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Hurricane – Preparedness, Response, Recovery, & Mitigation

Each year, coastal communities in the United States prepare for hurricane season. Hurricanes can have a massive impact on affected communities. Sixty hurricanes have caused a combined $1.3 trillion in total damages—with an average of $22.2 billion per event. Your community’s recovery can start TODAY with the correct preparedness actions.

HEAR FROM US


    Hurricanes and tropical cyclones are the costliest weather events experienced in the United States. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, since 1980 there have been 341 hurricane events. Damages from those events has exceeded $2.4 trillion.

    NASA predicts that the impact of hurricanes along the coastal U.S. will increase as the climate changes. The 2022 hurricane season produced 14 named storms (winds of 39 mph or greater), of which eight became hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or greater) and two intensified to major hurricanes with winds reaching 111 mph or greater. The greatest damage was experienced in Florida and Puerto Rico as a result of Hurricanes Ian, Nicole, and Fiona. Recovery.

    If you are already preparing for the 2023 hurricane season, it will be imperative you have a trusted consultant who can help you initiative recovery immediately after impact, and manage all of the recovery funds your community receives. Our team at ISC has responded to several hurricanes in the U.S. and the Caribbean, managing tens of billions of dollars in funds for our clients. The following qualifications are a small snapshot of our hurricane recovery projects.

    Hurricane Laura – Federal Disaster Assistance Management Port of Lake Charles, LA

    Hours after Hurricane Laura struck, Team ISC arrived to begin the arduous FEMA recovery process by developing a comprehensive plan to ensure a successful recovery. Although Hurricane Laura caused significant damage to nearly all the Port’s properties, the disaster also provided them the opportunity to build the Port of tomorrow, today. ISC analyzed the most severely damaged buildings to see if they qualified for FEMA’s 50% Rule. This allowed the Port to receive funding for new, better-designed buildings instead of implementing costly repairs to older and outdated facilities.

    Instead of repairing buildings that no longer fit the Port’s needs, ISC submitted Section 428, PAAP projects to FEMA to allow the Port to apply the grant funding to other projects. By utilizing the flexibility of FEMA’s Alternative Procedures program, ISC is guiding the Port of Lake Charles to rebuild the Port for their current and future needs, as well as the needs of their tenants. ISC worked diligently with the FEMA insurance group to maximize the grants, meet the insurance deduction threshold, and avoid any duplication of benefits. ISC also worked closely with both the FEMA Mitigation and EHP Groups to ensure the buildings were repaired or rebuilt more resilient while solving any environmental issues that arose.

    HIGHLIGHTS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS

    • Increased initial damage assessments by over 188%
    • Over $160 million in permanent work (Categories C-G).
    • Over $80 million in Section 428 projects

    Across all subrecipients and multiple disasters, Port of Lake Charles FEMA PA claims account for:

    • 25% of all total obligated permanent work (Categories C-G).
    • 65% of all obligated Section 428 projects.
    • 39% of all total obligated Category E work.
    • 38% of all total obligated Category G work.
    • 35% of all hazard mitigation grant funds identified for FEMA funding.
    • 31% of all obligated hazard mitigation grant funds.
    • By understanding and employing all of FEMA’s available programs, ISC has helped the Port to maximize their grant funding while also providing the Port of Lake Charles the greatest amount of flexibility to re-build the Port per their own vision and future growth plans

    Hurricane Harvey/Houston Floods – FEMA Public Assistance Services
    Multiple

    ISC was requested to mobilize to the Houston-Galveston Region to support FEMA and the State of Texas in in carrying out the statutory authorities of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. ISC staff supported schools, institutes of higher education, special districts and city/county government throughout the State providing policy guidance and technical expertise in assessing damages and writing detailed damage descriptions and scopes of work. ISC was integral in writing several 428 projects including the permanent replacement of 2 schools in Orange County

    • 96% of grant funds obligated within 4 years of disaster.
    • Independent School Districts ($391 M)
    • Higher Education ($82.4 M)
    • Special Districts ($563 M)
    • City/County Government ($1.3 B)
    • 32% of all hazard mitigation grant funds.
    Integrated Solutions Consulting provides “On-Call” disaster planning, management, response, and recovery services to various communities and their departments, offices, and agencies across the nation.
    RECOVERY HOTLINE

    Disaster Software Solutions

    ISC Offers Clients Comprehensive Recovery Services

    Communities in the coastal U.S. are continually making efforts to prepare for a hurricane, and building the capacity to respond to and recover from hurricanes. However, when the impacts are severe and the geographic area is very large, many communities, counties, and states rely on experienced contractors with the necessary expertise to support and augment their staff and community services for a wide variety needs. Services may include response and recovery efforts related to the current flood season and any other disaster or emergency conditions that may cause widespread damage and/or put life, health, safety, and essential public services at risk.

