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Description
At the Arlington County Board meeting of July 13, 2019, the Board consented to the County Manager's declaration of a local emergency following the storm and subsequent flooding that occured on Monday July 8. Public Safety, Communications and Emergency Management Director Aaron Miller explains what that means in practical terms.
A
With
me,
this
morning
is
Aaron
Miller,
who
is
the
director
of
public
safety,
communications
and
emergency
management?
We
have
a
little
Flagler
with
us.
Also
is
deputy
on
effective
July
8th,
which
is
Monday
at
8:30
a.m.
under
my
authority
under
the
Virginia
Code
I
declared
a
local
emergency,
and
what
is
before
the
board
this
morning
is
a
request
on
my
part,
to
consent
to
that
declaration.
I'd
like
Aaron,
to
run
through
what
that
actually
means,
very
specifically
for
homeowners
for
business
owners
and
what
future
steps
people
might
hear
about
over
the
next
few
days.
B
Good
morning,
thank
you
for
having
me
this
morning
to
provide
a
little
bit
of
additional
information.
As
the
manager
mentioned,
the
local
emergency
declaration
was
signed
effective
for
Monday
pursuant
to
Commonwealth
requirements.
It
does
have
to
be
ratified
by
the
governing
body
yourselves
as
the
board.
B
Now
there
are
a
lot
of
parts
to
that,
as
you
can
imagine,
and
a
fair
number
of
things
that
have
to
happen
in
order
for
the
appropriate
information
to
get
to
the
folks
that
it
needs
to
get
to
at
the
right
times
and
then
in
steps
that
we
have
to
follow.
You
may
have
seen
this
week
that
we
requested
self
reports
from
our
residents
and
businesses
with
a
timeline
of
Friday.
B
So
I
want
to
talk
a
little
bit
about
that
and
answer
some
questions
following
any
sort
of
emergency
where
we
believe
that
we
may
have
the
potential
to
meet.
What's
called
a
disaster
cost
threshold,
the
Virginia
Department
of
Emergency
Management
requires
that
the
local
government
provide
within
72
hours,
information
concerning
what
those
damages
are
so
in
working
with
V
them
and
working
regionally.
Actually
that
72
hour
time
was
around
the
Friday
deadline.
That
was
that
was
on
that
form.
Now,
that
form
is
only
an
initial
damage
assessment.
B
It
allows
us
to
wrap
our
hands
around
the
scope
and
magnitude
of
impact
to
our
community
and
be
able
to
provide
the
state
with
guidance
as
to
which
one
of
the
branches
of
the
trunk
of
assistance
is
best
to
implement.
That
does
not
mean
that
moving
forward.
Folks,
who
did
not
submit
information,
will
not
be
eligible
to
provide
that
information.
We
ask
that
they
continue
to
provide
us
as
much
information
as
possible
and
we're
going
to
continue
to
push
that
out
through
through
public
messaging.
B
All
that
does
is
help
to
provide
more
rich,
more
clear
understanding
of
what
the
specific
impacts
to
the
community
are.
We
know
that
they've
got
to
contact
insurance
companies.
We
know
that
they've
got
to
really
take
take
some
time
to
assess
what
that
damages,
because
we
know
electrical
infrastructure.
Things
like
that,
so
I
do
want
to
make
that
very
clear
that
we
will
continue
to
receive
that
information
and
it
does
not
preclude
anyone
from
being
able
to
be
eligible
for
disaster
assistance
down
the
road.
B
Now
that
information
did
demonstrate
that
we
locally
were
going
to
meet
thresholds.
So
as
with
any
one
of
these
assistance
programs,
there
are
certain
tests
which
need
to
be
met
so
for
two
of
those
tests
in
order
to
qualify
for
assistance
from
the
state.
In
two
cases
we
have
to
have
damages
which
meet
or
exceed
cost
thresholds
of
approximately
three
to
four
million
dollars.
B
So
we
were
able
to
determine
by
Wednesday
that
we
had
met
that
submit
the
preliminary
information
on
Thursday
to
tell
the
Virginia
Department
of
Emergency
Management
to
expect
further
and
then
by
Friday.
