Douglas Disasters and Heritage Preservation

8/14/2019 Douglas Disasters and Heritage Preservation

1/22


2/22

DMA 2000

Amended Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief andEmergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 51211-5206)

Pre-Disaster Mitigation Planning

Less expensive to identify and implement measures tomitigate potential damage to structures and resources,than rebuild after a disaster occurs

Reimbursement of salaries for time spent developinghazard mitigation plan Provides financial support to states, cities, counties and tribes

Plans had to be finished by October 2004 to be eligible for

HMGP funding; 5-year mandatory updates


3/22

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

(HMGP)

Grants for sustained mitigation measures to reduce or

permanently eliminate long-term risks to property from

natural hazards and their effects


4/22

Hazard Mitigation

Any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate the long-

term risk to human life and property from natural and man-

made hazards


5/22

Hazard Mitigation Plans

San Diego County Office of Emergency Services and

18 incorporated cities within San Diego County Orange County Water District and 19 water districts

within the Orange County

Federated States of Micronesia

Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, California

Concow Maidu of Mooretown Rancheria, California


6/22

FEMA How-to-Guides

386-1 to 386-9

Step-by step guides on how to develop and implement a hazard

mitigation plan for states, tribes, counties, cities and special

districts

Considers all natural and man-made (accidents & terrorism)

natural disasters

Hazard Mitigation Plan update required every 5-years

http://www.fema. ov/plan/mitplannin /plannin _resources.shtm#1


7/22

FEMA 386-6

Heritage Resources and

Hazard Mitigation Plans

Integrating Cultural and Heritage Resources into:

Local Hazard Mitigation Plans

Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plans State/Tribal Hazard Mitigation Plans


8/22

What is the Process?

Develop a Hazard Mitigation Working Group

First Responders, Jurisdictional Representatives and Cultural

Resource Managers (agency archaeologists, museum

directors)

Community Groups (various cultural and historical societies)


9/22

Identify Assets and Critical Facilities

Archival research, government and university databases,interviews with professionals and community members

Map assets and critical facilities using GIS


10/22

Old Town Historic District

Balboa Park

GIS Map ofAssets and Critical Facilities

HospitalsFire Stations

Police StationsEnergy TransmissionWater Transmission

Large Fuel Tanks

Museums

SchoolsMalls


11/22

Identify Hazards

Archival research, interviews, government and university

databases Some hazards to consider -- avalanches, coastal storms,

earthquakes, fire, hurricanes, landslides, tornadoes,

tsunamis Map hazards using GIS


12/22

Earthquake Fault Linesand Shake Potential Zones


13/22

Aridity, Fuel Load,Hill Slopes,and Wildfires


14/22

Assets and Hazards

Using GIS of assets and critical infrastructure and hazarddata, determine which cultural/heritage resources would be

destroyed or damaged by each hazard


15/22

Goals and Objectives

Ensure that preserving significant heritage resources is

included in the HMP Goals

Discuss importance of heritage resources to:

preserving community identity,

maintaining or developing heritage tourism, future generations


16/22

Prioritize which resources should receive HMGP funds first

Which are most threatened by most probable hazards?

Which are most significant to local, national and

international communities?

Perform cost-benefit analysis most applicable toheritage tourist sites

Mitigation Plan and

Implementation Strategy

Sahara Desert,

NouakchottCapitol of Mauritania

Piazza San Marco,

St. Mark's Basilica,Venice, Italy

1940s Schoolhouse,San Diego County, California


17/22

Identify Mitigation Measures How to protect each cultural/heritage resource from hazards

For each hazard and each resource consult with appropriate

specialists to ensure:

proper treatment/strengthening of buildings and structures,

appropriate flood control measures, appropriate measures to stop dune

migration, adequate brush clearing, etcetera


18/22


19/22

Challenges

Prioritizing Heritage Resources Competing with critical infrastructure (hospitals, waste water

treatment plants, water supply, energy supply) Convince lead agency on HMP processes that heritage resources

should be considered

Economics often considered over cultural significance (heritage

tourism versus an undeveloped site)


20/22

Challenges

Sacred Sites and Landscapes

Churches, monastaries, mosques, shrines, and sacred landscapes

With limited funding who determines which site is protected, and which is not?

Need to establish working group with cultural sensitivity

Professional facilitator for meetings that address sacred sites


21/22

Results of HMPG for

San Diego OES and 18 Cities

100-ft fire breaks around all communities with high

fire potential on adjacent lands Reinforcement of small check dams

Barricades and increased security around significant

public places, including some Heritage sites

Better communication for emergency responders

during disasters, helps minimize damage

Shared Resources, Shared Response

Partnerships with Canada for use of planes in fire fighting


22/22

Old Town

San Diego

Balboa Park

San Diego

Documents

Douglas Disasters and Heritage Preservation