Citation
(2003), "Corps of Engineers make changes to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery procedures", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 12 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.2003.07312eab.004
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2003, MCB UP Limited
Corps of Engineers make changes to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery procedures
Corps of Engineers make changes to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery procedures
The US Army Corps of Engineers recently released new guidelines for helping the country deal with too much, or too little, water. At the end of May, the Corps implemented new regulations regarding how the agency deals with disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. In its authorizing legislation (Public Law 84-99), the Corps maintains an emergency fund for:
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preparation for natural disasters;
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repair or restoration of flood control works threatened, damaged, or destroyed by floods, or use of non-structural alternatives;
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emergency protection of federally authorized hurricane or shore protection projects which are threatened by imminent or substantial loss to life and property; and
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repair and restoration of federally authorized hurricane or shore protection projects damaged or destroyed by extraordinary wind, wave, or water phenomena.
The law also authorizes the Corps to construct wells and transport water to areas that are drought-distressed. In addition, assistance may be provided to state and local governments to protect against imminent threat of predicted or unusual floods.
The new regulations outline the responsibilities of state and local governments regarding these areas as well. For example, the Corps states that disaster preparedness is a basic tenet of state and local governments, and that these levels of government hold responsibility for operation and maintenance of flood control works; procurement and stockpiling of sandbags, pumps, or other equipment that might be needed during a flood; training personnel; and undertaking responsible regulation, management, and use of floodplain areas.
Corps emergency response activities include flood response and post-flood response that supplement state and local activities. Corps assistance is limited to the preservation of life and property. Further, all Corps activities must be coordinated with state offices of emergency management. If local resources are exhausted, the Corps may also lend or issue supplies, such as sandbags, to non-federal interests. Items must either be returned or paid for by the recipient.
Rehabilitation assistance is provided by the Corps to assist with inspection of flood control works, rehabilitation of structures, rehabilitation of hurricane and shore protection projects, and non-structural alternatives to rehabilitation of damaged flood control works. Also, the Corps will provide a levee owner’s manual to any non-federal sponsor of an active flood control project.
The rule outlines in detail the natural disaster procedures and regulations in the April 21, 2003, Federal Register (pp. 19357-19371). Copies of the Federal Register can be found in any Federal repository library or online at www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html.
(Natural Hazards Observer, Vol. XXVIINo. 6, July 2003)