We
were
able
to
package
up
a
very
detailed
set
of
informations
statistics
to
provide
to
them.
They're
reviewing
that,
and
we
believe
that
next
week
we
will
hear
from
them
on
the
next
steps.
Now
there
are
a
few
potential
next
steps,
and
this
is
where
you
know
you:
the
federal
bureaucracy
really
really.
C
B
In
to
disaster
recovery,
the
the
the
first
one
is
that
we
may
be
eligible
for
and
I
say,
maybe
cuz
we're
still.
You
know
going
through
the
assessment
process
may
be
eligible
for
loans
and
grants
through
certain
programs
for
our
homeowners
and
business
owners.
That
would
be
sort
of
the
first
level
of
assistance
that
is
available
that
is
generally
administered
through
the
Small
Business
Administration
and
does
not
require
a
presidential
declaration
of
emergency.
So
it
moves
a
little
faster
up
from
that.
B
There
are
certain
state
assistance
programs
which
can
become
available
state
public
assistance
in
order
for
the
county
to
repair
roads
and
facilities
and
infrastructure
that
were
damaged.
But
then
there
are
also
certain
state
programs
to
provide
homeowners
and
business
or
businesses
with
additional
support.
Beyond
that,
there
is
a
possibility
of
a
larger
emergency
declaration,
and
even
in
that
case,
there
are
a
few
different
trunks.
Excuse
me
three
different
branches
that
go
off
the
trunk
and
that
can
include
everything
from
an
emergency
declaration
to
a
major
emergency
declaration
which
is
issued
by
but
by
the
president.
B
You
can,
with
with
consultation
from
FEMA
Region
three,
which
is,
which
is
our
region
in
order
to
meet
those
if
it
is
not
readily
apparent
sort
of
as
the
scope
of
the
emergency
in
the
immediate
aftermath.
It
generally
takes
some
time.
Just
so
folks
know
our
three
to
four
million
is
one
prong
of
those
of
the
tests
for
that
threshold.
The
other
one
is
that
statewide
damages
must
meet
or
exceed
a
number
of
about
twelve
million
dollars.
B
So
just
because
we
meet,
then
the
state
has
to
meet,
and
then
there
have
to
be
a
few
of
the
things
that
go
into
that
and
those
factors
are
things
such
as
demonstrating
financial
hardship,
demonstrating
that
the
state
is
unable
to
provide
the
support
necessary
right
and
then
it
kicks
in
with
the
federal
government.
There
is
only
one
other
community
at
this
time
that
was
impacted
that
has
issued
a
declaration
of
emergency
and
is
meeting
thresholds.
That's
false
Church,
the
Northern
Virginia
emergency
managers
met
yesterday
to
discuss
where
they
were.
B
Assessments
are
all
still
ongoing
in
Alexandria
and
in
Fairfax,
and
they
will
be
making
determinations
over
the
next
week
as
to
why
they're,
not
they
need
thresholds.
There's
still
a
lot
of
detailed
assessments
going
on
to
see
if
which
path
we're
gonna
be
going
down
in
order
to
find
assistance
for
our
community.
B
Our
commitment
is
that
we're
going
to
work
with
the
Virginia
Department
of
Emergency
Management
to
maximize
every
opportunity
that
that
is
our
commitment
and
we
are
going
to
continue
to
push
them
and
provide
them
the
most
up-to-date
and
best
information
to
demonstrate
the
need
within
our
residents
and
businesses,
and
happy
to
answer
specific
questions.
If
you've
got
this
Thank.
D
E
Thank
you
with
regard
to
I,
think
many
of
our
property
owners
are
interested
in
what
sort
of
supports
would
be
available
for
them,
so
I
want
to
make
sure
I'm,
I'm
understanding
with
regard
to
potential
eligibility
for
Small,
Business,
Administration
loans
and
grants
that
would
be
potentially
available
to
our
property
owners
and
residents
under
the
first
threshold
that
we
have
met.
