Developing and Promoting 
Mitigation Best Practices
and Case Studies 

Communication Strategy 

September 2004 

FEMA 


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5 

Executive Summary 

For years, mitigation actions have been taken throughout the United States to save lives, reduce property 
damage and decrease the money spent on disaster recovery efforts. 

Documenting and promoting these actions have proven to be equally valuable  to the public, government 
decision-makers and recovery entities  because people can learn by example how to better protect 
themselves and their communities. 

The Communication Strategy for Developing and Promoting Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies is 
designed to facilitate the sharing of effective mitigation strategies and practices, to increase public awareness and 
to compel citizens to take action. Documented accomplishments include individual, business and community 
initiatives as well as those involving program areas (e.g., Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), 
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Program, Pre-Disaster 
Mitigation (PDM), Planning, 406 Mitigation, Map Modernization), community education and outreach 
activities, and training and academic initiatives. 

For the purposes of this Communication Strategy, by definition: 

Best Practices tell a story and generally use a human-interest approach to document a variety of 
mitigation ideas and techniques that will reduce adverse impacts from natural and man-made disasters. 

Case Studies provide a greater in-depth, technical and/or statistical look at some of these same 
effective mitigation practices. 

The strategy builds on the longtime efforts by federal, state, local and private-sector entities that have 
invested resources to implement and document effective mitigation measures. 

In summary, the strategy: 

 Utilizes a team approach among federal and state Mitigation and Public Affairs staffs to identify, 
research, write, photograph, distribute and promote Best Practices and Case Studies; 

 Sets forth both a formalized process and operational procedures, including staff roles and 
responsibilities, to effectively guide the teams efforts; 

 Provides objectives, criteria, key messages, a delivery plan, and additional resources to help with 
documentation efforts. 

This strategy is intended to support opportunities for capturing and promoting examples of effective 
mitigation during Disaster Field Office (DFO) operations and non-disaster periods whenever possible. 

The products developed using this strategy will be promoted through a variety of methods  chief among 
them being the FEMA.gov and Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies web pages, as well as other 
internal and external publications. Utilizing these web pages not only provides value in audience reach, but 
also establishes a solid, long-term resource capability. 

A review process for the strategy by local, state and federal emergency management representatives 
throughout the country occurred in spring 2004 to garner additional expertise and input. The strategy was 
finalized after FEMA management review and approval. 

The Communication Strategy is a cooperative agreement initiative of the FEMA Mitigation Division, Office 
of Public Affairs and the Recovery Division, to include the Federal Coordinating Officers (FCOs) and 
Community Relations staff. 


Introduction 

Mitigation has long been perceived and practiced as an essential tool for helping to save lives, reduce 
property damage and decrease the money spent on disaster recovery efforts. 

Historically, those actions to minimize damages have been proven to be effective in life safety and in reduced 
personal, structural and economic costs. 

As a result, both citizens and governments have realized the need to create change in their communities and 
have undertaken efforts to provide better long-term protection. Those efforts ultimately become Mitigation 
Best Practices. 

Implementing sound mitigation techniques is just one component in the overall goal of reducing the impact 
of natural and man-made disasters. 

Another key element is communication. The ability to illustrate how and why mitigation is effective plays 
a major role in nationwide efforts to affect change that will minimize or eliminate disaster damages. 

It is well known that: 

 People seek information within familiar networks, i.e. family, friends, neighbors, business associates, 
schools, community leaders and governments; 

 Sharing ideas, resources and expertise among these networks enables people to see what is possible 
and to take action that can lessen the impact of a disaster; 

 Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies  especially when told by those who have taken action 
 are a credible, effective way to illustrate the methods, means and benefits of mitigation; 

Success generates interest, action and ultimately more success. Providing accurate, understandable and 
timely information is key to effective mitigation strategies. The accessibility and impact of this information, 
as well as the ability to employ effective mitigation measures, can be influenced by: 

 Public interest in mitigation, which is usually heightened by the adverse impacts on individuals and 
communities following a disaster. This interest often results in increased awareness and action to 
protect against future losses. 

 Available funding for mitigation projects, which sometimes competes with other fiscal priorities as 
well as limited resources. 

 Geographic, cultural, socioeconomic and linguistic factors. 

These factors should not be viewed as an impediment to success. Rather they are considerations that can 
help achieve a positive outcome. 

Lastly, it is important to note that there is significant economic value to documenting and promoting 
Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies. Traditionally, FEMA mitigation brick and mortar projects 
are evaluated for direct benefits and compared to the project cost. The true success and long-term benefit 
of this or any other communication strategy will be based on actual measurement and quantification of the 
economic benefits derived from such action(s). 


Background 

Documenting and promoting mitigation efforts, both during and after disaster recovery operations, have 
long been undertaken by many federal, state, local and private-sector entities. 

These efforts have proven to be valuable because they often have increased public awareness and 
compelled citizens and communities to take action. 

But disaster recovery operations also have presented some institutional challenges, specifically in resources 
and staffing, resulting in reduced opportunities to capture and showcase mitigation ideas and practices. 

To minimize these challenges and to meet increased requests from journalists, researchers, congressional 
staff, private-sector organizations and others, a Communication Strategy for documenting and promoting 
Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies has been developed. 

The intent of the strategy is to better utilize operational resources in a Disaster Field Office (DFO) to 
achieve the goal of promoting sound, effective mitigation techniques and practices to the public-at-large 
and several targeted audiences. 

By definition, Best Practices tell a story and generally use a human-interest approach to highlight a variety 
of mitigation ideas and techniques that will reduce adverse impacts from natural and man-made disasters. 
Case Studies provide a greater in-depth, technical look at some of these same effective mitigation 
practices. Both kinds of documents provide a proven method for communicating the direct and indirect 
benefits of minimizing or preventing potential disaster damages. 

The Communication Strategy is a cooperative agreement initiative of the FEMA Mitigation Division, Office 
of Public Affairs and the Recovery Division, to include the Federal Coordinating Officers (FCOs) and 
Community Relations staff. 

Initial input for the strategy came from a two-day focus group 
meeting in October 2003 at the Hurricane Isabel North Carolina 
DFO. Meeting participants included Mitigation and Public Affairs 
representatives from FEMA Headquarters, Regional Offices and 
active DFOs. 

Additional guidance for the strategy was adapted from the FEMA 
guidebook Telling the Tale of Disaster Resistance  A Guide to 
Capturing and Communicating the Story, first published in 2001 
and based on extensive field experience documenting Mitigation 
Best Practices and lessons learned. 

A review process for the strategy by local, state and federal 
emergency management representatives throughout the country 
occurred in spring 2004 to garner additional expertise and input. 
The strategy was finalized following FEMA management review and 
approval. 


To meet the strategys goals and objectives, certain criteria have been established to maximize efforts to 
document and communicate Best Practices and Case Studies. 

Disaster Operations: 

Among those criteria is the recommendation that from two to six Mitigation Best Practices documents 
be produced during a disaster operation, depending on its size and scope. 

In addition, it is strongly recommended that documentation and promotion of Best Practices and Case 
Studies regularly be included within state and federal coordinating officers operational priorities during 
disaster recovery, and that the strategy be field tested in one or more DFO operations. 

Non-Disaster Environments: 

Opportunities are bountiful throughout the year in regional, state, local, other federal agencies and privatesector 
entities for the development and promotion of Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies. 

This strategy will support local and regional efforts to promote mitigation by providing ideas, guidance 
and tools to help achieve overall success. The strategy also will support opportunities to follow up on 
implemented projects. 


Strategy Objectives 

The purpose of this Communication Strategy is to help achieve the following tangible results: 

1. To increase public understanding of the value and use of mitigation measures as a sound 
investment for individuals, businesses and communities nationwide. 

2. To document and promote effective mitigation techniques and actions through actual Best 
Practices and Case Studies that are understood by, and that resonate with, a variety of audiences. 

3. To use Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies as a means to: 

 Help convey the importance of identifying hazard risks and then taking action to address 
and minimize those risks; 

 Communicate mitigation ideas, expertise and resources that can be utilized on an 
individual, business or community level to lessen the impact of disasters; 

 Show that mitigation is both effective and affordable; 

 Further economic stability and growth for a community that takes mitigation action. 

 Foster local, state, federal, private and academia partnerships that promote mitigation 
opportunities and efforts; 

 Further support research and academic studies on effective mitigation theories and 
practices; 

 Help secure funding and other resources to make additional mitigation projects possible. 

4. To build a national, accessible portfolio of Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies that appeals 
to a variety of audiences. NOTE: FEMA web server statistics for the Mitigation Best Practices 
Database cite 44,000 successful requests to the site from 08/01/03 to 04/30/04). 

5. To improve and expand outreach with other voluntary, local, state and federal agencies which also 
promote or fund mitigation efforts. 

6. To provide an internal framework for continually assessing, analyzing and adjusting 
communication efforts to promote Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies. 

7. To provide an opportunity for follow-up on performance of implemented and tested mitigation 
strategy(ies) post disaster. 

8. To provide information for policy development. 


Criteria 

There are key elements that should always be considered when documenting and promoting effective 
mitigation measures: 

 Best Practices and Case Studies should reflect FEMA, state and/or local mitigation strategies and 
priorities whenever possible. 

 To be the most effective, these examples must have a human focus. 

 Ideally, Best Practices and Case Studies should feature a variety of: 

a) Hazard Types  floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, severe storms, fire, droughts, 
man-made, technological, acts of terrorism, etc. 

b) Subjects  individuals, businesses, communities, public infrastructure, non-profit 
organizations, etc. 

c) Social and Cultural Environments  Multilingual, socioeconomics, Americans with 
Disabilities, special needs populations, etc. 

d) Mitigation Measures  ranging from basic steps such as raising electrical outlets; 
landscaping; and elevating appliances, furnaces/air conditioners, washers and dryers, etc.; 
to more complex measures such as major retrofitting; elevating structures; acquisition 
(buyouts); stormwater management projects; community mitigation planning; legislation; 
building codes, etc. 

e) Funding Sources  private (business or individual), non-profit, public/government. 

 To promote consistency, each Mitigation Best Practice and Case Study should contain the following 
essential elements: 

a) Illustrate disaster risk/problem, including hazard to be avoided; 

b) Feature human/local appeal; 

c) Promote change (attitude, behavior, perception) through education and example; 

d) Show easily identifiable value/benefit; 

e) Promote methods and techniques that make sense and are achievable; 

f) Provide clear and concise information that enables the reader to take action and to be 
successful; 

g) Show economic savings/impact; 

h) Identify funding sources; 

i) Include visual elements such as photographs, drawings, and diagrams. 

NOTE: Whenever possible, each documented Best Practice should follow or include the basic 
elements shown in the Guided Format (see Appendices). 


 All Best Practices and Case Studies must be factual, technically accurate and substantiated prior to 
public release. This includes compliance with FEMA technical guidance and recommendations 
or private-sector consensus standards. In short, trustworthy information is the key to effective risk 
mitigation communications. 

 Subject matter experts, Mitigation Staff, Public Affairs Officers, Congressional Affairs Officers, and 
any others, such as state/local partners should review all Best Practices and Case Studies prior to 
public release. Mitigation review and approval should include a technical expert from the Technical 
Services Branch at the DFO. If appropriate expertise is not available at the DFO, clearance can 
be obtained from the Mitigation Division at a Regional Office or at FEMA Headquarters. 

 To maximize documentation and promotion efforts, it is recommended that the following number of 
Best Practices be produced per corresponding DFO operation: 

30-day DFO Operation = At least 2 Best Practices 

45 to 60-day DFO Operation = At least 4 Best Practices 

60+ day DFO Operation = At least 6 Best Practices 

 This strategy is intended to routinely be used in state/federal disaster operations. However, it is 
recognized that documenting Best Practices may not be applicable to some disaster operations. 
Therefore, it is recommended that the Mitigation Division Lead and the Lead Public Affairs Officer 
jointly decide when to utilize the strategy on a disaster recovery operation. 

 Topics chosen for case studies will typically demonstrate outstanding or unique aspects related to cost 
effectiveness, broad public benefit, excellence in design, public-private partnership, statewide impact, 
and ability to be replicated in other communities or regions of the country. Case studies are developed 
and produced on a national level for a nationwide audience by the FEMA Headquarters Mitigation 
Division in collaboration with regional staff. Decisions regarding case study development are made by 
Mitigation staff at the DFO, regional and headquarters levels. 

 All Best Practices and Case Studies, whether produced as part of response and recovery activities or in 
a non-disaster environment, should be submitted for posting to both the FEMA home page at 
www.fema.gov, and the Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies web page at www.fema.gov/fima. 


Target Audiences 

There are a variety of stakeholders who can benefit from the promotion of Mitigation Best Practices and 
Case Studies, both during a disaster operation and well beyond the initial recovery period. 

As a result, consideration should be given to a variety of audiences when Best Practices and Case Studies 
are developed and communicated. 

In general, some of the key audiences to target are: 

 Property owners and renters 

 State and local elected officials 

 State and local governments 

 Tribal governments 

 Community leaders 

 Business sector 

 Insurance industry 

 Public and private utilities 

 Academic institutions 

 Media outlets 

 Federal departments and agencies 

 Congressional members and staffers 

 FEMA Headquarters, Regional Office and DFO staff 

 U.S. Department of Homeland Security staff 


Key Messages/Benefits 

Key Messages are designed to convey the main points of a particular topic or event to one or more target 
audiences. 

It is recognized that every disaster is unique and that specific messages, audiences, methods and materials 
will vary from one event to another. 

However, there are some fundamental mitigation messages that support the objectives of this 
Communication Strategy and most disaster recovery operations. These key messages are: 

 There are steps that people can take to better protect themselves and their communities from the 
effects of disasters. 

 Disaster resistance actions save lives, properties and money. 

 Disaster resistance efforts enhance the well-being of individuals, businesses and communities. 

 Disaster-resistant techniques run the gamut in size, are often easy, self-affordable and worth the 
investment. 

 FEMA and its partners can provide resources and expertise to help citizens and communities take 
steps to reduce their risks from disasters. 

Benefits derived from promoting the key messages, and Best Practices and Case Studies include: 

 Decision-making and action that will reduce the adverse impact of natural and man-made disasters; 

 Teaching personal responsibility for better protecting lives and property; 

 Providing a positive opportunity to lead by example; 

 Improving understanding of Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies that will result in decisions 
and actions that avoid economic losses to communities; 

 Sharing effective community education and outreach tools to support and promote local officials in 
decision-making and planning; 

 Enhancing team effort, coordination and collaboration with local, state, federal, private and public 
organizations and sectors; 

 Empowering states and local communities to make smart, long-term sustainability choices; 

 Demonstrating the added value of FEMA mitigation and public affairs staff as ambassadors in the 
internal and external promotion of Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies; 

 Demonstrating the value of multi-phase program funding, such as large-scale elevation projects. 


Materials and Methods 

The materials and methods used to promote Best Practices and Case Studies will depend on the disaster 
size, type, location, target audience, operational needs and state/federal priorities. 

Therefore, it should be noted that these materials and methods may be prioritized differently, depending on 
the needs identified on a given disaster. Also, it is noted that many of these materials and methods could be 
utilized concurrently. 

In general, materials should include: 

 A print document with photographs and/or other graphics such as charts, maps, diagrams, etc., for 
each Best Practice and Case Study; 

 Corresponding handouts and Fact Sheets that can promote the mitigation techniques featured in a Best 
Practice or Case Study; 

 Electronic version(s) of the print documents; 

 Still photographs and videotape that have been identified and catalogued; 

 Usable audio sound bites or taped interviews.

Methods can include: 

Primary 

 Mainstream media outlets 

 Internet web pages 

 Best Practices and Case Studies web page at www.fema.gov/fima 

 External disaster recovery communication documents, such as Recovery newsletter (formerly 
Recovery Times). 

Secondary 

 Trade publications and journals 

 Partner stakeholder web pages and distribution channels 

 Special events such as open houses, booths at home improvement stories, neighborhood and business 
association functions, etc. 

 Periodic CD or print compilations of Best Practices and Case Studies for public distribution 

 Video documentaries 

 National and regional conferences, meetings and workshops 

 Internal communication documents such as DHS Today, Under Secretarys Bulletin, etc. 

 Toolkits for individuals and entities wanting to document Best Practices and Case Studies on local and 
state levels. 


Delivery Plan 

Implementation of the Communication Strategy is dependent on a delivery plan that outlines several 
key activities. Although most of these actions will occur primarily in a DFO operation, some also can 
effectively be used in a non-disaster environment as well. 

Key activities: 

 Establish DFO operational priority to capture mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies; 

 Build a joint Mitigation/Public Affairs team in a DFO setting to identify, gather, document and 
promote mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies; 

 Utilize Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to guide Best Practices and Case Studies 
documentation efforts in a DFO; 

 Enhance nationwide mitigation web page of Best Practices and Case Studies to: 

 Improve accessibility to information on disaster-resistant techniques and methods in an 
understandable, visually appealing manner; 

 Foster an exchange of ideas through mitigation best practices; 

 Provide a credible resource for researching techniques, methods and cost-benefit analysis of 
disaster-resistance efforts; 

 Create shared links among public, state, federal, local and private-sector web pages. 

 Deliver training on documenting and promoting Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies for 
internal audiences (i.e. DFO program areas, to include mitigation components for Human Services, 
Infrastructure, etc.), Disaster Field Training Office (DFTO), Public Affairs and Mitigation; 

 Proactively communicate and promote disaster-resistance efforts to all public, private and 
governmental stakeholders to encourage their own Best Practices; 

 Strengthen outreach to other federal agencies that also promote/facilitate mitigation efforts, e.g. U.S. 
Small Business Administration (SBA), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), National Weather Service (NWS); 

 Conduct field test(s) of Communication Strategy and Best Practices Team in an open DFO 
environment within the operational priorities of the FCO; 

 Transition documentation efforts from the DFO to FEMA regional offices and, where applicable, 
other partner entities. 






Standard Operating Procedures 

Set forth a step-by-step process for team member functions 
before, during and after disaster response and recovery 
operations. 

 Mitigation 

 Public Affairs 


Developing and Promoting Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies 

Communication Strategy 

Standard Operating Procedures:
Mitigation 

Pre-Declaration: 

 Identify Mitigation staff as Point of Contact (POC) for Best Practices Team. 

 Establish contact with Public Affairs POC to initiate development process. 

 Obtain and utilize Best Practices and Case Studies Worksheet (see Appendices) for data collection. 

 Initiate contact with state counterpart. Conduct joint identification and prioritization of Best Practices 
documentation and development. 

 Research and gather pertinent data to help identify possible story leads. Information should reflect 
Best Practices in the residential, public and private/commercial sectors. 

 Gather key mitigation project (PDM-C, HMGP, FMA, DRU) information using National Emergency 
Management Information System (NEMIS), program files, etc. Coordinate with Mitigation 
Headquarters staff. 

 Utilize Mitigation Technical Services staff to identify technical resources for Best Practices, Case 
Studies and losses avoided analyses. 

 Examine opportunities to capture potential successes utilizing other program areas and other federal 
agencies (OFAs), e.g., Voluntary Agencies, Community Relations, Infrastructure, U.S. Small Business 
Administration. 

 Identify and secure opportunities on the Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) Teams. 

 Collect historical information for comparison to other prior events. 

 Coordinate data research and collection with Mitigation Technical Services staff and Mitigation staff 
in the Regional Operations Center (ROC), as applicable. 

 Identify and coordinate necessary staff resources, skill sets for deployment request. 

 Maintain liaison with Public Affairs. Provide updates to all applicable state and federal mitigation staff. 

 Maintain operations in a ROC, non-ROC activation or Interim Operating Facility (IOF) setting for 
pending transition to the DFO. 


Declaration  Disaster Field Office: 

 Identify and deploy Mitigation staff for Best Practices Field Team. 

 Coordinate with Public Affairs to develop joint Mitigation and PAO team for DFO and field 
development of Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies. 

 As applicable, submit objectives and updates to support Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO) 
Operational Priorities. 

 Coordinate, when possible, with Community Relations and Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDA) 
teams to obtain early reports/observations of Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies. 

 Maintain liaison and coordinate with state mitigation staff for information of Best Practices and Case 
Studies. 

 DFO, Regional, and Headquarters Mitigation staff collaborate to identify possible case studies. 
Authorization to develop a case study is given by Headquarters Mitigation staff. 

 Collect and maintain data to provide ongoing updates for Headquarters, Mitigation and DFO staff 
meetings and briefings. 

 Optimize the number of Best Practices based on projected scope of the Recovery effort: 

30-day DFO Operation  At least 2 Best Practices 

45 to 60-day DFO Operation  At least 4 Best Practices 

60+ day DFO Operation  At least 6 Best Practices 

 Confirm states mitigation priority and collect data to support as determined. 

 Coordinate between Mitigation and Infrastructure for HMGP and 406 Mitigation projects. 

 Continue to use NEMIS database and other resources for location, number and type of mitigation 
projects. 

 Coordinate efforts for mitigation assessment team development with state and FEMA Hazard 
Mitigation Officers for field activities. 

 Incorporate efforts with state and FEMA NFIP and Community Outreach objectives. 

 Identify potential state, local and FEMA Mitigation Community Education and Outreach DFO 
activities for documentation and submission to the Early Implementation Strategy (EIS) report. 

 Coordinate state and FEMA Mitigation Technical Services staff for validation of data. 

 Note: 

a) All Best Practices and Case Studies must comply with FEMA technical guidance and 
recommendations or private-sector consensus standards. 


b) Each Best Practice or Case Study must be reviewed and cleared by a technical expert 
from the Technical Services Branch at the DFO. If appropriate expertise is not 
available at the DFO, clearance can be obtained from the Mitigation Division at a 
Regional Office or at FEMA Headquarters. 

c) Best Practices and Case Studies cannot showcase or otherwise overtly promote an 
individual private business. 

