09-17-07 Meeting of Drainage and Flooding Committee

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residents will expect you to be familiar with the various assistance programs. You WITHOUT A PREVIOUSLY should also know about the state and federal requirements for obtaining various forms of flood recovery assistance. Requests for outside aid are made through the state emergency management agency. The state may supply additional resources itself and/or coordinate a request for federal aid. If a major flood has occurred, the governor can request a federal disaster declaration. The federal govern- ment, in turn, has three options. It could • Issue a disaster declaration, which would make the resources of several dozen programs available to help your com- munity recover from the disaster. • Issue an emergency declaration, which provides assistance in the event of a short-term emergency. • Provide direct assistance from various federal agencies through their own programs. Most local officials who have had experiences with floods recommend figuring prepared post flood mitigation plan, your community will probably "recover" from the flood by restoring the affected area to pre flood conditions. Unfortunately, it will then simply await the next flood, which will have similar results. Then the cycle will be repeated, out what aid you might qualify for before a flood — that is, while you are formulat- ing your emergency preparedness "Any great disaster or problem usually produces a by-product called and mitigation plans. Start with the 'opportunity.' This is no less true today as we review our policies for Digest of Federal Disaster Assistance, published by the Federal Emergency managing floodplains." — Honorable Jim Edgar, Governor of Illinois Management Agency (FEMA). The National Governors Association and FEMA have another publication, National Emergency Assistance Programs. Your state emergency management agency will know how to get copies for you. LEADING YOUR COMMUNITY'S POST -FLOOD EFFORTS The perfect time to make sure that flood damage does not occur again is before repairs or reconstruction of flood -damaged structures begin. But quickly putting everything back the way it was will only condemn your community to repeat the cycle. The best approach is a rational one that strives for long-term reductions in flood risk. This is the time to implement appropriate steps from your community mitigation plan, or to develop your own really innovative approaches to reduce future flood risk. If you and your professional staff have done your homework, you will be able to offer appropriate page 23