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Working with FEMA

Dealing with mosquito issues during and following a natural disaster

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Rosmarie Kelly, PhD MPHPublic Health Entomologist

GDPH – 2 Peachtree St NWAtlanta, GA 30303

404-657-2604 (w)404-408-1207 (c)

rmkelly@dhr.state.ga.us

http://health.state.ga.us/epi/zvbd/http://www.Gamosquito.org

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DISASTER

It strikes anytime, anywhere. It takes many forms - a hurricane, an earthquake, a tornado, a flood, a fire or a hazardous spill, an act of nature or an act of terrorism. It builds over days or weeks, or hits suddenly, without warning. Every year, millions of Americans face disaster, and its terrifying consequences.

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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

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A Major Disaster Declaration usually follows these steps:

• Local Government Responds, supplemented by neighboring communities and volunteer agencies. If overwhelmed, turn to the state for assistance;

• The State Responds with state resources, such as the National Guard and state agencies;

• Damage Assessment by local, state, federal, and volunteer organizations determines losses and recovery needs;

• A Major Disaster Declaration is requested by the governor, based on the damage assessment, and an agreement to commit state funds and resources to the long-term recovery;

• FEMA Evaluates the request and recommends action to the White House based on the disaster, the local community and the state's ability to recover;

• The President approves the request or FEMA informs the governor it has been denied. This decision process could take a few hours or several weeks depending on the nature of the disaster.

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First Response

• This is the job of local government's emergency services with help from nearby municipalities, the state and volunteer agencies.

• In a catastrophic disaster, and if the governor requests, federal resources can be mobilized through the US Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for search and rescue, electrical power, food, water, shelter and other basic human needs.

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Emergency Declaration

• A governor's request for a major disaster declaration could mean an infusion of federal funds, but the governor must also commit significant state funds and resources for recovery efforts.

• This is more limited in scope and without the long-term federal recovery programs of a Major Disaster Declaration.

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Major Disaster

• Results from a hurricane, earthquake, flood, tornado or major fire that the President determines warrants supplemental federal aid.

• The event must be clearly more than state or local governments can handle alone.

• If declared, funding comes from the President's Disaster Relief Fund, which is managed by FEMA, and disaster aid programs of other participating federal agencies.

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A Presidential Major Disaster Declaration puts into motion long-term federal recovery programs, some of which are matched by state programs, and designed to help disaster victims, businesses and public entities.

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Emergency Vector Control (Overview)Emergency Vector Control (Overview)

(1) Category B – emergency protective measures(2) Removal of health and safety hazards

(a) Health hazard(b) Verification is required(c) Public health must be involved

(3) Process(a) Contact – good to know who these people

are before an emergency(i) Public Health Director(ii) County EMA Director(iii) State EMA Field Coordinator

(b) Coordination between Public Health, Public Works, and Vector Control

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Emergency protective measures are those activities undertaken by a community before, during, and following a disaster that are necessary to do one of the following:

– eliminate or reduce an immediate threat to life, public health, or safety; or

– eliminate or reduce an immediate threat of significant damage to improved public or private property through cost-effective measures.

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Removal of health and safety hazards. Such activities may include the

following:

Vector control of rodents or insects when there is a serious health hazard.

Verification of the threat by the Federal Centers for Disease Control or State or local health agencies in accordance with established ordinances is required.

www.fema.gov/government/grant/pa/9523_10.shtm

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DocumentationDocumentation• Most important thing you can do to

assure reimbursement if monies become available– Overtime– Materials– Equipment

• Equipment and Personnel must match– Truck - 8 hours– Operator - 8 hours

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DOCUMENTS FOR VECTOR CONTROLDOCUMENTS FOR VECTOR CONTROL

Surveillance Data - Current data and past 3 years covering same time period

Operational Data - Including all info that supports the Project Worksheet equipment personnel pesticide

Post Surveillance Data – Desired but not necessary

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Complete your own paperwork

Provide Proof at time of submittal

Document, Document, Document

Include Complaint Info and Larvicide handed out to Citizens

•Information helps show FEMA that the problem is too big for the county or the state to fix

THINGS TO CONSIDERTHINGS TO CONSIDER

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•FEMA will only reimburse for the increased operating cost for mosquito abatement. This is calculated by comparing the disaster related costs to the last three years of expenses for the same period.

•Evidence of higher levels of mosquitoes in the disaster area following the event is needed.

•FEMA will consult with the CDC Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases to evaluate a State's request for assistance under this policy.

•You must be prepared to take action before reimbursement.