 Coordinate with Public Affairs needs for Congressional or other delivery mechanisms. 

 Initiate coordination with OFAs and DFO program areas to secure additional opportunities to 
document Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies. 

 Utilizing Guidebook story lead format, document and submit story lead data to PAO staff. 

 Coordinate state, FEMA Mitigation and OFA review and concurrence process of developed stories. 

 Ensure that all photographs are captioned and have proper photo credit information. 

 Upon completion and authorized release of Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies, confirm 
postings as applicable, to: 

 FEMA home page  www.fema.gov 

 Best Practices and Case Studies web page  www.fema.gov/fima 

 FEMA Tornado Safe Rooms and Community Shelter web page  
www.fema.gov/mit/saferoom 

 Coordinate with Headquarters Mitigation the submission and verification of documentation for 
Mitigation Performance Measurements. 

 Coordinate with Public Affairs for written updates to DFO management staff: FCO operational 
objectives, Daily Situation Reports. 

 Identify and document post-DFO transition of responsibilities and activities to complete Best Practices 
and Case Studies. 

 Notify FEMA Regional State Grant Program Specialist. 

Post-Disaster Field Office: 

 Regional mitigation staff continues responsibilities and activities to finish Best Practices and Case 
Studies. 

 Ensure PDM-C, FMA and HMGP grant recipients complete Best Practices, Case Studies, Losses 
Avoided analyses of mitigation projects. 

 Ensure state counterparts receive final versions/product copies of all documented Best Practices and 
Case Studies. 


Standard Operating Procedures: 
Public Affairs 

Pre-Declaration: 

 Identify Public Affairs person as POC for Best Practices Team 

  Establish contact with Mitigation POC to initiate development process 

  Contact state PAO to establish mitigation documentation efforts 

  Establish photo documentation of event-in-progress among local, state and/or federal resources 

  Identify PAO and/or photographer for advance field documentation 

  Gather background material on previous mitigation projects, i.e. press releases, photos, news clips, 
etc. Note: Mitigation staff will be gathering the key mitigation project information using NEMIS, 
program files, etc. 

  Develop plan for pursuing stories prioritized by the Best Practices Team 

  Gather information for media distribution of previously documented Best Practices and Case 
Studies that are applicable to the affected state or disaster type 

  Create media packets using completed Best Practices stories or Case Studies 

Declaration  Disaster Field Office: 

  Identify and deploy PAO(s) for Best Practices Field Team 

  Transition information and Public Affairs resources to the ROC, IOF or DFO. 

  Designate PAO(s) to meet with Best Practices Team to identify potential stories to pursue 

  Meet with Lead PAO to establish the following: 

 Story leads prioritized by the Best Practices Team 

 Expected work plan, including timelines for story research, interviews, writing, final product 

 Arrange for use of a photographer to provide visual documentation of story 

 Establish method of updating Lead PAO on work progress 


 Begin research on Best Practices and Case Studies prioritized for the disaster operation 

 Research: 

 Background material  information and documentation related to a specific story 

 How did the project come about, i.e., result of a disaster? If so, how many times did 
disaster strike? Whats been the level, cost of damages? 

 How was the disaster-resistance measure chosen? 

 What work was done? 

 What agencies are involved? 

 Was there an environmental review? 

 How much did the project cost? 

 How was it funded? 

 What is the expected benefit? 

 Sources to check: 

 Internet 

 Government agencies 

 Local newspapers 

 Public libraries 

 College or university libraries 

 Historical societies 

 State or local archives 

 Weather service offices 

  Identify key story sources for interviews 

  Begin interview process 

 Call and arrange interview and/or photo opportunities 

 Identify yourself and explain purpose of the interview. 

 Tell your source how the information will be used. Be sure they are clear that this 
will be publicly used, including on the FEMA Web site. 

 Ask if you can take photographs of your source and/or whatever the story is about. 
If so, allow extra time. 


 Interviewing: 

 Secure written permission for interview and/or photographs. 

 Cover the Basics  who, what, when, where, why, how. (For additional guidance, 
see Questions You Can Ask for Disaster-Resistance Stories in the PAO Toolkit). 

 Arrange for photos to be taken. 

 Write first draft of story, pre-identify key photos 

 Fact-check story 

 Accuracy is paramount. Be sure of your information. Use reliable sources. Verify important 
information from a second source. If you cant back it up, either through documentation or by direct 
attribution to a reliable source, dont use it. 

 Submit draft to story sources first for technical accuracy 

 Submit to Mitigation technical expert for initial review 

 Edit story as necessary 

 Resubmit to local sources, if necessary, for secondary review and approval 

 Have each reviewer sign and date a news release form when they have approved the story 

 Resubmit to Mitigation technical expert for secondary review and approval 

 Note: 

a) All Best Practices and Case Studies must comply with FEMA technical guidance and 
recommendations or private-sector consensus standards. 

b) Each Best Practice or Case Study must be reviewed and cleared by a technical expert 
from the Technical Services Branch at the DFO. If appropriate expertise is not 
available at the DFO, clearance can be obtained from the Mitigation Division at a 
Regional Office or at FEMA Headquarters. 

c) Best Practices and Case Studies cannot showcase or otherwise overtly promote an 
individual private business. 

 Circulate draft for approvals within DFO, using established sign-off procedures 

 Make necessary edits/changes 

 Work with photographer to select visual elements for the story; review final selections with 
Mitigation staff 

 Finalize story for release; prepare in guided format 


 Ensure that all photographs are captioned and have proper photo credit information 

 Reproduce Best Practice or Case Study for distribution 

 Identify potential Best Practices and Case Studies promotion opportunities, e.g., posters, special 
events, media hot sheets, news desk callouts 

 Coordinate promotion efforts with Best Practices Team and Lead PAO 

 Submit story electronically to FEMA HQ Public Affairs for posting on FEMA home page 

 Submit story electronically to FEMA HQ Mitigation for posting to Best Practices and Case Studies 
web page (database) 

Post-Disaster Field Office: 

 Finalize any Best Practices and Case Studies not already completed in the DFO 

 Submit remaining Best Practices and Case Studies to FEMA HQ Public Affairs for posting to the 
FEMA Home page and to Mitigation for posting to the Best Practices and Case Studies web page 

 Continue Best Practices and Case Studies marketing/promotion efforts, if applicable 

 Ensure state counterparts receive final versions/product copies of all documented Best Practices 
and Case Studies 


Developing and Promoting Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies 
Communication Strategy 
Appendices
Helpful tools and resources to use in developing and promoting 
Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies. 

Best Practices Guided Format 
Best Practices Samples 
Case Studies Sample 
Checklist for Success 
Common Sources for Story Leads 
Interview Authorization Form 
Photograph/Video/Audio Consent and Release Form 

29


Best Practices Guided Format 

FEMA 

Locator Map 

(Inserted upon web posting) 

(Best Practices Title) 

First Paragraph  Synopsis 

Give a brief overview of the situationWho? 
What? When? Where? Why? including the 
positive results of the risk mitigation measures 
used. If the reader only sees the first few sentences, 
he/she leaves with the message that mitigation 
works! 

Second Paragraph  Introduction 

Acquaint the reader with the star of the story, 
and why this testimonial is germane to the recent 
disaster and any state/local/community hazard 
mitigation efforts. Is there a FEMA partner 
in this story? Link all involved and clarify the 
collaborative effort. This is a good place to use the first quote of the story. 

Third/Fourth Paragraphs  Tell the Tale 

Begin weaving the factual, cultural and emotional elements of the story, and how the activity introduced 
earlier produced results. Reinforce the value/benefit of the risk mitigation measure taken. What were the 
economic savings? The emotional savings? What secondary impacts of a hazard were spared? Here is 
where you gain the readers trust, and validate his/her reasons for wanting to continue reading. 

Fifth Paragraph  Promote Change 

Risk mitigation measures come in all sizes; many are simple to implement and incredibly affordable. Is it 
clear that the reader DOES have the capacity to take the mitigation measure(s) promoted in the story? Can 
the reader substitute him/herself in the story? 

Sixth Paragraph  Take Action 

Provide the reader with the information necessary to be 
successful. Where can the reader get help? Be supported in 
future efforts? Is it a phone number? Web site? Community 
meeting? Home improvement store? 

Final Paragraph  Positive Reinforcement 

In the final sentences, reinforce the message that mitigation 
works and that the action(s) taken are likely to make a 
difference in the future. Consider using a strong quote from the 
story participant to send the message theyre safer because of 
mitigation. 

Photo or Artwork 

(Inserted upon web posting) 

Photo or Artwork 

(Inserted upon web posting) 


Best Practices Sample 

FEMA 

Locator Map 

(Inserted upon web posting ) 

Moving Out of Harms Way Pays off for Southampton County, Virginia Family During 
Hurricane Isabel 

Southampton County, VA For 30 years, Robert and Gale 
Stradleys home on Canal Drive in Southampton County 
escaped the intermittent threat of flooding. 

In 1999, Hurricane Floyd changed all of that. 

Floyd was a very, very different storm, said Gale Stradley. It 
dumped an unbelievable amount of water on us and then the wind 
just held the water in. 

Stradley and her husband stayed with friends while they waited for 
floodwaters to recede. 

The water came up above our windows and our house sat in water 
for seven long days, she said. It was a scary picture. We lost every 
single thing, and my husbands business was (run) out of our house. 

I cant say enough about what the people at FEMA did for us, she 
continued. There was a woman from New York state named Rosa 
and she was so wonderful, she walked us through every last thing we 
had to do (for FEMA assistance). I cant say enough about the help we received. 

With the help of FEMA grants for temporary 
housing and a low-interest loan from the U.S. Small 
Business Administration through their own bank, 
the Stradleys were able to rebuild and elevate their 
home, moving it out of harms way. 

We never wanted to go through that again, 
Stradley said, adding that by taking the mitigation 
measure to elevate their home, the retired couples 
flood insurance premiums were reduced. 

Thanks to governments help, were still 
independent and living in our own home, she 
added. 

Unfortunately, not all the residents and businesses 
in the area where the Stradleys live were protected 
from Isabels wrath. 

I feel so badly for those folks, she added. If you 
dont think they were sweating this one  her voice 
trailed. It was bad. 

Gayle Stradley, in front of her dry home. 

During Hurricane Isabel the Stradleys home stayed high 
and dry. 

Activity or Project Facts 

State: Virginia Project Type: Elevation 

County: Southampton Cost: 

Hazard: Flooding Cost-Benefit: 

Year: 1999
Funding: FEMA, SBA , NFIP 


Best Practices Sample 

FEMA 

Locator Map 

(Inserted upon web posting ) 

Mobile Electronic Classroom Provides Mississippians Access to Modern Computer 
Technologies for HAZUS Training 

Providing adequate technological infrastructure to 
support HAZUS training is a challenge to many rural 
communities. FEMA and the State of Mississippi have 
a valuable ally in overcoming this hurdle in GEM, the 
Global Education Mobile, managed by the Mississippi 
Institutions of Higher Learnings Office of Academic 
Affairs. 

Making sophisticated technology available to rural 
communities, GEM offers a network server, 13 computer 
work stations, 20 laptop computers connected with a 
wireless local area network, and a satellite internet system 
capable of providing internet access in highly remote 
locations. 

The success of GEM is a result of partnerships and 
innovative thinking. Funded through a grant from the 
Mississippi Space Commerce Initiative (MSCI), a joint 
partnership between the State of Mississippi, the University of Mississippi, NASA, and private industry, 
GEM was originally designed to serve as a resource for K-12 schools to get technology incorporated into 
the classroom in areas where access to technology is limited. In fact, while GEM remains available free of 
charge to all eligible educational institutions, its ability 
to serve rural communities has grown considerably. On 
display at a ESRI conference, FEMA recognized GEMs 
capabilities and a partnership was forged allowing 
FEMAs Mitigation Division to bring HAZUS trainings 
to rural communities that would not otherwise be able to 
support such trainings. 

What is the result of FEMA and GEM teaming up? 
By making HAZUS more readily available, communities 
can better understand and plan for the risks that may affect 
the physical, social, and economic components of their 
individual community. GEMs ability to bring HAZUS to 
communities that wouldnt otherwise have access to this 
sophisticated tool allows for better planning to minimize 
damage and loss of life, working to prevent natural hazard 
events from becoming natural disasters. 

The Mississippi Global Education Mobile (GEM). 

Sophisticated technology allows HAZUS training in rural 
communities. 


Case Studies Sample 

Case Studies showcase effective mitigation practices by providing an in-depth, technical look at a given 
project or method. Often, these documents will provide such detail as 
statistical comparisons, cost-benefit analysis, performance measurements 
and specific Mitigation Best Practices examples. 

Topics chosen for case studies will typically demonstrate outstanding 
or unique aspects related to cost effectiveness, broad public 
benefit, excellence in design, public-private 
partnership, statewide impact, and ability to 
be replicated in other communities or regions 
of the country. Case studies are developed and 
produced on a national level for a nationwide 
audience by the FEMA Headquarters Mitigation 
Division in collaboration with regional staff. 
Decisions regarding case study development are 
made by Mitigation staff at 
the DFO, regional and 
headquarters levels. 


Checklist for Success 

Key considerations for documenting Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies 

In Search of Disaster Resistance 

q Identify Action 

 Public  Infrastructure, Codes/Ordinances, Insurance, Emergency Operations Plans, 
Emergency Response Training, Public Education, Public-Private partnerships 

 Residential 

 Commercial 

 Environmental 

 Historic 

q Determine Impact  Injury or death, structural damage, failure of critical facilities or infrastructure, 
wear and tear on government resources, psychological injury, etc. 

q Measure Benefit  Fewer injuries or deaths, less damage to homes/businesses, reduced government 
costs, continued operation of critical facilities, schools, businesses 

Strategic Planning 

q Establish Objective  Desired result in documenting Best Practices and Case Studies 

q Identify Audience  Property owners, businesses, elected officials, other disaster-stricken communities 

q Choose Format  Print, photographs, audio, video, electronic 

q Determine Final Product  Newspaper, photo essay, radio news/feature story, video documentary, 
CD-ROM, web 

q Identify Distribution  Resources needed, timeframe, budget/funding, delivery mechanisms 

q Project Management and Buy-in  Federal, state, local, private-sector stakeholders 

Documenting Best Practices and Case Studies 

q Developing and Tracking Leads  Specific case or event, story leads, dates, contacts 

q Choosing a Best Practice or Case Study  Measurable benefit, human element, unique theme, strong 
visual support, interest to audience, positive outcome, lessons learned 

q Research  Disaster event, project details, calculating cost-benefit/losses avoided, agencies involved 

q Interviews  Purpose, authorizations, covering the basics: who, what, where, when, why, how 


q Site Visits  Firsthand look to verify project; enhance story details 

q Fact Checking  Reliable sources, information checking, documentation 

q Visual/Audio Elements  Strong images capturing action, people, equipment, lighting, taping 
interviews, writing scripts, choosing video images 

Telling the Tale 

q Format  Print/photo/audio/video stories  keep it interesting, add credibility, be accurate 

q Editing  Content, copy editing 

q Approvals  Story review by appropriate sources, agencies on local, state, federal levels 

Creating a Finished Product 

q Print  Typestyle, color photos, graphics, layout 

q Photo  Vertical and horizontal orientation, vary sizes, layout 

q Video  Format, presentation 

q Audio  Format, presentation 

q Production Points  Finished product, quantity, reproduction, cost, turnaround time, distribution 

Getting the Word Out 

q Developing a Strategy  Objectives, promotion plan 

q Determining Key Messages  Support objectives, target audiences, promote disaster resistance, 
promote final product 

q Using Talking Points  Short, usable comments, summarize the issue, provide focus, soundbites 

q Creating Promotional Products  Copies of final product, press kits, media advisories, story briefs, 
posters 

q Communicating/Promoting  Media pitching, special events, business and professional organizations, 
web sites 

Information Management 

q Organizing Materials  Interview notes, photos, and negatives, supporting documentation, leads list, 
approval signoffs, contact(s) names and numbers, financial receipts 

q Archiving  Preparing organized materials for storage, safeguarding 

Telling the Tale of Disaster Resistance  FEMA 2001 


Leave No Stone Unturned 

Common Sources for Story Leads 

The following lists identify the most common sources for story leads. Exact agency names will vary 
depending on the locality or state. 

Local level 

 Emergency management office 

 Mayor/City Manager 

 City or County Clerk 

 City Council/Board of Alderman 

 Floodplain Manager 

 Public works department 

 Street, roads, or highway department 

 Planning department 

 Building inspections department 

 Fire department 

 Parks department 

 County extension services 

 Health department 

 Schools, colleges and universities 

 Hospitals 

 Chamber of Commerce 

 Economic development councils 

 Historical society 

 Homebuilders associations 

 Trades professionals such as contractors, 
plumbers, electricians, etc. 

 Philanthropic foundations (commonly 
provide grants for special projects) 

 Private non-profit organizations 

State level 

 Emergency management office 

 Governors office 

 Transportation department 

 Fire marshal (in some states, this could 
be part of a public safety department) 

 National Guard 

 Forestry department 

 Natural resources department 

 Parks and Recreation department 

 Health department 

 Environmental protection division 

 State historical society 

 League of Municipalities 

 Professional trade associations 

Federal level 

 Federal Emergency Management Agency 
(FEMA) 

 U.S. Department of Homeland Security 
(DHS) 

 U.S. Small Business Administration 
(SBA) 

 U.S. Department of Housing & Urban 
Development (HUD) 

 U.S. Department of Commerce/Economic 
Development Administration (EDA) 

  U.S. Department of Defense/Department 
of the Army/U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers (USACE) 

 U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHA) 

 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 
including Natural Resources Conservation 
Services (NRCS) and Farm Service 
Agency (FSA) 

 U.S. Department of the Interior 
including U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 
and National Park Service (NPS) 

 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) 

 National Weather Service (NWS) 

Keep in mind other resources can be found among 
non-profit organizations, such as the National 
Historic Trust for Preservation, and voluntary 
agencies, such as the American Red Cross, the 
Salvation Army, etc. 

 *Telling the Tale of Disaster Resistance  FEMA 2001 


Interview Authorization Form 

AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION 

I, the undersigned, authorize the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to use my name and 
photos of myself and/or property in one or more stories about Mitigation Best Practices for publication, or 
for use on its Web site. I understand that the stories will include information pertaining to the mitigation 
measures taken to secure my home from future storm damage. This authorization permits the release of 
information that is deemed confidential under Federal and State Privacy Acts. 

I understand that it is my choice to sign this Release. 

Name (printed): Date: 

Signature: 

Current Address: Phone: 


Photograph/Video/Audio 
Consent and Release Form 

I consent and agree that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which has been incorporated 
into the Department of Homeland Security, Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate, may take 
photographs or record film or videotape of me (and of my property), and record my voice, and use all these 
in any media format. 

I also agree that my name, identity, and the content of my spoken words may be revealed in these media 
or by descriptive text, transcription or commentary. I understand that my likeness, my voice, images of 
my property or business, and my personal name or my business name may be used by FEMA and the U.S. 
Government and disseminated through various media, including the Internet, radio and television and via 
CD-ROM. These photographs, films, audiotapes or videotapes may be posted on the FEMA web site or 
included in the FEMA photographs, film, audiotape or videotape archive, which may be accessible to the 
public, and used in training presentations and similar aids. 

I release to FEMA and the Government all rights to exhibit the described works in print, photographic, 
audio and electronic form publicly or privately. 

I waive any rights, claims or interest I may have to control the use of my identity or likeness in the 
photographs or videos taken of me, as well as any rights I may have in my recorded voice, or to images 
of my property or business, and agree that any of these uses of the video/photograph/audio may be made 
without compensation or additional consideration to me. 

I represent that I am at least 18 years of age, that I have read and understand the above statement, and that I 
am competent to execute this consent and release. 

This authorization is submitted pursuant to 28 U.S.C.  1746 under penalty of perjury. 

Name (printed): Date: 

Signature: 

Business Address: Business Phone: 

Guardian (Required for minor): 


This page left blank for double-sided printing.

Developing and Promoting Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies 

Communication Strategy 

Best Practices Guided Format 

FEMA 

Locator Map 

(Inserted upon web posting) 

(Best Practices Title) 

First Paragraph  Synopsis 

Give a brief overview of the situationWho? 
What? When? Where? Why? including the 
positive results of the risk mitigation measures 
used. If the reader only sees the first few sentences, 
he/she leaves with the message that mitigation 
works! 

Second Paragraph  Introduction 

Acquaint the reader with the star of the story, 
and why this testimonial is germane to the recent 
disaster and any state/local/community hazard 
mitigation efforts. Is there a FEMA partner 
in this story? Link all involved and clarify the 
collaborative effort. This is a good place to use the first quote of the story. 

Third/Fourth Paragraphs  Tell the Tale 

Begin weaving the factual, cultural and emotional elements of the story, and how the activity introduced 
earlier produced results. Reinforce the value/benefit of the risk mitigation measure taken. What were the 
economic savings? The emotional savings? What secondary impacts of a hazard were spared? Here is 
where you gain the readers trust, and validate his/her reasons for wanting to continue reading. 

Fifth Paragraph  Promote Change 

Risk mitigation measures come in all sizes; many are simple to implement and incredibly affordable. Is it 
clear that the reader DOES have the capacity to take the mitigation measure(s) promoted in the story? Can 
the reader substitute him/herself in the story? 

Sixth Paragraph  Take Action 

Provide the reader with the information necessary to be 
successful. Where can the reader get help? Be supported in 
future efforts? Is it a phone number? Web site? Community 
meeting? Home improvement store? 

Final Paragraph  Positive Reinforcement 

In the final sentences, reinforce the message that mitigation 
works and that the action(s) taken are likely to make a 
difference in the future. Consider using a strong quote from the 
story participant to send the message theyre safer because of 
mitigation. 

