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<br />residents will expect you to be familiar with the various assistance programs. You <br />should also know about the state and federal requirements for obtaining various forms <br />of flood recovery assistance. <br />Requests for outside aid are made through the state emergency management <br />agency. The state may supply additional resources itself and/ or coordinate a request <br />for federal aid. If a major flood has occurred, the governor can request a federal <br />disaster declaration. The federal govern- <br />ment, in turn, has three options. It could <br />. Issue a disaster declaration, which would <br />make the resources of several dozen <br /> <br /> <br />programs available to help your com- <br />munity recover from the disaster. <br />. Issue an emergency declaration, which provides assistance in the event of a <br />short-term emergency. <br />. Provide direct assistance from various federal agencies through their own <br /> <br />programs. <br />Most local officials who have had experiences with floods recommend figuring <br />out what aid you might qualify for before a flood -that is, while you are formulat- <br /> <br />ing your emergency preparedness <br />and mitigation plans. Start with the <br />Digest of Federal Disaster Assistance, <br />published by the Federal Emergency <br /> <br />WITHOUT A PREVIOUSLY <br />prepared post-flood mitigation ptan, <br />your community will probably <br />"recover" from the flood by restoring <br />the affected area to pre-jlood <br />conditions. Unfortunately, it will <br />then simply await the next flood, <br />which will have similar results. <br />Then the cycle will be repeated. <br /> <br />"Any great disaster or problem usually produces a by-product called <br />'opportunity,' This is no less true today as we review our policies for <br />managing floodplains," - Honorable Jim Edgar, Governor of Illinois <br /> <br />Management Agency (FEMA). The National Governors Association and FEMA have <br />another publication, National Emergency Assistance Programs. Your state emergency <br />management agency will know how to get copies for you. <br /> <br />LEADING YOUR COMMUNITY'S POST-FLOOD EFFORTS The perfect time to <br />make sure that flood damage does not occur again is before repairs or reconstruction <br />of flood-damaged structures begin. But quickly putting everything back the way it <br />was will only condemn your community to repeat the cycle. The best approach is a <br />rational one that strives for long-term reductions in flood risk. This is the time to <br />implement appropriate steps from your community mitigation plan, or to develop <br />your own really innovative approaches to reduce future flood risk. If you and your <br />professional staff have done your homework, you will be able to offer appropriate <br /> <br />page 23 <br />