The administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”), Brock Long, has named Michael Byrne, FEMA field operations directorate assistant administrator, as federal disaster recovery coordinator (“FDRC”) for recovery in the areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey.
Mr. Byrne has more than 30 years of experience in disaster management and recovery program execution, including serving as the federal coordinating officer for Superstorm Sandy in New York and the 2011 Alabama tornadoes.
Mr. Byrne will work under the direction of Kevin Hannes, the federal coordinating officer, and Nim Kidd, the state coordinating officer/governor's authorized representative.
In a statement, FEMA said that Mr. Byrne is responsible for facilitating disaster recovery coordination and collaboration between federal, tribal, state, and local governments, the private sector, and voluntary, faith-based, and community organizations. This role will involve bringing together a team of federal agencies to lead the recovery challenges of Hurricane Harvey, leveraging resources in support of state and local recovery effort. FEMA said that areas of focus include:
- Housing, coordinated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”), to develop adequate, affordable, and accessible housing solutions for Hurricane Harvey survivors.
- Infrastructure systems, coordinated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to efficiently facilitate the restoration of infrastructure systems and services to support viable, sustainable communities and improve resilience to, and protection from, future hazards.
- Economic recovery, coordinated by the U.S. Department of Commerce, to assist with sustaining or restoring businesses and employment in the affected area and developing economic opportunities in these communities;
- Health and human services, led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to support locally led recovery efforts to address public health, health care facilities and coalitions, and essential human services;
- Natural and cultural resources, led by the Department of Interior, will work with communities wishing to preserve, protect, and restore natural and cultural resources, such as historic structures, during recovery; and
- Community planning and capacity building, coordinated by FEMA, to facilitate support among a variety of partners for the planning, capacity, and resilience building capabilities needed by local or tribal governments following Harvey.
Learn more: www.fema.gov/hurricane-harvey.
Steven A. Meyerowitz
Steven A. Meyerowitz, a Harvard Law School graduate, is the founder and president of Meyerowitz Communications Inc., a law firm marketing communications consulting company. He may be contacted at [email protected].