Photo or Artwork 

(Inserted upon web posting) 

Photo or Artwork 

(Inserted upon web posting) 


Developing and Promoting Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies 

Communication Strategy 

Best Practices Sample 

FEMA 

Locator Map 

(Inserted upon web posting ) 

Moving Out of Harms Way Pays off for Southampton County, Virginia Family During 
Hurricane Isabel 

Southampton County, VA For 30 years, Robert and Gale 
Stradleys home on Canal Drive in Southampton County 
escaped the intermittent threat of flooding. 

In 1999, Hurricane Floyd changed all of that. 

Floyd was a very, very different storm, said Gale Stradley. It 
dumped an unbelievable amount of water on us and then the wind 
just held the water in. 

Stradley and her husband stayed with friends while they waited for 
floodwaters to recede. 

The water came up above our windows and our house sat in water 
for seven long days, she said. It was a scary picture. We lost every 
single thing, and my husbands business was (run) out of our house. 

I cant say enough about what the people at FEMA did for us, she 
continued. There was a woman from New York state named Rosa 
and she was so wonderful, she walked us through every last thing we 
had to do (for FEMA assistance). I cant say enough about the help we received. 

With the help of FEMA grants for temporary 
housing and a low-interest loan from the U.S. Small 
Business Administration through their own bank, 
the Stradleys were able to rebuild and elevate their 
home, moving it out of harms way. 

We never wanted to go through that again, 
Stradley said, adding that by taking the mitigation 
measure to elevate their home, the retired couples 
flood insurance premiums were reduced. 

Thanks to governments help, were still 
independent and living in our own home, she 
added. 

Unfortunately, not all the residents and businesses 
in the area where the Stradleys live were protected 
from Isabels wrath. 

I feel so badly for those folks, she added. If you 
dont think they were sweating this one  her voice 
trailed. It was bad. 

Gayle Stradley, in front of her dry home. 

During Hurricane Isabel the Stradleys home stayed high 
and dry. 

Activity or Project Facts 

State: Virginia Project Type: Elevation 

County: Southampton Cost: 

Hazard: Flooding Cost-Benefit: 

Year: 1999
Funding: FEMA, SBA , NFIP 


Developing and Promoting Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies 

Communication Strategy 

Best Practices Sample 

FEMA 

Locator Map 

(Inserted upon web posting ) 

Mobile Electronic Classroom Provides Mississippians Access to Modern Computer 
Technologies for HAZUS Training 

Providing adequate technological infrastructure to 
support HAZUS training is a challenge to many rural 
communities. FEMA and the State of Mississippi have 
a valuable ally in overcoming this hurdle in GEM, the 
Global Education Mobile, managed by the Mississippi 
Institutions of Higher Learnings Office of Academic 
Affairs. 

Making sophisticated technology available to rural 
communities, GEM offers a network server, 13 computer 
work stations, 20 laptop computers connected with a 
wireless local area network, and a satellite internet system 
capable of providing internet access in highly remote 
locations. 

The success of GEM is a result of partnerships and 
innovative thinking. Funded through a grant from the 
Mississippi Space Commerce Initiative (MSCI), a joint 
partnership between the State of Mississippi, the University of Mississippi, NASA, and private industry, 
GEM was originally designed to serve as a resource for K-12 schools to get technology incorporated into 
the classroom in areas where access to technology is limited. In fact, while GEM remains available free of 
charge to all eligible educational institutions, its ability 
to serve rural communities has grown considerably. On 
display at a ESRI conference, FEMA recognized GEMs 
capabilities and a partnership was forged allowing 
FEMAs Mitigation Division to bring HAZUS trainings 
to rural communities that would not otherwise be able to 
support such trainings. 

What is the result of FEMA and GEM teaming up? 
By making HAZUS more readily available, communities 
can better understand and plan for the risks that may affect 
the physical, social, and economic components of their 
individual community. GEMs ability to bring HAZUS to 
communities that wouldnt otherwise have access to this 
sophisticated tool allows for better planning to minimize 
damage and loss of life, working to prevent natural hazard 
events from becoming natural disasters. 

The Mississippi Global Education Mobile (GEM). 

Sophisticated technology allows HAZUS training in rural 
communities. 


Developing and Promoting Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies 

Communication Strategy 

Best Practices Sample 

FEMA 

Locator Map 

(Inserted upon web posting ) 

FEMA and American Institute of Steel Construction Collaborate for Research and Training 

The Northridge earthquake of January 7, 1994 caused 
widespread building damage throughout some of the 
most heavily populated communities of Southern 
California, resulting in estimated economic losses 
exceeding $30 billion. Much of the damage sustained 
was predictable, occurring in types of buildings that 
engineers had previously identified as having low 
seismic resistance and significant risk of damage in 
earthquakes. Surprisingly, however, a number of 
modern, welded, steel-moment-frame buildings also 
sustained significant damage. 

Responding to the challenge, FEMA sponsored the 
SAC Steel Project, a joint venture program of research, 
investigation and professional development to identify 
the cause of 
the damage, 
quantify the 
risk inherent in steel structures, and develop practical and effective 
engineering criteria for mitigation of this risk. As a result of 
these studies, four engineering practice guideline documents were 
published, providing practicing engineers and the construction 
industry with important information on the lessons learned, as well 
as recommendations for investigation, repair, upgrade and design 
of steel moment-frame buildings. 

Ensuring the SAC Steel Projects findings were widely 
distributed, FEMA teamed up with the American Institute of 
Steel Construction (AISC), a not-for-profit technical institute and 
trade association to ensure the structural engineering and building 
regulation communities were well trained on the latest research 
and guidance. 

Based on the SAC findings, FEMA delivered three workshops to 
the structural engineering and building regulation communities. 
AISC then continued offering 1-day workshops through the spring 
of 2002, ensuring structural engineers and building regulators 
are aware of and incorporate state-of the-art guidance and 
recommendations reducing earthquake risk in our communities. 

Following discovery of hidden damage in Los Angeles area 
buildings, the potential for similar, undiscovered damage 
in San Francisco and other communities affected by past 
earthquakes was raised. 

Construction of a modern steel frame building 
in which the ends of beams are rigidly joined to 
columns by welded connections. 



Developing and Promoting Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies 

Communication Strategy 

Case Studies Sample 

Case Studies showcase effective mitigation practices by providing an in-depth, technical look at a given 
project or method. Often, these documents will provide such detail as 
statistical comparisons, cost-benefit analysis, performance measurements 
and specific Mitigation Best Practices examples. 

Topics chosen for case studies will typically demonstrate outstanding 
or unique aspects related to cost effectiveness, broad public 
benefit, excellence in design, public-private 
partnership, statewide impact, and ability to 
be replicated in other communities or regions 
of the country. Case studies are developed and 
produced on a national level for a nationwide 
audience by the FEMA Headquarters Mitigation 
Division in collaboration with regional staff. 
Decisions regarding case study development are 
made by Mitigation staff at 
the DFO, regional and 
headquarters levels. 


Developing and Promoting Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies 

Communication Strategy 

Checklist for Success 

Key considerations for documenting Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies 

In Search of Disaster Resistance 

q Identify Action 

 Public  Infrastructure, Codes/Ordinances, Insurance, Emergency Operations Plans, 
Emergency Response Training, Public Education, Public-Private partnerships 

 Residential 

 Commercial 

 Environmental 

 Historic 

q Determine Impact  Injury or death, structural damage, failure of critical facilities or infrastructure, 
wear and tear on government resources, psychological injury, etc. 

q Measure Benefit  Fewer injuries or deaths, less damage to homes/businesses, reduced government 
costs, continued operation of critical facilities, schools, businesses 

Strategic Planning 

q Establish Objective  Desired result in documenting Best Practices and Case Studies 

q Identify Audience  Property owners, businesses, elected officials, other disaster-stricken communities 

q Choose Format  Print, photographs, audio, video, electronic 

q Determine Final Product  Newspaper, photo essay, radio news/feature story, video documentary, 
CD-ROM, web 

q Identify Distribution  Resources needed, timeframe, budget/funding, delivery mechanisms 

q Project Management and Buy-in  Federal, state, local, private-sector stakeholders 

Documenting Best Practices and Case Studies 

q Developing and Tracking Leads  Specific case or event, story leads, dates, contacts 

q Choosing a Best Practice or Case Study  Measurable benefit, human element, unique theme, strong 
visual support, interest to audience, positive outcome, lessons learned 

q Research  Disaster event, project details, calculating cost-benefit/losses avoided, agencies involved 

q Interviews  Purpose, authorizations, covering the basics: who, what, where, when, why, how 


q Site Visits  Firsthand look to verify project; enhance story details 

q Fact Checking  Reliable sources, information checking, documentation 

q Visual/Audio Elements  Strong images capturing action, people, equipment, lighting, taping 
interviews, writing scripts, choosing video images 

Telling the Tale 

q Format  Print/photo/audio/video stories  keep it interesting, add credibility, be accurate 

q Editing  Content, copy editing 

q Approvals  Story review by appropriate sources, agencies on local, state, federal levels 

Creating a Finished Product 

q Print  Typestyle, color photos, graphics, layout 

q Photo  Vertical and horizontal orientation, vary sizes, layout 

q Video  Format, presentation 

q Audio  Format, presentation 

q Production Points  Finished product, quantity, reproduction, cost, turnaround time, distribution 

Getting the Word Out 

q Developing a Strategy  Objectives, promotion plan 

q Determining Key Messages  Support objectives, target audiences, promote disaster resistance, 
promote final product 

q Using Talking Points  Short, usable comments, summarize the issue, provide focus, soundbites 

q Creating Promotional Products  Copies of final product, press kits, media advisories, story briefs, 
posters 

q Communicating/Promoting  Media pitching, special events, business and professional organizations, 
web sites 

Information Management 

q Organizing Materials  Interview notes, photos, and negatives, supporting documentation, leads list, 
approval signoffs, contact(s) names and numbers, financial receipts 

q Archiving  Preparing organized materials for storage, safeguarding 

Telling the Tale of Disaster Resistance  FEMA 2001 


Developing and Promoting Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies 

Communication Strategy 

Leave No Stone Unturned 

Common Sources for Story Leads 

The following lists identify the most common sources for story leads. Exact agency names will vary 
depending on the locality or state. 

Local level 

 Emergency management office 

 Mayor/City Manager 

 City or County Clerk 

 City Council/Board of Alderman 

 Floodplain Manager 

 Public works department 

 Street, roads, or highway department 

 Planning department 

 Building inspections department 

 Fire department 

 Parks department 

 County extension services 

 Health department 

 Schools, colleges and universities 

 Hospitals 

 Chamber of Commerce 

 Economic development councils 

 Historical society 

 Homebuilders associations 

 Trades professionals such as contractors, 
plumbers, electricians, etc. 

 Philanthropic foundations (commonly 
provide grants for special projects) 

 Private non-profit organizations 

State level 

 Emergency management office 

 Governors office 

 Transportation department 

 Fire marshal (in some states, this could 
be part of a public safety department) 

 National Guard 

 Forestry department 

 Natural resources department 

 Parks and Recreation department 

 Health department 

 Environmental protection division 

 State historical society 

 League of Municipalities 

 Professional trade associations 

Federal level 

 Federal Emergency Management Agency 
(FEMA) 

 U.S. Department of Homeland Security 
(DHS) 

 U.S. Small Business Administration 
(SBA) 

 U.S. Department of Housing & Urban 
Development (HUD) 

 U.S. Department of Commerce/Economic 
Development Administration (EDA) 

  U.S. Department of Defense/Department 
of the Army/U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers (USACE) 

 U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHA) 

 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 
including Natural Resources Conservation 
Services (NRCS) and Farm Service 
Agency (FSA) 

 U.S. Department of the Interior 
including U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 
and National Park Service (NPS) 

 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) 

 National Weather Service (NWS) 

Keep in mind other resources can be found among 
non-profit organizations, such as the National 
Historic Trust for Preservation, and voluntary 
agencies, such as the American Red Cross, the 
Salvation Army, etc. 

 *Telling the Tale of Disaster Resistance  FEMA 2001 


Developing and Promoting Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies 

Communication Strategy 

Interview Authorization Form 

AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION 

I, the undersigned, authorize the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to use my name and 
photos of myself and/or property in one or more stories about Mitigation Best Practices for publication, or 
for use on its Web site. I understand that the stories will include information pertaining to the mitigation 
measures taken to secure my home from future storm damage. This authorization permits the release of 
information that is deemed confidential under Federal and State Privacy Acts. 

I understand that it is my choice to sign this Release. 

Name (printed): Date: 

Signature: 

Current Address: Phone: 


Developing and Promoting Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies 

Communication Strategy 

Photograph/Video/Audio 
Consent and Release Form 

I consent and agree that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which has been incorporated 
into the Department of Homeland Security, Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate, may take 
photographs or record film or videotape of me (and of my property), and record my voice, and use all these 
in any media format. 

I also agree that my name, identity, and the content of my spoken words may be revealed in these media 
or by descriptive text, transcription or commentary. I understand that my likeness, my voice, images of 
my property or business, and my personal name or my business name may be used by FEMA and the U.S. 
Government and disseminated through various media, including the Internet, radio and television and via 
CD-ROM. These photographs, films, audiotapes or videotapes may be posted on the FEMA web site or 
included in the FEMA photographs, film, audiotape or videotape archive, which may be accessible to the 
public, and used in training presentations and similar aids. 

I release to FEMA and the Government all rights to exhibit the described works in print, photographic, 
audio and electronic form publicly or privately. 

I waive any rights, claims or interest I may have to control the use of my identity or likeness in the 
photographs or videos taken of me, as well as any rights I may have in my recorded voice, or to images 
of my property or business, and agree that any of these uses of the video/photograph/audio may be made 
without compensation or additional consideration to me. 

I represent that I am at least 18 years of age, that I have read and understand the above statement, and that I 
am competent to execute this consent and release. 

This authorization is submitted pursuant to 28 U.S.C.  1746 under penalty of perjury. 

Name (printed): Date: 

Signature: 

Business Address: Business Phone: 

Guardian (Required for minor): 


Developing and Promoting Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies 

Communication Strategy 

Target Audiences 

There are a variety of stakeholders who can benefit from the promotion of Mitigation Best Practices and 
Case Studies, both during a disaster operation and well beyond the initial recovery period. 

As a result, consideration should be given to a variety of audiences when Best Practices and Case Studies 
are developed and communicated. 

In general, some of the key audiences to target are: 

 Property owners and renters 

 State and local elected officials 

 State and local governments 

 Tribal governments 

 Community leaders 

 Business sector 

 Insurance industry 

 Public and private utilities 

 Academic institutions 

 Media outlets 

 Federal departments and agencies 

 Congressional members and staffers 

 FEMA Headquarters, Regional Office and DFO staff 

 U.S. Department of Homeland Security staff 


Developing and Promoting Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies 

Communication Strategy 

Questions You Can Ask for 
Disaster-Resistance Stories 

The People 

 Name 

 Street address 

 City/State/Zip 

 Phone 

 Date of birth for story subjects (this helps you determine accurate age, especially if story doesnt run 
for awhile or needs to be updated) 

 Occupation (if retired, previous occupation) 

 Family infoNumber of children, pets, grandchildren 

The House/Business 

 Description of the structure (color, number of stories, number of bedrooms) 

 How long have they lived in the house or worked in the business? 

 Did they build the house/business? 

 Type of business, number of employees, how long in business, etc. 

Disaster Info 

(Note: For this section, its important to get as many direct quotes as possible because you want people to 
the paint the picture in their own words.) 

Past Disasters 

 Have they sustained disaster damage in the past? 

 If so, when? 

 From what type of event? 

 Did any physical injury result from the event? 

 What sights, sounds, smells do they remember from that disaster? 

 Did they lose family treasures? Important business documents or inventory? 

 What was the worst part of the disaster? 

 What kind of mark has the disaster left on them (sad, fearful, determined to be better protected)? 

Current or Recent Disasters 

 Get them to describe the disaster itself flood, severe storm, earthquake 

 What was it like to watch/hear news accounts of the event? (Note: Get them to describe the emotional 
feeling as the floodwaters rushed through town or tornadoes bounced about or power lines broke under 
the weight of snow and ice...) 


 What did they do during the storm? Where did they go to ride it out? 

 Was their home/business damaged? 

 Were neighboring homes/businesses also damaged? Who are the contact people for more information 
on that damage? 

 Why was this disaster different? 

Measures They Put In Place 

 What convinced them to make changes to their home/business? 

 When did they do it? 

 What did they do? (Note: Get specific
e.g., how far off the ground did they elevate, how much dirt was hauled in, etc. Remember, no action is 
too small or insignificant to find out about. You can always decide later whether to include it.) 

 What kind of building materials did they use? 

 Did they use a contractor to do the work? If so, get name and phone number to contact for additional 
technical information (or for other clients whove done things as well). 

 Did the work require permitting or compliance with certain local ordinances, such as floodplain 
development? 

 Did they encounter difficulties along the way? If so, what were they and how were they resolved? 

 How much money did they spend to make modifications? 

 How did they pay for itloans, grants, savings? 

Future Impact 

 Now that theyve taken action(s), do they feel better prepared for future disasters? How? 

 What lessons have they learned from the disaster/rebuilding experience? 

 What advice would they give to others in their situation? 

 Has the action(s) given them better peace of mind in the event of another disaster? 

 Do they expect to realize a financial benefit/savings by adding disaster resistance measures? Is that 
savings over-and-above what they spent on the measures? 


Developing and Promoting Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies 

Communication Strategy 

Lights, Camera, Action 

Photography can be both fun and challenging. A lot depends on what you know, what kind of equipment 
you have and what youre trying to accomplish. 

Here are some points to ponder: 

Camerafilm or digital? 

Film cameras 

Advantages: Generally cheaper than digital; can give you more creative images by using a variety of lenses 
and filters. 

Disadvantages: Film has to be processed and then scanned into a computer. 

Digital cameras 

Advantages: More compact than a film camera; produces instant results; images can immediately be 
transferred to computer. 

Disadvantages: At present, still more expensive than film cameras. Image quality is not as good as with 
film or slides so keep this in mind if youre using offset printing methods. Need at least 300 dpi at required 
image size. Otherwise, your photos will have to be small to maintain clarity. 

Film 

Types available, speeds, care and handling 

Print film (negative) 

Advantages: Can be easily and quickly processed almost anywhere. 

Disadvantages: Most consumer-quality prints are not very high quality. 

Slide film (transparency) 

Advantages: Printers color separations are generally higher quality because slides are sharper and have 
greater tonal range than consumer-quality prints. 

Disadvantages: Consumer outlets (grocery or discount stores) may take longer to process slides 
professional labs usually can do it within an hour. Slide scanners for home/office use are more expensive 
than standard flatbed scanners. 


Film speed 

This refers to the sensitivity of the film to light, and is indicated by an ASA number. Slower speeds, such 
as 50 or 100, will produce a very high resolution, high-quality image but are only useful in bright daylight 
or with a very powerful flash. High-speed film (400800 ASA) has a larger grain pattern, which can be 
very visible and will make the photo look granular and fuzzy. These speeds can be used on dark, overcast 
days and will produce good results indoors with small flash units. The closest thing to a universal film is 200 
ASAa good compromise between quality and speed. 

Care and handling 

Avoid exposing your film to heat and sunlight. Leaving film and your camera in a hot car is tempting 
especially when youre on the road. 

But on a summer day, the interior of a car can reach 150 degrees, and it doesnt take long for the 
undeveloped film to start fading and turning yellow. Carry your camera and film with you until you can 
leave them somewhere indoors. 

Lighting 

Natural outdoor lighting is the type youll most commonly use. In bright sunlight, use a fill flash setting 
on your camera if you have one to lighten the shadows. If you have to photograph someone with the sun 
behind them, put your flash on the appropriate setting (see your instruction manual) to avoid losing their 
face in shadow. 

Avoid taking pictures of people in the shade on a sunny day with few clouds. Although your eyes 
compensate for it, camera film sees things exactly as they are. If a person stands in the shade on a cloudless 
day, his/her face will appear bluish on film (this is because the face actually is illuminated by the blue sky, 
not by the sun). A flash will compensate for this, as will some white clouds in the sky or a white wall. 

Indoor lightingMost cameras have an automatic flash setting, so use it. Keep in mind that fluorescent 
lighting will give a greenish or bluish cast to a picture and if bright enough, it can even overpower a 
cameras flash unit. Take indoor pictures in a room with sunlight coming through windows to reduce the 
color shift of fluorescent lights. 

The Golden Rule: 

Shoot lots of picturesmore than you think you could ever use. A photo can be ruined by so many things 
you wont notice until its too latepeople blinking, looking off-camera, something distracting in the 
background, etc. Remember, in the grand scheme of your project, film is cheap. 


Developing and Promoting Mitigation Best Practices and Case Studies 

Communication Strategy 

Getting the Best Printed 
Product 

Cost Considerations 

A number of factors can affect the cost of producing your publication and, ultimately, your bottom line. 
These include: number of pages; weight of paper, including cover; trim size (size of paper for finished 
product); number of photos; number of ink colors; quantity of books; printing method. Again, decide what 
you can afford. 

Printing Methods 

There are several ways to print your final product, depending on its size and specifications. Heres what you 
want to know about those methods: 

Photocopying  High-speed copiers can do short-run books economically but the quality is not equal 
to other printing methods. All copiers can work from a hard-copy original; some will be able to accept 
electronic files as well. 

Digital imaging  Uses a sophisticated high-speed color photocopier. The original can have any amount 
of full-color photographs and artwork. Offers quick turnaround and better cost-effectiveness for short-run 
jobs. Needs an electronic file for the original. 

Offset printing  Uses a press with plates made from negatives or from a computer-driven laser onto a lightsensitive 
drum. Needs an electronic file for an original. This is more expensive because of the needed prep 
work and the high-tech machinery. Usually most cost-effective for 1,000 or more copies. 

