Building Back Safer and Stronger

It has been almost three months since a federal disaster was declared in Southeast Texas following Tropical Storm Allison. During that time, the State of Texas Division of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have been working closely with Texas Medical Center institutions to address the widespread flood damages in the Texas Medical Center.

The special Texas Medical Center Task Force now numbers more than 60. Formal kick-off meetings have been held with the 16 Texas Medical Center institutions that qualify for the Public Assistance Program; the four other TMC institutions that applied do not qualify based on federal eligibility criteria. The first reimbursement grants for debris removal and other out-of-pocket emergency expenses will be approved shortly. Meanwhile, affected institutions are making exceptional progress in returning facilities to an operational level so that the important work of the Texas Medical Center can continue.

Together with the qualifying institutions, the main focus of the task force in the weeks ahead will be in documenting the total impact of the disaster with regard to permanent restoration and reconstruction work. At the same time, the task force will be identifying eligible damages for which additional reimbursements can be made under the PA Program.

One of the most impressive aspects of the recovery so far has been the strong commitment on the part of Texas Medical Center institutions to rebuild in ways that make campus facilities more resistant to flooding and other disasters. Already, key projects are being identified that will significantly enhance the long-term sustainability of Texas Medical Center institutions and their many critical facilities.

Under a federal disaster declaration, there are two kinds of flood mitigation opportunities designed to alleviate or reduce the risk of flood damage in the future: Section 406 mitigation and Section 404 mitigation.

Section 406 mitigation is a funding source within the PA Program that looks for cost-effective measures that can reduce or eliminate the threat of future damage to a facility impacted by disaster. The cost of the approved mitigation is included in the overall eligible cost of the grant. PA teams from the task force are already working with the 16 eligible institutions to identify mitigation measures that might be appropriate to include with grants for permanent restoration work.

Section 404 mitigation is offered under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program and applies to facilities that were not directly damaged in the disaster but which have a high level of risk that warrants mitigation against future disaster events. HMGP funding is awarded on a competitive basis from a pool of money that is equal to 15 percent of the total amount of FEMA spending on its Public Assistance and Individual Assistance programs. The first calculation to determine available HMGP funding will be made in early September.

An Applicants Briefing was held Aug. 14 for those interested in applying for HMGP funds, including Texas Medical Center institutions. Applications are due to DEM by Oct. 12. Since the available HMGP funding will be open to applicants in all Texas counties, it is impossible to know at this point how many projects at the Texas Medical Center will be funded. DEM will evaluate project proposals with the goal of funding those that hold the greatest promise of reducing future loss of life and property. Even with limited HMGP funding, there is much that Texas Medical Center institutions can do to mitigate against future disasters. Before Tropical Storm Allison struck, planning was already under way on a number of initiatives that should significantly improve the ability of these institutions to withstand future flood events. By working together, we can expand upon what is already a strong commitment to build back safer and stronger.

David Fukutomi is the Deputy Federal Coordinating Officer and Dell Greer is the Deputy State Coordinating Officer for the Texas Medical Center Task Force.

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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