Curt Dooley, MPSLA, CHEP’s Post

Very well put and summarizes so much of what’s needed in disaster response/ recovery across the country.

It's important to understand the process before you criticize the response.

US government urged to declare wildfire smoke and extreme heat major disasters. Fourteen attorneys general petition federal emergency officials as millions in US under excessive heat advisories. Fourteen state attorneys general are urging the federal government to declare extreme heat and wildfire smoke major disasters. The petition comes as millions of people in the south and north-east face excessive heat advisories, and large swaths of the western US and Canada battle ongoing wildfires. “The likelihood of high-severity extreme heat and wildfire smoke events is increasing due in part to climate change,” wrote the Arizona attorney general, Kris Mayes, in a letter submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday. “We urge Fema to update its regulations to prepare for this hotter, smokier future.” Extreme heat and wildfire smoke are not recognized by Fema as major disasters. In June, a coalition of environmental, labor and health groups petitioned the federal agency to grant that recognition under the Stafford Act which oversees disaster relief. Fourteen state attorneys general are urging the federal government to declare extreme heat and wildfire smoke major disasters. The petition comes as millions of people in the south and north-east face excessive heat advisories, and large swaths of the western US and Canada battle ongoing wildfires. “The likelihood of high-severity extreme heat and wildfire smoke events is increasing due in part to climate change,” wrote the Arizona attorney general, Kris Mayes, in a letter submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday. “We urge Fema to update its regulations to prepare for this hotter, smokier future.” Extreme heat and wildfire smoke are not recognized by Fema as major disasters. In June, a coalition of environmental, labor and health groups petitioned the federal agency to grant that recognition under the Stafford Act which oversees disaster relief. “Across the country people are suffering and dying from extreme heat,” Jean Su, energy justice director and senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement. “Fema can bring a mass mobilization of resources to deploy life-saving cooling centers, air conditioning and community solar. But so far Fema’s only shown these communities piecemeal efforts and lackluster leadership.” Last year, 2,300 people died from heat exposure, with 874 deaths occurring in Arizona. In 2022, the state recorded 1,030 deaths related to excessive heat, and more than 4,000 hospital or emergency room visits for heat-related illness. “These preventable deaths are occurring both inside and outside,” said Mayes in a statement. “Extreme heat and wildfire smoke events are devastating because of their severe impact on public health and the environment. https://lnkd.in/gVbPVx_J

So much of disaster response and recovery is being politicized. Let me speak my mind as a soon to be retiree from public safety. I’ll probably get a rise from both sides from my statements. 1. Government isn’t the only answer. Are you not responsible for yourself? Your friends, family, and community? 2. Congress allocates funding, specifically starting in the House. FEMA can’t reallocate those funds to uses other than those Congress told them to use them for. So the migrant support funds were allocated to fema by Congress only to support nonprofits who support the migrants. Individual assistance funds provided to fema are only to be provided to individuals post disaster. Co-mingling is not allowed. 3. This $750 fema limit is true, for initial support. Just like the Red Cross who only gives $150 of support. It’s not the full support given. 4. FEMA provides, if Congress provides them the funding, to give up to $42,500 in assistance to replace homes. Nowhere near the amount necessary, but the government is the payor of last resort: hoping you have funds, insurance provides coverage, local or state government support, non-profit assistance first. Been this way until the 70’s when fema was formed. In fact, first time federal government helped was early 1900 with Galveston hurricane. 5. This isn’t political, it’s policy. Don’t like the policy, as many of us don’t, let’s discuss how we address. Problem is, if we lower threshold/increase pay amounts, which taxpayer provides those funding? Which other programs do we reduce funding to? It’s a balance. 6. What are our local governments doing to mitigate disaster risks? Do we have local ‘skin in the game’ to make our communities safer? This includes building codes, zoning (providing building permits for homes in a flood zone), providing for public safety which includes law enforcement, fire service, emergency medical services, emergency management, and healthcare. 7. Are you assisting with disaster response through the many volunteer groups or being a keyboard warrior telling others how it should be? 8. Are you self-prepared? Do you have sufficient supplies to care for yourself first three days without government support? 9. Want a change to how things are (I do). Call your congressional delegation. Volunteer with a disaster group. Fight the good fight, don’t make it political, make it about what we need and why. Thank you Theodore Roosevelt for allowing me to use your soap box. I’ll probably delete this in an hour since writing it got me to free my soul.

Agree 100% Dennis Garrett. This is a global challenge and opportunity to invest in and price climate risk and resilience appropriately. The MULTICARE project led by the Technical University Delft and supported by the European Union and expert organizations across the continent is researching the issue from the community, building and building system’s level. This includes flood risk, designing buildings to avoid overheating and seismic risk. We will be engaging the international finance community to design and underwrite financial products that price in these risks. www.MULTICARE-project.EU #ClimateRisk #ClimateFinance #GreenFinance #MULTICARE