Binding Methods 

How are you going to join all the pages? There are several choices to consider: 

Saddle-stitched or saddle-stapled  Commonly used for magazines such as Time or Newsweek, this method 
staples or stitches on the spine from the outside inward. An inexpensive method, especially for large print 
runs; best suited for a thinner book. 

Side-stapled  Staples are inserted from the front cover through to the back. Not as common as saddle 
stitching, but it can accommodate thicker books. 

Perfect bound  Used for paperback books, this method has a glue binding; creates a very professional look. 

Glue/tape binding  This binding wraps over the spine and onto both covers. A good method for smaller 
quantities; can be done by local photocopy shops. 

The teeth of a plastic spine are inserted through rectangular holes punched in the pages. Inexpensive for 
short runs; main advantage is that the book will lie flat when open. 

Wire binding (also known as spiral binding, coil binding and Wire-O binding)  A coiled spiral of wire is 
wound through small, round, punched holes. Again, the book can lie flat when opened or be folded back 
onto itself for handy use. 


Selecting a Printer 

Know what you want the final product to be prior to choosing a printer. Some projects may be beyond 
a printers capabilities and youll need to find that out before deciding which company to use. 

If a bid is required, start early and provide as much detail about the final product as possible. This 
improves your chances of getting an accurate bid and lets you know approximate cost before proceeding. 
Theres no sense in continuing with a project you cant afford. 

Ask to see samples of their work and/or references involving similar projects. 

Once a printer is chosen 

Discuss your project in greater detail. The printer will be able to recognize potential pitfalls and help you 
deal with them before problems arise. 

Make sure you understand what factors will constitute cost changes beforehand. For example, if you order 
more than one proof, is there a charge? If you change a photo or copy text once its been set, is there a 
charge? 

Ask your printer what software program(s) he/she prefers to work with. Some printers still can use hard 
copy or camera-ready art, but most work now is done from computer files. You dont want to submit your 
final product in a format the printer cant use. 

Ask about getting a proof of the product for a final sign-off. A printer should be willing to do thisquantity, 
types of proofs, and costs should be agreed upon before the printer begins work. 

Deliver all needed componentspage layout file, fonts, and all scanned photos and computer illustrations 
when youre ready to begin production. The preferred format is TIF because it contains all the digital 
information (this is the best file format for photos). Another common format is JPG but be careful if you 
use this format. A JPG is a compressed file and if a user repeatedly opens and re-saves information, the file 
can lose quality. 

Other considerations 

Graphics If you use photos in the book, make sure the resolution is high enough to produce quality 
halftones. The general guideline is 300 dots-per-inch (dpi) scans for a halftone screen of 133 150 lines-perinch 
(lpi). Check with your printer for more details. 

If you create graphics on the computer, save them in a TIF or EPS format. These formats can be easily and 
accurately imported into your page layout program. 


Telling the Tale 
of Disaster Resistance 

 A Guide to Capturing 
and Communicating the Story 


2 

Published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency 

August 2001 

FEMA Region VIII Office of Public Affairs 

Building 710, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225 


Table of Contents 

Acknowledgements 4 

Preface 5 

Why Document Disaster Resistance? 7 

In Search of a Disaster-Resistant Story 9 

} Identifying action 

} Determining impact 

} Measuring benefit 

Capturing the Basics 12 

} Quick guide to key elements 

Beginning the Journey 14 

} Creating a game plan 

Gathering the Goods 18 

} Developing leads 

} Tracking leads 

} Choosing the story 

} Research 

} Visual/audio elements 

Telling the Tale 31 

} Producing the story 

} Editing 

} Approvals 

Creating a Finished Product 35 

} Print 

} Photo 

} Video 

} Audio 

} Production points 

Getting the Word Out 38 

} Developing a strategy 

} Determining key messages 

} Using talking points 

} Creating promotional products 

} How to get the word out 

Avoiding the Information Avalanche 42 

Telling the Tale in a Disaster 43 

Appendices 

A) Leave No Stone Unturned Common Sources for Story Leads 46 

B) Questions You Can Ask for Disaster-Resistance Stories 47 

C) Lights, Camera, Action 

D) Getting the Best Printed Product 51 

E) Making the Most of Your Contractor 53 

F) 25 Ways to Promote Disaster-Resistance Projects 55 

Journeys stories 

Home Away from Home . . . and the River... Brings Peace of Mind 57 

Fargo Works to Build a Disaster-Resistant City 

Photo Credits 

 


Acknowledgements 

This guidebook would not have been possible 
without the time, talent and support of a 
number of people who believe in telling the 
tale of disaster resistance. 

For their contributions, our special thanks 
go to: 

Brent Nelson, president, North Dakota 
Emergency Management Association; Walsh 
County (ND) Emergency Manager 

Dean Erickson, Adams County (ND) 
Emergency Manager 

Norma Duppler, Barnes County (ND) 
Emergency Manager 

Glenn Ellingsberg, Cass County (ND) 
Sheriffs Office 

Greg McDonald, Cass County (ND) 
Emergency Manager 

Jim Campbell, Grand Forks County (ND) 
Emergency Manager 

Cindy Ritteman, Nelson County (ND) 
Emergency Manager 

Becky Ault, Pembina County (ND) 
Emergency Manager 

Gary Kostelecky, Stark County (ND) 
Emergency Manager 

Jerry Bergquist, Stutsman County (ND) 
Emergency Manager 

Mike Crocker, Traill County (ND) 
Emergency Manager 

Jessica Thomasson, Project Impact 
Coordinator, City of Fargo, ND 

Mary Lee Nielsen, Project Impact Coordinator, 
Valley City, ND 

Doug Friez, director, North Dakota Division of 
Emergency Management 

Ken Jarolimek, North Dakota Division of 
Emergency Management 

Lonnie Hoffer, North Dakota Division of 
Emergency Management 

Rob Keller, North Dakota Division of 
Emergency Management 

Susie Stonner, Missouri State Emergency 
Management Agency 

Doug Gore, Acting Regional Director, FEMA 
Region VIII 

Ed Conley, Public Affairs Officer, FEMA 
Region VIII 

Jeanine Petterson, Emergency Analyst, FEMA 
Region VIII 

Steve L. Olsen, Director, Flood Insurance and 
Mitigation Division, FEMA Region VIII 

Mitigation Staff, FEMA Region VIII 

Heather Leigh, FEMA Region VIII 

Andrea Booher, FEMA Region VIII 

Gary Gleason, FEMA Region VIII 

Kate Klise, FEMA Region VII 

Jim Shebl, FEMA Region IX 

Bridget Falbo, FEMA Region V 

Project Officer: Ed Conley, FEMA Region VIII 
Public Affairs Officer 

Project Manager: Barb Sturner, FEMA Public 
Affairs 

Written by: Barb Sturner 

Contributors: Bryan Dahlberg, Kate Klise, 
Heather Leigh, Andrea Booher, Norma 
Duppler, Kurt Sonnenfeld, Jim Chesnutt, Mark 
Amann 

Photo Desk: Andrea Booher, Mike Rieger 

Design and Layout: Bryan Dahlberg, Mark 
Amann 

Copy Editors: Jerry DeFelice, Randy Welch 


Preface 

Weve all seen the powerful images that make 
real the heartbreak of disaster. 

But we dont often see the images or hear the 
stories that capture efforts to minimize the 
effects of disasters. 

Nationwide, individuals, businesses and 
communities are fighting back against Mother 
Nature by taking action to reduce or prevent 
future disaster damage. In many cases, these 
actions already have proven to be successful. In 
others, the test is yet to come. 

Either way, there is a story to tell. Our chal
lenge 
is to capture and promote these efforts 
in an interesting and effective way. When we 
succeed, we motivate others to better protect 
themselves and their communities. 

This guidebook provides some of the best 
practices of those who have promoted 
disaster-resistance efforts throughout the 
country. It is largely based on the lessons learned 
during a project by FEMA Region VIII and the 
North Dakota Division of Emergency Manage
ment 
to document disaster resistance. 

The result of that joint effort is a collection of 
stories, compiled into a book and published by 
FEMA in 2001, titled, Journeys, North Dakotas 
Trail Towards Disaster Resistance. Two of those 
stories are included in the Appendices of this 
book. The entire book can be found online at 
www.fema.gov/regions/VIII. 

In this guide, youll find the key considerations 
for successfully telling the tale of disaster 
resistancedeveloping story leads, researching 
and documenting projects, creating a finished 
product and promoting those projects. 

If youve never told a disaster-resistance story, 
we hope youll use this guide as a starting point. 
If youre already promoting disaster-resistance 
efforts, we hope this book will add to what you 
already know... and can pass on to others. 

Some day, the impact of disasters on our nation 
will be less severe than weve ever before seen. 
At the root of that change will be successful 
disaster-resistance efforts. 

Wont that be a story to tell... 


Why Document Disaster 
Resistance? 

} Instill public confidence 

Many people expect government to take care 
of them when things go wrong. Some would 
argue that this expectation is improper or 
unrealistic. But we know that when political 
leaders are proactive in helping to build a safer 
community, state or nation, it builds public 
confidence in government. 

We know that taking action to reduce damages 
goes a long way toward minimizing the 
physical, psychological and financial impact of 
disasters. 

But thats only part of the journey to disaster 
resistance. 

The other part is to tell the story of disaster 
resistancewhat it is, how it works and why it 
makes a difference. In doing so, we can: 

} Motivate by example 

Damage-prevention measures taken by 
individuals, businesses, communities and 
government give others ideas of what they 
can do to better protect themselves before 
disaster strikes. Often, those ideas lead to 
action, and that leads to better protection 
when it really counts. 

} Give hope 

A sentiment voiced by many whove been 
battered by a disaster is, I dont want to 
ever go through this again. Telling disasterresistance 
stories helps victims know that 
there is something they can do to minimize or 
avoid their pain and suffering another time. 


} Support economic development efforts 

After a disaster, state and community 
leaders often believe that the event will 
reflect negatively on the area as a good place 
to live and work, thus thwarting economicdevelopment 
efforts. But promoting disaster 
resistance actually demonstrates vision and 
responsibility on the part of government 
to minimize the effects of events they cant 
control, e.g., bad weather, technological 
hazards, which ultimately does better protect 
citizens and businesses. 

Promoting disaster-resistance projects can 
show that whats been spent has value 
and is making a difference. It also can help 
generate additional funding  public or 
private to continue long-term, disasterresistance 
efforts. 

} Provide opportunities for positive 
media coverage 

Its human nature to love triumph-overtragedy 
stories. Thats often how disasterresistance 
efforts come about. We know that 
the more devastating the event, the more its 
covered. The public sees a community that 
is broken; a future that is bleak. Examples of 
disaster resistance, however, send a different 
message. They show hope. They illustrate 
the benefits of smart choices. They provide 
opportunities for a community or state to 
accentuate the positive. In short, they 
make great stories. And, like us, the media 
love a great story. 

} Demonstrate value for the dollar 

Communities and states that invest in 
disaster resistance often find themselves 
trying to justify that what they spent was 
worthwhile especially when the citizenry 
doesnt believe theyll be affected by a 
disaster. In addition, taxpayers expect 
government to make smart choices with their 
money (i.e., not pouring good money after bad 
in repetitive-loss areas). 


In Search of a 
Disaster-Resistant Story 

The basic premise of disaster resistance is 
taking an action that will reduce or prevent the 
impact of a disaster. 

And thats just what you need to tell a story 
action and impact that, together, produce a 
benefit. 

Identifying Action 

The easiest stories to recognize are those 
involving an obvious physical actionbuilding 
something new, fortifying something old, or 
tearing something down. For example, its 
easy to see the intent of elevating structures in 
a floodplain or removing homes from floodplain, 
landslide or fire-prone areas. 

But there are many other actions that can make 
excellent disaster-resistance stories. These 
actions can be funded using local, state, federal 
and/or private resources. Here are just a few 
examples: 

. Public Infrastructure 

 Raising, grading or resurfacing roads 

 Building bigger, longer or stronger bridges 

 Cleaning out, widening or redirecting 
drainage ditches 

 Reinforcing culverts to counteract 
washouts 

 Constructing retention ponds to handle 
excess water runoff 

 Adding lift stations 

 Putting in flood-control measures such as 
levees and dikes 

 Improving water-pumping capacity 

 Elevating and securing fuel tanks 

 Fortifying critical public facilities such as 
water treatment plants, electrical and gas 
utilities, sewage lagoons, police and fire 
stations, hospitals, and communications 
systems 

 Installing back-up generators to run com
munications 
systems or other key facilities 

 Burying power lines to protect against 
high-wind events 

. Residences 

 Elevating utilities such as water heaters, 
furnaces, washers, dryers 

 Adding shutters, hurricane straps 

 Installing drain tiles, sump pumps or 
backflow valves 

 Using French drains or waterproof 
membranes to combat seepage 

 Improving guttering and/or extending 
downspouts 


 Adding window-well covers 

 Landscaping to improve water drainage or 
to protect against fires 

 Securing bookshelves or other tall objects to 
prevent movement in an earthquake 

 Building a room or reinforcing an interior 
space to provide shelter from tornadoes and 
other high-wind events 

. Businesses 

 Installing back-up power or communications 
systems 

 Elevating utilities 

 Protecting inventory (e.g., moving it to 
shelving, securing it to walls, storing it at 
more than one location, etc.) 

 Storing critical records in a safe, alternate 
location 

 Adding floodgates 

 Installing sump pumps; backflow valves for 
sewers 

 Using equipment tie-downs 

. Environment 

 Creating greenways or other recreational 
areas in floodplains 

 Planting trees and shrubs to minimize blow
ing 
and drifting snow 

 Using vegetation to curb erosion along 
rivers 

 Creating windbreaks to control soil erosion 

Disaster resistance also can be accomplished 
using non-structural techniques. Here are some 
ideas for these kinds of stories: 

. Insurance 

 Securing flood insurance for buildings 
and/or contents 

 Adding special riders that cover damages 
caused by earthquakes, sewer backup, sump 
pump failure, etc., to standard residential 
and commercial insurance policies 

. Codes and Ordinances 

 Regulating floodplain development 

 Establishing disaster-resistance standards 
for new construction 

 Requiring seismic or wind-resistance pro
tection 
for commercial or public buildings 

 Controlling urban runoff through proper 
development 

 Incorporating disaster-resistance elements 
into land-use planning 

 Securing rights-of-first-refusal to buy and 
remove properties in high-risk flood or 
landslide areas 

 Deed-restricting land in high-risk areas 
against future development 


. Emergency Operations Plans 

. Specialized emergency response training 

. Public education programs or special 
events promoting disaster resistance 

 Severe Weather Awareness Week 

 Fire Prevention Week 

 Workshops at building supply stores for 
do-it-yourselfers 

. Public-private partnerships that foster 
disaster resistance 

 Leveraging money and resources to better 
protect a business, a neighborhood, a 
school 

Determining Impact 

Impact is more than broken windows or 
collapsed structures. Its emotional and 
economic as well. 

When you look at impact, consider what the 
disaster-resistance action does to reduce or 
prevent: 

} Injury or death 

} Structural damage 

} Failure of critical facilities or infrastructure 

} Wear and tear on government resources 
such as equipment and manpower 

} Psychological injury 

} Public panic 

} Citizens, businesses from moving away 

} Financial losses for citizens, businesses, 
local government 

} Loss of jobs due to disaster damage or 
inability to do business 

} Loss of tax revenue for local governments 

Measuring Benefit 

Benefit is the result of action and impact. Some
times, 
the benefit isnt realized for years because 
future disaster losses can be infrequent. But 
when disaster does strike, here are the kinds of 
benefits you could see: 

} Fewer injuries and deaths 

} Less damage to homes and businesses 

} Reduced personnel costs in taking 
emergency protective measures 

} Continued operation of critical facilities like 
water treatment plants 

} Schools and businesses that can 
immediately reopen because structural 
damage was avoided 

} Preservation of historic structures 
(e.g., moved from repetitive-loss areas) 

} Roads and bridges that remain open 
because of seismic retrofitting 


Capturing the Basics 

Documenting and promoting disasterresistance 
efforts can be as basic or as in-depth 
as you choose to make it. If you want to write 
a story, produce a book, make a video, create a 
photo essay or promote disaster resistance to 
the public, this guide can help you with the key 
elements. 

But if you dont have the time or resources 
to get that involved, you still can capture the 
basics. 

Heres what you can do to help others tell the 
tale of disaster resistance: 

. Gather story ideas for disaster-resistance 
projects, planned or completed. Include a 
brief description of the project, address, and 
contact name/phone number. (See Disaster- 
Resistance Story Leads form on page 47). 

. Collect photos that document the project. 
These can be photos you take or 
get from someone else. Ideally, 
you want a series of pictures that 
shows the project from beginning to 
end. Digital images are OK, but you 
may want prints as well, because 
the negatives from those prints 
will produce a better quality image 
(although slides are the best 
quality). Save the photos with your 
story lead file. 

. Capture any media coverage on an existing 
or potential project, such as newspaper 
clippings and radio or television stories. 
Include coverage of public meetings, 
planning sessions, project updates  
anything that will provide good back
ground. 

. Profile past disasters for background infor
mation. 
Summarize type of event, date(s), 
number of injuries or deaths, level of damage 
and key response and recovery issues. 

. Keep a contact list of other officials or 
agencies involved in funding or managing 
disaster-resistance projects for use as 
potential information sources. 

. Educate your media contacts about disaster 
resistance. The best time to get your point 
across is before you need to make it. So help 
them learn what disaster resistance is and 
why its importantbefore you approach 
them with a story. 


. Document projects during a disaster. Have 
someone visit and photograph project sites 
when a disaster is in progress especially 
if the projects are being directly impacted, 
(e.g., water up against a house, fire threatening 
a critical facility, blizzards closing down major 
roads). Check those projects again after the event 
has passed to see how well they fared. 


Beginning the Journey 

Once youve decided to promote disaster resis
tance, 
the next step is developing a game plan. 
This is where youll set out what you want 
to do and how youre going to do it. It may 
involve just one story. Or, it may involve 
something bigger such as a book of stories or a 
10-minute videotape. 

To develop this plan, there are a number of 
things to consider: 

What is your objective? 

In short, what do you want to accomplish by 
documenting disaster resistance? Do you want 
to share ideas on how citizens can protect them
selves 
from disaster? Do you want to justify 
money spent to reduce or prevent the impact 
of disasters? Do you want to promote special 
campaigns such as Severe Weather Awareness 
Week or local disaster-resistance programs? 

It could be all of these examples or something 
altogether different. Your objective doesnt have 
to be limited to a single point. But you do need 
to be clear on the message(s) you want to com
municate 
so you know what kinds of stories to 
look for, who to interview and what the end 
result should be. 

Who is your audience? 

Is it the do-it-yourselfer, home-improvement 
project person? Is it an elected official or gov
ernmental 
body? Is it a business owner? Is it 
another disaster-stricken community? 

Identifying the audience helps you choose 
which disaster-resistance action(s) to feature 
and can even dictate the style and method used 
to tell a story. For example, if the goal is to 
justify the financial investment in a project, 
you may want to include technical information 
such as a cost-benefit analysis, the probabilities 
of future occurrences and expected level of 
damage. This kind of story likely would appeal 
to audiences such as engineers, public-policy 
makers, analysts, or statisticians. 

Conversely, if the story is meant for the general 
public, you may want to take a more humaninterest 
approach that features an individual, 
family or business owner who can tell the tale 
from a personal point of view. This technique, 
also referred to as testimonials, generally is 
more effective than using a highly technical 
approach. This style doesnt mean you cant 
include technical informationjust make sure 
that its understandable to people who dont 
know about the subject. 

One final thing to consider: If you are targeting 
the general public in a given community, con
sider 
the demographics. For example, are there 
non-English speaking populations? Is there a 
large concentration of older adults? What is the 
average education level? 


The answers to these kinds of questions will 
drive many of your other decisions such as 
story choices, final product, key messages and 
promotional techniques. 

What is the format? 

This refers to the method youll use to tell 
the storyprint, audio, photographs, video, 
electronicand your decision will determine 
most of what is done from here on. You can use 
one or more formats for the final product. 

What is the final product? 

This is where you can be creative. Once you have 
the format, you can use it many ways. Here are 
some ideas to consider: 

Print 

} Newspaper story 

} Technical report 

} Magazine article 

} Brochure 

} Handout 

} Public education display 

} Book 

} Case study 

Photographsfilm, digital or slides 

} Photo essay (display that predominantly 
uses photos to tell the story) 

} Computer presentations such as Power
Point
 

} Slide-show presentations 

} Images for print or Web site stories 

} Images for a video product 

Audio 

} Radio news or feature story 

} Public service announcements 

} Soundbites for a video product 

} Interactive Web site 

Video 

} Disaster-resistance documentary 

} Footage for television news or feature 
stories 

} Interactive Web site 

Electronic 

} Compact disc/DVD 

} Web-based story 

} Disaster resistance-specific Web site 

Have a good idea of what you want the final 
product(s) to be prior to doing your research. 
What you choose will dictate how the project 
is documented and how much you should 
budget from start to finish. 

How will you distribute the product? 

This is a must to consider early on because it 
will affect your timeline, needed resources and 
budget. Will it be faxed or mailed? Sent FedEx 
or UPS? Does it need a cover letter? Who will 
write that? Who will gather the addresses, and 
then stuff/label envelopes? 


Will it take a special mailer like a padded 
envelope, custom box, and what is the 
approximate per-piece cost? What are the 
mailing costs (a book could cost $2 to $3 each)? 
Or, will it be hand-carried to the final destination. 
Either way, how many locations will receive it? 
Who will get it there? 

What resources do you need? 

LaborDo you have the time and skills to do 
the writing and/or photography? If not, is there 
someone you can use to do the work such as a 
public information officer, journalism student, 
freelance writer or photographer, media person 
or public relations professional? If these options 
are not available, try to find someone who writes 
or takes photographs for a hobby. 