That's.
B
Correct,
yes,
so
generally,
in
order
to
qualify
for
Small
Business,
Administration
assistance,
you
have
to
have
25
or
more
homes
or
approximately
15
or
more
businesses,
and
this
is
where
it
gets
tricky
with
with
uninsured
losses
of
40
percent
or
more
of
the
median
value
right.
So
this
is.
This
is
why
this
is
why
folks,
like
us,
have
jobs
right
so
that
we
can
help
our
communities
go
through
these
experiences.
B
So
the
median
home
value
of
Arlington
is
approximately
six
hundred
and
forty
thousand
dollars
at
last
ACS
check,
which
means
that
we
needed
to
document
within
that
72
hour
period,
25
or
more
homes
with
damages
greater
than
two
hundred
to
two
hundred
and
fifty
thousand
dollars.
So
that's
why
it's
really
important
for
our
community
to
be
able
to
provide
us
that
information
so
that
we
can
push
on
those
things
as
quickly
as
possible.
B
Some
of
our
businesses
will
wonderful
in
providing
us
great,
very
detailed
information
work
with
their
insurance
companies,
and
we
definitely
feel
we're
going
to
be
able
to
meet
that
threshold.
Now,
just
because
we
have
said
we
meet
it.
The
next
step-
and
this
is
this-
is
what
we're
working
with
is
that
they
have
to
come
in
and
verify
right.
So
there
will
be
another
assessment
where
they
say.
Yes,
we
concur,
they
don't
there's
a
check
and
balance
there.
We
can't
just
say:
we've
met
it,
they
have
to
come
in
and
verify
so.
B
C
Thank
you
and
thank
you
so
much
mr.
Miller
and
I.
You
know
we
heard
a
lot
about
all
of
the
rescues
and
things
and
I
I'm
really
very
proud
of
our
team,
and
indeed
it
was
a
blessing
that
nobody
was
was
hurt
or
injure
or
killed.
When
we
were
out
yesterday,
we
ran
into
our
staff
also
like
trying
to
get
electricity
going
and
working
really
hard
and
I.
Don't
know
if
you
or
the
manager
wants
to
talk
about
some
of
the
other
things
that
go
on.
C
B
So
I've
got
a
little
bit
about
that
and
in
the
manager
can
obviously
target,
as
mr.
Gorsky
mentioned,
in
addition
to
the
volunteers
that
are
going
out
door-to-door
to
assist
residents
and
businesses
with
providing
assessment.
Information
to
us,
the
primary
responsibility
for
damage,
assessment
and
sort
of
for
helping
structures
give
back
to
be
habitable
and
getting
businesses
back
on
line
falls
with
our
inspection
services
division
and
our
chief
building
inspector
does
a
fantastic
job.
B
Those
folks
work
with
Dominion
to
assess
and
provide
actual
assessment
forms
to
business
owners
and
homeowners
so
that
they
can
get
power
turned
back
on,
and
it's
important
that
folks
understand
that
Dominion
will
not
turn
the
power
back
on
if
there
was
damage
to
the
electrical
system
being
either
the
outside
meter
or
two
outlets,
for
instance
in
someone's
basement
level.
Without
that
inspection
sign-off,
and
so
they
can
contact
the
inspector
services
division
and
we've
also
got
some
information
about
that
in
the
public,
communications
have
been
going
out.
That's.
C
D
Other
questions,
okay,
therefore,
I
will
move
that
we
adopt
this
resolution
that
consents
to
the
county
managers
declaration
of
a
local
emergency.
It's
got
a
couple
of
whereas
clauses
which
are
very
consistent
with
the
conversation
that
we
we
have
just
had,
and
the
operative
clause
is
that
now,
therefore,
be
it
resolved
that
the
county
manager
county
board.
Excuse
me
here
by
consensus
that
to
the
declaration
of
a
local
emergency
by
the
county
manager,
second
seconded
by
Ms
Garvey
any
further
discussion,
all
those
in
favor
say
aye
aye
any
opposed
the
eyes
have
it.