1. 2013 Southern Alberta Flood Disaster Recovery Program
Twyla Hale Director, Disaster Recovery Program Operations

2. Contents Overview 2013 Disaster Recovery Program
Disaster Recovery Program Intent
June 2013 Flood
Challenges
2013 Disaster Recovery Program
Individual File Overview
Issues and Solutions
Phases of Disaster Mental Health
Lessons Learned

3. 2013 Southern Alberta Flood Disaster Recovery Program
Overview

4. DRP Intent
Provide funding to GOA departments, municipalities, First Nations, small businesses, and individuals to
pay for extraordinary costs of responding to a disaster;
provide basic essentials of life to individuals;
restore damaged infrastructure and homes to pre-disaster functional condition; and
support viability of small businesses, agricultural operations, condominium associations, homeowners, institutions, landlords, and tenants.
The DRP is NOT insurance or a “full value” replacement program.
The DRP is a GRANT program that covers uninsurable losses to a basic level of function.
DRPs accept applications from agricultural operations, condominium associations, homeowners, institutions, landlords, small businesses, and tenants.

5. June 2013 Flood
In the days leading up to June 19, 2013, Alberta experienced heavy rainfall that triggered the worst flooding in Alberta's history.
Areas along the Bow, Elbow, Highwood, Red Deer, Sheep, Little Bow, and South Saskatchewan rivers and their tributaries were particularly affected.
As water levels rose, a total of 32 states of local emergency were declared, 28 emergency operations centres were activated, and numerous communities were placed under evacuation orders.
The 2013 Southern Alberta Flood Disaster Recovery Program is the largest DRP in the history of the province.
The program received 10,592 applications.

6. Challenges Scale and scope of the event.
Prior DRPs mostly covered municipal infrastructure.
Most individuals’ losses were insurable; the resultant DRP coverage was minimal.
Balancing the expectation to manage what is cost-shareable with the Federal Government and get Albertans back in their homes.
Rental assistance may be provided for up to six months, yet some Albertans still remain out of their homes.
As a grant program, the DRP was not designed to attend to the psychosocial needs of some applicants.
Will our standard process—ApplicationAppealMinisterial Review—work in this new world?

7. 2013 Southern Alberta Flood Disaster Recovery Program
2013 DRP

8. 10 Over 14,500 80 30 3,000 100,000 985 HEALTH FACILITIES DAMAGED
BUSINESS AFFECTED
3,000
ROADS CLOSED
985 KM
HOMES DAMAGED
Over
14,500
PEOPLE EVACUATED
100,000
COMMUNITIES IMPACTED 30
HEALTH FACILITIES DAMAGED 10
SCHOOLS
DAMAGED 80

9. Provincial Recovery Framework
Long Term Recovery
Intermediate Recovery
Stabilization
Response
Enable
Coordinate
Support
Local Community
(lead)
Flood Recovery Task Force
AEMA/POC
Recovery Coordination Group
Business as Usual
Pre-emergency Support
Emergency Support
Transition and Intermediate Recovery Support
Long-Term Recovery /
Enhanced Ministry Support
Routine Ongoing Support

10. Recovery Principles Leadership and local autonomy
Collaboration and coordination
Partnerships and inclusiveness
Communication
Timeliness and flexibility
Fairness across flood-affected communities
Resilience
Building Alberta together
Psychological and emotional wellness
Individual and family empowerment
Safety
Capture lessons learned
Plan for transition to normal services
Accountability

11. Recovery Elements PEOPLE ENVIRONMENT RECONSTRUCTION ECONOMY
Safety
Health
Social well-being
Mitigation
ENVIRONMENT
Biodiversity, ecosystems & natural resources
Amenities
Waste & pollution management
RECONSTRUCTION
Residential & commercial buildings
Utilities
Infrastructure, communications, and transport planning
ECONOMY
Individual
Small Enterprise
Medium Enterprise
Large Enterprise
Tourism
Local Community
and
Stakeholders

12. Individual File Overview
The vast majority of DRP files are Homeowner files.
The DRP received 10,592 applications.
8,313 applications have been closed.
4,638 of the closed applications have been fully paid.
2,279 applications remain open.
Why do these files remain open?
Applicants disengage from the program (exhaustion, stress, or confusion with program).
Applicants disagree with DRP eligibility or funding decisions regarding their files.
The DRP is waiting to receive additional supporting documents (receipts, etc.) from applicants.

13. Issues and Solutions
Expectation Management: applicants are not satisfied with the level of funding and expect to receive the full replacement value.
Communications:
Increase outreach in key communities.
Appeal times:
Triple the number of appeals officers.
Transparency:
Adopt a caseworker approach for the most complex files.
Continue to share decision guidelines, mini-manual, etc.

14. Phases of Disaster Mental Health

15. Lessons Learned Partner with community resources early.
Provide training to community resources on the Disaster Recovery Program to manage applicant expectations.
Employ a widely diverse staff, not just financial experts.
Emphasize community resources, valuable assets to the applicant that
navigate the DRP and Appeal process,
advocate for the applicant (with approval),
help applicants find alternate assistance methods (NGOs, volunteer groups), and
assist applicants with recovery beyond financial assistance.

16. DRP Administration 2014 Strategic Planning & Design
Stacey Gellatly
Director, Strategic Planning & Design

17. Exhaustion. Pace. Funding.
Crisis & Opportunity
Exhaustion.
Pace.
Funding.

18. Disaster Recovery Program: Redesign Phases
Nurture the Past : Providing continuity to applicants
React to the Present: Interim GoA-internal DRP Administration Team
Design the Future: Identify vision, create innovative delivery model, and develop a new system plan.

19. Key Principles : 2014 Administration
Case Management : One point of contact for applicants. Coordination happens behind the scenes
Supporting the Whole Person: Helping Albertans get connected to other programs when needs are outside of DRP scope
Citizen-centered Delivery: New delivery methods are developed from the point of view of the Albertan, their experiences, and how they access supports
Fiscal Responsibility: Financial accountability and continued adherence to legislation, regulations, and guidelines
Innovation: Developing new ways to deliver better services to Albertans through continuous improvement and innovation

20. Who you’ll meet along the way
Many Recovery Staff are involved in the processing of a DRP application, and you’ll get to know a few of them.
The Registration Centre staff will help applicants complete the applications and answer any questions.
The Evaluator will assess the damage and submit a report to AEMA.
The Case Manager is the key contact on application status under the new model.
The Appeals Coordinator will help if you do not agree with the decision (Recovery Appeals.)

21. Improving Service into the Future
Policies: Learning from our experiences and reviewing our policies to ensure that they are responsive to Albertans and uphold the mandate and priorities of the Government of Alberta.
Procedures: Creating ongoing efficiencies and improvements through steam-lined, enhanced, or modified procedures.
Platforms: Making the most of technology to improve client experience, be more accountable, and make good decisions quickly.

22. Thank you Additional questions can be directed to:
Twyla Hale, Director, Disaster Recovery or
Stacey Gellatly, Director, Strategic Planning & Design
AEMA