Do you need other professionals such as 
videographers, editors (copy, photo, video), 
graphic designers? Do you need administrative 
support? The important thing is to get people 
with the skills you need. 

EquipmentAt a minimum, youll want note
books, 
a typewriter or a computer with a printer, 
disks, a camera (35mm or digital), film, a tape 
recorder and tapes. If you dont have this equip
ment, 
try to at least get access to it. 

What is your time frame? 

Count on this: The bigger the effort, the more 
time it will take. While that seems to be an 
obvious concept, sometimes your project can 
shift directions or grow beyond what you first 
intended. Thats why creating a timeline with 
key deadlines is essential. The timeline helps 
keep you on track and enables others to see what 
the project will entail, especially if you need 
approvals for time, financial or resource com
mitments. 

The trick is determining how much time your 
story or project will take from start to finish. 
Although theres no set answer to this question, 
you can get reasonably close by breaking down 
your effort into key elements and estimating 
how long each one will take. 

Here are some of those elements: 

Story/project development  Determining 
objective, audience, final product, resources, 
budget; securing project approvals 

ResearchGathering facts and supporting 
materials, site visits, fact checking 

InterviewsThis may involve more than one 
person so allow time for each source. Remember, 
your sources may not be readily available, 


so allow extra time to accommodate their 
schedules and, if needed, follow-up calls for 
additional information. 

Writing  First drafts, editing, rewrites, 
approvals 

Photography Include time for film devel
opment, 
photo sizing, etc. 

Design/LayoutJoining words and pictures; 
choosing typestyles and paper; typesetting 

ProductionProofreading, printing, binding 

DistributionGetting the product out 

Promoting the final productMedia pitching, 
special events, etc. 

Again, the timeline is your best guess at what it 
will take to accomplish each step. It will prob
ably 
need to be adjusted along the way, so be 
willing to do that. Be as realistic as possible and 
build in extra time to cover unexpected project 
delays or changes in your workload. 

Is there funding for the project? 

Even if youre only doing one story, you might 
have expenses. So you want to develop a 
budget and obtain funding before beginning 
the project. The amount of money you need 
depends on how much you do and what you 
choose for a final product. Some budget factors 
to consider are: 

} Salary 

} Travel costs  mileage, car rental, gasoline, 
airline, lodging, meals 

} Office supplies 

} Professional services writers, photog
raphers, 
videographers, editors, graphic 
designers, etc. 

} Faxing and copying 

} Film and processing costs 

} Reproduction costs  printing, video 
duplication, etc. 

} Distribution costsenvelopes, labels, 
postage or shipping, labor to hand carry 

} Promotional costspress kits, press 
conference, special events, etc. 

Be sure to build in a cushion to cover cost 
overruns, changes or other unforeseen 
expenses. 

Whos in charge? 

Someone has to manage your disaster-resistance 
project from beginning to end. It could be you, or 
a colleague. But it should be someone who can 
be responsible for the overall effort and who has 
the power within the organization to make deci
sions, 
commit resources and spend money. 

Who needs to be on board? 

In most cases, youll want to get buy in from 
key managers or partner agencies before begin
ning 
your project. Doing this enhances the team 
concept common in emergency management, 
preserves a respectful working relationship and 
opens up a world of support and resources. 


Gathering the Goods 

Now that the preliminary legwork is done, 
youre ready to begin creating a disasterresistance 
story. 

First, youll want to explore story possibilities. 
This is where identifying leads comes in. 

Developing Leads 

A lead guides you to a specific story rather than 
a generic type of action. 

For example, you might find that a community 
has built a new bridge, which will allow a river 
to flow unimpeded and eliminate flooding 
problems. That new bridge in that commu
nity 
is your story lead, because it represents a 
specific case where action was taken, rather than 
the fact that building a higher bridge is a way to 
reduce flooding. 

Or, you might find a homeowner who has 
anchored bookshelves to a wall to prevent them 
from falling in an earthquake. In this example, 
that homeowner is your story lead because 
he/she represents a specific case where someone 
took action. 

So how do you find these leads? By going to 
key people or places that could be involved in 
disaster resistance-related projects. 

For example, check regulatory or enforcement 
agencies that have a responsibility to ensure 
certain actions and/or can provide funding for 
particular types of projects. 

For ideas of where to look, see Leave No Stone 
UnturnedCommon Sources for Story Leads 
on page 46. 

Tracking Leads 

An easy way to do this is to 
create a list of all the possible 
stories you discover. Youll 
likely find more leads than you 
can immediately use, but thats 
OK. These ideas can be used 
later as time and resources 
allow. Just remember, these 
are unverified suggestions at 
this point, not facts. 

Organize your information in 
a way that is easy to use. For 
example, consider grouping 
story ideas by location (city, county, state), by 
disaster risk (floods, winter storms, tornadoes), 


by type of action (property buyouts, infra
structure 
enhancements), or by funding source 
(hazard mitigation grants, tax money, insurance 
money). 

No matter how you keep track of story leads, 
here are some key elements to capture: 

} Date you become aware of the story 
(this is especially 
helpful if you dont 
do the story right 
away) 

} Name and phone 
number of the 
person(s) who told 
you about the story 

} Name and phone 
number of the 
person(s) to inter
view 
for the story 

} A brief description 
of what the story is 
about 

Choosing the Story 

This is a key element to success because not 
every lead makes a good story. So how do 
you know which leads to pursue? Again, that 
depends on your objective, audience and 
message. 

Good stories will have these common elements: 

A measurable benefit 

The story should show that some measurable 
benefit is realized from taking disaster-resistance 
action. The benefit doesnt have to be in dollars 
and cents to be considered measurable. It could 
be preventing injury or saving lives. Or, it could 
be that good planning has improved the effec
tiveness 
of an emergency response, which has 
reduced damages. 

A face 

Its often easier to 
relate to people than 
to anything else 
(except maybe 
pets), so look for the 
human element 
or face in every 
lead. If the action 
involves protecting 
a rural road threat
ened 
by erosion 
from a nearby river, 
who benefits from 
that? What does it mean to the farmer or res
ident 
who depends on that road for access to 
and from their property? 

If the story is about a business, what does 
protecting that company mean? Does it keep 
a major employer in town, thereby ensuring 
jobs and economic viability? Does it mean that 
citizens will have uninterrupted health care 
because the hospital can continue to function 
even if theres a major power outage? 


A unique theme 

You want a story that has an interesting angle or 
unique element. This is particularly important 
when there are many leads involving the same 
kind of action. 

For example, there are many cases of property 
buyouts from high-risk flood areas. Try to find 
one that has a compelling story, a different twist 
or a nuance that fits your goal. If youre targeting 
older adults, look for a story involving an older 
couple now enjoying safety and peace of mind 
because they no longer live along a river. If 
the goal is to promote greenway or open-space 
development, look for a case where buyout land 
is turned into a public recreational area. 

Strong visual support 

The best stories are those that have a visual 
elementphotographs, illustrations, slides or 
videotape. So when you choose a story, think 
about it in more than just words. Can you 
also show people the problem and/or disasterresistance 
element? And can you make it visually 
interesting? 

For some stories, the answer to these questions 
may be no. In those cases, dont give up on 
doing the story if the concept is strong. Instead, 
enlist the help of a photo professional or graphic 
artist to help identify ways to illustrate the 
story. 

Interest to the audience 

Is the story something that people will want 
to read? Even a boring topic can be made 
interestingit all depends on how you tell it. 

This is when emphasizing the human element 
or looking for the unique theme helps. 

To be or not to be . . . successful 

This is the question to consider when choosing 
stories. Do you want cases where someone took 
action and it was proven to work in a subsequent 
disaster? Or are you looking for examples of 
disaster resistanceproven or unproven? What 
about cases where measures were taken, but in 
a subsequent disaster, didnt work? 

The debate on these questions continues among 
emergency management professionals because 
there are advocates on all sides. In reality, there 
is no wrong answer. How you choose to handle 
any of these stories depends on what works for 
your community or agency, and what best fits 
your objective and target audience. 

Here are some points to consider in each case: 

. Success stories 

These are examples where disaster-resistance 
measures were taken and, in a subsequent 
disaster, the actions proved to reduce or 
prevent damage. These are the best stories to 
promote because people can relate to a concept 


such as: everyday house... damaged by a bad 
disaster... fixed up in a special way... unscathed 
by the next disaster. That, of course, is what 
disaster resistance is all aboutmaking a 
positive impact on an otherwise negative 
situation. 

. Disasters-in-waiting stories 

These are cases where disaster-resistance 
measures were taken but have not yet been 
proven to work because there hasnt been a 
disaster to test their effectiveness. 

These stories have great value as well, even 
though there is no conclusive evidence that the 
action taken will reduce or prevent damage. 
Why? Because the goal is to get people to take 
action before disaster strikes so that the effects 
wont be so devastating. 

The goal also is to get individuals, businesses 
and communities to make smarter choices 
about where people live, where commercial 
developments should go, how structures 
are built and how infrastructure can better 
withstand disasters. 

. Lessons-learned stories 

These are stories that represent lessons learned 
from a disaster. They could be examples of steps 
taken after a disaster to prevent future damage 
because of what was learned in the event. Or, 
they could be examples of disaster-resistance 
measures taken before or after the event that, 
in the next disaster, did not work as intended. 

Again, these stories are definitely worth telling. 
Post-disaster efforts to prevent future dam
age 
show that local leaders are serious about 
doing, and encouraging others to do, the right 
things to protect the community from future 
harm. 

In the cases where measures didnt work, there 
are good lessons to be learned. Yes, the goal is 
to promote disaster resistance. But the reality is, 
not everything works right the first time. Thats 
how we learn to do it better. And theres nothing 
wrong with promoting those stories if you can 
show that lessons have been learned and that 
the problem is being corrected. 

You may, however, find it harder to get your 
sources to talk about less-than-successful 
outcomes because of political pressure or 
because they perceive the situation to be 
embarrassing, i.e., they spent money on 
something that didnt work after all. 


Try to overcome this kind of problem. By 
pointing out the things that didnt initially 
work, you can help others avoid the same 
mistakes. And acknowledging an imperfection 
doesnt necessarily mean there will be a negative 
public reaction. 

Generally, people can accept a less-than-perfect 
outcome as long as theyre being told the truth 
and they know that someone is working to 
correct the problem. 

Regardless of the story type you choose, think 
about how you will bill these stories in 
public. If you have a combination of story types, 
consider calling them lessons learned. You 
still can communicate the concept of success 
by talking about the advantages of disaster 
resistance, e.g., ...its been proven that for every 
dollar spent, two or more dollars are saved... 

Timing is everything 

Deciding when to promote a project can make or 
break your story. 

Resist the temptation to promote a disasterresistance 
project in extensive detail before 
its done and signed off by the appropriate 
authorities. You never know what could 
develop unexpectedly along the way to change 
your story information  such as cost over
runs, 
techniques that didnt work, inability to 
certify that the work is done correctly, failure 
to get the proper permits or reviews, etc. These 
kinds of issues (yes, they do happen) will kill the 
credibility of your story if you report them 
inaccurately. 

An exception to this would be a situation where 
a project is just beginning and you promote it 
as such, e.g., breaking ground for a new school 
outside the floodplain that is expected to keep 
children safer in the next flood. To get into 
detail on how the project will be done before it is 
done could bring on a flood of problems if you 
dont yet have all the facts. 

Research 

There is no substitute for having all the facts. 
Poor research can torpedo your story and your 
credibility. The last thing you want to do is 
publicly present a story and find out there is 
a problem or negative element that you didnt 
know about or couldnt account for. So keep an 
open mind and be thorough! 

Good research involves these key elements: 

1) Background material 

2) Interviews 

3) Site visits 

4) Fact checking 

5) Visual/audio elements 


Background material 

This includes all information and documentation 
related to a specific story. 

} How did the project come about, i.e., result 
of a disaster? If so, how many times did 
disaster strike? Whats been the level, cost 
of damages? 

} How was the disaster-resistance measure 
chosen? 

} What work was done? 

} What agencies were involved? 

} Was there an environmental review? 

} How much did the project cost? 

} How was it funded? 

} What is the expected benefit? 

Get as much background material as possible 
before setting up interviews. This will help 
you formulate questions and decide who to 
interview. Also, your sources tend to respond 
better when they know youve done your 
homework. 

There are number of ways to find information. 
Obviously, the place to start is the source of 
your lead or the contact person your source has 
identified. If you need to know more, try some 
of these areas: 

. Internet 

. Government agencies 

. Local newspapers 

. Public libraries 

. College or university libraries 

. Historical societies 

. State or local archives 

. Weather service offices 

This is a good time to look for photos, too. 
The impact of a disaster-resistance measure 
becomes clear when you can visually show what 
something looked like before and after 
the action was taken. So look for pictures from 
a disaster or the cleanup, a groundbreaking 
ceremony, a community celebration, or an 
individuals own collection. 

If you find a photo you want to use, ask to 
borrow the negativeit will reproduce 
better than a print. If a slide is available, that 
usually provides the best quality. Otherwise, 
the photo can be scanned. Either way, make 
sure you return them as soon as possible. 
(See Photographs section on page 27 for more tips.) 

} Calculating Cost-Benefit 

For each story, its important to try to show 
the relationship between the cost of a disasterresistance 
measure and the benefit its designed 
to provide. Often, this is a hair puller because 
there are many ways to calculate cost-benefit. 


Another difficulty is that some benefits are hard 
to put a price ona persons life, for example. 
Or, perhaps the benefit of another disasterresistance 
measure is a reduction in the 
manpower needed to take emergency 
protective actions during an event. In that case, 
accurately figuring the labor savings in dollarsand-
cents can be tricky. 

Furthermore, theres the issue of 
testing the disaster-resistance measure 
to see if a benefit actually occurs. Some
times, 
it can be years before the same 
disaster strikes again, which can com
plicate 
those calculations. 

There is good news, though. Nowadays, 
most cost-benefit calculations are 
being done with the help of computer 
modeling, which has made the process 
somewhat easier. 

Also, projects funded by federal agencies 
are required to have both a cost-benefit 
analysis and a positive ratio (for every 
dollar spent, a dollar or more will be saved), 
before the money is approved. Therefore, the 
cost-benefit calculation may already be done for 
you, which can save time and work. Look for 
this analysis during your research. 

For more information about the computer 
modeling or calculating cost-benefit in general, 
contact the mitigation division of your state 
emergency management agency or the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency. 

Interviews 

Talk to anybody and everybody who has a 
connection to the story. Again, keep an open 
mind as you go along. Sometimes, the story ends 
up being something totally different than what 
you first thought. If that happens, dont worry. 
You want the facts to drive the story, not your 
preconceived idea of what it should be. 

Keep in mind, too, that you dont have to use 
every detail in the final product. But you do 
want to know every detail so that the story 
is accurate and balanced. The last thing you 
want is a surprise down the roadespecially if 
it negatively impacts your story. 

Time is a valuable commodity and most people 
will not want to talk to you on the spot, so plan 
to arrange a specific interview time. 


For an interview, cover these points: 

} Identify yourself 

} Explain the purpose of the interview 
(doing a story on seismic retrofitting of the 
water treatment plant ... ) 

} Ask if they are willing to be interviewed 

} Tell them how youll use the information 

} Ask if you can take photographs of them 
and/or whatever the story is about. (If so, 
allow yourself extra time) 

} Tell them how much time youll need; ask 
what day and time fits their schedule 

} Provide your phone number so that if 
something comes up, they can call to 
reschedule 

Its very important that your story source(s) 
understand that the information they provide 
will be made public, unless you mutually agree 
ahead of time about off-the-record elements. 

This caveat is critical, especially if you are 
interviewing a business owner or private 
individual. They may not want their 
personal or company details revealed to the 
whole world. 

Likewise, if you are interviewing a government 
employee, the information may have to be 
provided by an official spokesperson, especially 
if the comments may end up in the media. 

If there is any chance the story could appear on a 
Web site, either by your own doing or by someone 
else picking it up (and if you use it publicly, 
someone likely will), make sure the person you are 
interviewing understands what it means to be on 
a Web site and that theyre agreeable to it. (Theres 
a reason its called the World Wide Web). 

} Interview/photo authorizations 

Its advisable to get written authorization or 
a model release for interviews and/or photos. 
These authorizations, signed and dated by a 
story source, basically give you permission to 
use that persons name and statements (or in the 
case of photos, their image) in a format that is 
released to the public. Consult your legal counsel 
for advice on form and language, especially in 
the case of minor children. Or, check a photo 
store for a standard photo/model release. If an 
authorization is needed, get it before doing the 
interviews or taking photographs. 

} Tape Recording 

If you want to tape record an interview, ask 
your source ahead of time for their permission. 
Taping is not always idealit can spook some 
people and stilt their answers. But recording is 
important if you want to use that persons voice 
as part of a video or as an audio track for a Web 
site story. Get their permission on tape before 
you start the interview. 

If you are taping only to ensure accuracy, tell 
them that too. But be careful here. Dont rely 
solely on a tape recorder to capture your infor
mation. 
Take written notes as well. Tapes can 
break and equipment can malfunction. If that 
happens and you werent taking written notes, 
your canoe just capsized. 


} Getting the right stuff 

When doing an interview, you want to cover the 
basics ... who, what, when, where, why, how. 

But you also want to paint a picture with words. 
This is especially true if the person youre 
interviewing has been through a disaster. Tell 
the story in their words. What was it like for them 
to go through the event? How do they feel now 
after taking disaster-resistance measures? 

Realize that interviewing a disaster victim 
can stir up powerful emotions for them so be 
considerate when you ask for these details. 

What you should ask in an interview depends 
on the story. But there are some basic questions 
that will fit just about any story. For help with 
this, see Questions You Can Ask for Disaster- 
Resistance Stories, on page 48. 

For additional questions, rely on your instincts 
and your own curiosity. Put yourself in the 
readers place and find out what you would 
want to know. 

Site Visits 

Its very important to get a firsthand look at 
the projectespecially if you were not directly 
involved in the work. By doing a site visit, you 
can be sure that the project is what you think 
it is, and that theres not something you cant 
explain. You may discover pertinent information 
that you didnt get from the background material 
or from interviews. 

A site visit also can help you better describe what 
the project looks like, the setting its in, and any 
other remarkable features. It can help you decide 
what project elements will photograph well. 
Remember, youre trying to paint a picture and 
if you dont know what the project looks like, it 
will be harder to describe it to someone else. 

Fact checking 

Accuracy is paramount to producing a good 
story. Therefore, be sure of your information. 
Use reliable sources. Verify the important stuff 
from a second source. 

Most people will not purposely try to mislead 
you. But they can be mistaken. So if someone 
tells you that his or her house was damaged in 
the worst flood ever, check it out (the National 
Weather Service or local emergency manager 
would be good sources for this scenario). 

The standard here is this: If you cant back it 
up, either through documentation or by direct 
attribution to a reliable source, dont use it. 
When you make mistakes, it lowers credibility 
of the story information, of you, personally, 
and of your agency. 


Visual/Audio Elements 

Capturing visual/audio elements is an 
important part of research and is key to getting 
what you need to produce a final product 
(audio is only needed if that is part of your 
final product). 

Here are several pointers for each format to help 
you get the best results: 

. Photographs 

Pictures really can tell a story. Sometimes, 
images alone make your point and the words 
are just extra. 

Capturing those breathtaking shots takes skill, 
good equipment and practice. Sometimes 
theres luck involved, too. 

You dont have to be a professional photographer 
to take a good picture. But you do want to cover 
some basic elementswhether shooting to 
supplement a print story or to create a visual 
product: 

} Show something that matters 

Ideally, your photos should show key elements 
of the story. If the disaster-resistance action 
youre featuring isnt very photogenic, such 
as a backflow valve or underground drain, 
consider capturing the benefithappy homeowners, 
a thriving business, a scenic spot in the 
community, (or a danger spot that relates to your 
story, such as a rushing river or sliding hillside). 
Strive for shots that will show the story logically 
from beginning to end. 

} Put a person in it 

Remember the human element? That extends 
to photographs as well. Its generally more 
interesting to look at someone with the 
something youre talking about. Avoid straight 
mug shots (head and shoulders). If you want a 
close-up, try to put the person slightly off center 
within the frame to enhance dimension. Or, 
take the photo slightly from one side. Choose a 
background that is interesting but not too 
distracting. Using a person in the photo also can 
help illustrate scalehow big that something 
is in relation to a human being, e.g., standing in 
front of a dam or levee. 

Try not to photograph someone without 
advance warning. Theyll want to look their 
best, and if they do, youll have a better photo
graph. 
If children are important to the story, get 
permission from the parents before taking any 
photographs. They may not want their childrens 
faces in the public domain for safety reasons and 
you want to respect those concerns. 

} Capture action 

Show your story subject doing something 
 checking a river level, installing hurricane 
shutters, cleaning out a gutter, etc. Include shots 
that show part or all of their face. If you cant 
get that angle, consider a profile that shows your 
subjects and the action theyre taking. When all 
else fails, have them hold something, or lean on 
a piece of furniture or against a structure. At all 
costs, avoid pointing shots, that show your 
subject pointing or gesturing. 


} Strive for good lighting 

This can be tricky to get right. As a rule 
of thumb, shoot within the first two 
hours after sunrise or before sunset. 
Schedule your indoor shooting during 
the middle of the day, unless you can 
use a fill flash to eliminate harsh 
shadows, or the day is overcast  
perfect conditions for portraiture. 

} Take more than one photo 

Relatively speaking, film is cheap. And 
rarely does one photo turn out the way 
you want. So shoot several pictures of 
key story elements. Strive for variety 
by experimenting with different angles. 
Try some photos up close and some 
with distance. Take some horizontally 
and some vertically (if the object lends 
itself to both). This provides greater flexibility 
when it comes time to do the layout. 

