PORT TOWNSEND — Willie Bence, director of Jefferson County’s Department of Emergency Management, said support from the federal government is looking bleak.
“Over the course of the last month, we’ve learned quite a bit more about some of the potential changes at (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) and how that will affect us,” Bence said as he updated the board of county commissioners on Monday.
The biggest change: the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is looking at increasing the cost threshold for pursuing a federal disaster declaration, Bence said.
Federal disaster declarations are a mechanism available to local and state governments when a disasters greatly outpace a jurisdiction’s resources, Bence said.
As outlined in the Stafford Act, once the declaration is approved, jurisdictions will be approved for reimbursement. That includes staff overtime and facility costs for things like shelters, Bence said.
Currently, the cost threshold in Jefferson County is about $1.4 million and the cost for Washington state is about $15 million, Bence said.
“FEMA is looking at increasing those about four fold,” Bence said. “Four times per capita what they are now. That would make our cost threshold a little bit less than $6 million and statewide about $60 million.”
The increased threshold is already impacting Jefferson County, Bence said.
Last year, Washington state filed a federal declaration for a bomb cyclone. Jefferson County was added retroactively after the washouts at the Upper Hoh Road and South Shore Road at Lake Quinault.
“That was $36 million,” Bence said. “That was denied by FEMA and this administration for not meeting their new requirements. That means that we’re going to be on the hook for a lot more response costs for those, kind of, intermediary disasters.”
In a statement following the denial of funds, Gov. Bob Ferguson said the state met the very clear criteria to qualify for the funds and said the state would appeal the decision. The April 14 statement noted that Washington had 30 days to appeal.
FEMA is looking at reducing its scope to only responding to large-scale disasters, like a potential major earthquake in the Cascadia Subduction Zone or large tornadoes, Bence said.
The federal agency also is interested in maintaining a 75 percent cost share, where, in the past, it has increased its share to 87.5 or 100 percent under certain conditions, Bence said.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, FEMA covered 100 percent of vaccine clinic costs, Bence said.
“In the future, that will remain locked at 75 percent,” he added.
Another change would see FEMA limiting the types of facilities eligible for reimbursement, specifically withholding funds for parks and recreation facilities, Bence said.
Structures within that category often are located on the water and impacted by winter storms and tornado events, Bence said.
Following federal emergency declarations, counties which historically would have been automatically eligible for hazard mitigation assistance grant opportunities will no longer be automatically eligible, Bence said.
Also, FEMA will seek to limit the time frame of its presence in jurisdictions, he said.
“They’ve said they want to be involved in disasters for just months and not years anymore,” Bence said.
Recovery processes can be long, difficult, costly and confusing, Bence said. In the past, it’s not been unheard of for FEMA to be in communities for 10-plus years. Bence noted the examples of Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy.
Bence said emergency management leaders and staff from Jefferson, Clallam and Kitsap counties recently met to discuss the change.
“We all agree FEMA needs some kind of reform,” he said. “This massive reduction isn’t necessarily it. All really concerning. It’s going to make disaster response a lot harder for us here in Jefferson County. Especially as it relates to those winter storms. We’re likely to be on the hook for much more of those costs. ”
Bence said the future of some of the grants that fund much of the county emergency department’s work is up in the air.
“Our department, we are incredibly small,” Bence said. “We have two full-time staff members and then that’s supported by four part-time staff members who are actually funded through some of the federal grants we’re at risk of losing.”
The department is responsible for planning for the looming catastrophe of the Cascadia Subduction Zone, the potential of an associated tsunami and the increased threats brought on by climate change, more common and more severe winter storms and emergent threats of wildfire, Bence said.
“The threat is increasing while capacity is potentially decreasing,” Bence said. “We are really struggling with that and trying to plan for somewhat of a sustainable future where we can grow to face the emerging threats.”
The funding seems to be secure through the summer wildfire season, but Bence said the department hopes to know more by this fall.
Bence plugged upcoming emergency preparedness events: All County Preparedness Day, formerly known as the all-county picnic, and monthly preparedness talks at the Jefferson County Library District.
All County Preparedness Day will be at Finn River, 124 Center Road in Chimacum, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 28.
The preparedness talks at the library, 620 Cedar Ave. in Port Hadlock, will take place on May 15 with sessions at 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. The talks will focus on water and food resiliency, Bence said.
Next month, the library talks will take place on June 17 with sessions at 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. The focus will be on heat and smoke preparedness, Bence said.
Bence said the department relies heavily on volunteer support and community engagement. To learn about volunteer opportunities, visit https://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/1450/VolunteerHow-to-Help.
The department’s preparedness and planning webpage contains a number of resources. Bence said the best thing there is a document called THINK, PLAN, DO!
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Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached by email at elijah.sussman@sequimgazette.com.