Other Important infoOther Important info

http://www.fema.gov/

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FEMA will only reimburse a portion of the difference in your vector control costs, if they reimburse anything at all

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The Emergency Process

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NEED TO DO:

• coordinate through the County Emergency Operations Center (EOC)

• involve Joint Field Office• have County EMA contact GEMA SOC• draft request

– NEED ASSISTANCE– NEED RESOURCES – list everythingeverything so that

expenses and insurance are covered• forms – GEMA & FEMA

– http://www.gema.ga.gov/ohsgemaweb.nsf/46f83d65829d0a698525711f004a23d7/d416ac1e8b40330885257145006d01d3?OpenDocument&Highlight=0,forms

– www.fema.gov/help/forms.shtm

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BE PREPARED

• Be sure your workers are safe• Collect all relevant documentation• Contact your local EMA• SURVEILLANCE• MOSQUITO CONTROL

• If control is needed, you can not wait for FEMA

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Public Health Declaration

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collecting the data

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Mosquito Surveillance Data

current mosquito population datainclude arboviral data

flood event

TRAP SITE

Ps. columbiae

Ps. ciliata

1 3728 14

2 1513 1

3 1649 5

4 928  

5 1876 22

6 2340  

arboviral data - http://oasis.state.ga.us/Arboviral/index_mosquito.asp

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3 Years of Mosquito Surveillance Data

Mosquito surveillance data AND(a) Arboviral information(b) Work orders for mosquito control(c) Labor - Employee hours(d) Equipment use documentation(e) Pesticide use

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SUMMARY OF COMPLETED STORM RESPONSE WORK ORDERS

Work Order #Date Location Work Performed Labor Equipment Material Total Cost

4/1/2009 Route 1 Larvicide 04010021 $4,813 $3,636 $6,125 $14,574.004/2/2009 Route 2 Ground 04020022 $6,423.00 $5,236.00 $7,526.00 $19,185.004/2/2009 Route 3 Larvicide 04020030 $2,536.00 $1,526.00 $1,899.00 $5,961.004/3/2009 Route 4 Ground 04030060 $7,125.00 $6,523.00 $9,000.00 $22,648.004/3/2009 Route 5 Ariel 04030061 $5,269.00 $4,624.00 $5,796.00 $15,689.004/4/2009 Route 6 Ground 04040023 $7,200.00 $6,125.00 $3,654.00 $16,797.004/7/2009 Route 7 Ariel 04050065 $8,296.00 $7,695.00 $12,500.00 $28,491.004/7/2009 Route 8 Ground 04050066 $5,263.00 $4,100.00 $4,456.00 $13,819.004/8/2009 Route 9 Larvicide 04050070 $4,562.00 $3,879.00 $2,569.00 $11,010.004/9/2009 Route 10 Ground 04060080 $3,695.00 $3,100.00 $4,521.00 $11,316.00

Labor Equipment Materials TotalTotal Cost for Mosquito Control $55,182.00 $46,444 $53,525 $159,490.00

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POST-SPRAY SURVEILLANCE

Include Identification Data

flood event

control

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Other methods of collecting data

• Landing CountsInformation to Collect:

Collector's NameCountySite DateTimeLocation on Body

For counts of less than one minute, multiply to get landings per minute.

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ask your neighbors

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Emergency Mosquito Surveillance Trailer

EMERGENCY MOSQUITO SURVEILLANCE TRAILER USE PROTOCOLS

http://www.gamosquito.org/mosquitolinks.htm

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CONTROL

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Control Plan

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Control DataDate Time Road Larvacide Briquets

4/6/2009 8:00am Skipper Bridge Road 900

Griffin Road

Woodrow Lane

Coppage Road

Staten Road 900

Franklinville Road 900

Carter Drive 900

McMillan Circle 900

McMillan Road 900

Parker Place 900

Fiveash Road

Bethany Road

Thompson Road

Barber Circle

Union Road

Franks Creek Road

Cole Road

Miller Bridge Road

New Road 900

Vickers Road 900

Vickers Circle 900

Thunderbowl Rd 1000

Val-Tech Road

10,000 Briquets 90 Gallons

Adulticide Gallons

7.5

7.5

7.5

7.5

7.5

7.5

7.5

7.5

7.5

7.5

7.5

7.5

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WHEN IN DOUBT

• don’t be afraid to ask for help• know your local emergency

managment director• talk to mosquito control in

surrounding counties• call the State entomologist

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START NOW

• the best way to be prepared for an emergency is to start now and hope you never need to use what you learn

• come to the Georgia Mosquito Control Association meetings to keep up with new methods of surveillance and control and to meet your peers and industry reps

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ANY QUESTIONS?ANY QUESTIONS?