Fairfield Receives $2,578,845 to Assist in Pre-Disaster Mitigation
Homeland Security Begins Distribution Of Grant Funds For Pre-Disaster Mitigation

Release Date: April 6, 2004 Release number: R5-04-001

CHICAGO, Ill. – Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response, announced today the release of $26 million in Pre-Disaster Mitigation Competitive (PDM-C) Grant Program funds to states, territories, and federally recognized tribes for pre-disaster mitigation activities. The grant program is a Presidential initiative, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for pre-disaster mitigation planning and projects primarily addressing natural hazards.

"President Bush recognizes that mitigation is an essential step in reducing the loss of life and property to natural disasters," said Brown. "States and localities are critical leaders in disaster reduction, and the Department of Homeland Security is committed to providing our partners with the tools they need to be prepared."

The announcement of the PDM-C grant awards made by Under Secretary Brown includes $2.5 million for the City of Fairfield for a voluntary program to acquire 23 residential structures in the Crystal/Banker Drive area.

According to FEMA Region 5 Regional Director Edward Buikema these types of mitigation projects are a top priority. “Reducing future disaster costs by eliminating repetitive flood losses in any flood prone area is a wise use of tax payer dollars”, said Buikema.

Fairfield Vice Mayor Steve Miller said, “The city has experienced numerous flooding events over the last several years and this grant will enable us to reduce personal property losses through a voluntary acquisition program of structures in the floodplain. It will also help us reduce our dependency on federal funding from flooding that might occur in the future.”

The Ohio Emergency Management Agency (Ohio EMA) will partner with Fairfield and administer the FEMA grant. “I am excited that Ohio EMA has a part in the development, funding and administration of this project that offers an opportunity for a new start for many families,” said Ohio EMA Executive Director Dale Shipley. “The joint project development and funding by the City of Fairfield, the State of Ohio and FEMA will help save lives in the future.” There have been nine flooding events over the past twenty five years in this community and approximately $280,000 in flood insurance claims have been paid along with FEMA grants to repair these structures.

The fiscal year 2003 budget provided $150 million under the National Pre-Disaster Mitigation Fund to initiate a competitive grant program for pre-disaster mitigation activities, and has moved forward since Congress recently reauthorized the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program this past January. The intent of the PDM-C grant program is to provide a consistent source of funding to state, tribal, and local governments for pre-disaster mitigation planning and projects. Funding these plans and projects reduces overall risks to the population and structures, while also reducing reliance on funding from actual disaster declarations.

States, territories, tribes, and local governments submitted over 450-mitigation project and planning sub-applications for consideration under the PDM-C grant program. To fulfill the competitive requirements of the program and to select the most cost-effective applications, all applications were reviewed for their eligibility and completeness, and then ranked and evaluated by a competitive national evaluation panel. The national evaluation process was rigorous in design and implementation, ensuring that all applications competed fairly and that the most cost-effective applications were recommended for selection.

On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.