Damage Assessment
Lead Agency / Franklin County Property Appraiser’s Office (FCPAO)
Support Agencies / Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce (ABCC)
Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross (CACARC)
Carrabelle Chamber of Commerce (CCC)
Franklin County Emergency Management Department (FCEMD)
Franklin County Extension Service (FCES)
Franklin County Planning and Building Department (FCPBD)
Franklin County Road Department (FCRD)
Franklin County Supervisor of Elections Office (FCSEO)
Franklin County Tax Collector’s Office (FCTCO)
Franklin County United Firefighters Association (FCUFA)
Table of Contents
1.0 – Introduction
1.1 – Purpose
1.2 – Scope
1.3 – Assumptions
2.0 – Concept of Operations
2.1 – General
2.2 – Organization
2.3 – Primary Activities
2.3.1 – Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA)
2.3.2 – Detailed Damage Assessment (DDA)
2.3.3 – Joint County, State and Federal Damage Assessment (JDA)
3.0 – Responsibilities – Lead and Support Agencies
3.1 – Lead Agency
3.2 – Support Agencies
1.0 – Introduction
1.1 – PurposeThe purpose of damage assessment is to determine the extent to which the housing stock, businesses and public infrastructure of the county have been impacted by a disaster.
Damage assessment is one of the first steps that must be completed for the county to receive state and federal disaster assistance.
1.2 – ScopeDamage assessment personnel will evaluate damage to the public sector (infrastructure and public buildings) as well as to the private sector (homes and businesses).
1.3 – AssumptionsStorm debris, damaged roads and bridges along with floodwaters may impede the ability of emergency personnel to adequately evaluate damage in portions of the county.
Structural damage to buildings may not be plainly visible and may go unreported.
Personnel assigned to facilitate Damage Assessmentwill require assistance to get to the county EOC[1]in the aftermath of a disaster.
2.0 – Concept of Operations
2.1 – GeneralDamage assessment may be divided into as many as three components:
- Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA).
- Detailed Damage Assessment (DDA).
- Joint Damage Assessment (JDA) comprised of county, state and federal representatives.
2.2 – Organization
This ESF is part of the Operations Section of the county’s EOC[2]. The county’s EOC utilizes the ICS[3] structure during all activations.
2.3 – Primary Activities2.3.1 – Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA)
PDA occurs immediately following a disaster and must provide an overview of the type and extent of damaged suffered by the community and the estimated costs associated with that damage. This is not a house-by-house assessment; rather, it is a broad overview of the extent of damage to both the public and private sectors. Many of the procedures for PDA are the same as those for the more involved JDA. The primary difference is the level of detail in the assessment.
The FCEMD will provide specific direction regarding the level of detail required for the damageassessment process prior to the beginning of data collection. The PDA should be complete as soon as possible after the event.
Agency Notification
The FCEMD will notify all agencies that are involved in the damage assessment activity as soon as practicable that an emergency situation is at hand. In the case of a tropical storm or hurricane, agencies would receive notification between 24 and 48 hours prior to landfall. 24 hours before landfall, the lead and support agencies are contacted by the FCEMD and notified when and where they will meet to begin damage assessment operations.
Entry into Affected Areas
Before damage assessment teams are allowed into areas that have been affected by the disaster, safety teams comprised of representatives from the FCRD, VFDs[4] and Progress Energy will first ascertain if conditions are safe for re-entry.
Downed power lines and unstable roadways are of primary concern.
PDA Data Collection
After disaster areas have been deemed safe for re-entry, a PDA will be conducted. Data will be collected by drive-through assessments (and walk-through assessments where necessary) and reported back to the county EOC.
The FCDEM has an agreement with the Apalachicola Aviation Training Center to conduct fly-overs following a disaster to provide a rapid description of the extent of damage throughout the county. Information from the fly-over will be reported back to the county EOC as soon as possible following the fly-over.
The FCDEM will provide all personnel assigned to conducting assessments with a damage assessment kit. This kit includes damage assessment forms, maps, office supplies and a disposable camera. Data will be collected on damage assessment forms contained in the damage assessment kit. This information will be provided to the county EOC for submission to the SEOC[5] as soon as possible following the event.
Level of Detail
The focus of the PDA is on gaining a broad overview of the extent of damage throughout the county. The goals of the PDA are as follows:
- To provide a rough estimate of the gross number of homes and businesses that may be damaged.
- To provide the location of roads and / or bridges that are blocked and/or damaged.
- To provide an overview of the extent of utility outages.
- To provide an overview of damage to water and wastewater treatment systems.
Coordination with the State
As soon as possible following the completion of the PDA, data will be provided to the SEOC.
2.3.2 – Detailed Damage Assessment (DDA)DDA occurs immediately following the completion of the PDA, assuming conditions in the field are safe for damage assessment teams. The goal of the DDA is to identify, as accurately as possible given the limitations imposed by the event, the numbers of houses and businesses affected by the disaster and the extent and nature of damage to public infrastructure.
