A New Resource to Help Municipal Officials Improve Community Flood Resilience
By: Samara Ebinger, NH Office of Strategic Initiatives
How does a community effectively manage flood risk? Its existing resources (e.g., staff, plans, regulations and compliance procedures, equipment and supplies) serve as the first line of defense in keeping people, property, and infrastructure safe from floods. However, guidance and other forms of assistance are also available from federal and state agencies that can bolster a community’s resources.
The New Hampshire Silver Jackets Team, a state-led group that brings together state and federal agencies to focus on flood risk management issues that affect local communities, recently released the New Hampshire Flood Hazards Handbook for Municipal Officials. This new guide was developed as a resource to help communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from floods more effectively. The handbook includes guidance, best practices, and information about available federal and state resources organized into situation-specific sections: Before the Flood, During the Flood, and After the Flood (Short Term Recovery and Long Term Recovery Considerations).
By: Samara Ebinger, NH Office of Strategic Initiatives
How does a community effectively manage flood risk? Its existing resources (e.g., staff, plans, regulations and compliance procedures, equipment and supplies) serve as the first line of defense in keeping people, property, and infrastructure safe from floods. However, guidance and other forms of assistance are also available from federal and state agencies that can bolster a community’s resources.
The New Hampshire Silver Jackets Team, a state-led group that brings together state and federal agencies to focus on flood risk management issues that affect local communities, recently released the New Hampshire Flood Hazards Handbook for Municipal Officials. This new guide was developed as a resource to help communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from floods more effectively. The handbook includes guidance, best practices, and information about available federal and state resources organized into situation-specific sections: Before the Flood, During the Flood, and After the Flood (Short Term Recovery and Long Term Recovery Considerations).
Specific topics covered in the handbook include, but are not limited to:
- Identifying local flood risks, including added risk factors such as climate change
- Planning activities to increase preparedness and reduce flood risk
- FEMA hazard mitigation assistance grants
- Data sources that can help communities improve their flood awareness
- Evacuation and sheltering guidance
- Post-disaster cleanup, debris removal, and permitting
- Post-flood requirements for communities that participate in the National Flood Insurance Program
- FEMA post-disaster assistance and other potential sources of assistance for communities, businesses, and residents
- Mitigation resources to increase resilience to future floods
- Public outreach guidance, including key topics for municipal officials to communicate to residents before, during, and after a flood
Also included is the customizable Flood Response and Recovery Checklist which can be used by municipal officials to identify and manage priority activities when a flood event does happen.
Check out the Flood Hazards Handbook today and learn how it can help municipal officials shape a more flood-resilient future for their communities! Download a copy of the handbook through the New Hampshire Silver Jackets Team website.