Welcome to the FEMA Site Inspection Process course.

This course informs Applicants and Recipients how to accurately prepare for and participate in a FEMA site inspection. The course will provide an in-depth look into the site inspection process.

By the end of the course, State, local, Tribal, and Territorial Applicants and Recipients will be able to accurately prepare for and participate in a site inspection; they will know what to expect from FEMA and their own responsibilities regarding the site inspection. Additionally, Applicants and Recipients will be prepared for their role post-site inspection.

Upon completion of this course, the participants will be able to:

• Describe the site inspection process
• Explain the role of the Site Inspector, Applicant and Recipient regarding the site inspection process
• Discuss expectations during and after the site inspection process

This lesson provides an overview of the administrative requirements, goals, and objectives of the course. It also discusses the site inspection process and reviews the process in a sequential order. This lesson will focus on the pre-site inspection actions of the Applicant and Recipient.

Upon completion of this lesson, the participants will be able to:

• Identify administrative requirements of the course
• State the goals and objectives of the course
• Describe the process of a site inspection

The site inspection occurs during Phase II of the Public Assistance process. The purpose of a site inspection is to validate incident-related damages listed on an Applicant's Damage Inventory. The site inspections also includes validation of:

1. The facility definition (including description of materials, location of waterline and its integral ground)
2. What happened to the facility (cause/failure mechanism, dimensions, materials)
3. What the Applicant says it’ll take to restore it to pre-disaster condition

Site inspections are completed with a member of the Applicant's staff or the Applicant's representative, and all information needed to formulate the project's Damage Description and Dimensions will be recorded.

A Site Inspector inspects all sites identified by the Applicant and reports on the list of damages provided, with the exception of the following conditions:

• All parties (FEMA, Recipient, and Applicant) concur on the site's ineligibility
• The Applicant completed the work and validated it through appropriate documentation. (e.g. photographs of the damaged site and the site after repairs area complete, force account records)

The Applicant should be prepared to explain to the Site Inspector how they intend to repair the damaged site. All aspects of site conditions should be clearly articulated to facilitate evaluation of potential future requests for changes to the original scope of work without the need for another site inspection. This information includes:

• Site location, including street address and accurate GPS coordinates
• Photographic documentation of overall site conditions (taken at a distance) and of isolated, specific damages (taken as close-ups) with appropriate descriptions and scale
• Sketches of the site conditions and damages
• Plans, drawings, and/or "as-built" specifications, if applicable

There are several critical actions that an Applicant can take prior to the site inspection. Recall that the Applicant, Program Delivery Manager, and other relevant FEMA Public Assistance personnel should have scheduled the site inspection during or immediately following the Recovery Scoping Meeting. The Applicant has from the Recovery Scoping Meeting until the site inspection date to accomplish the following:

• Collect relevant disaster documentation
• Establish a point of contact that FEMA can reach for site inspection purposes and will accompany the Site Inspector during the day of the inspection
• Determine which tools are necessary for the inspection (mileage counters in trucks, ladders, range finders etc.)
• Participate in the pre-meeting coordination call with the Site Inspector at least 24 hours prior to the site inspection to discuss the order and sequences of sites to be inspected, discuss any potential hazards or safety concerns, and whether any repair work has been done since the time the site inspection was scheduled
• Finalize the time and location of meeting during the inspection

At the beginning of the scheduled site inspection, the Site Inspector introduces all FEMA staff to the Applicant and/or Applicant's representative. They will explain the purpose of the inspection and their staff roles. The Site Inspector will review the Site Inspection Work Order with the Applicant and explain the agenda of the inspection.

The most essential part of the site inspection involves capturing all incident-related damage information. Using the appropriate Site Inspection Report, the Site Inspector will document all damage claimed by the Applicant. The report captures:

• A description of the facility
• Exact dimensions of the damage, including the specific materials and size/capacity/model of the components
• Cause of damage
• Confirmation whether the damages were caused by the incident
• The damages occurred within the incident period

The Site Inspector also completes the special considerations questionnaire on the Site Inspector Report. The Site Inspector takes photos of damage from multiple angles of the site, ensuring lighting and perspective allows reviewers of the photos to clearly see the damages. The Site Inspector discusses with the Applicant how they plan to repair the damages and captures this conversation on the report, including any additional comments provided by the Applicant on how they plan to repair the site.

At the end of the site inspection, the Site Inspector ensures all sections of the Site Inspection Report are complete. The Site Inspector will request the Applicant's review and concurrence on the report by initialing and dating each page.

The Site Inspector will then discuss the next steps after the site inspection. The Site Inspector will notify the Program Delivery Manager once the site inspection is complete.

In this lesson, participants learned about the overall Site inspection process.

The next lesson will cover the actions taken prior to a Site inspection.

This lesson covers the actions taken prior to a site inspection including appropriate documentation, identifying key personnel and points of contact, and coordination with the Site Inspector. This lesson will also review documents and actions that support the site inspection process.

Upon completion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

• Identify the required documents needed to support the site inspection process
• Discuss the necessary actions prior to any site inspection

The key to an effortless grant application process is to maintain is to keep a well-maintained set of incident-related damage documentation throughout each of the grant phases.

