FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
ALABAMA TRANSITIONAL RECOVERY OFFICE
Hurricane Katrina (DR-1605-AL)
Three Years Later

The numbers used in this summary are as of August 1, 2008.

FEMA established the Alabama Transitional Recovery Office (AL TRO) in Montgomery, Alabama in June of 2006. The purpose of the AL TRO was to provide in-state facilities and staff resources to work with the Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) in addressing post-storm recovery needs of the individuals and public facilities adversely impacted by Hurricane Katrina. Concurrently, an Area Field Office (AFO) was established in Mobile in closer proximity to the geographic areas impacted by the storm. In July of 2006, the ALTRO and AFO were staffed with one hundred twenty-three (123) employees. As of August 1, the ALTRO staff will consist of fifty (50) employees as the result of the ongoing right-sizing of the organization consistent with the needs of the mission.  

MISSION ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Over the past three years, the majority of the hurricane Katrina recovery work assigned to the AL TRO has been accomplished:  

A. Public Assistance – Infrastructure 
To date, $114,023,373 in Public Assistance program funds have been obligated to the State of Alabama for emergency response activities, public infrastructure and utility systems repairs, local and state government and private non-profit facilities, including:
* Water/Sewer and Power: $15,079,121 in Public Assistance funds were employed to fund storm repairs to critical services in Alabama.
* Historic or Cultural Resources: $26,500,025 in Public Assistance funds were employed to assist in the repair and restoration of several Alabama State Parks and related facilities, including the USS Alabama.
* Health/Hospitals: $1,319,555 in Public Assistance funds were used to restore the viability of several medical facilities in Alabama’s coastal counties. The Mobile Infirmary of Health, Mercy Medical, the Shoulder of Central Gulf Coast and University of South Alabama Children’s and Women’s Hospital were the beneficiaries of this expenditure of Public Assistance funds.
* Educational Facilities: $1,500,000 of Public Assistance funds were employed to assist in the funding of approximately two-hundred (200) essential storm recovery projects at educational facilities including Alba Middle School in Bayou La Batre which suffered extensive flooding.

      B.	Individual Assistance	
The primary responsibility of the Individual Assistance Program staff was the management and oversight of the temporary housing facilities and service to the occupants. At the height of operations, 2,392 Alabama families resided in these travel trailers. As of August 1, 2008, fifty four (54) families still occupy FEMA travel trailers.  FEMA staff continues to assist residents in finding alternative housing through rental resources and other forms of housing or assistance to repair their home.
	
Shortly after Katrina’s landfall, Zirlott Park, an active community park located in Bayou La Batre, was converted to a group trailer park to service the temporary housing needs of area residents.  Approximately 100 families lived in Zirlott Park from October 2005 through June 2006.  The park has been reconverted by FEMA to its original use. The restoration began in December 2006 and was completed in June 2007.  Grand opening ceremonies were held on March 30.  Bayou La Batre Mayor Stan Wright, referring to the re-establishment of Zirlott was quoted as saying, “things are getting back to normal.”  This project typifies the actions FEMA has taken to meet the temporary housing needs of those displaced by the storm’s wrath.  

      C.	Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) 
The damage in Alabama wrought by Hurricane Katrina resulted in $71,736,951 in HMGP funds awarded to the state of Alabama. To date, $29,490,667of these HMGP funds have been obligated (41% of the potential total funds available).  

AHPP PROGRAM
The Alternative Housing Pilot Program (AHPP) being implemented in Bayou La Batre will provide approximately 100 housing units to storm-affected families, most of whom have previously been housed in FEMA travel trailers.  Through the AHPP Program, the city received a $15.7 million dollar grant to fund the program.  A groundbreaking ceremony occurred in Bayou La Batre on July 30, 2008.

AN ESSENTIAL PARTNERSHIP
The successes in responding to the recovery needs of the many Alabamians who were adversely affected by Hurricane Katrina relied on the partnership between FEMA and the Alabama Emergency Management Agency.