEM Panel Discussion Open to Questions 3

Box Elder County

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PDD Flood Emergency Feb 7 to 27

21 mile Dam break, NV – 2/8

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Cutler Dam Release - Level 1 Bear River Flooding

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Sheet Flooding

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Landslides

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Lessons Learned PDA Process ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

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While still in the flood fight – was pushed for info Hired an engineering firm – ▫ did not know “the day before the disaster” requirement – estimated costs based on how it would be fixed Hired a second firm – familiar with PDA process Did not have to be engineers – Who else???

Lessons Learned PW Process ▪

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$3200 per PW threshold ▫ Documentation – type of, and repetition of requests / format of info ▫ Equipment use – time/operator/ fuel / location/ hours ▫ Cost Benefit analysis – is the help worth the effort? ▫ Terminology – materials / mapping ▫ “the day before the disaster” Standard – emergency work vs repairs ▫ Tiered Approval process – “Trying to understand the disaster” ▫ Prove maintenance of roads ▫ Environmental and historical assessment

Cache County

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• Rapid response needed • 469 miles of road to cover • Snow/Ice plugged culverts • Large amounts of erosion

• Water backup at bridges • 75 damage locations (map) • ~60 additional flood locations • Numerous homes in jeopardy

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• Things we did RIGHT: • Tracked, in real time, the entire event • Photo record & GIS inventory • Tracking system for equipment, materials used, and labor • DHS Federal Pre-Audit • Early in process • Reviewed codes & procedures, etc.

• Identified deficiencies & problems

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• How we track • Any IPad/Smartphone • Collector App • Georeferenced location • Attach images • Enter field notes

• Live on County website

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• Things we did LESS RIGHT: • Have an Emergency Manager on duty...

• Track volunteer hours • No record of historic flood damage • Management change in 2014

• Codify all “field” standards • Repair is to pre-disaster or base standard if applicable • Codified standards also need to be general practice

• Understand what is REPAIR vs. MITIGATION • Straight Replacement vs. Improvement • Cost justification basis (track repeated loss) 17

• Things we did LESS RIGHT: • Understand how FEMA tracks • Labor/Equipment/Materials (got this partially correct) • Equipment – operational hours only & FEMA rates • Track personnel to equipment & location • Material – purchased vs. self supplied

• Direct vs. Indirect Administrative Costs • Direct: covered if you can track it • Indirect: not covered at all

• We don’t cost estimate force account projects • Run on a “cash out of pocket” system • Engineering estimates were less than useful for force account • Merge labor/equipment into unit cost for material installed 18

• Things we did LESS RIGHT: • Understand what was needed for PDAs or FEMA PWs • Preliminary Damage Assessment/Project Worksheets • Don’t “just hire” a consultant • Need specific measurements, quantities, force account costs for repair, etc.

• Tell FEMA what the solution is, then verify that it works • 3 “reservists” teams before full time team

• Unknown process at 3 levels • Best PDAs ever to...

• PDAs tossed weeks later 19

• What we built to handle FEMA PWs: • Project worksheets • Estimation tools – Excel spreadsheet • Disaster/Pre-con/Construction photos & doc.

• Next Steps: • Building a better public interface • Estimates are being fact checked with actuals • Build into GIS reporting widget • Assess damage to producing work orders • Maintain database for future events

• Revise Standards & work with Municipalities 20

State DEM

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NEW Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) Process New PDA Process OLD v. New DEM Forms Timely (30 days)

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Preliminary Damage Assessments https://sites.google.com/ site/utahdisasterrecovery/ PDA

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Results of the PDA Conducted March 9- April 6 2017

Obligated Funding as of October 17 2017

Category B - $129,952

Category B - $479,922

Category C - $5,150,837

Category C - $946,753

Category D - $143,850

Category D - $142,599

Category E - $26,247

Category E - $41,563.76

Category G - $60,000

Category G - $4,618

Category A - $472,119

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Total $5,983,005

Category A - $3,423

Total $1,656,347.95

Davis County Wind Disaster Timeline DR-4053

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Nov 30 – Dec 1 (2011) January 10 – 13 (2012) February 1 February 13 February 14 February 14 March 28 April 1 2012-2017

Severe Wind Storm Preliminary Damage Assessment Presidential Disaster Declared Field Office Opened 62 Applicants’ Briefing Kick-Off Meetings First Check Handed to Applicant 44 Field Office Closes Project Completion/Reimb./Closeout

~2020

Documents retention: 3 years from Disaster Closeout Date

Public Assistance Timeline DR-4311 February 7 - 27 (2017) March-Apr April 21 May 10 May 11 May September 29 August 2017-2022 2025?

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Severe Storm and Flooding Preliminary Damage Assessment Presidential Disaster Declared Field Office Opened 72 Applicants’ Briefings Kick-Off Meetings First Check Handed to Applicant 142 Field Office Closes Project Completion/Reimb./Closeout Documents retention: 3 years from Disaster Closeout Date

Public Assistance (PA) Process FEMA sent their “F Team” Split Operations Costs Questioned Utah has few disasters

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Lessons Learned PDA Process ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

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Still trying to find the PDA sweet spot Make sure we are clear on our communications Forms More Hands On Time + Material + Equipment Training, Training, Training

Lessons Learned

PW Process ▪ Document NOW ▪ Keep maintenance records ▪ Select someone who has the knowledge & time ▪ State Experts ▪ New FEMA PA Model ▪ More Changes to Come ▪ Training, Training, Training

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QUESTIONS? 33

Mark Millett

Josh Runharr

mmillett@boxeldercounty.org

Josh.Runhaar@cachecounty.org

435.734.3813

435.755.1640

Brad Bartholomew bbart@utah.gov 801.673.5854