ABOVE THE FLOOD

SALEM, Ore. – In January, the Siuslaw River rose and covered much of Mapleton, but 22 area families didn’t have to muck out their homes, tear down wallboard or toss waterlogged treasures. That is because those homes had been elevated using funding from FEMA. After the massive 1996 floods, the Oregon Office of Emergency Management (OEM) earmarked a portion of its FEMA hazard mitigation funds to elevate homes in hard-hit areas like Mapleton. The goal was to provide long-term solutions to repetitive floods. The January 2012 flooding was the first major test of the elevation projects begun 16 year ago. They passed with flying colors. “The stress is nothing like before,” said Bryan Moore, a Mapleton resident. “There was no water in the house—that’s awesome!” Moore’s wife Mashell remembers what it was like in 1996. Her husband is pastor of the church next door which “always floods.” As the water rose, Bryan and the other men in the neighborhood worked frantically to move everything in the church to higher levels. Mashell was left to deal with their 102-year-old home. “I was by myself, trying to haul things upstairs,” Mashell said. “Then the lights went out and I was working in the dark.” She set out candles but the flame ended up setting a table on fire. “It wrecked everything.” When she learned about the FEMA funding, Mashell was the driving force behind elevating their home. The process took time and plenty of paperwork, but by November 1996 her home had been jacked up onto steel piers. It’s a good thing, because Mapleton flooded again that November. Mapleton’s building requirements also have changed since 1996. New construction now must be built above flood levels. Mike McAllister engineered many of the Mapleton home elevations. A long-time resident himself, McAllister knows firsthand what his neighbors went through then and now. “We had fewer people out of their homes this time,” said McAllister. “And by people I mean entire families including kids and pets.” Fewer people out of their homes also meant less mess, less expense and less disruption to the small town along the river. Lane County Emergency Manager Linda Cook is well aware of the community’s flood issues. She will be requesting hazard mitigation money to elevate at least one more Mapleton home and “will be on the lookout for other interested property owners to include in the application.” If elevating the entire structure is not feasible or possible, “a lot of damage can be mitigated,” said Cook. This could include elevating critical structures such as electrical panels, water heaters and furnaces. Cook also recommends people “learn the art and science of sandbagging so you can be ready to use them whenever the river reaches a certain trigger level.” The dictionary defines elevate as “to move or raise to a higher position.” It also means to raise the spirits. Both definitions apply to the Mapleton home elevations.

Earthquake Safety & Mitigation for Schools

WEBINAR:

A one-hour webinar for school officials, teachers, facility managers, and other local
stakeholders interested in learning how to reduce earthquake risks and take actions to
ensure school safety and continued operations. Information is based on FEMA 395:
Incremental Seismic Rehabilitation of School Buildings (K-12): Providing Protection to
People and Buildings, which is available for download at
http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=1980
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Numerous school buildings located in multiple States and U.S. territories are vulnerable to
earthquake damage and losses. This includes potential:

Death and injury of students, teachers, and staff

Damage to or collapse of buildings

Damage and loss of furnishings, equipment, and building contents

Disruption of educational programs and school operations

And inability of the community to use schools as temporary shelters
At this webinar, you will learn the following:

How to assess and analyze your earthquake risks

How to develop an actionable plan to reduce and manage earthquake risks

How to initiate an earthquake risk reduction plan for existing school buildings that were
not designed and constructed to meet modern building codes

How to secure “non-structural” elements of the school facility

How to apply “incremental seismic rehabilitation” to protect buildings and ensure occupant
safety
WHEN:
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 3:00 pm EST. Please register by Friday, January 7, 2011.
Additional Dates:
Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 3:00 pm EST
Thursday, March 17, 2011 at 3:00 pm EST
WHERE:
Online webinar via FEMA Adobe Connect & Conference Line. Information will be shared upon
successful registration.
REGISTRATION:
Registration is free. Please send your preferred date to participate, name, organization, address,
phone number and email address by fax at 650-593-2320 or by email at atc@atcouncil.org by
Friday, January 7, 2011.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
Email: Please add atcouncil.org to your safe list
Audio: Touch-tone telephone
Browser: Internet Explorer 6 or later, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, with JavaScript enabled
Internet: 56K or faster (high-speed recommended)
Audio/Video Streaming: Adobe Flash plug-in version 9 or higher
You are subscribed to the FEMA Private Sector email service. Visit us on the web at www.fema.gov/privatesector, Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.

IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, FLOODS HAPPEN

-But Flood damage Doesn’t Have To-

SEATTLE—The month of November traditionally signals the beginning of flood season here in the Pacific Northwest. But just as you don’t need to live in a mapped floodplain to need flood insurance, you don’t need to live in a mapped floodplain to benefit from simple and affordable flood damage mitigation measures. According to FEMA Regional Administrator Ken Murphy, it is safer, cheaper and ultimately much easier to limit future destruction than repair it.

