Kentucky Watches, Warnings or Advisories  – Weather Alerts

Follow the weather alerts in Kentucky, link here.

Join KAMM

2015 Membership

It’s that time of year again—your KAMM annual membership will be expiring on December 31, and your fees for next year’s membership are now due.  Joining KAMM has never been easier!   KAMM offers two easy ways to register, according to your payment method.   You can Pay by Credit Card or Pay by Check.  Follow the links below to complete 2015 membership.

• Pay by Credit Card/ PayPal Option

• Pay by Check Option

To learn more about membership benefits, click Join KAMM.

 

Resilience Questionnaire

The Resilience Questionnaire was designed to identify the shocks and stresses in Kentucky and to assist local decision-makers in identifying opportunities to improve resilience through existing planning mechanisms, public engagement, and disaster preparedness.

Link to the Resilience briefing and Questionnaire.

 

2015 KAMM Events/Training

KAMM 2015 Regional Training/Workshops

KAMM is hosting two trainings in all four KAMM Regions!  Read more on the KAMM Regional Info webpage, link here.

 

KAMM 2015 Annual Conference

August 24 – 27, 2015

Lake Cumberland State Resort Park

Link to 2015 KAMM Conference for more information.  We have lodging info on the page.

 

KAMM Forming a CRS User Group Committee

Interested in joining KAMM to form a CRS Committee?  Send us a message at kentuckymitigation@gmail.com.  To learn more about the CRS, go to our CRS webpage.

 

Executive Order 13690 – Federal Flood Risk Management Standard

Draft Implementing Guidelines Open for Comment until April 6

January 30, 2015

President Obama issued an Executive Order to Establish a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard,  Executive Order 13690, “Establishing a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard and a Process for Further Soliciting and Considering Stakeholder Input.” Prior to implementation of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard, additional input from stakeholders is being solicited and considered on how federal agencies will implement the new Standard. To carry out this process, a draft version of Implementing Guidelines is open for comment until April 6, 2015.There is a 60-day comment period for stakeholder input.

The new Executive Order amends the existing Executive Order 11988 on Floodplain Management and adopts a higher flood standard for future federal investments in and affecting floodplains, which will be required to meet the level of resilience established in the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard. This includes projects where federal funds are used to build new structures and facilities or to rebuild those that have been damaged. These projects make sure that buildings are constructed to withstand the impacts of flooding, improves the resilience of communities, and protects federal investments.

This Standard requires agencies to consider the best available, actionable science of both current and future risk when taxpayer dollars are used to build or rebuild in floodplains. On average, more people die annually from flooding than any other natural hazard. Further, the costs borne by the federal government are more than any other hazard. Water-related disasters account for approximately 85% of all disaster declarations.  The Standard establishes the flood level to which new and rebuilt federally funded structures or facilities must be resilient. In implementing the Standard, agencies will be given the flexibility to select one of three approaches for establishing the flood elevation and hazard area they use in siting, design, and construction:

• Utilizing best available, actionable data and methods that integrate current and future changes in flooding based on climate science;
• Two or three feet of elevation, depending on the criticality of the building, above the 100-year, or 1%-annual-chance, flood elevation; or
• 500-year, or 0.2%-annual-chance, flood elevation.

Prior to implementation of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard, additional input from stakeholders is being solicited and considered. To carry out this process, FEMA  published a draft version of Implementing Guidelines that is open for comment. A Federal Register Notice has been published to seek written comments, which should be submitted at www.regulations.gov under docket ID FEMA-2015-0006   for 60 days.  Questions may be submitted to FEMA-FFRMS@fema.dhs.gov.

ASFPM Web Briefing:

The Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) has compiled a great web resource including the Executive Order, Fact Sheet and pertinent documentation that pertains to the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard; the web link to the ASFPM resource is: http://www.floods.org/?menuid=810

 

Click on BW12 & HFIAA webpage to learn more about the following topics

• Primary or Principal Residence…or both?
• NFIP Reform Acts of 2012 & 2014 – Program Changes Effective 4/1/15
• 2014 – Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act (HFIAA)
• 2014 – Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act Overview

 

More Data Visualization Available to Explore

January 7, 2015

FEMA launched a new interactive tool to allow the public to explore currently-available FEMA grant data.  This week, FEMA added Individual Assistance to the data visualization, which includes financial grants from the Individuals and Households Program. This program provides financial help or direct services to survivors if they are unable to meet their needs through other means through Housing Assistance and Other Needs Assistance (including personal property and other items).

The data visualization tool is available at www.fema.gov/data-visualization. To explore the data, visit OpenFEMA at www.fema.gov/data-feeds.