} Develop your film or slides right away 

Its maddening when your pictures dont turn 
out or youre missing the right shot. So dont wait 
to develop your film. If you find a problem, 
re-shoot as soon as possible to avoid delays 
in your project. This is especially important if 
there is a time-sensitive activity, such as disaster 
cleanup or a structure demolition. Youll have 
limited opportunities to get it again. 

} Consider getting a contact sheet 
instead of prints 

A contact sheet shows every image on a roll of 
film in a smaller size. By having a sheet made, 
you can see all the photos at once and choose 
only those you need to print. That will save you 
money and the hassle of figuring out what to do 
with the leftover prints. 

} Get caption information 

Few pictures can stand alone without some 
explanation. When taking photos, write down 
pertinent information such as date, time, 
location (be sure to note street names if the road 
is visible), and the direction you are facing. 
Youll thank yourself days or weeks later when 
its time to write captions. 

Develop an organized system to keep track of 
your images, preferably when you first start 
your project. 

 


One way to organize your shots is to group them 
by key photos (the very best) and extra photos 
(second, third choices) for each story. This will 
save you a lot of time when youre ready to do 
the final editespecially if you are doing more 
than one story. 

For more ideas on cameras, film and lighting, 
see Lights, Camera, Action on page 50. 

. Audio 

This format tells the story in sounds and 
words. Audio can be a very powerful method, 
depending on the strength of your story source. 
Is their voice pleasant? Does it convey feeling? 
Is their pronunciation good? Do they have the 
ability to be descriptive in their answers? 

Here are some tips to achieve a good outcome: 

} Use the best equipment you can find 

With an audio product, quality counts. The 
new digital recorders are very sensitive, which 
is good because they produce excellent quality 
(theyre bad news for heavy breathers, though, 
so watch that). 

} Do the interview in a quiet location 

Background noise can kill the quality. Also, try 
to pick a room that doesnt echopreferably 
one with furniture and wall coverings or 
decorations. 

} Ask questions that will generate a full 
response 

You want answers that go beyond a simple yes 
or no answer. 

} Prepare your source for the interview 

Consider providing a list of the questions 
youre going to ask before the interview. This 
gives them time to compose their thoughts and, 
hopefully, gives you better answers. 

} As an interviewer, dont step on your 
sources comments 

Allow them to finish speaking before asking the 
next question. 

} Keep the tape running for a few minutes 
before and after the interview. Sometimes the 
best comments come when the pressure is off. 

} Dont tape anyone surreptitiously 

This erodes their trust in you and its not 
necessary to get your story. 

. Video 

Generally, these stories take a greater level of 
expertise, so consider hiring help. You want 
someone who can shoot footage, edit the 
images, overlay narration and/or music and 
give you a master tape that can be reproduced. 
Be sure to see samples of their work before you 
hire them. 

Videos can be really expensive. So before 
beginning one, have a definite idea of what you 
wantconcept, target audience, distribution 
and how it will be shown. 

Many of the photo tips apply here as well but 
there are some other basics to keep in mind when 
doing a video story: 


} Choose a broadcast-quality video format 
digital, Beta, 3/4-inchfor shooting because 
you want your footage to have the best possible 
reproduction quality. 

} Have a script, or at 
least a general concept, 
in mind before you 
begin. Note: You might 
even want that script 
or concept approved 
before you start so there 
are no surprises at the 
end. 

} Know what images 
you want before you 
start shooting. If youve 
hired someone, theyll 
charge by the hour 
and you dont want to 
waste time and money 
figuring it out as you go 
along. 

Consider developing a shot list that 
identifies the key elements you want to 
videotape so that you dont get a lot of what 
you dont need. 

} Sights and sounds are key to telling the 
story. So make sure you have walking, talking, 
sounding film. Examples: Rushing water, 
hammering, digging in the dirt, splintering 
wood in a building demolition, etc. 

} Shoot more than you think you need, 
but dont overdo it. You want plenty of footage 
to choose from to get the best images, but you 
dont want hours of tape for a 10-second clip. A 
good rule of thumb is 10 hours 
or less of raw footage per hour 
of finished product. 

} Get good audio 

Many perfect video clips have 
been ruined because of bad 
sound, so make sure you get 
good audio. Always put a 
microphone on your interview 
subjectusing the camera mic 
can pick up background noise 
you dont want. 

} Consider shooting outside 
as much as possible 

By doing this, you can take 
advantage of natural lighting 
and, visually, its generally more 
interesting. 

} Use a tripod 

You dont want your video to look like youre in 
an earthquake (unless you are, then its OK). 

} Always shoot an establishing shot. 
This is something that sets the scene for the 
viewer of where the story is taking place. 

For example, if you are photographing a 
disaster-resistance element inside a school, shoot 
the outside entrance of the school to establish 
where the story is taking place. 


Telling the Tale 

When your research is done, youre ready to tell 
the story. By now, you should know the main 
point of the story. If you dont, review your 
notes or do additional research. 

Print stories 

There are many ways to write a disasterresistance 
story. Mostly, it boils down to the 
style of the writer and the type of final product 
(e.g., magazine writing is different from news 
writing). 

If youre inexperienced at writing, here are a 
few basic tips: 

} Make the beginning interesting so the reader 
will want to know more. 

} Use direct quotes to add credibility, color, 
emotion. 

} Be accurate. Dont purposely or inadvertently 
slant the truth. 

} Tell the reader what they need to know to get 
the point. Leave out the rest. 

} Avoid using jargon. Instead, find a way to 
explain technical information in understand
able 
terms. 

} Wrap up the story with a logical ending rather 
than abruptly stopping because you dont 
know what else to write. 

If you decide to hire a free-lance professional, 
know what youre getting into ahead of time 
and be prepared to do what it takes to support 
their efforts. For a list of pointers, see Making 
the Most of your Contractor on page 54. 

Photo/Audio/Video Stories 

Again, you want to tell the story in a logical 
way. This does not always have to be sequential 
(sometimes in video, a flashback technique is 
used effectively). But the audience should be 
able to follow the basic points of who, what, 
when, where, how and why. 

This is a good time to look at your photos, 
unedited video footage, or audiotape to make 
sure that you have what is needed before the 
editing process begins. Your project can suffer a 
major setback if you wait until its time to choose 
the final components. 

Editing 

Regardless of the format you choose, editing is 
one step in the process you cannot do without. 
So dont overlook or skimp on this step! 

. Print 

For written pieces, there are two kinds of 
editingone for content, and one for grammar 
and punctuation (a.k.a. copy editing). You need 
both. 

Editing for content means that someone reads 
the story as a whole piece. This person can be 
a colleague or just a friend who knows nothing 
about the topic. If time allows, use more than 
one person for this step to get a couple of 
different perspectives. 


A content editor should look for the following 
things: 

} Does the story tell the reader what they need 
to know? 

} Is it understandable? 

} Does it follow a logical sequence? 

} Is the material supported by facts or an 
authoritative source? 

If the answer to those questions is yes, the 
piece is ready to be edited for grammar and 
punctuation. If the answer is no, find out 
what changes are needed and make them before 
going to the next step. 

For copy editing, choose someone who has 
good writing skills and who knows grammar 
and punctuation. One or two errors can 
undermine even the best story. Again, if 
possible, use more than one person. 

A copy editor will look for the 
following things: 

} Spelling 

} Grammar 

} Punctuation 

} Sentence structure 

This stage can be brutal if there are 
a lot of recommended changes. If 
so, dont take it personally. Instead, 
focus on what it takes to get a 
quality final product. 

A word of caution: Dont rely heavily on 
computer spelling and grammar checks. They 
are not infallible (have you ever seen a there 
that should have been a their?) Do use a 
dictionary. Consider using a stylebook as well. 

. Photo 

This is the time when you look at your key 
photos and choose the absolute best  in 
quality, composition and reproduction. You 
want the overall piece to be powerful as well as 
informative. 

} If youre still missing a key element, look 
at your file of extra photos to see if some
thing 
was overlooked the first time. If you 
still dont like what you have and you 
didnt get photos from your story source(s) 
during the research phase, consider doing 
that now. 


} Prepare the photos and/or negatives for the 
final format. If possible, have the negatives 
scanned by a professional photo shop onto 
a CD to get the highest-quality image and to 
make editing easier. If you just have prints, 
scan them into high-resolution (300 dpi or 
greater) electronic files. 

} Next, do any needed fine-tuning. This could 
be cropping, resizing, color adjustments, 
or artistic enhancements like embossing or 
turning the image into a line drawing. 

. Audio 

} Again, decide what your final format will 
beradio spots, Web site, audio for video, 
etc. 

} Decide the length of the piece  a 30- 
second public service announcement (PSA), 
a five-minute feature story, or a series of 
soundbites. 

} Choose the best quotes, regardless of the 
formatpart of a video, a radio news or 
feature story, a PSA or a Web site. Here 
again, less can be more. 

} If even your best quotes arent that great, 
you still can create a strong overall piece. 
For a radio news or feature story, add 
powerful phrases before and after the quote 
to grab the listeners attention. 

If the quote is part of a video, use strong 
visual images during that soundbite. Most 
people will tend to get caught up in the 
pictures and pay less attention to the words. 

} If you need high production quality, youll 
probably want to take the raw sound (and 
video if thats the case) to a professional 
studio for mixing, sound adjustment and 
post production. 

You also can do the editing yourself. There 
are several basic sound-editing software 
programs available on the Internet, free of 
charge. Quality editing software is available 
both online and at retail stores. 

. Video 

Without question, well-done video stories can 
be enormously powerful because we live in 
such a visual world. Before proceeding with 
production, consider these points: 

} Decide the approximate length of the 
finished piece before you begin editing. 
This can, of course, be adjusted along 
the way but you want to keep it within a 
usable time frame. 

Note: If you intend for your video to be 
broadcast by a cable or local television 
station, check with them first for required 
time guidelines so that youre sure to have 
the right length. 

} Fine-tune the script and/or music before 
you begin editing. 

} If you use music, get the rights before
hand. 
Be prepared to pay for it. If youre 
on a tight budget, you can find inexpensive 
soundtracks on the Internet. 


} Make clear to the editor what you want the 
final piece to be like or participate in the 
editing process. Changes after the tape is 
done can be complicated, time-consuming 
and enormously expensive. 

} If you need to supplement your video 
footage, consider using slides or still 
photographs. As long as the image qualilty 
is there, a good editor can blend the photos 
with the footage and still create a good 
final product. 

} Expect to pay approximately $1,000 to 
$3,000 per minute for a finished product. 
This estimate usually covers editing, 
producing and duplicating the final 
product. Other tasks such as shooting the 
raw footage, writing a script, and choosing 
music often are extra! 

Approvals 

Again, regardless of the format you choose, 
its a good idea for key people to see the story 
before its publicly released. This helps avoid 
unpleasant surprises and gives you another set 
of eyes to catch errors or inconsistencies. 

If your agency has an approval process, use it. 
As a courtesy, consider getting the approval of 
other departments or agencies if the release of 
a particular story could impact them. 

Also, consider having your source(s) read or 
view the story, especially if it involves a tech
nical 
subject that you dont know well. This can 
help catch errors and ensure that your source is 
comfortable with the tone of the story. 

When you circulate a story for approval, 
provide a deadline for when you need it back. 
Otherwise, your story could get lost in the 
shuffle of someone elses workload and your 
timeline is toast. ALWAYS keep a copy for 
yourself in case the one thats circulating gets 
lost altogether. 

Its advisable to use a written sign-off sheet. This 
helps in two ways: 

1) It documents that the story was, in fact, 
read (or seen, heard) and approved. 

2) It helps you keep track of who has signed 
off on the story, who still needs to review 
it and any special instructions. 

If you do get changes during the approval 
process, find out if the story needs to be 
re-routed for a second signoff. If so, make 
sure that happenseven if it costs you time. 
Generally, the good will this effort generates is 
worth more than the time delay. 

When the fact-checking, editing and approval 
processes have been completed, your story is 
ready to be put into its final form. This is a good 
time to review it again to be sure that all the 
corrections have been made and that no new 
misspellings or errors have cropped up. 


Creating a Finished Product 

Now comes the fun partcreating a finished 
product. This is where you can really use 
your imagination to make the story or project 
interesting. 

Good presentationwhat your final product 
looks likeis really important. It should be 
neat and professional. That doesnt necessarily 
translate to big expense. You can do a lot just 
with typestyle and layout. 

Print 

If you cant use a graphic artist or designer, here 
are some basic things you can do to come up 
with a nice-looking print product: 

} Choose an interesting typestyle. Try it out 
on the headline and at least one paragraph 
to be sure that its easy to read. Also, make 
sure that the type size is big enough to read 
comfortably  in most fonts, this means 
using at least a 10-point size. 

} Consider using color for the headline and 
any subheads. This provides emphasis and 
helps add visual interest. (It will cost more, 
though, so watch your budget.) 

} Add photos or graphics to break up the 
text. A page with nothing but print lacks 
interest. One or two photos can really liven 
it up so pick your best shots. If possible, use 
comparative photos  before and after 
to illustrate the point of the story. 

} Embrace white space. Dont worry if you 
cant fill every square inch of the paper with 
text or artwork. 

A little white space is OK just make sure 
the page looks balanced. 

} Use a good paper stock. Paper quality makes 
a difference in the overall appearance of your 
product. Use the best you can afford. 

For more tips on print products, see Getting the 
Best Printed Product on page 52. 

Photo 

If you are using your photos for a storyboard 
or photo essay (lots of pictures, very little text), 
here are some pointers for creating your final 
product: 

} To generate interest, use both vertical and 
horizontal images and vary the sizes. Be 
careful not to size a photo too small. You want 
it to be easily visible from across a room. 

} Dont crowd your images. Allow some 
breathing room between photos. Often, 
less is more. 


} Choose a background color 
that looks good with the 
majority of the photos. Black 
is always good. Royal or navy 
blue work too. 

} Consider having the 
photos dry-mounted onto 
foam-core board before you 
put them on the background 
board. This enables you to 
change photos or rearrange the 
display without damaging the 
background. 

} Try varying the depth of the photos as well. 
By adding a few scraps of foam-core board 
to the back of the photo, you can give it 
dimension and that can be very effective. 

} Look for good ways to showcase your 
essay, such as floor-length or tabletop 
displays, easels, etc. 

Video 

} Choose a format that will accommodate the 
requirements of whoever is going to show 
your video. 

For example, a cable television station may 
want a digital copy; your local television 
station may want a Beta master. Also, al
ways 
plan to have some VHS copies as well. 
These work great for events such as public 
meetings or speaking engagements. 

} Get more than one copy of the final 
product. Consider at least four or five cop
ies 
of the digital, Beta or 3/4-inch format and 
more of the VHS format. For larger quantities, 
look for a video duplication service. They will 
charge a setup fee and a per-copy fee but 
usually its reasonable. 

} Determine final presentation. Will it be 
boxed? Is special artwork needed for the 
cover, or just titling and labeling? If you are 
already using a video duplication service, they 
should be able to handle these elements as 
well. 

Audio 

} Select a format thats compatible with 
your intended use. For example, a PSA for 
a local radio station can be put onto a CD. A 
quality video requires that the raw sound be 
integrated into the images digitally. For a 
Web site audio story or just a few sound
bites, 
the raw sound can be stored on your 
computer server and distributed over the 
Web. 

 


Production Points 

Be prepared to make a number of decisions 
when it comes to reproducing your final 
producteven if its just one story. 

First, have an idea of what you want the final 
product to look like, i.e., elegant, informal, 
flashy, etc. 

Then consider the following points for each type 
of final product: 

For a written piece, youll need to 
decide: 

} Sizeboth in dimension (6x9, 81/2x11, 11x17) 
and approximate number of pages 

} Quantitynumber of copies 

} Papercolor, weight, finish (glossy, matte) 

} Colorblack and white, one-color, two-color, 
three-color, etc. 

} Binding methodstapled, saddle-stitched, 
side-stitched, perfect-bound, glue/tape, comb, 
wire 

} Printing methodphotocopying, digital 
imaging, offset printing 

} Proofsdid you need or want them before 
the final printing is done? 

} Costsetup, per change, total quantity 

} Turnaround timehow long will it take from 
setup through production? 

} Delivery or shippingmode and approximate 
cost (e.g., mail? UPS? FedEx? freight?) 

Many of these decisions can be technical, so 
enlist the help of someone who has layout and 
design experience or who is familiar with print
ing 
methods. 

For more tips, see Getting the Best Printed 
Product on page 52. 

For a videotape, youll need to decide: 

} FormatDigital, DVD, Beta, 3/4-inch, VHS 

} Quantitynumber of copies per format 

} Dubbing capabilityhow many tapes can be 
done in what amount of time? 

} Costper piece in each format 

} Turnaround time 

} Delivery or shipping 

For a CD, youll need to decide: 

} Quantity 

} Jewel casedo you want a cover? What is the 
design? 

} Disc labelwill there be one? What is the 
wording or design? (If so, youll need to 
provide artwork.) How will it be attached 
(peel-off, screen-printed)? 

} Dubbing capabilityhow many discs in what 
amount of time? 

} Cost 

} Turnaround time 

} Delivery or shipping 


Getting the Word Out 

Now youre ready to promote your story or 
project. This is an essential element to the 
overall success of your effort. Be as meticu
lous 
here as you were in documenting and 
producing the story. 

Developing a Strategy 

You need a plan for getting the word out. This 
is where your work in determining objective, 
identifying audience, establishing a time frame, 
and creating a budget comes in handy. 

Look at those same questions again now. Are 
the answers still the same? If not, redefine whats 
needed and readjust your strategy. 

Remember, you can use a number of different 
techniques to promote your message, some 
simultaneously and some over time. 

Determining Key Message(s) 

Heres where you figure out what to say and who 
to say it to. 

Basically, your key messages should: 

1) Support the objective 

2) Relate to the target audience 

3) Promote the featured disaster-resistance 
measure 

4) Promote the final product 

Generally, one set of messages doesnt fit 
all target audiences. But you will be able to 
reuse certain key points in each set of 
messages. 

Talking Points 

A good technique for communicating key 
messages is to turn them into talking points, 
which are one- or two-sentence statements that 
highlight your main points. 

Talking points have a lot of advantages. They 
can be used as a way to summarize your issue. 
They can help you focus on what you want to 
say. They can act as soundbitesshort, usable 
comments that the media (especially radio and 
television) can use in a story. 

Here are sample talking points for one 
scenario: 

Objective: Instill public confidence 

Audience: Community-at-large 

Disaster-resistance measure: Water 
treatment plant has been fortified to keep it 
operational, even during flooding. 

Promotion: Special event to mark completion 
of disaster-resistance work at the plant. 


Talking Points: (from Mayor) 

. As you all know, our community has suffered 
two major floods in the past five years. 

. Both times, our water treatment facility on the 
riverfront failed when our sandbag dikes were 
overtopped. 

. These failures have severely impacted our 
citizens and caused considerable expense for 
the cityboth of which are unacceptable. 

. To keep this from happening again, we have 
put in a number of measures that will better 
protect the plant the next time the river 
floods. 

. Some of these measures include: 

} Raising electrical transformers above 
previous flood levels to make sure the plant 
wont lose power; 

} Having metal shields that will fit over the 
plants doors and windows to keep water 
out; 

} Moving critical equipment out of the 
basement to higher floors; 

} Developing an emergency operations plan 
that will help us conduct a better flood 
fight; 

} Constructing an emergency clay dike if we 
need a secondary line of defense. 

. We know that our community will experience 
future floods. 

. But now, because of these disaster-resistance 
measures, we also know that our water treat
ment 
plant will function better the next time 
the river comes calling. 

Creating Promotional Products 

When youre ready to promote your disasterresistance 
story or project, youll need some 
products to support your efforts. 

These could include: 

} Copies of your story, book or video to hand out 

} A press kit with a copy of your finished 
product and other materials that promote 
disaster-resistance, such as tips for homeowners 
and businesses on what they can do 
to better protect themselves 

} A media advisory or press release 

} A public service announcement  could 
promote disaster resistance in general or just 
be a teaser for your story 

} A story briefa one-paragraph version of 
your story that summarizes the main points. 
(This is especially useful if youre pitching to 
magazines or trade publications.) 

Heres a sample brief, based on a story 
from Journeys, North Dakotas Trail Towards 
Disaster Resistance. (See the full story on page 
58.) 

Home Away from Home . . . and the River... 
Brings Peace of Mind 
Cliff and Eleanora Arntz had lived in their 
Grand Forks, North Dakota, home for 43 years. 
They had raised their six children there. But 
when a devastating flood hit the city and their 
house in April 1997, the couple knew they 


could never return. Not wanting to leave 
Grand Forks, the Arntz voluntarily sold their 
flood-ravaged home to the city and moved 
to the west edge of town  far from the river 
that swallowed their entire neighborhood. 
Now, the couple says, they feel safer because 
they no longer live in harms way. 

How to Get the Word Out 

There are countless ways to promote your 
story or project, so choose the methods that 
work for you and that fit your strategy. The 
goal should be to talk about it as often as you 
can in as many places as possibleespecially 
if your objective is to encourage others to 
embrace disaster resistance and to take 
action. 

Media Pitching 

Getting media coverage of the disasterresistance 
measure featured in your story is 
one of the best tools available. The media can 
reach a large audience and can put a face on 
disaster resistance. A media outlet also can 
be a good potential partner in your ongoing 
effort to promote disaster resistance in a com
munity, 
state, region or nationwide. 

Before you approach a media outlet, do your 
homework. 

} Know who the key managers are, what their 
story deadlines are, when they hold storyplanning 
meetings, etc. 

} Decide what you want the end result to be. Is 
it a front-page story? Is it a business-section 
feature? Is it time on a Sunday public affairs 
program? Is it time on a call-in radio show? 

} Based on the end result youre looking for, 
identify the best person to meet with. Is it the 
editorial page editor? Business section editor? 
Television assignment editor? 

} Figure out your hookwhat youre going 
to say to get them interested in doing a 
story. 


