Select one of the following scenarios.
1. The president has denied your request for a Major Disaster Declaration stating that the letter and backup documentation failed to prove that the state meets the threshold for damage that is required to grant a disaster declaration request. There are rumors that the Republican president has been in a political battle with your Democratic governor and congressional representatives.
2. The president has denied your request for a Major Disaster Declaration because the FEMA regional administrator's summary and recommendation stated that there were multiple discrepancies between what your agency reported as "destroyed" and "major damage" homes and what the FEMA Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDA) are reporting.
3. The president has denied your request for a Major Disaster Declaration because the government's analysis of the disaster indicates that dealing with the disaster is within the capabilities of the state. Although you stated you needed additional resources and you could not handle it, the government feels you can.
Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper that addresses the following in the context of the scenario selected:
· Analyze ethical challenges as they relate to emergency management funding.
· Why are there discrepancies in the report? What may have caused this error and how can the issue be corrected?
· Analyze emerging political and policy changes in relation to a current event.
· What can you do to get the declaration approved? What are the issues, or potential issues, that must be addressed or overcome?
· What can you do to prove your point to gain approval? What is within your capabilities as an emergency manager? Should you appeal the decision?
· Analyze the purpose of the Stafford Act in relation to government responsibilities.
Cite 3 peer-reviewed, scholarly, or similar references to support your paper.
Format your paper according to APA guidelines
Assignment must be written based off this letter here!
Dear Mr. President,
Under the provision of section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford disaster relief and emergency assistance act, 42 U.S.C. 5121 -5207 (Stafford Act), and the implemented by 44 CFT 206.36, I respectfully request you to declare s major disaster authorizing the full suite of individual, public and temporary housing assistance as well as necessary administrative and disaster management expenses, for the state of Florida as a result of the Hurricane Katrina that struck Florida on august 23, 2005.
Due to the scope of the hurricane damage and the associated efforts, the commission tasked with responding to the disaster declared state emergency for the Morgan City, Louisiana, to Biloxi, Mississippi, to Mobile, Alabama. The declaration was meant to avail state funds for individual assistance, public assistance, public assistance, temporary housing programs and any necessary administrative and disaster management expenses. The national department of homeland security was assigned to lead the States’ response and recovery from the disaster.
The total cost of the impacts of the disaster was found adequate to trigger federal assistance, hence, after consulting with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Governor James sought and got an Emergency declaration for effective assistance from the federal government from August 23, 2005.
General overview
Hurricane Katrina stroke Florida on August 23, 2005 and caused significant dames in Morgan City, Louisiana, to Biloxi, Mississippi, to Mobile, Alabama destroying roads, electricity, water and other basic infrastructure. This arose an emergency need to seek federal assistance to take protective measures in order to save lives and property. Activation emergency response
centers, emergency repair to roads and protection of critical infrastructure and maintain access to major public roads, sheltering residents, public schools and government offices.
The disaster affected all the communities in the affected areas. Morgan City forms the largest area in the state and registered a 297000 population count in 2017. Alabama covers a 24, 682 square miles and a total population. The affected population is about 60% of the total state population and affects the states core economic base. Louisiana forms a key economic center for the state.
State and local actions
The state government of Florida initiated Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), staffs the task force up to level 3. The task force is still actively caring out care operations from the hurricane. All state departments equipped and activated their teams in EOP and all declared respective states of emergency. Many rocks fell due to the hurricane, prompting the state government to severe power, water and gas outages in the affected are for several days. Several water line breakages, gas leakages, and other elated facility damages following the day of the disaster. All the schools in the affected regions have been closed until sound safety inspection could be completed. ASD closed all schools for a period of two week. The task force established severe damage in schools. Miami schools were closed shortly before the disaster.
Request specifics
It is my belief that the magnitude, severity and the results of the Hurricane Katrina meets the responsive factors in the 44 CFR 206.48(a) for public assistance
Damage assessment
The disaster assessment team was tasked to achieve two missions: provide assistance to individuals then provide assistance to the public. The locals, state and FEMA taskforce in Louisiana and Mississippi conducted the public assistance mission. Public assistance in Louisiana was conducted by the State Government. The public assistance team projected a $100, 100 or even greater damages. The task force did not however include properties worth less than $100,000 but were considered qualified or public assistance. The PA established the following metrics of damage assessment.
· Class A - $10,000(0.04%)
· Class B - $1,000,040 (3.74%)
· Class C - $3,080,334(6.41%)
· Class D - $0(0.00%)
· Class E - 41,005,660(86.07%)
· Class F - $50,000(2.77%)
· Class G - $463,000(0.96%)
Total Estimates-$48,110,308
The class C estimates were not inclusive of an estimates $40 million that should be catered by the FHWA for the federal roads program. As of January 15, 2019, the state government had spent $400,000 on personal assistance, $80,123 on shelter and $1,496,388 for contracted assistance. The total cost are $1,988,377.
The damage assessment indicate the estimated damaged with respect to the damages are above the state budget for disaster management. The standard rate per capita thresholds needed
by the Stafford Act of $ 1,036,937.26, capsulated against the Florida population 2010) results into $1.46 as of end of 2018 financial year.
State Disaster History
The state has been hit by other major disasters, specifically earthquakes. These include:
· Hurricane Wilma , 2005
· Hurricane Dennis, 2005
· Hurricane Jeanne, 2005
State declarations
The state has had to declare state of emergency on several occasions due to natural disasters. These are:
· Florida Hurricane Ivan, 2004. In this instance, the state center for emergency operations was informed by the national weather service about series of storms that were imminent along the west coast in 2004. After the occurrence of the storms two days later, a damage assessment team was sent to the affected areas, the governor issued a state declaration of damages due to the storms and the state sufficiently compensated and supported the affected communities.
· Florida Hurricane Dennis, 2005. Heavy rains threatened the Lowell Point Bridge due to flooding. Flood mitigation steps were implemented and the Seward city declared local disaster was assisted by L.
Federal declarations
· Florida Hurricane Katrina, major disaster declaration 2005
· Florida hurricane Katrina evacuation, emergency declaration, 2005
· Florida tropical storm Rita, emergency declaration, 2005
· Florida Hurricane Wilma , major disaster declaration
Damages and concentration of damages
Residential and commercial areas are the most affected in the Alabama region. Homes, personal property and businesses have experienced vast damages. The assessment software models to estimate the damages due to the disaster was used to establish the potential damages. 620 homes were affected by the disaster. The nature of the damages were categorized as major, minor and affected. The major damages were 289, 219 minor damages and 103 cases were reported as affected.
Concentrations of damages
The measure of damages was the greatest on residential homes and damages especially in Alabama and Mississippi. Survey shows that majority of the affected are the low income communities. This means that the families affected have little chances of recovering from the catastrophe. There is therefore need for federal government support since the people are currently residing in temporary homes hotels and in their friends’ houses.
Resulting from the impact if the disaster, I request for federal recovery and support personnel in the right numbers so as to serve the needs so that we can jointly provide the necessary aid the affected communities. I also believe that the disaster prompts long-term reviews of the federal assistance policy in case of disasters like this one.
Sincerely
Sam Smith