Don't miss this ICMA University Leading Practices Conference, which focuses on how 10 Florida local governments used a unique partnership to help two Mississipi communities recover from Hurricane Katrina; how San Antonio, Texas, found locations for Gulf Coast evacuees; and how cities can prepare financially to weather the storms of disaster and speed up the recovery process.

Floods, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes. Local governments across the country have faced substantial challenges over the past few years, particularly during this year’s exceptionally brutal hurricane season. No matter where your community is located, you can experience nature’s fury and the challenge of providing for the safety and welfare of your community.

“Before Disaster Strikes—A Dialogue on Management Challenges” showcases successful approaches for preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. This ICMA Leading Practices Conference will highlight real-life case studies from the front lines and help you develop strategies that you can take home to your community.

You and your staff will benefit from discussions about:

• Finding housing solutions for residents after shelters close
• Documenting relief efforts to obtain reimbursement from federal, state, and local sources
• Managing volunteers and donations when you are receiving or giving aid
• Building on regional team experiences to improve preparedness.

Participants will also learn how to disaster-proof their personal finances and pre-plan to minimize a disaster’s impact through two special presentations offered by ICMA Corporate Partners Red Oak Consulting and the ICMA Retirement Corporation.

Who should attend?

This emergency management dialogue is designed for a broad audience of local government professionals, including managers, assistants, and key department heads. ICMA encourages teams of local government staff to attend. Ideal teams comprise local government staff responsible for transportation, public safety, purchasing, telecommunications, public works, planning, and public information.

Case Studies

Note: To allow conference attendees to hear all of the case studies, all three will be repeated during the two case-study blocks on Thursday afternoon and the one on Friday morning.

Partnering for a Quick Response—Florida Regional Partnership

Learn how 10 Florida local governments (including Deland, Gorda, Lake Mary, Kissimmee, New Smyrna Beach, Palm Coast, Palm Bay, Penascola, Punta, South Daytona, and Volusia County) built the relationships that allow them to respond nimbly to opportunities and emergency needs. Hear how these communities increased their capacity for innovation and preparedness and how they applied those skills to help Long Beach, Mississippi, recover from Hurricane Katrina and later spun off a second team to help Pass Christian, Mississippi.

Shelter Long after the Storm—San Antonio, Texas

Many local governments became home to evacuees from Hurricanes Katrina & Rita and dealt with the immediate shelter challenges effectively. Short-term plans to shelter and provide mass care should be coordinated with many agencies and may not be enough to provide more lasting solutions. Find out how the City of San Antonio quickly found good locations to meet the immediate needs of evacuees and created mid-term housing options for its newest residents that met basic transportation and service needs.

Developing a Financial Emergency Management Plan—Orange Beach, Alabama

Financial preparation is a vital component of how a city weathers the storm of disaster. There are critical steps that a city can take in preparation for a natural disaster or catastrophic event, as well as steps that can be taken to speed up and aid in the recovery process. Come learn from a small community, population 5,000, and their experience as they present "Hurricane Ivan by the Numbers".

Special Presentations

Your Personal Financial Emergency Preparedness (Presented by the ICMA Retirement Corporation)

Your community may be well prepared for a disaster, but are your personal finances disaster proofed? Have you considered what will happen if a major disaster affected your community? How about one that strikes only you and your family? What if all of your vital personal records were destroyed, or your bank account or other assets became suddenly inaccessible? Imagine that your medications are gone (along with your medical records) and no medical help is reachable. Find out what every family can do to prepare for a community or personal catastrophe. Some of these steps are useful even in good times!

It’s Hurricane Season: You Can’t Prepare for Everything but You Need to Respond to Anything (Presented by Red Oak Consulting, A Division of Malcolm Pirnie)

No degree of advance effort can prevent all of the damage that may be caused by a major storm or other disaster. Careful preplanning, however, may minimize the impact of such an event and facilitate more rapid recovery. Through case studies drawn from the 2004 hurricane season and an overview of risk management best practices, this session will focus on helping communities become resistant to and resilient after natural catastrophes.

National Emergency Management Network Demo

Local government organizations are necessary to sustain essential community services in the face of a disaster. While attending “Before Disaster Strikes,” come see a demonstration of a National Emergency Management Network that ICMA is developing to support the response and recovery efforts of local governments. You will see a demonstration of an Internet-based system that will

• Provide a nationwide inventory of resources and expertise
• Be made available to local governments to assist them before, during, and after a disaster, and
• Provide 24/7 access to human assets and equipment that are ready for use and available from organizations in the same geographic region.

Registration

Registration rates for “Before Disaster Strikes—A Dialogue on Management Challenges” are:

Click here to register online.

Click here to download a PDF registration form.

You can download the PDF and fill it out on your computer, then print it out and sign it before mailing.

Hotel Accommodations, Travel, and General Information

Guest accommodations are being held at the rate of $129/night for “Before Disaster Strikes” conference participants at the Francis Marion Hotel, 387 King Street, Charleston, South Carolina. Reservations can be made by calling 877/756-2121 and referring to the event name: Leading Practices . A deposit equal to one night’s stay is required to hold the reservation. The deposit is refundable if notice is received at least one week prior to arrival; cancellations made less than one week before arrival are not refundable.

To take advantage of this special group rate, reservations should be made no later than Wednesday, January 4, 2006 . Valet parking: $15/day; self-parking: $10/day. Visit the hotel’s Web site at http://www.francismarioncharleston.com/accommodations.htm.

Transportation to Charleston

The Charleston International Airport is approximately 15 minutes from downtown. Cab fares are roughly $10 each way.

Climate and Attire

Expect average temperatures in Charleston of around 60° during the day and the mid-40s at night. The dress code is business casual.

Dining and Shopping

Historic downtown Charleston is at the doorstep of the Francis Marion and a variety of restaurants and shops are a comfortable walk from the hotel. For information on area dining and activities, visit Charleston’s Web site at http://www.charlestoncvb.com.

For More Information

Questions regarding "Before Disaster Strikes: A Dialogue on Management Challenges" should be directed to Sallie Burnett at ICMA, sburnett@icma.org or 202/962-3553.

Click here to register online.

Downloads

Registration Form (pdf, 63 KB)

Registration Form (pdf, 63 KB)

Registration Form (pdf, 63 KB)