At your meeting with that media outlet, use your 
hook. Describe how they can help promote your 
topic and why it would make a good story. 

Gear your conversation toward the desired 
result, e.g., This could make a great story for 
your business section because...  Its better to 
let the media outlet decide how they want to use 
your story but you want to be ready to make a 
suggestion if they ask. 

Be able to provide information that can help 
them do the storycontact names and phone 
numbers, etc. 

Other Venues 

Aside from the news media, you also can get the 
word out through: 

. Business groups such as chambers of 
commerce, businesswomens groups, tourism 
committees and economic development 
councils 

. Service organizationssuch as American 
Red Cross, Salvation Army, Rotary, Kiwanis, 
Masons and scouting organizations 

. Social organizations such as quilting 
clubs, church organizations, neighborhood 
associations and fire or police department 
auxiliaries 

. Professional associations such as 
emergency managers, bankers, realtors, 
floodplain managers, contractors, engineers, 
firefighters and peace officers 

. Web sites such as those belonging to 
businesses, news media, community 
organizations, governmental agencies and 
educational institutions. 

. Specialty magazinessuch as Midwest 
Living, Lawn & Garden and Preservation 
magazine 

. Trade publications such as Firehouse, 
Architectural Record and American City & 
County 

. Trade shows 

. Business fairs 

. Home & garden shows 

. Special events 

For ideas on how to promote your project, see 25 
Ways to Promote Disaster-Resistance Projects 
on page 56. 


Avoiding the 
Information Avalanche 

Youve found a great story, youve created 
a dynamic product, and youve successfully 
promoted disaster resistance. Now its time to 
clean up after the guests have gone home. 

Information Management 

No doubt, youve accumulated materials and 
documents in the course of doing your story or 
project. Now you need to decide what to keep 
and how to organize it. 

Those decisions boil down to a judgment call. 
Some agencies have certain requirements for 
records management; others just have recom
mended 
practices. Follow your internal policies 
first, then do what you think is important. 

Note: Youll want to keep whatever is needed 
to back up your work and serve as a point of 
reference later in case someone wants more 
information, e.g., a magazine calls to get names 
and phone numbers so they can do their own 
version of your story. 

With that in mind, here are some suggestions: 

What to Keep 

} One or two copies of the finished product 

} Negatives, slides, contact sheets, key prints 

} Interview notes 

} Key supporting documentation such as maps, 
financial figures for the story 

} Names, phone numbers, fax numbers, e-mail 
addresses of key contacts/information 
sources 

} Story leads list 

} Story sign-off sheet 

} Interview/photo authorizations, if used 

} Budget 

} Receipts for expenses (unless those need to go 
to your agencys finance staff) 

For at least a short time after you release a story, 
keep the edits in case there are questions. 

You might also want to keep a separate file with 
items that you could use to do your project again. 
This would include things like your story leads 
list, planning notes, budget, checklists and 
promotional ideas. 

How to Organize Your Stuff 

Choose a method that quickly and easily puts 
key data at the fingertips of anyone who wants 
it. 

For your notes and background material, a real 
space-saving ideaespecially if most of your 
files are electronicis to copy everything onto 
a compact disc. Otherwise, a three-ring binder 
with dividers is an easy, low-cost option that 
keeps everything in one place. 

Consider creating electronic databases for 
your story leads and/or your finished product 
so that you can quickly retrieve information. 
There are a number of software programs that 
can help with this. Choose one that is easy to 
use and that allows you to continually add new 
information. 


Telling the Tale in a Disaster 

Disasters provide an excellent 
opportunity to measure the 
effectiveness of efforts to reduce 
or prevent damages. They also can 
reveal opportunities for new 
projects. 

If you want to promote projects 
during disaster response and 
recovery, heres a quick checklist 
that can help you cover the bases: 

Before a disaster 

Do as much prep work as possible 
so you can quickly hit the ground 
running and take advantage of 
media coverage and high public 
interest. 

Consider these steps: 

} Decide what kinds of stories you would 
want to promoteHazard Mitigation Grant 
Program projects? Individual mitigation? 
Infrastructure? Or a variety of types? 

} Determine the audience and how youre 
going to promote the stories  written, 
photos, video. 

} Geographically identify high-risk disaster 
areas. 

} Look at disaster-resistance efforts that have 
been done in those areas (for example, 
projects funded by individuals, businesses, 
communities, states, FEMA, and other 
agencies). 

Are these efforts complete? Have they already 
been disaster-tested? 

} Gather background information on these 
projectsat a minimum, a list of leads that 
includes location, address, type of project, 
when it was done, sponsoring agency, 
contact name and phone number. Look for 
photos as well. 

} Assemble the information so that its ready 
to go  one central list, a file folder, a 
computer disk or CD. 

} Identify key media outlets you would 
want to contact as soon as you have a story 
(names, phone numbers, etc.) 

} Add all of the above to the first-out 
materials you take on a disaster. 


During a disaster 

If conditions allow, take advantage of the event 
to document whats happening. 

} Get someone to physically check the key sites 
throughout the event. Have them take notes, 
photos or video. This is probably the most 
critical time to get visual documentation of 
disaster-resistance measures. 

} Make a preliminary list of the projects you 
want to feature (consider including some 
that didnt work) so you can check these sites 
again as soon as the event is over. If you have 
several, prioritize the best ones. 

} Monitor disaster situation reports. This can 
help you with story leads by identifying good 
things as well as problem areas. 

After a disaster 

Be prepared to start the story process as soon 
as possible. The best window of opportunity to 
promote your projects can be narrow and you 
want to get in before it closes. 

} Get buy-in for the documentation project from 
all key players before you begin. 

} If you werent able to gather information in 
advance, have someone start doing this as 
soon as possible. Use your local, state and 
federal emergency management sources. If 
they dont have enough to get you started, 
ask them for ideas of where to go next. 

} Simultaneously, formulate a plan for your 
documentation project. 

Include the objective, audience, format (press 
release, feature story, etc.), reproduction 
method and distribution mechanism. 

} Assign at least one person to do nothing but 
the documentation projectat least initially. 
To be thorough and fast, theyll need to work 
on it full time. 

} Prioritize the project(s) you want to feature. 

} Begin documentationsite visits, research, 
interviews, taking photos, etc. The site 
visit is very importantdont skip this step, 
especially after a disaster! You want to know 
the project worked and be able to pick up 
on any potential issues before you go public 
with it. Also, be sure your story sources are 
agreeable to having their information 
released to the public. 

} The fastest way to promote a project is to 
pitch it to the media and let them do the story 
(otherwise, youre spending time on 
interviews, photos, approvals, etc.) Do not, 
however, pitch this to the media before you 
have checked the site and verified your 
background information. 

} In the meantime, consider doing your own 
story as wellyou probably will want this 
for other uses down the road. 

} Once you have a draft, run it through the 
editing and approval processes before its 
released. 

} Reproduce and distribute. 


Appendices 


Appendix A 

Leave No Stone Unturned 

Common Sources for Story Leads 

The following lists identify the most common 
sources for story leads. Exact agency names will 
vary depending on the locality or state. 

Local level 

. Emergency management office 

. Mayor/City Manager 

. City Council/Board of Alderman 

. City or County Clerk 

. Floodplain Manager 

. Public works department 

. Street, roads or highway department 

. Planning department 

. Building inspections department 

. Fire department 

. Parks department 

. County extension services 

. Health department 

. Schools, colleges and universities 

. Hospitals 

. Chamber of commerce 

. Economic development councils 

. Historical society 

. Homebuilders association 

. Trades professionals such as contractors, 
plumbers, electricians, etc. 

. Philanthropic foundations (commonly 
provide grants for special projects) 

. Private non-profit organizations 

. Schools, colleges and universities 

State level 

. Emergency management office 

. Governors office 

. Transportation department 

. Fire marshal (in some states, this could be part 
of a public safety department) 

. National Guard 

. Forestry department 

. Natural resources department 

. Game & parks department 

. Health department 

. Environmental protection division 

. State historical society 

. League of municipalities 

. Professional trade associations 

Federal level 

. U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) 

. Federal Emergency Management Agency 
(FEMA) 

. U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 

. U.S. Department of Housing & Urban 
Development (HUD) 

. U.S. Department of Commerce/Economic 
Development Administration (EDA) 

. U.S. Department of Defense/Department of 
the Army/U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

. U.S. Federal Highway Administration 
(FHA) 

. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 
including Natural Resources Conservation Ser
vices 
(NRCS) and Farm Service Agency (FSA) 

. U.S. Department of the Interiorincluding 
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and National 
Park Service (NPS) 

. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

. National Weather Service (NWS) 

Keep in mind other resources can found among 
non-profit organizations, such as the National 
Historic Trust for Preservation, and voluntary 
agencies, such as the American Red Cross, the 
Salvation Army, etc. 


Appendix B 

Questions You Can Ask for 
Disaster-Resistance Stories 

The PEOPLE 

} Name 

} Street address 

} City/State/Zip 

} Phone 

} Date of birth for story subjects (this helps 
you determine accurate age, especially if 
story doesnt run for awhile or needs to be 
updated) 

} Occupation (if retired, previous occu
pation) 

} Family infoNumber of children, pets, 
grandchildren 

The HOUSE/BUSINESS 

} Description of the structure (color, number 
of stories, number of bedrooms) 

} How long have they lived in the house or 
worked in the business? 

} Did they build the house/business? 

} Type of business, number of employees, 
how long in business, etc. 

DISASTER INFO 

(Note: For this section, its important to get as 
many direct quotes as possible because you 
want people to the paint the picture in their 
own words.) 

Past Disasters 

} Have they sustained disaster damage in the 
past? 

} If so, when? 

} From what type of event? 

} Did any physical injury result from the 
event? 

} What sights, sounds, smells do they 
remember from that disaster? 

} Did they lose family treasures? Important 
business documents or inventory? 

} What was the worst part of the disaster? 

} What kind of mark has the disaster left on 
them (sad, fearful, determined to be better 
protected)? 

Current or Recent Disasters 

} Get them to describe the disaster itself 
flood, severe storm, earthquake 

} What was it like to watch/hear news 
accounts of the event? (Note: Get them to 
describe the emotional feeling as the flood
waters 
rushed through town or tornadoes 
bounced about or power lines broke under 
the weight of snow and ice...) 

} What did they do during the storm? Where 
did they go to ride it out? 

} Was their home/business damaged? 

} Were neighboring homes/businesses also 
damaged? Who are the contact people for 
more information on that damage? 

} Why was this disaster different? 

MEASURES THEY PUT IN PLACE 

} What convinced them to make changes to 
their home/business? 

} When did they do it? 


} What did they do? (Note: Get specific 
e.g., how far off the ground did they 
elevate, how much dirt was hauled in, 
etc. Remember, no action is too small or 
insignificant to find out about. You can 
always decide later whether to include it.) 

} What kind of building materials did they 
use? 

} Did they use a contractor to do the work? 
If so, get name and phone number to 
contact for additional technical information 
(or for other clients whove done things as 
well). 

} Did the work require permitting or 
compliance with certain local ordinances, 
such as floodplain development? 

} Did they encounter difficulties along the 
way? If so, what were they and how were 
they resolved? 

} How much money did they spend to make 
modifications? 

} How did they pay for itloans, grants, 
savings? 

FUTURE IMPACT 

} Now that theyve taken action(s), do they 
feel better prepared for future disasters? 
How? 

} What lessons have they learned from the 
disaster/rebuilding experience? 

} What advice would they give to others in 
their situation? 

} Has the action(s) given them better peace of 
mind in the event of another disaster? 

} Do they expect to realize a financial benefit/ 
savings by adding disaster resistance 
measures? Is that savings over-and-above 
what they spent on the measures? 


Appendix C 

Lights, Camera, Action 

Photography can be both fun and challenging. 
A lot depends on what you know, what kind of 
equipment you have and what youre trying to 
accomplish. 

Here are some points to ponder: 

Camerafilm or digital? 

Film cameras 

Advantages: Generally cheaper than digital; 
can give you more creative images by using 
a variety of lenses and filters. 

Disadvantages: Film has to be processed and 
then scanned into a computer. 

Digital cameras 

Advantages: More compact than a film 
camera; produces instant results; images can 
immediately be transferred to computer. 

Disadvantages: At present, still more expen
sive 
than film cameras. Image quality is not 
as good as with film or slides so keep this in 
mind if youre using offset printing methods. 
Need at least 300 dpi at required image size. 
Otherwise, your photos will have to be small 
to maintain clarity. 

Film 

Types available, speeds, care and handling 

Print film (negative) 

Advantages: Can be easily and quickly 
processed almost anywhere. 

Disadvantages: Most consumer-quality 
prints are not very high quality. 

Slide film (transparency) 

Advantages: Printers color separations are 
generally higher quality because slides are 
sharper and have greater tonal range than 
consumer-quality prints. 

Disadvantages: Consumer outlets (grocery 
or discount stores) may take longer to process 
slidesprofessional labs usually can do it 
within an hour. Slide scanners for home/ 
office use are more expensive than standard 
flatbed scanners. 

Film speed 

This refers to the sensitivity of the film to light, 
and is indicated by an ASA number. Slower 
speeds, such as 50 or 100, will produce a very 
high resolution, high-quality image but are 
only useful in bright daylight or with a very 
powerful flash. High-speed film (400 800 
ASA) has a larger grain pattern, which can 
be very visible and will make the photo look 
granular and fuzzy. These speeds can be used 
on dark, overcast days and will produce good 
results indoors with small flash units. The closest 
thing to a universal film is 200 ASAa good 
compromise between quality and speed. 

Care and handling 

Avoid exposing your film to heat and sunlight. 
Leaving film and your camera in a hot car 
is temptingespecially when youre on the 
road. 


But on a summer day, the interior of a car can 
reach 150 degrees, and it doesnt take long 
for the undeveloped film to start fading and 
turning yellow. Carry your camera and film 
with you until you can leave them somewhere 
indoors. 

Lighting 

Natural outdoor lighting is the type youll 
most commonly use. In bright sunlight, use a 
fill flash setting on your camera if you have 
one to lighten the shadows. If you have to 
photograph someone with the sun behind them, 
put your flash on the appropriate setting (see 
your instruction manual) to avoid losing their 
face in shadow. 

Avoid taking pictures of people in the shade 
on a sunny day with few clouds. Although 
your eyes compensate for it, camera film sees 
things exactly as they are. If a person stands in 
the shade on a cloudless day, his/her face will 
appear bluish on film (this is because the face 
actually is illuminated by the blue sky, not by 
the sun). A flash will compensate for this, as will 
some white clouds in the sky or a white wall. 

Indoor lighting  Most cameras have an 
automatic flash setting, so use it. Keep in mind 
that fluorescent lighting will give a greenish or 
bluish cast to a picture and if bright enough, 
it can even overpower a cameras flash unit. 
Take indoor pictures in a room with sunlight 
coming through windows to reduce the color 
shift of fluorescent lights. 

The Golden Rule: 

Shoot lots of picturesmore than you think 
you could ever use. A photo can be ruined 
by so many things you wont notice until its 
too latepeople blinking, looking off-camera, 
something distracting in the background, etc. 
Remember, in the grand scheme of your project, 
film is cheap. 


Appendix D 

Getting the Best Printed Product 

Youve been introduced to a number of the 
decisions needed to produce a book (see 
Production Points, page 37). Here are some 
additional points to help you get the best print 
product. 

Cost Considerations 

A number of factors can affect the cost of pro
ducing 
your publication and, ultimately, your 
bottom line. These include: number of pages; 
weight of paper, including cover; trim size 
(size of paper for finished product); number of 
photos; number of ink colors; quantity of books; 
printing method. Again, decide what you can 
afford. 

Printing Methods 

There are several ways to print your final 
product, depending on its size and specific
ations. 
Heres what you want to know about 
those methods: 

} Photocopying High-speed copiers can 
do short-run books economically but the 
quality is not equal to other printing 
methods. All copiers can work from a hardcopy 
original; some will be able to accept 
electronic files as well. 

} Digital imaging Uses a sophisticated 
high-speed color photocopier. The orig
inal 
can have any amount of full-color 
photographs and artwork. Offers quick 
turnaround and better cost-effectiveness for 
short-run jobs. Needs an electronic file for the 
original. 

} Offset printingUses a press with plates 
made from negatives or from a computerdriven 
laser onto a light-sensitive drum. 
Needs an electronic file for an original. This 
is more expensive because of the needed prep 
work and the high-tech machinery. Usually 
most cost-effective for 1,000 or more copies. 

Binding Methods 

How are you going to join all the pages? There 
are several choices to consider: 

} Saddle-stitched or saddle-stapled  
Commonly used for magazines such as Time 
or Newsweek, this method staples or stitches 
on the spine from the outside inward. 
An inexpensive method, especially for large 
print runs; best suited for a thinner book. 

} Side-stapled Staples are inserted from 
the front cover through to the back. Not as 
common as saddle stitching, but it can 
accommodate thicker books. 

} Perfect boundUsed for paperback books, 
this method has a glue binding; creates a very 
professional look. 

} Glue/tape binding This binding wraps 
over the spine and onto both covers. A good 
method for smaller quantities; can be done by 
local photocopy shops. 

} Comb bindingThe teeth of a plastic spine 
are inserted through rectangular holes 
punched in the pages. Inexpensive for short 
runs; main advantage is that the book will lie 
flat when open. 


} Wire binding (also known as spiral binding, 
coil binding and Wire-O binding) A coiled 
spiral of wire is wound through small, round, 
punched holes. Again, the book can lie flat 
when opened or be folded back onto itself for 
handy use. 

Selecting a Printer 

} Know what you want the final product to 
be prior to choosing a printer. Some projects 
may be beyond a printers capabilities and 
youll need to find that out before deciding 
which company to use. 

} If a bid is required, start early and 
provide as much detail about the final product 
as possible. This improves your chances of 
getting an accurate bid and lets you know 
approximate cost before proceeding. Theres 
no sense in continuing with a project you 
cant afford. 

} Ask to see samples of their work and/or 
references involving similar projects. 

Once a printer is chosen 

} Discuss your project in greater detail. The 
printer will be able to recognize potential 
pitfalls and help you deal with them before 
problems arise. 

} Make sure you understand what factors will 
constitute cost changes beforehand. For 
example, if you order more than one proof, is 
there a charge? If you change a photo or copy 
text once its been set, is there a charge? 

} Ask your printer what software program(s) 
he/she prefers to work with. Some printers 
still can use hard copy or camera-ready art, 
but most work now is done from computer 
files. You dont want to submit your final 
product in a format the printer cant use. 

} Ask about getting a proof of the product for 
a final sign-off. A printer should be willing to 
do thisquantity, types of proofs, and costs 
should be agreed upon before the printer 
begins work. 

} Deliver all needed componentspage lay
out 
file, fonts, and all scanned photos and 
computer illustrationswhen youre ready 
to begin production. The preferred format 
is TIF because it contains all the digital 
information (this is the best file format for 
photos). Another common format is JPG 
but be careful if you use this format. A JPG 
is a compressed file and if a user repeatedly 
opens and re-saves information, the file can 
lose quality. 

Other considerations 

} GraphicsIf you use photos in the book, 
make sure the resolution is high enough 
to produce quality halftones. The general 
guideline is 300 dots-per-inch (dpi) scans for a 
halftone screen of 133150 lines-per-inch (lpi). 
Check with your printer for more details. 

If you create graphics on the computer, save 
them in a TIF or EPS format. These formats 
can be easily and accurately imported into 
your page layout program. 


Appendix E 

Making the Most of Your 
Contractor 

Hiring a free-lance professional to capture your 
disaster-resistance stories can be a real benefit. 
Or, it can be a real disaster. A lot depends on 
how prepared you are to hire the right person 
and to help them give you their best. 

Here are some hints for making the most of your 
contractor. 

Determine what you need 

} Who are you trying to hirewriter, 
photographer, editor, etc.? 

} What skills do you want them to have? 

} How long do they need to be available? 

} How much money can you spend? Will you 
pay expenses in addition to their professional 
fee, or are you including those in the total 
cost? 

} Do you want to use a written contract? If so, 
have that ready before you start looking. 

Strike the right match 

} Where do you find someone? 

 Check with local media (sometimes 
reporters will free-lance) 

 Communications companies 

 Colleges and universities 

 Local or state economic development 
agencies (they often use writers and 
photographers for tourism brochures) 

 Ask your colleagues. Have they used 
someone? Was the work well done? 

 If theres a specific project someone else has 
done that you like, find out who did it. 

} Know the process required to hire some
one. 
Do you need to advertise, or can you 
find someone through other agencies or 
communities that have used a free-lance 
professional? 

} Ask to see a variety of work samples, 
regardless of their specialty (writer, 
photographer, videographer). Is the work 
thorough, well done? Do you like the style? 

} Ask for references from former clients. 

} Call those references. Ask about the quality 
of their work, how well they got along with 
people, whether they were able to meet 
deadlines. 

} Consider a face-to-face interview. Involve 
those who will be working with the contractor 
to see how everyone gets along. 

} Tell them what the project entails and ask if 
it falls within their expertise. 

} Ask for their salary requirements. 

} Tell them what you can providework space, 
camera, computer, etc. 

} Tell them what they need to providecar, any 
equipment, etc. 

} Give them the project timelineask if they 
can meet it. 


Provide clear direction 

} Tell them your expectations for the project 
scope, deadlines, finished productand 
where they fit into the picture. Are you 
expecting the Great American Novel or 
Pulitzer Prize-winning photo? If not, say so. 

} Give them the tools to do the job. Provide 
any necessary background, contact names 
and phone numbers. 

} Set deadlines. Consider establishing periodic 
checkpoints, e.g., weekly, biweekly, to review 
the work so that you know its still on track. 

} Communicate with them in writing via 
e-mails, notes or letters. This helps them 
stay focused and helps you remember what 
direction youve been giving. 

