The FEMA Podcast

After 15 feet of floodwater inundated Valmeyer, Illinois in 1993, the town knew they wanted to revive the community, but in a smart, resilient way. On this episode, we talk to former Valmeyer mayor, Dennis Knobloch, and long-time local, Lucy Engbring, to learn how a community of determined residents and city leaders successfully moved their entire town two miles away, and 400 feet in the air.

August 1st, 2018, marks the 50th anniversary of the National Flood Insurance Act, the guiding legislation for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). On this agency update, we talk to David Maurstad, chief executive of the National Flood Insurance Program, about the history and the future of the NFIP.

On this episode, Josh Dozer, Director of the Planning and Exercise Division at FEMA Headquarters, joins the podcast for a look at how FEMA, and its partners, plan for a variety of disaster and emergency scenarios, including some you would expect, but others you might be surprised by. From hurricanes, to space weather, or tornadoes to Ebola - this episode of the FEMA podcast is all about disaster planning.

The summers of 1993 and 2008 have one thing in common:  Historic, devastating floods.  The state of Iowa was severely impacted by both events.  John Miller had a unique, front-row seat to both disasters – first as a FEMA Regional Administrator who oversaw the agency’s role in much of the 1993 flood recovery for four Midwestern states – and then as a local official for Black Hawk County, Iowa in 2008 when floods would again devastate the state.  Hear his unique perspective of how two events, 15 years apart, caused changes to better protect lives and property, and the steps others can take to continue forging a more resilient nation. 

In the summer of 2008, the University of Iowa suffered a disaster beyond imagination.  The usually scenic Iowa River that winds through campus became a formidable enemy to the state’s largest higher-education institution when it raged beyond its banks to historic flood levels, damaging more than 22 campus buildings.  The university had to move quickly – not only to stay in business but to begin what would become an eight-year journey of recovery.  University Architect Rod Lehnertz, who led the campus restoration, tells that story of recovery, the lessons learned and how the university is fighting back to minimize the impact of future floods. 

In the summer of 2008, much of the state of Iowa was under siege from tornadoes, severe storms and flooding.  As a result, 85 of Iowa’s 99 counties were designated for federal disaster assistance.  Beth Freeman experienced the 2008 flooding first-hand when her community of Cedar Rapids was devastated.  She then went on to oversee FEMA funding for thousands of recovery projects throughout the state.  Hear her story … and how a decade of resilient actions has better prepared Iowa for future disasters.

On this episode, Josh Dozer, Director of the Planning and Exercise Division at FEMA Headquarters, joins the podcast for a look at how FEMA, and its partners, plan for a variety of disaster and emergency scenarios, including some you would expect, but others you might be surprised by. From hurricanes, to space weather, or tornadoes to Ebola - this episode of the FEMA podcast is all about disaster planning.

In the summer of 2008, much of the state of Iowa was under siege from tornadoes, severe storms and flooding. As a result, 85 of Iowa’s 99 counties were designated for federal disaster assistance. Beth Freeman experienced the 2008 flooding first-hand when her community of Cedar Rapids was devastated. She then went on to oversee FEMA funding for thousands of recovery projects throughout the state. Hear her story and how a decade of resilient actions has better prepared Iowa for future disasters.

In the summer of 2008, the University of Iowa suffered a disaster beyond imagination. The usually scenic Iowa River that winds through campus became a formidable enemy to the state’s largest higher-education institution when it raged beyond its banks to historic flood levels, damaging more than 22 campus buildings. The university had to move quickly – not only to stay in business but to begin what would become an eight-year journey of recovery. University Architect Rod Lehnertz, who led the campus restoration, tells that story of recovery, the lessons learned and how the university is fighting back to minimize the impact of future floods.

The summers of 1993 and 2008 have one thing in common: Historic, devastating floods. The state of Iowa was severely impacted by both events. John Miller had a unique, front-row seat to both disasters – first as a FEMA Regional Administrator who oversaw the agency’s role in much of the 1993 flood recovery for four Midwestern states – and then as a local official for Black Hawk County, Iowa in 2008 when floods would again devastate the state. Hear his unique perspective of how two events, 15 years apart, caused changes to better protect lives and property, and the steps others can take to continue forging a more resilient nation.

This year, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is 28 years old and FEMA remains committed to ensuring that all Americans have access to its programs and the programs we coordinate during disasters. This week we discuss the Americans with Disabilities Act with Linda Mastandrea, FEMA’s Director of the Office of Disability Integration and Coordination (ODIC).

This year, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is 28 years old and FEMA remains committed to ensuring that all Americans have access to its programs and the programs we coordinate during disasters. This week we discuss the Americans with Disabilities Act with Linda Mastandrea, FEMA’s Director of the Office of Disability Integration and Coordination (ODIC).

FEMA created the Youth Preparedness Council (YPC) in 2012 to bring together young leaders who are interested in supporting disaster preparedness and making a difference in their communities, by completing disaster preparedness projects nationally and locally. The YPC supports FEMA’s commitment to involve America’s youth in preparedness-related activities. It also provides an avenue to engage young people by taking into account their perspectives, feedback and opinions. On this episode of the FEMA Podcast, we sit down with members of the Council at the 2018 Youth Preparedness Council Summit to get their perspective on the importance of youth preparedness in America.

FEMA created the Youth Preparedness Council (YPC) in 2012 to bring together young leaders who are interested in supporting disaster preparedness and making a difference in their communities, by completing disaster preparedness projects nationally and locally. The YPC supports FEMA’s commitment to involve America’s youth in preparedness-related activities. It also provides an avenue to engage young people by taking into account their perspectives, feedback and opinions. On this episode of the FEMA Podcast, we sit down with members of the Council at the 2018 Youth Preparedness Council Summit to get their perspective on the importance of youth preparedness in America. 

FEMA recently released its 2017 Hurricane Season After-Action Report. The report examines the agency’s performance during the record breaking season. Last year, hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria devastated the nation at a time when FEMA was already supporting 692 federally declared disasters. During response to the three catastrophic hurricanes, FEMA also responded to the historic wildfires in California. The report captures transformative insights from a historic hurricane season that will help FEMA, the emergency management community, and the nation chart the path into the future. On this Agency Update, we discuss the report and its implications with Associate Administrator for Response and Recovery, Jeff Byard, and Director of the National Preparedness Assessment Division, Katherine Fox.