    Response Services

    • Incident Command Staffing
    • UAV (i.e., Drone) Assessments (FAA Part 107 Certified)
    • Damage Assessments

    Recovery Services

    • Damage Assessments
    • Disaster Cost Recovery Reimbursement
    • Federal Disaster Assistance Grant Management
      • FEMA Public Assistance Program
      • FEMA Individual Assistance Program
      • FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
      • HUD Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery
      • SBA – Disaster Loan Program

    Preparedness Services

    • After-Action Reporting
    • Improvement Plans

    MITIGATION PROGRAMS

    • Hazard Mitigation Plan Updates

    Emergency Contract Vehicles

    Following a declared state of emergency, the Federal Government allows local and state government to bypass their standard procurement policies and implement emergency procurement procedures. In times of emergency, understanding these unique contract vehicles can be essential in saving time, money, and resources. ISC has expertise working with these unique contract vehicles, which allow us to guide our clients on how to navigate the contracting process easily and expeditiously.

    Contracting with ISC is easy, and a number of pre-established contract vehicles can be utilized to facilitate the procurement process

    Past Performance

    HURRICANE SANDY DISASTER…

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    ISC has supported not only in the development of the regulatory improvements for FEMA HQ, but also in the administration and delivery of the subsequent disaster programs reform. ISC was also instrumental in the implementation of the SRIA Public Assistance Alternate Procedures (PAAP) for Hurricane Sandy (DR-4085-NY) to include 78 Fully Executed Letters of Understanding (LOUs), totaling $9.86 billion (100% fixed capped grant amount). Of this amount $8.87 billion has been obligated to date. ISC mobilized over 100 personnel to help support the disaster recovery efforts of New York State, New York City, the surrounding boroughs and neighboring counties through our FEMA contract vehicle to provide FEMA Public Assistance Technical Support Services.

    HIGHLIGHTS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
    • Accounted for over $143 million in eligible PA funding for Category B: Emergency Protective Measures.
    • Helped implement FEMA & HUD shelter & housing assistance programs reimbursing over $3 billion & $4+ Billion in federal aid for the repair of NYCHA properties.
    • Subject Matter: FEMA PA & PAAP; Disaster Housing.

    ZONE 2 FEMA PUBLIC ASSISTANCE…

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    ISC provides as-needed technical support services to FEMA’s Recovery Directorate within the Office of Response and Recovery (ORR) in support of its mission to provide survivors and communities to include state, tribal, local government, and private non-profit organizations with grants and technical resources can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies declared by the President.

    HIGHLIGHTS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS

    • Disaster recovery technical support to states and tribes within FEMA Regions V, VI, and VII.
    • Provided as-needed technical support in implementation of FEMA PA Program and provisions of the Stafford Act to:
      • 79 Disaster Declarations
      • 67 Emergency Declarations
      • 51 Fire Management Assistance Declarations
    • Technical Policy Support of FEMA’s Consensus-Based condes and Standards
    • Technical expertise with Section 428 PA Alternate Procedures
    • Technical Support of FEMA Consolidated Resource Center (CRC)
    • Implemented latest FEMA policies to include $1 Million Small Project Threshold.
    • Routinely recognized by FEMA HQ and FEMA Regions for experience and expertise of staff
    • ISC’s performance under this contract has resulted in multiple term awards since 2004.

    OFFICE OF DISASTER RECOVERY…

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    US Virgin Islands (USVI) Office of Disaster Recovery (ODR) selected ISC to help manage over $8 billion in federal disaster assistance, including FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) and Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs (HMGP), Federal Highway Administration Disaster Relief Program (FHWA ER), HUD Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR), and other federal recovery programs.

    HIGHLIGHTS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
    • Providing oversight of $8+ Billion in FEMA Public Assistance, FEMA Hazard Mitigation, and HUD CDBGDisaster Recovery.
    • Currently managing over 1,500 FEMA Project Worksheets and recovery projects
    • Integrated hazard mitigation and disaster recovery grants for forty-four agencies.
    • Utilized the Odysseus™ Grant Management Tool to track progress and regulatory compliance of hazard mitigation projects.
    • Created customized dashboard reports to provide real-time oversight and monitoring of all recovery projects.