People,Numbers, Dollars Merge
In Southern California Wildfire Recovery
Release Date: April 15, 2008
Release Number: 1731-107
» More Information on California Wildfires
PASADENA, Calif. -- Nearly six months removed from the devastation of the wildfires of 2007, Southern California is re-emerging. With helping hands from federal and state agencies, local governments, tribes and dozens of voluntary agencies, thousands of displaced residents are housed and hundreds of impacted businesses are getting stronger.
Recovery is about people
Counties in the wildfire areas host 26 million residents; a half million were evacuated, 10 perished. At least 320,000 evacuees were housed in temporary shelters, including more than 11,000 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. More than 19,000 individuals registered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for federal and state assistance. Many were able to sign up before the fires were contained. More than 15,000 residents sought information and assistance at disaster recovery centers and local assistance centers provided by FEMA and the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES).
"FEMA and OES worked very hard to assure that families who got burned out of their homes did not get burned a second time by slow bureaucracy," said Michael Hall, federal coordinating officer with FEMA. "Together we've been able to provide maximum help to people on a quick turn-around basis."
In addition to seven counties, 12 American Indian reservations were affected by wildfires. The La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians endured fires that scorched more than 90 percent of their reservation and claimed 59 homes. On Feb. 7, 2008, leaders of five tribes gathered at the Santa Ysabel Community Health Center to form an inter-tribal long term recovery committee to help affected residents find support from other tribes and voluntary agencies after government assistance has been exhausted.
FEMA, through its Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program, provided supplemental funding to California to alleviate mental health problems caused or aggravated by the wildfires. Crisis counseling was made available in recovery centers and offered through hotline referrals.
FEMA also funded disaster unemployment for persons including self employed who lost work as a result of the disaster and who were not eligible for regular unemployment benefits. Disaster unemployment assistance was administered by the California Employment Development Department.
Legal services were available to individuals affected by the wildfires who lacked sufficient resources to secure adequate legal services on their own. The program was implemented by the Young Lawyers Division of the California Bar Association under an agreement with FEMA. Some of the people affected by wildfires are children. FEMA and OES presented a 2-hour, "FEMA for Kids" instructional program during February to hundreds of elementary school children in several schools to help them prepare for emergencies. The program featured demonstrations by the American Red Cross, local fire departments and FEMA and county OES staff to teach children to be calm and take care of themselves and their pets during stressful times. Materials are available to help other schools put on similar programs. Visit www.fema.gov/kids/ for more information.
Recovery is about numbers
The seven counties involved in the disaster Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Ventura endured the scorching of more than 522,000 acres in 24 major fires. More than 3,200 structures were destroyed including more than 2,000 primary residences. Many of the lost homes were underinsured.
More than 20 states provided firefighters, emergency response specialists and equipment. Canada and Mexico joined the effort. Humanitarian workers provided 361,292 meals in evacuation shelters and to responders.
"The marvelous communication and cooperation among all agencies saved lives and lessened property damages," said OES Director Henry Renteria. "Evacuation was efficient, fire management was excellent in spite of the difficult winds, and services to displaced residents flowed quickly. The knowledge we gained responding to previous wildfires gave us a solid footing for this event." Even before the fires were out, 167 FEMA community relations workers visited shelters and walked door to door in damaged neighborhoods to offer information and help residents apply for assistance. Workers collectively spoke 10 languages and could arrange additional language assistance when needed.
More than 300 inspectors evaluated damage at more than 8,000 homes to support residents' requests for federal and state funding.
"Disaster recovery is more art than science," said Hall. "But science also has an important role."
Immediately after the fires were contained, the federal and state Multi-Agency Support Group sent teams of scientists to catalogue remedial work that would be needed in the burn areas and adjacent lands. They produced a list of projects many were completed immediately to minimize damages from mud and debris flow during heavier-than-normal rainfall this winter.
The science of mitigation, or bracing against repeated damage, is an important part of emergency preparedness. After the wildfires, nearly 23,000 residents discussed fireproofing with FEMA rebuilding experts posted in disaster assistance centers and home improvement stores in Southern California. Residents learned about adequate replacement value insurance, fire-resistant building materials, screening against embers, and maintaining defensible space around structures. Many home and business owners, as well as government agencies, have added fireproofing measures to their rebuilding and repair plans. Mitigation grants are available throughout California as a result of the wildfires. Important handbooks to guide residential construction in wildfire zones and to help public facilities become more fire-safe are being produced through FEMA funding. These guides will assist other states as well as California.
And recovery is about dollars
FEMA estimates that $250 million in Public Assistance grants will be provided to offset losses experienced by Southern California's local governments and nonprofit organizations, as well as state agencies. FEMA will reimburse 75 percent of eligible costs for emergency response, debris removal and repairs to infrastructure. The State of California will bear 18.75 percent, leaving only 6.25 percent for the requesting agency to cover. More than 200 applicants have listed nearly 900 projects for reimbursement.
The U.S. Small Business Administration has provided more than $76 million in low interest loans to homeowners for repairs and more than $12 million to business owners for repairs or to offset economic injuries.
FEMA and OES provided nearly $14 million in grants to individuals and households for temporary housing, repairs and other needs. Nearly $12 million of this total went to residents of San Diego County; $765,000 to Los Angeles County; $755,000 to San Bernardino County; $177,000 to Orange County; and $55,000 to Riverside County.
In addition to paying nearly $1 million toward other needs grants, the State of California also provided supplemental grants to individuals and households totaling more than $2 million.
FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program will make available funds equal to 15 percent of the total federal dollars spent for public assistance and individual assistance in Southern California. These funds will be managed by OES. Local and state agencies, tribal jurisdictions and certain nonprofit organizations throughout the state may apply for grants to perform mitigation that could reduce property damage from future disasters. Local governments can also apply on behalf of individual property owners.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Friday, 18-Apr-2008 08:39:44