 

FEMA Publishes Amendments for the Public Assistance and Individual Assistance Program for Fiscal Year 2015

December 2014

FEMA published Federal Register Notices amending several important indicators for the Public Assistance and Individual Assistance program for Fiscal Year 2015. Under the Individual Assistance program the maximum grant award was amended to $32,900. Under the Public Assistance program, the Statewide per capita indicator was amended to $1.41 and the countywide per capita indicator was amended to $3.56. The minimum amount to process a project worksheet was amended to $3,040, and the maximum dollar amount for a project to be considered a small project was amended to $121,600. Projects over $121,600 will be processed as a large project. These changes are effective for disasters declared on or after October 1, 2014.

 

Training Opportunities

Link to the KAMM Training webpage to learn more.

 

New Mitigation Publications

Non-Engineered Opening Guide February 2015.  To Assist in the Compliance and Measurement Documentation of Non-Engineered Flood Openings for the Elevation Certificate in Accordance with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).  Link here Non-Engineered Opening Guide.

Federal Guidelines for Emergency Action Planning for Dams (FEMA P-1025) January 2015. This document provides guidelines for implementing risk-informed decision making in a dam safety program. The intended audience is Federal agencies that own or regulate dams. The guidelines could also be applied to non-federally owned or regulated dams that can impact federally owned or regulated facilities; however, this would require the cooperation and involvement of the non-Federal dam owner. https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/101958.

Kentucky’s Typical Permits at a Glance  January 2015.  The Division of Compliance Assistance (DCA) has published a new document that covers the major permits and authorizations typically issued by the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection (DEP).  The At-a-Glance document provides information on understanding permits and the most common permits and authorizations issued.  Click TypicalPermitsAtaGlance to read the document.

Rapid Visual Screening of Buildings for Seismic Hazards  February 2015.  FEMA announces the third edition of Rapid Visual Screening of Buildings for Potential Seismic Hazards. The Handbook (FEMA P-154), Supporting Documentation (FEMA P-155), and CD (FEMA P-154 CD) are now available, at no cost, from the FEMA Publications Warehouse.  The Rapid Visual Screening (RVS) procedure comprises a method and several forms that help users to quickly identify, inventory, and score buildings according to their risk of collapse if hit by major earthquakes. The FEMA P-154 Handbook describes how to identify the structural type and key weakness characteristics, how to complete the screening forms, and how to manage a successful RVS program. This edition includes extensive updates, including improvements in the methodology, the screening forms, and the underlying scoring; the addition of a more detailed professional screening option (level 2 screening); new quick reference guides with extensive figures illustrating important building characteristics; an electronic scoring option; and guidance on how to administer an effective screening program.

Developed for FEMA under the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) by the Applied Technology Council (ATC), the P-154 RVS can be performed by individuals with sufficient RVS training for the level 1 screening and by professionals in building design and construction for the level 2 screening.  Extensive detail is also provided in FEMA P-155 on the third edition scoring and associated risk. The FEMA P-154 CD contains PowerPoint slides with instructor notes; the RVS Student Manual (FEMA 154SM); data collection forms; and PDF and text file versions of FEMA P-154 (both FEMA P-154 and FEMA P-155 include the FEMA P-154 CD).

In-person training on the third edition of FEMA P-154 is available through FEMA’s National Earthquake Technical Assistance Program (NETAP). For the NETAP training calendar and information on how to request training, visit NETAP.  To order your copy of the Handbook (FEMA P-154), Supporting Documentation (FEMA P-155), and CD (FEMA P-154 CD) from the FEMA Publications Warehouse, call 1-800-480-2520 or fax your request to 1-240-699-0525, FEMA Publication Order Form.  To view or download other FEMA earthquake publications and products, visit FEMA Earthquake.

FEMA and the Dept of Transportation Pipeline Hazard Materials and Safety Administration Release New Guidance Document  January 27, 2015.  FEMA, in coordination with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Pipeline Hazard Materials and Safety Administration (PHMSA), released the new guidance document, “Hazard Mitigation Planning: Practices for Land Use Planning and Development near Pipelines.” It outlines best practices for communities to reduce risks from pipeline incidents, including those caused by natural hazards. It was prepared by PHMSA’s Pipelines and Informed Planning Alliance (PIPA) Communications Team and is sponsored by PHMSA in coordination with FEMA as a primer for incorporating pipeline hazards into hazard mitigation plans.

The guidance aims to provide emergency managers, planners, and others involved with developing hazard mitigation plans with the knowledge and understanding of:

• how pipelines operate,
• the common products that may be transported through transmission pipelines,
• the potential impacts (risks) of pipeline incidents,
• and mitigation strategies they can implement to reduce these risks.