Fellow Kenyans and Nairobi residents, it is now crystal clear that we are in the cusps of a national flooding disaster, especially within the Nairobi City County. Relentless rains currently pounding the nation have caused severe damage, including loss of lives, destruction to infrastructure and overwhelmed the city's poorly managed drainage systems. I have held a consultative meeting with the political leadership of Nairobi including members of the National Assembly and the Senator with the aim of getting a clear picture shining sharp focus on the suffering of residents, as well as mobilising urgent support for mitigation measures. We hasten to add that all such mitigation measures are emergency ones, but the conversation must later move to long term actions to safeguard the lives and property of city residents. Allow us first to send a message of condolences to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives following the floods as well as a message of goodwill to those who have suffered losses in whatever form. Be assured that your leaders, we are doing all in our ability and power to extend all possible forms of support at this time. We call upon the national and county governments to lead from the front in rescue and support missions. We also appeal to local and international partners to join us in this venture. It is therefore our urgent appeal that; 1. The President and government hereby declare the floods a national disaster and immediately activate all emergency mechanisms, including military disaster response teams. 2. The Red Cross moves to launch an emergency disaster support kitty to assist families affected by the flooding, for urgent distribution on case by case basis. As we speak the Azimio MPs assembled here have already put together the sum of Kenya Shillings One million as a start which shall be given to the Red Cross in Nairobi for distribution to the affected people. 3. The county and National Governments unveil a robust information gathering and sharing system to enable people report and avoid disasters as they unfold. 4. While we continue to receive reports from other parts of Nairobi and access to some neighbourhoods remains critically limited, we appeal to the government and other disaster response agencies to launch thorough search and rescue efforts in all affected areas, and provide food rations, blankets and medication to affected residents. It is important to point out that all forecasts show that the rains will be pouring some more tonight and the coming days, which means the disaster is about to get worse. Preparedness is key to forestalling a crisis of larger proportions. As we go through all these and as we seek help, I believe, and all Kenyans believe, that as a country, we deserve better and we can do better. I believe that as a country, we can do better than crying for help when rains come and crying for help again when the rains fail. We can do better.

If you're the kind of person who cannot sit by while elderly American citizens struggle, then sit down and absorb this. After 7 years of viscous hands on disaster relief work, we've uncovered a shocking crisis NO one is talking about. Weather disasters are impacting the elderly more than ever in our history. This year, 2023, set a new record for the number of disasters that caused more than 1 billion dollars in damages with 23 weather events like fires, floods, tornados and hurricanes. In fact, disaster impact has increased 667% since 1980 (per climate.gov). We also have an aging population today with 100 million in the three oldest living generations. That puts one in three Americans approaching or already in old age (per census.gov). The increasing disasters and aging population puts more elderly and vulnerable citizens in harms way than ever in our history. The disaster impact isn't just the day of the weather event. The true crisis is how it forces the less capable in our society into a state of despair from the day to day struggle to rebuild which takes years and from which far too many never recover. Even as you read this tens of thousands of elderly and disabled victims are struggling to recover from 2023 record disaster events like the Rolling Fork tornado in March, the Maui wildfire and Hurricane Idalia in august, the Chicago flooding of 100,000 homes in July along with 20+ other major disasters just this year. In a country with so much, far too many are facing their recovery alone, in a state complete social isolation. It's unimaginable for them to find themselves in this situation and after witnessing these things with our own eyes, it's unacceptable for me personally to stand by while it happens. It's why I have dedicated my entire life to spreading the news and developing solutions that intervene in this major problem. Weather events are impacting the elderly, disabled and vulnerable more than ever in our society and America has failed to develop solutions to this major crisis. But we at Cajun Navy Ground Force have. We've designed specific programs that deliver swift and sustained relief, but we need your help. Join the citizen movement to help aging and other highly vulnerable victims of natural disaster. Together let's build a disaster safety net. It can't be legislated, relegated or postulated. It requires rolling your sleeves up and showing up. Period. Our goal is this. When crisis is just beginning we will show up with a movement of caring and qualified American citizens to deliver fast relief and stay for long periods to assist. Imagine your parents or grandparents facing the loss of everything they've worked for. It takes us all working together with hope and positivity to help them recover. And we wont settle for less. Learn more about our five swift intervention programs at https://lnkd.in/g7qCeiC4. You can get on board here Volunteer.GoCajunNavy.org. Or donate to support our efforts here Give.GoCajunNavy.org.

July 15 storms including a confirmed tornado have resulted in (regrettably) another disaster proclamation for Polk County Iowa being issued this season by Governor Kim Reynolds. This makes state aid available. The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants up to $7,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level (for a family of 4, this is annual income of $62,400 or less). Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and temporary housing expenses. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management website https://lnkd.in/gz8acQMf. Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation to submit a claim. As of July 1, 2024, the award amount for the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program has increased from $5,000 to $7,000. This increase is not retroactive. The Disaster Case Advocacy Program addresses serious needs related to disaster-related hardship, injury, or adverse conditions. Disaster case advocates work with clients to create a disaster recovery plan and provide guidance, advice, and referrals to obtain a service or resource. There are no income eligibility requirements for this program; it closes 180 days from the date of the governor's proclamation. For information on the Disaster Case Advocacy Program, contact your local community action agency or visit iowacommunityaction.org. The Governor's proclamation also covers Des Moines, Dubuque, Mitchell, and Scott Counties for the severe storms on July 15. Thanks as always to the Iowa Finance Authority for distributing this information to Local Housing Trust Funds in the affected area. CC: City of Urbandale, City of Windsor Heights, Iowa, City of Des Moines, Connie Boesen, Bob Andeweg