Disaster Recovery Georgia

Records custodians may think of disasters as large, catastrophic events such as tornadoes or floods -- dramatic natural events over which there is little, if any, control. We admit that these disasters can harm and adversely affect anything to everything which comes in its contact, yet many disasters are events that only affect records within a single repository. But whether large or small, disasters can threaten the security of records. A single fire or flood can erase substantial portions of a community's unique recorded history.

Caretakers of official records are responsible for safeguarding holdings from all varieties of threats. Preparing for disasters requires an ongoing commitment to:

• Reduce potential risks.
• Develop a plan of action for response to disasters.

Let’s try to narrow down our focus on to Disaster Recovery Georgia. Tropical Storm Alberto hit the State of Georgia in July 1994, and as a result, about a third of the state suffered flood and rain damage. They had 55 of our 160+ counties declared federal disaster counties. Most of the damage was concentrated in the south-western part of the state, especially along the Flint River.

Disaster Recovery Georgia recovery program: The current Disaster Recovery Georgia efforts at that time included administering a $2.475 million flood recovery grant program; co-coordinating with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Georgia Trust and other state agencies in comprehensive relief efforts; and working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 review process. The grant program is similar to the relief programs in the State of California and in the Midwest; funding is for repair of historic properties that fall through the cracks, which are not getting money from FEMA or from private insurance. The Georgia Historic Preservation Division currently has 70 grant projects in place that are aiding over one hundred historic structures and archaeological sites. They are repairing public buildings like courthouses, private residences, commercial buildings and museums.

This flood was a 500-year disaster for Georgia, and is considered the worst natural disaster in Georgia's recorded history. The Georgia Historic Preservation Division was organized and quick in their response efforts, and also fortunate that we could call the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Midwest State Historic Preservation Officers for guidance. This gave us a head start on which steps to take and which to avoid. We were also able to access FEMA's Programmatic Agreement from the Midwest and adapt it quickly for our state.

One of the first hurdles they had to overcome in recovery work for Disaster Recovery Georgia was lack of documentation. The flooded areas were for the most part rural, and over a large area, and there was little survey work or National Register listings in these areas. This made organized damage assessment difficult. Compensation came from information provided by regional preservation planners, main street directors and local government contacts. Often this information was not on paper or on a computer.

During Disaster Recovery Georgia efforts, it has become apparent that technical information and education is crucial before, during and after a disaster. Historic material was lost because disaster victims did not know how to deal with water damage to their resources. Often this occurred immediately after the disaster, before technical information could reach them. A chronic problem that existed was the failure of building owners to allow their structures to dry out before repair and replacement; as a result, the work often had to be redone.

The Georgia Historic Preservation Division is currently planning, in co-ordination with the Alabama State Historic Preservation Officer, technical information workshops in the flood areas for architects, building inspectors and home owners in the flood regions, so that they will have better knowledge in the future.