FEMA Region I Hosts Conference on Disaster Debris Removal Planning 

Release Date: August 14, 2007
Release Number: BRI-01-03

While major hurricanes have struck along the Gulf Coast and East Coast with increased frequency in recent years, it has been 16 years since Hurricane Bob struck New England. However, the threat of a hurricane is real and representatives from the six New England states came together discussing planning for one of the biggest problems associated with those events - debris management.

Debris poses a number of threats to public safety and welfare. In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, debris can block roads and bridges and prevent critical emergency services personnel from reaching those in need of assistance. Floods create mountains of damage and have the potential of introducing hazardous chemicals to the water supply. Debris piles can also host rodents that can spread disease.

There are numerous challenges in handling debris following a large-scale disaster. Even if collection efforts can be quickly commenced, storage capacity may be unavailable. A large scale disaster can create as much debris in one day as a typical community produces in an entire year.

The meeting participants discussed some of the challenges unique to New England and shared ideas on how to handle debris following a large-scale disaster. And to demonstrate the large scope of this issue, presenters from other federal agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Transportation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Coast Guard spoke about how they fit into the debris management puzzle.

As a further incentive to create a debris plan, FEMA has instituted a pilot program to financially rewards communities that have a management plan in place at the time of a disaster and also have pre-designated debris removal contractors. Such communities will receive an extra five percent funding from the federal government for debris removal costs. The belief is that in the end this will save taxpayers money because communities won't be forced into expensive last-minute contracts and that with a plan in place, debris removal efforts will be more efficient.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 14-Aug-2007 15:41:50