Public Outreach

Public Outreach is an integral part of Solutient's Hazard Mitigation Department. It involves several components. These components include the following:

• Developing and implementing strategies to reach out to potential applicants or new homeowners who may be interested in completing mitigation measures to his/her home.
• Working with homeowners to explain FEMA programs such as the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Program and the Hazard Mitigation Program (HMGP) and how it may be beneficial to them to help reduce future flood losses.
• Collecting all necessary documentation from homeowners to include his/her property on FEMA grant applications.
• Tracking and recording data/documentation/communications into M3, the Hazard Mitigation Department's database system used to track all information for FEMA grant applications.
• Maintaining a file system with all grant applicant data and documentation.
• Maintaining relationships with State and local officials in addition to clients and/or homeowners.
• Providing services to homeowners and clients which include answering all homeowner or client inquiries about the FEMA program and/or grant applications.
• Serving as the public relations liaison between the homeowners and the administration or government officials.

Due to the devastating effects of storms Katrina and Rita, Jefferson Parish was allocated 48.5 million dollars by FEMA for short-term HMGP mitigation activities. In an effort to identify residential structures that qualified for this type of FEMA funding, the Parish and Solutient's Program Management Office conducted several public outreach initiatives.

During the public outreach phase of the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, Jefferson Parish and the Solutient PMO were able to speak to a total of 524 homeowners from around the Parish. From this Outreach Program 61% of homeowners who were contacted filled out applications and the PMO worked closely with them to measure their eligibility and place their homes on a FEMA HMGP Application.