The FCEMD will provide specific direction regarding the level of detail required for the damage assessment process prior to the beginning of data collection.
Agencies Involved
Infrastructure Damage Assessment
- Franklin County Property Appraiser’s Office
- Franklin County Road Department
- Franklin County Planning and Building Department
- Franklin County Solid Waste Department
- Alligator Point Water Resource District
- Apalachicola Streets Department
- Apalachicola Water and Sewer Department
- Carrabelle Streets and Roads Department
- Carrabelle Water and Sewer Department
- Eastpoint Water and Sewer Department
- St George Island Water Management Services Inc
Home and Business Damage Assessment
- Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross
- Franklin County Property Appraiser’s Office
- Franklin County United Firefighters Association
Types of Damage to Assess
Infrastructure
Damage assessment must be conducted for public facilities as well as individuals because of the corresponding types of federal and state disaster assistance available. Public damages include damage incurred by a structure or facility owned by a public or private non-profit entity. Damage assessment data for public structures must be collected in the following seven basic categories:
- Category A – Debris Removal
- Category B – Emergency Protective Measures
- Category C – Road System
- Category D – Water Control Facilities
- Category E – Building and Equipment
- Category F – Public Utility System
- Category G – Other
Home and Business
The purpose of individual damage assessment is to determine the extent to which individuals and private businesses have been affected by a disaster. There are two basic categories of individual damage:
- Damage to Homes
Damage assessment teams will estimate the degree of damage suffered to homes. The CACARC and the FCUFA will jointly assess damage to homes and businesses.
The FCUFA will estimate damage using the criteria provided on the FDEM damage assessment forms (“minor”, “major” and “destroyed”). They will also describe the type of home (single family, multi-family or mobile home); attempt to determine if the structure is owner or renter occupied; insured or uninsured; and determine the habitability of the structure.
- Damage to Businesses
Privately owned businesses that were damaged are also eligible for disaster assistance. Damage to businesses is estimated using the same procedures and criteria discussed above.
Outreach Activities Conducted in Conjunction with Damage Assessment
For smaller scale disasters, the CACARC may also perform additional outreach activities in conjunction with the DDA. These outreach activities are intended to identify the human needs such as food, water and housing that exist in the areas impacted by the disaster. For larger scale disasters, these outreach activities will be conducted at a DRC[6] that is easily accessible to individuals impacted by the disaster.
Method for Assessing Economic Damage
When evaluating economic damage, several strategies will be employed. Damage assessment personnel will contact affected businesses and attempt to determine, with their assistance, the extent of damage they have suffered. The county will also seek input from the ABCC and CCC regarding losses to businesses.
Estimates of agricultural damage will be obtained from the FCES.
Coordination with Municipalities
FCEMD will be responsible for coordinating damage assessment with Apalachicola and Carrabelle.
2.3.3 – Joint County, State and Federal Damage Assessment (JDA)The purpose of the JDA process is to verify the extent of damage identified during the earlier DDA. A team consisting of representatives from FEMA[7], FDEM[8] and the local government usually conduct the JDA. Unless instructed otherwise by the FCEMD Director or designee, the procedures outlined above are applicable to conducting a JDA.
Coordination
The joint damage assessment operation will be coordinated with state and federal representatives by the FCEMD Director or designee. Assistance in the field will be provided by the supporting agencies as described above.
3.0 – Responsibilities – Lead and Support Agencies
3.1 – Lead AgencyFranklin County Property Appraiser’s Office – Provides for overall coordination and management of the damage assessment operation.
3.2 – Support AgenciesApalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce – Will support the damage assessment process with personnel, equipment and vehicles as needed.
Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross – Will provide personnel to conduct damage assessment for residential structures. The CACARC will work with the FCEMD to ensure damage assessment activities are coordinated.
Carrabelle Chamber of Commerce – Will support the damage assessment process with personnel, equipment and vehicles as needed.
Franklin County Emergency Management Department – Will provide oversight of the damage assessment operations.
Franklin County Extension Service –Will support the damage assessment process with personnel, equipment and vehicles as needed.
Franklin County Planning and Building Department –Will support the damage assessment process with personnel, equipment and vehicles as needed.
Has the responsibility to assessing the habitability of all damaged structures.
Franklin County Road Department –Will support the damage assessment process with personnel, equipment and vehicles as needed.
Franklin County Supervisor of Elections Office –Will support the damage assessment process with personnel, equipment and vehicles as needed.
Franklin County Tax Collector’s Office –Will support the damage assessment process with personnel, equipment and vehicles as needed.
Franklin County United Firefighters Association –Will support the damage assessment process with personnel, equipment and vehicles as needed.
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[1] Emergency Operations Center
[2] Emergency Operations Center
[3] Incident Command System
[4] Volunteer Fire Department
[5] State Emergency Operations Center
[6] Disaster Recovery Center
[7] Federal Emergency Management Agencies
[8] Florida Division of Emergency Management