Specialists At State Fair To Demonstrate Disaster-Resistant Building Methods
Release Date: October 14, 2003
Release Number: 1490-53
» More Information on North Carolina Hurricane Isabel
Raleigh, NC-Disaster specialists will set up a booth at the State Fair in Raleigh starting Friday to demonstrate how to build or repair homes and businesses in a disaster-resistant way.
"The fair will open just 30 days after Isabel hit," says Gracia Szczech, head of recovery operations for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in North Carolina. "Severe storms are going to come again, but devastating loss doesn't have to happen again. While enjoying the fair, stop by and see some practical steps you can take to protect your families and property."
The booth will be open 9 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. from Friday, October 17, through Sunday, October 26. It will be staffed by specialists from FEMA and the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management (NCDEM).
Some safety steps are as simple as having a family plan for what to do in different kinds of disasters, and/or a family disaster kit packed ahead of time and always ready to go.
FEMA also offers free technical advice on construction and rebuilding techniques to make property stronger and less vulnerable to violent weather events.
In flood hazard areas, FEMA and NCDEM encourage property owners to consider relocating outside the floodplain or elevating structures above expected flood levels, and move furnaces, pumps, water heaters, circuit breakers and other essential equipment higher. In areas subject to tornadoes and hurricane winds, the specialists recommend fastening foundation, wall and roof components together as a single unit to add strength.
Reconstruction is also an opportunity to incorporate fortified spaces called safe rooms that provide families life-saving shelter from tornadoes and storms. Plans for such rooms in various types of structures are available from FEMA.
"There's no better time to include mitigation than when you are rebuilding or repairing a damaged property," said Dr. Kenneth B. Taylor, head of disaster recovery operations for the state of North Carolina. "Not only is it much less expensive, but the incentive to act on safety is strong because the image of the disaster is fresh."
To obtain a FEMA publication to guide you through a mitigation project, call toll-free 1-800-480-2520 and ask for copies of publications 320, 312 and 361. Information is also available on FEMA's Web site, www.fema.gov.
On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages Citizen Corps, the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 14-Oct-2003 16:53:00