Lesson 5:

Official Information and Resources

Lesson Overview

Hazard Mitigation staff should anticipate questions from the public on a wide range of hurricane-related topics, from questions about building repairs, to questions about mold or even grants.

Hazard Mitigation staff have a variety of FEMA resources available to help educate the public on hurricane mitigation techniques. Other resources are intended for the enrichment of building and emergency management professionals.  Spend the time needed to become familiar with the purpose and audience for the resources and publications that are included in this lesson.

At a disaster, the Hazard Mitigation Community Education and Outreach (CEO) group, in collaboration with the state, will decide which of these approved publications and resources support the Hazard Mitigation Strategy for the disaster. 

In this lesson you will learn about:

• The importance of directing the public to local building officials before they begin repairs or rebuilding
• How FEMA addresses the topic of mold with the public
• Which FEMA publications support the hurricane mitigation advice Hazard Mitigation staff provide to the general public
• What FEMA-approved online resources are available for hurricane mitigation
• What appropriate actions to take when advising the public

At the end of this lesson you will:

• Identify the correct actions to take when advising the public regarding hurricane mitigation
• Recognize the information and advice to provide regarding mold
• Identify mitigation resources that provide information regarding the multiple hazards associated with hurricanes

 

Local Building Officials

When advising members of the public about reducing the risk of future hazard damages, direct them to local building officials before beginning any repairs or rebuilding because:

• Building codes, permits, inspection requirements, and zoning ordinances may be involved
• A floodplain ordinance may affect rebuilding when the structure has sustained Substantial Damage
• Building officials will reinforce the point that only licensed professionals are qualified to perform structural repair or structural mitigation work

Discussing Mold with the Public

There is a tremendous risk of mold growth after flooding.  Mold is a public health issue that is addressed by appropriate local state, and federal experts.

Because mold is common in flooded communities, some basic facts about mold that you can share with the public are:

• Mold grows where there is sufficient moisture
• Musty or earthy odors may indicate mold
• Walls that are not completely dry may allow mold spores to grow quickly
• Mold exposure may cause or aggravate asthma or respiratory problems in adults and children
• Mold can cause structural damage to buildings; the longer it grows the more damage it can cause
• Cleaning to remove the mold without fixing the moisture problem will most likely result in the mold coming back

Removing mold and mold conditions does not protect a building from mold in future hazard events. 

However, it does reduce the immediate risk of illness and additional damage from the mold conditions created by the flooding.

Decisions about the type of advice to provide to individuals dealing with mold are the responsibility of the State Health Department. 

Several federal agencies also publish information about mold:

• Centers for Disease Control
• Environmental Protection Agency
• FEMA
• U.S. Public Health Service

Hazard Mitigation staff distribute ONLY the mold publication provided by the Hazard Mitigation Community Education and Outreach group.

 

FEMA  Publications

Below are FEMA mitigation publications relevant to this hazard.  These can be accessed from the FEMA website. 

Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction is a FEMA produced series of 31 fact sheets providing technical guidance and recommendations concerning the construction of coastal residential buildings.

Protecting Your Property from High Winds explains methods for securing and protecting windows, doors, roofing, garage doors, and Exterior Insulation Finishing System (EIFS) walls.

Taking Shelter from the Storm describes the safety benefits of building safe rooms, provides construction plans and estimates, and answers many frequently asked questions.

Homeowner’s Guide to Retrofitting: Six Ways to Protect Your House from Flooding explains the meaning of “retrofitting,” and details six retrofitting methods that protect the house from flooding including elevating, wet and dry floodproofing, relocating, floodwalls and protecting service equipment. 

The publication also provides information on financial assistance for mitigation retrofitting.

Protecting Your Property from Flooding provides information on flood-resistant building materials, dry flood proofing, raising electrical components, anchoring fuel tanks, raising HVAC equipment, protecting walls and installing sewer backflow valves.

NFIP Publications

Hazard Mitigation staff are required to distribute specified resources from the National Flood Insurance Program after a flood event.

Your immediate supervisor will let you know which of the following are appropriate in each disaster.

After the Flood: Tips from the NFIP provides advice on looking out for hazards in flooded homes, filing for flood insurance claims, and cleaning up after a flood.

Answers to Questions About the National Flood Insurance Program explains the NFIP, including coverage, claims, flood maps, and FEMA’s repetitive loss strategy.

NFIP Claims Handbook tells policyholders what to do before, during, and after a flood. Filing and appealing flood insurance claims are covered.

National Flood Insurance Program Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) Coverage: How You Can Benefit provides brief information on ICC Coverage.  If a home or business is damaged by a flood, the owner may be required to meet certain building requirements in the community to reduce future flood damage. To help with these costs, the NFIP includes Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) coverage for all eligible properties insured under the Standard Flood Insurance Policy.  This pamphlet briefly describes the benefits of ICC, how much coverage is available, the four options covered, when to file an ICC claim, and how the ICC payment is handled.

NFIP Summary of Coverage provides guidance on deductibles, what is and is not covered by flood insurance, and how items are valued at time of loss.

Tips for Filing Your Insurance Claim provides advice on:

• What to do immediately after a disaster
• What happens once a loss claim has been reported
• What to do before an adjustor arrives

Other Resources

There are several websites that contain hurricane mitigation information.  Aside from official FEMA websites, there are FEMA-partner organizations that provide comprehensive, user-friendly information and guidance on hurricane mitigation.

The HM Disaster Workforce Website houses a wealth of hazard mitigation information.  It can be accessed from the internet via the Homeland Security Information Network using any computer or from the intranet using a FEMA computer.

The same information is contained in both locations, but the intranet version is behind the firewall.  You will need to have a user id and password to access either website.

The National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) represents building industry for members and affiliated state and local builders’ organizations.  Their website is located at www.nahb.org. 

The site includes recommended mitigation strategies for most types of natural hazards.

Another partner organization is the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS).  Its mission is to reduce the social and economic effects of natural disasters and other property losses by conducting research and advocating improved construction, maintenance and preparation practices.  IBHS hosts the www.DisasterSafety.org website.

The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, Inc., known as FLASH, is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting disaster safety and property loss mitigation across a variety of natural hazards, including wildfires.  Their website, FLASH.org, has preparedness and post-disaster materials that Hazard Mitigation staff or the public can easily access.

Informing the Public

When speaking with members of the public about reducing the risk of future hazard damages: 

1. Explain the risk and the mitigation actions clearly and at a level of detail appropriate to the listener.
2. Refer to publications/websites that reinforce or provide additional information about rebuilding or repairing to reduce future risk of damages.
3. Do not give specific repair directions. Always direct people to local building officials when they are planning repairs or mitigation.

 
Remember that you are THE face and voice of hazard mitigation.  What you say and do makes a real difference in people’s lives!

This completes the final lesson in this course.  In this lesson you learned about:

• The importance of directing the public to local building officials before they begin repairs or rebuilding
• How FEMA addresses the topic of mold with the public
• Which FEMA publications support the hurricane mitigation advice Hazard Mitigation staff provide to the general public
• What FEMA-approved online resources are available for hurricane mitigation
• What appropriate actions to take when advising the public