Joint State/Fema Disaster Assessments Underway For Owyhee County
Joint State/Fema Disaster Assessments Underway For Owyhee County
Release Date: January 13, 2006
Release Number: R10-06-001
BOISE, Idaho -- At the request of Governor Dirk Kempthorne, federal and state officials are conducting Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDA) in Owyhee County to assess damage to public facilities from flooding caused by heavy rains and snow from a weather pattern which began 31 December 2005. Flood waters rendered three major county roads impassable, damaged others and flooded roadways and property.
According to Idaho Bureau of Homeland Security (IBHS) Director Bill Bishop, a PDA team consisting of representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and IBHS are scheduled to begin assessments in Owyhee County on Tuesday, 17 January 2006.
“Joint PDA teams visit and inspect damaged areas, document damages and talk with local officials,” said Bishop. “It’s a partnership effort designed to provide a clear picture of the extent and locations of damage.”
“The PDA doesn’t try to determine the total cost of the recovery,” said FEMA Regional Director John Pennington. “We look at the overall scope of damages to establish if recovery is beyond the capabilities and resources of state and local governments.”
FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Friday, 05-May-2006 14:11:01