This can be accomplished by providing:

• Relevant pre-incident photos and documentation for comparison to post-incident conditions, if possible
• An itemized Damage Inventory spreadsheet which should be completed at the Recovery Scoping Meeting
• Damage locations (routing / planning), the physical address of the site to be inspected, and GIS coordinates with accurate latitude and longitude

It is very important that the Applicant understands the Damage Inventory spreadsheet should be completed in a timely fashion. The timely completion of the Damage Inventory spreadsheet  allows for a sampling inspection, which saves time and increases efficiency in the process.

All documents should get uploaded into Grants Portal.

Damage Inventory is used by the Applicant to capture all incident-related damage claims. The name of damage line items must always be clear and distinctive, and the description of the line item should provide a high-level summary of damage sustained to a facility and/or work performed.

Descriptions must also accurately explain the:

• Type of facility
• Damaged component(s) of the facility and what caused the damage
• Extent of damage to the facility
• Work completed (temporary repairs, items removed from the facility, etc.)

In cases where flooding occurred, the description must also include the length of time the facility was under water.

Each Damage Inventory line item on the project requires the Applicant to provide source documentation for completed work. If the Applicant is not able to separate the source documentation to support each line item, the project should only have one damage line item.

For 100% completed work Damage Inventory items, Applicants must provide supporting documentation for the completed work claim. The supporting documentation for 100% completed work Damage Inventory items should include specific dimensions of the facility that was repaired. For example, Applicants should provide start and end GPS coordinates for the roads and the lengths, widths, and depths of the roads repaired.

The Site Inspector will call the Applicant's Site Inspection Point of Contact to confirm the site inspection time and meeting place one business day prior to the scheduled site inspection. This call is referred to as the pre-meeting coordination call.

The discussion focuses on whether work has been completed since the time of the site inspection scheduling; if so the inspection is unnecessary, and the Applicant can send receipts to FEMA for eligibility determination and reimbursement.

Accessibility issues and solutions are also determined during the call. The Site Inspector will ask the Applicant about any safety concerns (e.g., high water, locked fences/gates, displaced wildlife) to ensure they will be able to inspect the damaged sites.

In this lesson, participants learned about the actions taken prior to a Site inspection.

The next lesson covers the roles and responsibilities of the Applicant and the FEMA Site Inspector during a site inspection.

This lesson will discuss the roles and responsibilities of the Applicant and the FEMA Site Inspector during a site inspection, starting with the tasks for the Applicant (or Applicant's representative) and Site Inspector. Site Inspector limitations will also be covered.

Upon completion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

• Explain the roles and responsibilities of the Applicant and the FEMA Site Inspector during a site inspection.

It is to the utmost benefit that the Applicant understand what occurs on the FEMA side during the site inspection process, namely, the tasks of the FEMA Site Inspector. Their primary responsibility is facilitating the site inspection process and filling out the category-specific Site Inspection Report.

At the start of the inspection, the Site Inspector will review the Site Inspection Work Order with the Applicant and introduce any additional FEMA personnel and their role during the process. Additional staff may include:

• Recipient staff
• Technical specialists (e.g., Environmental and Historic Preservation, Mitigation, and Insurance Specialists from the Consolidated Resource Center)

The Site Inspector and additional FEMA personnel will then work with the Applicant to validate the various damages identified on the Work Order as they go about the site inspection. The Site Inspector will capture all incident-related damage information for the Site Inspection Report. This information includes:

• Description of the facility
• Exact dimensions of the damage, including the specific materials and the size/capacity/model of the damaged components
• Cause of damage, confirmation that the incident caused the damages and the damages occurred during the incident period

Additionally, if newly identified damages are identified. The Site Inspector can add a note for the PDMG to have further discussions with Applicant about it.

The Site Inspector will also go through the special considerations questionnaire with the Applicant and will ensure to provide site-specific information for questions answered "yes" or "unsure." These questions may be similar to what the Applicant was asked during the Recovery Scoping Meeting, however, it is important for the Applicant to know that they will be asked again specifically for each Damage Inventory line item under inspection.

The Applicant's answers to these questions will play a significant part in eligibility determination, and address any potential Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation, Hazard Mitigation, or Insurance concerns.

The special considerations questions are as follows:

1. Does the damaged facility have insurance coverage and/or is it an insurable risk (e.g., buildings, equipment, vehicles)?
2. Is the damaged facility located within a floodplain or a coastal high hazard area and/or does it have an impact on a floodplain or wetland? Can the project site be impacted by flooding? Will work occur within 200 feet of a waterway/waterbody?
3. Is the damaged facility located within or adjacent to a Coastal Barrier Resource System Unit or an Otherwise Protected Area?
4. Will the proposed facility repairs/reconstruction change the pre-incident conditions (e.g., footprint - including depth of footprint, material, location, capacity, use or function), including construction of an access road, establishing a staging area, or other work outside of the constructed right-of-way?

In this lesson, participants learned about the roles and responsibilities of the Applicant and the FEMA Site Inspector during a Site Inspection.