} For the final product, make sure they deliver 
it in a format that you can use, e.g., on paper, 
disk, CD, camera-ready, correct type of 
videotape, etc. It doesnt do you any good if 
they provide something that isnt compatible 
with your system (especially when it comes 
to types of software). 

} In the case of a photographer, decide who 
keeps the negatives. 

Pave the way 

} Give them a point person for the project 
who they can call with questions, problems, 
or for further direction. 

} If appropriate, call ahead to key contacts and 
make an introduction, e.g., a writer whos 
working for us will be calling you about... 
This lets your source(s) know that the writer 
has your endorsement to do the work and 
gives them time to pull together information 
ahead of an interview. 

Provide feedback 

} Let your contractor know how theyre doing 
along the way. Are they on the right track? 
Are they talking to the right people? What do 
you think of the work so far? 

} If you dont like what theyre doing, tell them 
that too. Its a waste of their time and your 
money if you dont get what you want. 

Follow up at the end 

} Do an exit interview with your contractor 
when the project is completed. Tell them 
what went well and, if you want to, what 
things could have gone better. 

} Arrange to get a facts file of pertinent 
informationnames, phone numbers, key 
documents, etc. before they leave so, if 
necessary, you can defend the information 
long after theyre gone. 

} Be willing to write a letter of reference if you 
were satisfied with their work. 

} Provide them with at least one copymore 
if you can spare themof the final product. 


Appendix F 

25 Ways to Promote 
Disaster-Resistance Projects 

The real-life examples of disaster resistance 
featured in your story, photo essay, book or 
video can be emphasized in conjunction with a 
variety of events and activities. 

Here are some ideas: 

} Launch a media tour to generate news 
coverage of the disaster-resistance example(s) 
youve found. 

} Create a press event  ribbon cutting, 
celebration party, etc. at the site of a disasterresistance 
project. 

} Feature a house with disaster-resistance 
measures on a homes tour. 

} Sponsor a booth at a county or state fair. 
Hand out copies of your story and other 
disaster-resistance materials. 

} Create a photo essay showing the steps 
featured in one story. 

} Adapt your story to a school-age audience 
then tell the tale to a classroom of children. 

} Partner with hardware or homeimprovement 
stores on a how-to workshop 
of disaster-resistance ideas. 

} Develop a road show about your story 
that can be used for speaking engagements. 
Include visual elements such as photos or 
PowerPoint. 

} Get a disaster-resistance proclamation from 
local or state officialsuse your story with 
the proclamation to convey the message. 

} Promote a different disaster-resistance idea 
each monthuse your stories as examples. 

} Submit a story to local, regional or national 
magazines. 

} Launch a Safe Business campaign to 
encourage disaster-resistance action within 
business communities. Feature a business 
case study. 

} Sponsor a coloring contest that features 
disaster-resistance ideas. Then, put the winner 
on a billboard. 

} Get your story on related Web sites  
government, public safety, lawn & garden, 
home remodeling, business, etc. 

} Get a radio station to do a live remote at the 
site of a disaster-resistance project youre 
featuring. Arrange for giveaways or moneysaving 
coupons on building supplies to those 
who visit the site. 

} Encourage fire service agencies to 
incorporate disaster-resistance into their 
public-education campaigns. 

} Partner with meteorologists to incorporate 
disaster-resistance ideas into their weather
casts 
and special severe weather awareness 
programs. 


} Enlist the help of law enforcement agencies 
in promoting disaster resistance. 

} Create displays that feature your stories  
put them in high-traffic stores throughout 
town. 

} Use your stories during disaster recovery to 
promote damage-prevention ideas as part of 
the rebuilding. 

} Give awards for homeowners, businesses, 
neighborhoods or communities that under
take 
a certain number of disaster-resistance 
projects. 

} Encourage PTAs to take on a disasterresistance 
project for a local school. 

} Launch a community effort to preserve 
historical properties by using disasterresistance 
measures. 

} Arrange for a school newspaper to do a story 
on one of your projects. 

} Use your stories in conjunction with special 
campaigns or eventse.g., Severe Weather 
Awareness Week, Fire Prevention Week, 
Safe Kids Week, etc. 



 

Home Away from Home... 

and the River... 

Peace of Mind 

brings 

Cliff and Eleanora Arntz no longer worry about losing 
their home to another flood. 

Theyve moved far away now from the river that took 
the house in Grand Forks, North Dakota, where they had 
lived for 43 years and raised their six children. 

In some respects, the move was hard, they say. 
They lived in an older, quiet, tree-lined area known as 
Lincoln Park. They had good neighbors. Cliff was espe
cially 
proud of his evergreen trees. Eleanoras favorites 
were the apricot and walnut trees. And, after all, it was 
their house. 

But in 1997, the Red River of the North took the 
house and the neighborhood theyd loved away from 
them. The river, a mere block or two away and behind an 
earthen dike, had gotten into the neighborhood three or 
four times over the years. Even so, water had never entered 
the Arntz story-and-a-half house. Not even in the base
ment, 
Eleanora says firmly. When the river crested at 54.3 
feet, water was up to the middle of the attic windows. 

Because of that single flood event, Cliff and Eleanora, 
both 79, say they wouldnt live there again even if they 
could have saved their home. 

To go back down there now, Id be more afraid, 
says Cliff. Here, I have no qualms about a flood any 
more. We are far enough away that we never should be 
bothered again. 

The Arntzes were the first Grand Forks residents 
to accept a voluntary buyout of their flood-damaged 

Cliff and Eleanora Arntz feel safer now in their new home away 
from the river. 

The Arntzs home for 43 years 
succumbs to floodwaters in 
April 1997. Cliff Arntz says 
when he saw this scene, he 
knew theyd never be able to go 
back home. Photo courtesy of 
Cliff and Eleanora Arntz. 


property. The buyout of their entire neighborhood was 
funded with about $12.5 million provided by the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency and about $1.7 million 
from the State of North Dakota. The buyouts are part of 
a hazard mitigation grant program that provides federal 
and state money to projects that will reduce or prevent 
future disaster damages and eliminate the need for 
disaster-recovery funding. 

New house, new home 

Seven months after the flood, Cliff and Eleanora 
moved into a new house, in a new neighborhood that 
the city built to help relocate residents displaced from 
Lincoln Park and other flooded areas. It wasnt a hard 
choice to make, they say. 

The first time we saw the [old] house was a week 
after the crest, Cliff remembers. The biggest share of 
it was still filled with water. The garage was still almost 
submerged. We knew we would never go back down 
there. 

 After the water subsided, they found that the house 
had shifted slightly off the foundation. Inside, there was 
about a foot of soggy insulation from ceilings that had 
collapsed. Every possession they hadnt gotten out at the 
time of the evacuation was water-soaked or caked with 
sludge. 

The couple feels fortunate to have been able to 
choose a buyout. They wanted to stay in Grand Forks. 
For both of them, long-since retired, the thought of 
starting over with a mortgage and living on Social 
Security was daunting. But with their buyout proceeds, 
their savings, money from fundraisers by family and 
friends, donations and gifts, they were able to buy their 
new $110,000 house free and clear. 

In all, about 350 flood-ravaged properties in their 
old neighborhood were voluntarily sold to the city. 
Another 249 properties, farther from the river but still 
in the floodplain, were bought out, too. The structures 
have since been demolished, leaving green space behind. 
According to the terms of the buyout, the land must 
remain open and undeveloped forever. 

The old neighborhood is still quiet. Cliff still likes to 
visit his trees. But he also likes to go back at night to a 
home where he knows he is safe. For the two of them, 
life is still good. 

Demolition was the best option 
for the Arntzs flood-ravaged 
home. The couple was the first 
to voluntarily sell their home to 
the city. Under the terms of the 
buyout, the land will forever 
remain as open space. Photo 
courtesy of Cliff and Eleanora 
Arntz. 


Fargo Works to Build a 

Disaster-Resistant City 

When a devastating flood hit Fargo, North Dakota, in 
1969, it left a pretty strong calling card. 

The message on that card was clear. Either give up your 
city to natures whims or find a way to coexist with an 
often unpredictable river. 

Fargo city officials werent about to give in. Instead, 
they looked at the problem in earnest and set off on a 
journey thats been going strong for more than 30 years. 

Their quest is to build a disaster-resistant city 
a place where citizens and businesses not only can survive 
but thrive, even when Mother Nature has different ideas. 

The city has accomplished a lot in that period of time. 
Flood-control systems have been put in the place. The 
citys infrastructure has been shored up, rebuilt and newly 
built. Building codes have been upgraded. Residential 
structures in harms way have been removed. Risk 
assessments and disaster planning have been continually 
refined. Public education about disasters and damage 
prevention is ongoing. 

Step by step, piece by piece, Fargo is doing more than 
standing its ground. In many ways, the city is on the 
leading edge of smart growth and community viability. 

What is perhaps most noteworthy about Fargos efforts 
is the sheer tenacity the city has displayed in the face of 
repeated disasters. While the 1969 flood was one of the 
worst on record (the oldest was in 1882), it hasnt been 
the last. The city was hit again by river flooding in 1975, 
1978, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1993 and 1997. 

There have been other disasters, too. Eight blizzards 
and five winter storms in 199697 dumped a whopping 
117 inches of snow on the city, contributing to its highest 
river level yet. On the Fourth of July 1999, damaging 
straight-line winds left tornado-like destruction in 
residential and commercial areas. In June 2000, about 
7 inches of rain fell in seven hours, producing localized 
flooding. Fargos annual rainfall is about 20 inches; a 
100-year rain event is 5.5 inches in 24 hours. 

Its enough to leave any city reeling. And yet, after 
each disaster, city officials have faced the good and the 
bad head-on. Theyve learned lessons and adjusted their 
short- and long-range strategiesall with the end goal of 
creating a safe and prosperous community. 

Piece by piece, Fargo has been 
building a defense to keep 
the Red River at bay during 
times of flooding. One day, city 
officials say, the river will just 
pass them by. FEMA photo by 
Andrea Booher. 


The Problem 

Fargo was born with some inherent challenges. It is 
located on the banks of the Red River, a northwardflowing 
river that begins in the southeastern corner of 
the state and ends in Lake Winnipeg, Canada. The river 
basin actually is some 45,000 square miles  47 percent 
of which is in North Dakota. 

When winter comes, the river freezes. When spring 
arrives, the rivers headwaters in the south melt first. 
Because the northern reaches of the state thaw later, 
the rivermelt flows head-on into still-frozen conditions. 
When the river hits that ice barrier, it can overflow its 
banks and spread out for miles. 

Secondly, Fargo was built on what was once the 
bottom of Lake Agassiz, an ancient glacial lake that 
encompassed much of North Dakota and some of 
Minnesota and South Dakota during the Ice Age. As a 
result, the citys terrain is flat  in fact, really flat. From 
the north edge of Fargo to its southern end  about 13 
miles  there is only about a 10-foot difference in the 
elevation. Consequently, natural runoff is inhibited. 

Spring snowmelt accounts for much of the rise in 
the Red River, which also is fed by a number of smaller 
tributaries. Also, heavy rains can quickly trigger localized 
flooding, which is exacerbated by the level land and by 
impervious clay soils. 

So what does a city do when factors this big are 
relatively impossible to change? It finds ways to work 
with the hand its been dealt. Heres a look at some of 
what Fargo has done to fortify itself against the effects 
of disasters. 

The Solutions 

Fargo has put in a number of structural and nonstructural 
measures that work both singly and collectively 
to help the city reduce the impact of disasters. 

 

. Permanent Flood Control Structures 

Creating flood barriers is one of Fargos most 
important floodfighting weapons, given that the flat 
terrain can cause 1 foot of water to spread a mile. 
Therefore, it is imperative to guard the citys perimeter 
against advancing floodwaters. 

Fargo built one of its first lines of defense  a dike  
in the mid-1960s. First constructed near the downtown 
business district as a floodfighting measure, the city 
has worked to make the mile-long earthen structure a 
certified and permanent means of protection. 

Since then, the city has constructed additional 
flood-control barriers whenever and wherever possible. 
The barriers include floodwalls, more earthen dikes 
and a residential landscaping program where home
owners 
along the river get a financial incentive to raise 
their backyards to a level even with another nearby 
city dike. 

Now, a large portion of the citys boundary is 
protected by some kind of flood-control structure. 
The result has been better-protected homes, businesses 
and critical facilities, like the citys $68 million water 
treatment plant, as well as reduced floodfighting costs. 

. Property Acquisition 

Fargo had a number of homes along the river and, 
predictably, they flooded over and over again. Many of 
them were either adjacent to a floodway or in an area that 
couldnt be defended. 

After the 1997 event, residents in five flooddamaged 
neighborhoods were given the option to 
voluntarily sell their properties to the city. Fargo 
purchased 82 properties at a cost of about $6.2 million 
and demolished the structures. (In 1997 alone, those 
properties had sustained about $2.1 million in damages. 
About half that cost, or approximately $1 million was 
spent on the more than 3 million sandbags that were 
used to fight the flood). 

Now, those properties are open space and most are 
permanently deed-restricted to prevent future building. 
Since the acquisition program began, the city has 
purchased 88 flood-prone properties, saving homeowners 
emotional and financial costs, and the city 
repeated floodfighting costs. 

Also, the city is negotiating with the owners of highrisk 
properties who didnt want a buyout to obtain a 
right-of-first-refusal. That would give the city first option 
to buy the property whenever its offered for sale. In those 
cases, too, the structure(s) would be demolished, creating 
more open space. To date, the city has recommended 
purchase agreements on 20 properties. 

A backup generator enables this lift station (brick building) to 
operate during a power outage. 


Fargo Public Works Director 
Dennis Walaker stands among 
newly planted trees, designed to 
grow into a living snow fence. 
The natural fences are built 
by planting rows of trees and 
shrubs that, when mature, will 
reduce drifting and blowing 
snow from piling on nearby 
roads. For more than 30 years, 
Walaker has helped guide the 
citys efforts to become more 
resistant to many kinds of 
disasters. FEMA photo by 
Andrea Booher. 

. Infrastructure Improvements 

The citys storm sewer system has been improved to 
ensure that it remains operational during floods. To do this, 
the city has installed protective gates to prevent backup, and 
built 10 new lift stations to improve pumping capacity. The 
city now has a total of 56 such lift stations, 20 of which are 
directly related to flood prevention. 

Normally, rain and snowmelt run off into the sewer 
system and gravity flows to outlets that discharge into 
the river. When the river level gets higher than the 
outlet, stormwater cant drain out. The lift stations then 
take over and actually pump or lift the water through 
pipes to a higher outlet that empties into the river. The 
protective gates automatically close when the river level 
meets the outlet, preventing the Red from backing up 
into the system and causing an overload. 

Backup electrical generators have been installed at 
six of 19 sanitary lift stations and four key city facilities 
to provide uninterrupted service if Fargos power supply 
is compromised for any reason. Portable generator units 
or emergency pumps are available for those lift stations 
that do not have permanent generator backup power. The 
diesel-powered units, initially added in 1999 to handle 
any Y2K-related emergencies, ensure that the lift stations 
will continue pumping sewage to the citys treatment 
facility (without that capacity, the sewage could back up 


into basements). The four facilities  city hall; the Fargo 
police station, which also houses the 911 Center; the 
citys central public works garage; and the water treatment 
plant  now can continue providing critical 
services even in the face of disaster. 

Fargo has built stormwater retention basins through
out 
much of the city to augment the storm sewer capacity 
during heavy rains. The basins, built below street level, 
collect and hold water until storm sewer drains can catch 
up in removing the additional water volume. 

Living snow fences have been planted to help pro
tect 
key areas during blizzards and winter storms. These 
fences actually are strategically planted rows of trees and 
shrubs that act as a filter to catch and drop blowing snow 
before it gets to roadways and other critical areas such 
as airports. Fargo built its first snow fence in 1986 on 
the north and south sides of the citys airport. Airport 
officials report that the fence has reduced drifting by 
about 70 percent. The city, in partnership with the state 
department of transportation, has planted a number of 
other fences in problem areas along its two interstates and 
highways. 

. Flood Insurance 

In 1971, Fargo became the first city in North Dakota 
to join the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). As 
a result, residents and business owners have been able to 
buy flood insurance to financially cover flood-damaged 
structures and personal property. To participate in the 
NFIP, a governmental entity must adopt and enforce 
sound floodplain management ordinances. As of Jan. 1, 
2001, there were 325 policies worth $54,394,900 in 
effect throughout the city. 

. Upgraded Building Codes 

After the 1997 flood, city officials upgraded local 
building codes to better protect new construction in and 
around the floodplain. The changes require the lowest 
floor of newly built structures to be 2.5 feet above the 
base flood elevation (BFE). Previously, the lowest floor 
only had to be 1 foot above BFE. The change applies to 
new structures both inside and within 150 feet of the 
floodplain. 

. Digital Mapping 

The city is enhancing its floodfighting capabilities 
through the use of digitalorthoimagery, a specialized 
system that takes aerial photographs of the citys 
topography. City engineers can use the photographs and 
related contour elevation maps to identify low areas that 
need to be built up during floods to hold back water. 

. Project Impact: Building Disaster Resistant 
Communities 

Fargo is bolstering its efforts to reduce the effects of 
disasters by becoming part of Project Impact: Building 
Disaster Resistant Communities. Launched in 1997 by 
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 
Director James Lee Witt, Project Impact promotes taking 
action to reduce or prevent damage before disaster 
strikes. Nationwide, about 250 communities and more 
than 2,500 businesses are not only participating in 
Project Impact but are reporting positive results in 
subsequent disasters. 

The Future 

As city growth continues, so will Fargos efforts to 
build a safer, more disaster-resistant community, city 
officials say. 

Already, about $20 million has been spent on the 
structural projects outlined. Much of the money has 
come from the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, 
administered by the State of North Dakota and funded, 
in large part, by the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency. 

The program helps pay for projects throughout the 
state that will reduce or prevent future disaster damages. 
Up to 75 percent of the project costs come from FEMA, 
the remaining 25 percent must come from non-federal 
sources such as state, local or private funds. 

Other funds have come from the State of North 
Dakota, city coffers, Community Development Block 
Grants, private money and insurance proceeds for 
repairing disaster damages. 

There is no shortage of ideas for Fargos wish list of 
projects that will keep natures impact at bay. And if his
tory 
is any indication, there will be a great deal more to 
this story in another 30 years. 

Fargo Public Works Director Dennis Walaker, whos 
helped guide the citys disaster-resistance efforts since 
1974, believes there is a light at the end of the tunnel. 

We have reduced our flood risk tremendously in 
Fargo, Walaker said. The whole flood problem is like 
a log chain with a lot of little links. Every link we get 
eventually becomes a big chain until one day, we will be 
able to watch the river go by. 


Photo Credits 

Pg. 3: Sunflowers aplenty, Aberdeen, South Dakota. 
Photo by Andrea Booher. 

Pg. 5: Tornado damage, Spencer, South Dakota, 1998. 
FEMA Photo by Andrea Booher. 

Building a safe room, Fort Morgan, Colorado, to protect 
against future tornadoes. FEMA Photo by Andrea 
Booher. 

Pg. 7: Missouri flood victim, evacuated during the 1993 
Midwest floods. FEMA Photo by Andrea Booher. 

Pg. 9: Cleanup on the island of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin 
Islands, after Hurricane Marilyn hit in 1995. FEMA 
Photo by Andrea Booher. 

Pg. 10: One of the thousands of businesses affected by the 
1993 Midwest floods. FEMA Photo by Andrea Booher. 

Pg. 12: Press conference in Houston, Texas after Tropical 
Storm Allison, July 2001. FEMA Photo by Andrea 
Booher. 

Pg. 13: Rebuilding Grand Forks Herald newspaper 
offices, devastated in 1997 by flood and fire. Photos by 
Barb Sturner. 

Pg. 14: Cultural advisor for the tribal college, Flathead 
Reservation, Montana, enjoys a moment of solitude. Photo 
by Andrea Booher. 

Pg. 18: New bridge (top) built higher and longer to 
minimize flooding problems along the North Dakota/ 
Minnesota border. Old bridge (bottom) was removed in 
1999, shortly after new bridge was completed. Photo by 
Randy Aarestad, Halstad, Minnesota. 

Pg. 19: Environmental officer, Northern Cheyenne tribe, 
checks Missouri River levels. Photo by Andrea Booher. 

Pg. 20: Clearing a stream near Lander, Wyoming before 
the spring runoff. FEMA Photo by Andrea Booher. 

Pg. 21: Moving a church in Tivoli, Pennsylvania, 2001, 
to better protect it from flooding. FEMA Photo by Liz 
Roll. 

Pg. 24: Sharing information during the recovery from 
Tropical Storm Allison, Houston Texas, 2001. FEMA 
Photo by Andrea Booher. 

Pg. 27: Building a safe room, Fort Morgan, Colorado, 
1999. FEMA Photos by Andrea Booher. 

Pg. 28: Salvaging a prize photo after flooding in northern 
California, 1997. FEMA Photo by Andrea Booher. 

Pg. 30: Firefighters from Ziwi tribe extinguish smoldering 
ruins from a forest fire, Los Alamos, New Mexico, 2000. 
FEMA Photo by Andrea Booher. 

Pg. 32: Tornado devastation, Spencer, South Dakota, 1998. 
FEMA Photo by Andrea Booher. 

Pg. 35: Book cover for Journeys, North Dakotas Trail 
Towards Disaster Resistance. 

Pg. 36: Record snowfall buried much of North Dakota 
during 1996-1997. FEMA Photo by Barb Sturner. 

Pg. 38: Disaster-recovery press conference in Houston, 
Texas, after Tropical Storm Allison, 2001. FEMA Photo 
by Andrea Booher. 

Pg. 40: Sheriffs deputy from Casper, Wyoming identifies 
area disaster risks. FEMA Photo by Andrea Booher. 

Pg. 43: Freeway collapse after the Northridge, California 
earthquake, 1994. Photo by Bob Eplett, California Office 
of Emergency Services.