“There are a number of low-cost actions that homeowners can take now to better protect or lessen the impact of heavy rain or future flooding,” said Murphy. “Many steps homeowners can take are simple, and can be accomplished in a few hours to a few days."

It is important to check with local building officials about standards and building codes as they vary according to jurisdictions. In addition, some mitigation measures may require hiring a contractor. Here are a few suggestions to keep your home safe when floodwaters come knocking:

Relocate or elevate water heaters, furnaces and major appliances. Elevate water heaters, furnaces and appliances, such as washers and dryers, especially if they are located in a basement. Place them on a pressure-treated wood or masonry base at least 12 inches above the previous high-water mark of a home's projected flood elevation.
Elevate or relocate electrical systems. Electrical panel boxes, circuit breakers, wall switches and wall outlets should be at least 12 inches above your home's projected flood elevation. Some basement or first-floor electrical systems may even be moved to a higher floor.

Interior and exterior floodwalls. To keep water away from indoor furnaces, utilities and appliances, build a watertight masonry wall around them.
Anchor fuel tanks. Indoor and outdoor fuel tanks should be anchored by non-corrosive metal straps or pressure-treated wood to prevent them from turning over or floating away.

Repair leaks and cracks immediately. Leaky roofs and foundation cracks let water into a home more readily. This weakens a structure and provides an ideal habitat for mold. If wet spots appear on the ceiling or cracks appear in a foundation, fix them immediately.

Clean gutters and drains. If gutters and drainage systems are blocked by leaves or debris, water can overflow and quickly flood a home or yard. Check all gutters and drainage systems regularly for leaves and nests. Also double-check storm drains on your street, as leaves and debris can block them, causing water to collect.
Install a backflow valve, check valve, drain plug or standpipe. These measures ensure sewage only flows one way – outside. Consult with a professional to remain code compliant.

FEMA’s How-To Series offers free information and publications for property owners and contractors about construction techniques and measures to reduce flood loss or damages. The series is available at www.FEMA.gov or by calling 1-800-480-2520. These include: Repairing Your Flood Damaged Home, Above the Flood: Elevating Your Floodprone House, Selecting Appropriate Mitigation Measures for Floodprone Structures, Design Guidelines for Flood Damage Reduction, Answers to Questions About Substantially Damaged Buildings and more.

Finances need not be a stumbling block to homeowners who have flood insurance. Policyholders may qualify for Increased Cost of Compliance coverage for substantially damaged properties, which helps pay to bring the home into compliance with local floodplain development requirements. Loans and help with insurance payments may also be available.

For information on the National Flood Insurance Program call 1-800-CALL-FLOOD ext. 304 or visit FEMA's Web site at www.floodsmart.gov. For more information on flood proofing your home, you can order the Homeowner's Guide to Retrofitting, Publication 312, by calling FEMA at 1-800-480-2520.

For more information, call 1-800-427-4661, or visit: www.floodsmart.gov.

Mitigation can save lives, property, money and lots of hassle!

Mitigation is one of those words people throw around expecting everyone to understand what it means. Though the word may not be common, it is very important. Here’s the definition.

“Mitigation” is any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from natural hazards and their effects. This means taking steps to reduce damage from future hazards, like flooding.

Oregonians who need to make repairs or rebuild as a result of the December and January storms have a responsibility to themselves, their families and their neighbors to rebuild in a way that reduces future flood losses. It’s safer, cheaper, and much easier to limit future destruction than to repair it afterward and the rebuilding phase of a disaster is the ideal time to consider ways to limit future damage.

Mitigation steps that can be taken to protect homeowners from suffering repetitive loss include rebuilding with materials less likely to be damaged by water and raising utility connections and electrical outlets. Owners should avoid building in a flood plain unless they elevate and reinforce the structure and/or seal walls in basements with waterproofing compounds to avoid seepage through cracks.

Not only does mitigation save lives and property, it also may qualify you for lower-cost flood insurance. Contact your insurance agents for premium rates, and check with your local planning department or online to find ways to mitigate.

More information about mitigation strategies to reduce flood risk can be found at www.fema.gov.

The fire was easier to suppress thanks to fuels reduction.

The short article below is about one of the mitigation projects overseen by Oregon Emergency Management which involved fuels reduction work done in conjunction with the Forest Service along the road side (HWY 20). Because of this work prior to fire season,the fire was easily suppressed and kept to about ½ acre…



-by Don Shurtleff

Instead of being a tragedy, a brush fire northwest of Sisters this weekend turned out to be an example of what works. 911 dispatchers starting getting calls about smoke along Highway 20, near Tollgate, just after 2 on Saturday afternoon. The Black Butte Fire Tower confirmed the smoke and said the fire was spreading rapidly. Lisa Clark with the Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch (COID) says the fire was started by lightning that smoldered for several days before flaring up. It was in an area where fires can easily get out of control. Clark says the fuel reduction project really did its job by keeping the flames low to the ground and away from tree limbs.