The next lesson will cover the steps and materials associated with the post-site inspection period.

This lesson discusses the steps and materials associated with the post-site inspection period. The Damage Description and Dimensions will be introduced.

Upon completion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

• Identify the steps and materials that are associated with the post-site inspection period

The Damage Description and Dimensions is one of the most important sections of the project within Grants Portal. This information helps FEMA determine what damages are eligible for Public Assistance and defines the expectations for the scope of work and associated costs.

Site Inspectors use the data collected from their inspections (e.g., photographs, site sketches/drawings, measurements, etc.) to develop the Damage Description and Dimensions. The Site Inspector will enter the Site Inspection Report into Grants Manager and the system will auto-generate the Damage Description and Dimensions. Once the Program Delivery Manager reviews the Damage Description and Dimensions, the Applicant will be able to access and view it in Grants Portal.

FEMA and the Applicant will work together to reach an agreement on the detailed Damage Description and Dimensions before proceeding further.

For more information regarding the Damage Description and Dimensions, refer to the course: IS-1007 Detailed Damage Description Development.

In this lesson, participants learned about the steps and materials associated with the post-site inspection period, as well as the Damage Description and Dimensions.

The next lesson will review the course objectives. Participants will complete the Course Evaluation Form and take a Post-Course Assessment.

This lesson will review the course objectives. Participants will take a Post-Course Assessment at its conclusion.

In this course, participants learned how to:

• Describe the site inspection process
• Explain the role of the Site Inspector and Applicant regarding the site inspection process
• Discuss expectations during and after the site inspection process

Lesson 1 introduced the course, beginning with the administrative information, course goal and objectives, and an overview of the site inspection process.

Key Takeaways

• Applicant is responsible for identifying and reporting all its incident-related damage
• Pre-site inspection actions
• Collect relevant documentation of incident-related damage
• Establish a Point of Contact to accompany the site inspector
• Determine which tools are necessary for the inspection
• Participate in an introductory pre-site inspection coordination call, or "24-Hour Call", with the Site Inspector
• Finalize the time and location of meeting during the inspection
• Site inspection conduct-the Site Inspection Report will capture:
• A description of the facility
• Exact dimensions of the damage, including the specific materials and size/capacity/model of the components
• Cause of damage
• Confirmation whether the damages were caused by the incident, and that the damages occurred within the incident period
• Post-site inspection activities

Lesson 2 covered the actions taken prior to a site inspection including appropriate supporting documentation, identifying key personnel and points of contact, and further coordination with the Site Inspector.

Key Takeaways

• Applicant's responsibilities before a site inspection are to:
• Ensure all damages and relevant documentation have been submitted to the FEMA Program Delivery Manager
• Establish a point of contact that will accompany the FEMA Site Inspector during the day-of
• Participate in the pre-meeting coordination call, or the "24-Hour Call", with the Site Inspector
• Gather appropriate tools for the site inspection
• FEMA's responsibilities before a site inspection are to:
• Review an Applicant's Damage Inventory
• Designate a Site Inspector for the inspection
• Gather equipment and tools that may help during the inspection

Lesson 3 discussed the roles and responsibilities of the Applicant and the FEMA Site Inspector during a site inspection, starting with the tasks for the Applicant (or Applicant's representative) and Site Inspector.

Key Takeaways

• Applicant and Applicant's Representative responsibilities include:
• Ensuring accessibility and safety of all sites under inspection
• Ensuring personnel with relevant knowledge of the incident-related damage is who will accompany the Site Inspector throughout the inspection
• Verifying and signing the Site Inspection Report at the end of the site inspection
• Notifying the Program Delivery Manager of any ongoing concerns post-site inspection
• FEMA Site Inspector's responsibilities include:
• Facilitating the site inspection
• Reviewing the Site Inspection Work Order with the Applicant
• Taking measurements, notes, and photos, as well as developing sketches for the Site Inspection Report
• Recording the Applicant's explanation for how the site was damaged
• Ensuring the Site Inspection Report is complete before the Applicant signs it
• Communicating next steps in the process to the Applicant
• Special considerations on the Site Inspection Report
• FEMA Site Inspector Limitations
• The Site Inspector should not discuss eligibility, but rather take notes on any concerns of the Applicant
• The Site Inspector should not identify new damages that were not listed on the original Work Order

Lesson 4 covered the steps and materials associated with the post-Site Inspection period. The Damage Description and Dimensions on the Project was introduced.

Key Takeaways

• The Damage Description and Dimensions is automatically generated by the FEMA Grants Manager once the Site Inspector enters all the information into the system
• The Applicant can access and view it after the Program Delivery Manager approves it
• It is a best practice to forward any additional useful items to FEMA including photo documentation of damage (i.e. pictures taken on a smart phone)
• Documentation collection is the responsibility of the Program Delivery Manager
• Site Inspectors do not maintain a long term working relationship with a single Applicant, and may not work in the safe physical office location as the Applicant's Program Delivery Manager
• Documentation submission outside of Grants Portal should be coordinated through the Program Delivery Manager

The course is now complete. This course reviewed the key concepts presented in the FEMA Site Inspection course.