FEMA, DOT and the PIPA team work closely together to share program requirements and guidance, and discuss opportunities for collaboration. PIPA team contributors include state, federal and local government officials, as well as representatives from the pipeline industry and the general public. To view the new guidance document and for additional information and resources to support states, tribes and local communities in developing hazard mitigation plans to build and maintain capabilities to reduce risks from all hazards visit www.fema.gov/multi-hazard-mitigation-planning.

Taking Shelter from the Storm: Building a Safe Room  December 2014 FEMA recently updated FEMA_P-320_2014_508  Taking Shelter from the Storm: Building a Safe Room for Your Home or Small Business.  A safe room built for your home or small business can provide near-absolute protection for you and your family or employees from injury or death caused by the dangerous forces of extreme winds such as tornadoes and hurricanes. FEMA P-320 helps home or small business owners assess their risk and determine the best type of safe room for their needs.

Since the first edition of FEMA P-320 was issued in 1998, more than 1,000,000 copies of the publication have been distributed, and FEMA grant programs have provided approximately $985 million in federal funds towards the design and construction of nearly 25,000 residential and 2,000 community safe rooms in 25 states and territories. This investment aligns with FEMA’s strategic goal to support disaster resilience and the ability of our local communities to withstand and recover rapidly from disasters.

ROVER Version 2 (FEMA P-154 ROVER 2 CD)  December 2014  FEMA announces that Rapid Observations of Vulnerability and Estimation of Risk Version 2 (FEMA P-154 ROVER 2 CD) is now available, at no cost, from the FEMA Publications Warehouse.  ROVER is a fast, free, mobile software for pre- and post-earthquake building safety screening. With ROVER’s pre-earthquake module, field inspectors can quickly compile an electronic inventory of buildings, record important seismic features of a building, and generate an automatic estimate of the need for detailed seismic evaluation. ROVER’s post-earthquake module is used to quickly perform and manage the red, yellow, and green safety tagging almost universally applied to buildings after earthquakes. ROVER has been successfully pilot tested in Salt Lake City by the Utah Seismic Safety Commission and the Structural Engineers Association of Utah and by the Los Angeles Unified School District.  The ROVER Version 2 now has a new user guide and the software includes these features:

• Works on any device with a web browser and data connection New!
• Includes RoverLoad, a python program for importing customer developed building data into ROVER New!
• Includes RedROVER, software for exporting ROVER pre-earthquake data to FEMA’s HAZUS-MH 2.1 New!
• Screen layout automatically adapts to the data-entry device: smartphone, tablet, or PC New!
• Allows for the remote management of screening
• One-time data entry to a built-in database
• Captures digital photos and geolocation
• Imports pre-existing data
• Integrates with USGS ShakeCast (ROVER Edition) for seismic monitoring of buildings

Developed for FEMA under the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) by ATC, SPA Risk LLC, and Instrumental Software Technologies, Inc., ROVER automates two de facto international standard paper-based seismic safety screening procedures: Rapid Visual Screening of Buildings for Potential Seismic Hazards (FEMA P-154) and Postearthquake Safety Evaluation of Buildings (ATC-20). Users of ROVER Version 2 should be trained in the evaluation procedures in FEMA P-154 and ATC-20-1. Training on these procedures is provided in the FEMA ROVER 2 User Guide, which is included on the FEMA P-154 ROVER 2 CD.  To order a copy of the new FEMA P-154 ROVER 2 CD from the FEMA Publications Warehouse, call 1-800-480-2520 or fax your request to 1-240-699-0525, FEMA Publication Order Form. You may also download the updated software from ROVER Ready.

Improving Outcomes and Increasing Benefits Associated with Wetland and Stream Restoration Projects.  September 2014.  The Environmental Law Institute and The Nature Conservancy released a new handbook to advance the use of a watershed approach in the selection, design, and siting of wetland and stream restoration and protection projects, including projects required as compensatory mitigation for permitted activities.  The joint report, Watershed Approach Handbook: Improving Outcomes and Increasing Benefits Associated with Wetland and Stream Restoration and Protection Projects demonstrates how using a watershed approach can help ensure that these projects also contribute to goals of improved water quality, increased flood mitigation,improved quality and quantity of habitat, and increases in other ecological services and benefits.

 

KAMM Annual 2014 Conference Recap

Lake Barkley State Resort Park

September 9 – 11 – 2014 

More Information:  Link to the 2014 Conference page for Presentations, Photos and more Conference Recaps, including info on the 2014 Mitigation and Floodplain Manager of the Year Awards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

KAMM mailing address: KAMM, PO Box 1016, Frankfort, KY 40602-1016.

Have questions, contact us at kentuckymitigation@gmail.com.  Don’t forget to join the KAMM group on LinkedIn.

 

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