Every year, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events bring misery and suffering to communities across the United States while decimating critical infrastructure depended on by local citizens, commerce and government. In 2022 alone, there were 100 federally declared disasters in the US.
For more than 45 years, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of the US Department of Homeland Security has pursued its mission of 'helping people before, during and after disasters'. FEMA is charged with coordinating the resources required to respond to a range of emergencies and help impacted communities recover.
Since 2018, Serco has supported the FEMA 'Public Assistance Program' which provides recovery grant assistance to states, local government entities, tribes and non-profit organisations – helping communities get back on their feet as quickly as possible.
Across 17 states, our colleagues deliver advisory and technical assistance services supporting debris removal, emergency protective measures and the restoration of public infrastructure such as hospitals and schools, roads and bridges and utility systems.
"After an event like a hurricane, tornado, earthquake or wildfire, communities need help with their recovery costs," says Paul Ricciuti, Director Contingency Operations, Defense and Federal Services. "Once an affected area is declared safe, our specialists are deployed to assess the damage and determine the likely recovery costs. After our inspections, we assist organisations in need with their grant applications."
One of the biggest challenges is remaining constantly ready to deploy teams of niche specialists within 24-48 hours:
Our Public Assistance Technical Assistance Contract (PATAC) colleagues can be deployed for months at a time. All are FEMA registered and comprehensively trained for their PATAC duties, including how to engage effectively with distraught individuals in traumatic circumstances.
“People doing this type of work are drawn by the motivation to help communities recover," says Bryan Miller, Deputy Program Manager. "They are the ones walking towards the destruction, eager to help. We have had team members personally impacted by these same disasters, and still they head out to help the hardest-hit communities get back on their feet.”
To date, our team has supported recovery operations for 37 major disasters and emergencies. Our team also collaborates with FEMA to identify investments that can mitigate the impact of future foreseeable events.
"As the nation learns to adapt to the evolving impact of climate change," says Paul, "Serco engineers and environmental experts are on the frontline with FEMA, working hard to help protect their communities and keep them safe."