1. Northwest Florida Flooding The Invisible Disaster The Role of Long Term Recovery Organizations in Disaster Recovery

2. Washington and Walton County Recovery DR 4138

3. Washington County July Flood Event Washington Co. Population: 25,000 FEMA PA Declaration no IA Declaration from FEMA, leaves county residents without any Federal Assistance

4. Washington County received over 40 inches of rain in a six week period. When the rain began in July of 2013, every county road was impacted.

6. Invisible Disaster

7. Volunteers from the West Florida Baptist Association and local Volunteer Fire personnel began tarping roofs as heavy rains continued.

8. Local resources were immediately overwhelmed

9. Emergency Management received 115 requests for home repairs, residents expecting FEMA assistance

11. Washington County, City of Vernon population 757

12. Volunteer Firefighters unloading donated supplies from the Southern Baptist Association

13. Waste Water Treatment Facility

15. City of Vernon infrastructure damage

16. Dawkins St. (main storm water drainage for City of Vernon)

18. Dawkins St. After the flood

19. Misunderstanding of the Emergency Procedures FEMA PA Declaration challenges

20. Walton County Population 50,324

21. This summer, Walton County received over 40 inches of rain in six weeks. At least 36 homes were damaged, as well as dozens of roads and other infrastructure.

22. Map of Damaged Homes

23. FEMA PA Declaration made. No IA Declaration from FEMA, leaves county residents without any Federal Assistance

24.  Walton Co. Fire Rescue personnel tarp storm damaged roofs.  Local small business provided Web site design and hosting.  211 engaged to assist with information and referrals  Presentations to civic clubs to raise awareness and involvement. Walton County utilized local connections and resources

27.  No State Declaration for disasters ( difficult to prove this actually happened when applying for grants)  Simple task, such as receiving tarps from State EM becomes a difficult process. EM had to rely on FLVOAD and Volunteer Florida to arrange the tarp delivery  Difficult to show the impact on the community (financial, emotional toll on individuals)  Local community is not aware of the amount of homes damaged and the impact on the affected population. Invisible Disaster Challenges

28.  Catholic Charities of Florida Emergency Services reached out initially to Washington Co. then Walton Co. Emergency Management, to offer long term recovery assistance.  Washington and Walton Co. E.M.s organized a meeting in their respective counties with local faith based and non-profit organizations establishing the Long Term Recovery Organization (LTRO) for each county. Without FEMA IA Declaration Disaster Recovery Falls Entirely Upon the Community.

29. The Washington and Walton County Long Term Recovery Organization will provide spiritual, emotional, physical and financial resources to those affected by disasters, regardless of race, gender, creed, color, sexual orientation, disability or religious preference. We aim to accomplish these goals by engaging the faith- based, non-profit and local community leaders in to a coordinated disaster recovery entity; utilizing case management to ensure the most vulnerable populations receive the assistance they need, and assist them with their own recovery. LTRO Mission Statement

30.  Emergency Management provides leadership, contacts, meeting place, administrative help, too many others to list!  CC of Fla: helping organize Long Term Disaster Recovery  CCNWFL: Provides case management services  Hammers and Hearts: Coordinating Volunteer Mission Teams and Construction/Repairs  UMC of Al and W FL: providing volunteer mission teams for damaged home construction/repair  United Church of Christ: Grants for Washington and Walton Counties.  United way of West Florida: Fiscal Agent, donor and resource (Washington Co.)  United Way of Okaloosa-Walton : Fiscal Agent, donor and resource  Salvation Army supplies shower trailer,  American Red Cross: support to mission teams  211 – information clearinghouse  TCO Inc. – website design/hosting and support LTRO a true community partnership

31.  Have you identified local resources for disaster recovery?  A list of partners?  Are you sure your partners have the capacity and the ability to respond and be part of long term recovery  Do you know the difference between case workers and case managers?  Have you identified local or statewide agencies who are able to do case management? Do you know who your local, state and national partners are?

32.  Organized, Cooperative, Coordinated Disaster Recovery  Executive Committee Established  Fiscal Agent Established  Case Management of Individuals Reporting Loss  Repair and Construction Estimates were Completed  Volunteer Mission Teams were Scheduled (challenge)  Housing for Mission Teams Identified (challenge)  Mapping and Data Base of Damaged Homes Created LTRO Accomplishments

33.  Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida received $10K grant for disaster recovery in Washington and Bay Counties. $5K was dedicated to repair and rebuild homes.  UMC of Alabama/West Florida matched the $5K  United Church of Christ also matched the $5K  United Way of Northwest Fla. also matched the $5K  Washington Co. LTRO with the help of Volunteer Mission Teams’ extra funding, repaired or rebuilt 42 homes to date. LTRO Accomplishments Cont.

34.  History of disasters shows; most LTRO’s take up to a year to actually organize, put systems and procedures in place before a single home repair is done.  Washington and Walton Counties were able to identify local resources (human and financial) who were interested more in helping people than their own agenda.  How long would it take to stand up a LTRO in your community? Are mechanisms in place at this time? LTRO time factor

35. Next Steps: Turning the LTRO into a COAD

36.  LTRO established before COAD in response to the disaster.  Speedy establishment of the LTRO became a necessity to help the community.  How many LTROs are still operating?  How many COADs/Local Coalitions are currently active?  Who is the fiscal agent or potential fiscal agent? Working backwards

37.  Identified non-profits and faith based organizations who are reliable and able to respond to community needs.  A resource list of state and national relief and recovery organizations for EMs to use after future disasters  Need for credentialing of ESF 15, 17, 18  Develop a response strategy to engage non-profits and faith-based organizations The LTROs have provided EMs new resources for future disaster response and recovery

38.  Identified churches who are willing to house volunteers  Identified other resources to house and feed volunteers  Identified future partners  Created new relationships in the private and non- profit sectors Other benefits of the LTRO

39.  Include non-profit and faith-based organizations in exercises  Engage and encourage Civic Clubs, businesses, churches etc. to join the COAD  Schedule Regular meetings Keeping the LTRO alive by creating a COAD

40.  Washington Co EM, Lynne Abel 850-638-6203 ldorch@washingtonfl.com ldorch@washingtonfl.com  City of Vernon, Michelle Cook 850-866-7210  cookjamk@gmail.com cookjamk@gmail.com  Walton Co. EM, Russell Beaty 850-892-8065  bearussell@co.walton.fl.us bearussell@co.walton.fl.us  Florida Catholic Conf., Gabe Tischler 850-443-2996 gtischler@flacathconf.org gtischler@flacathconf.org Thank you