[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 198 (Thursday, October 13, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 63628]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-26390]



[[Page 63628]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID FEMA-2011-0022]


Preliminary Damage Assessment for Individual Assistance 
Operations Manual (9327.2-PR)

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is accepting 
comments on the draft Preliminary Damage Assessment for Individual 
Assistance Operations Manual (9327.2-PR).

DATES: Comments must be received by November 14, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Comments must be identified by Docket ID FEMA-2011-0022 and 
may be submitted by one of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments. Please note that this proposed 
manual is not a rulemaking and the Federal Rulemaking Portal is being 
utilized only as a mechanism for receiving comments.
    Mail: Legislation, Regulations, & Policy Division, Office of Chief 
Counsel, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Room 835, 500 C Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20472-3100.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael M. Grimm, Individual 
Assistance Director, Individual Assistance Division, FEMA, 202-212-
1000, for additional information. You can also access a copy of the 
draft Preliminary Damage Assessment for Individual Assistance 
Operations Manual (9327.2-PR) on http://www.fema.gov; keyword, PDA 
Manual.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

I. Public Participation

    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and Docket ID. Regardless of the method used for submitting comments or 
material, all submissions will be posted, without change, to the 
Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov, and will 
include any personal information you provide. Therefore, submitting 
this information makes it public. You may wish to read the Privacy Act 
notice, which can be viewed by clicking on the ``Privacy Notice'' link 
in the footer of www.regulations.gov.
    You may submit your comments and material by the methods specified 
in the ADDRESSES section above. Please submit your comments and any 
supporting material by only one means to avoid the receipt and review 
of duplicate submissions.
    Docket: The proposed manual is available in Docket ID FEMA-2011-
0022. For access to the docket to read background documents or comments 
received, go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov and search for the Docket ID. Submitted comments 
may also be inspected at FEMA, Office of Chief Counsel, Room 835, 500 C 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20472.

II. Background

    The Preliminary Damage Assessment for Individual Assistance 
Operations Manual (PDA Manual) was developed to create uniform 
procedures for performing Individual Assistance (IA) Preliminary Damage 
Assessments (PDAs) nationwide in response to an impacted State's 
request. The primary purpose for conducting IA PDAs is to identify the 
impact, type, and extent of disaster damages and to determine the 
impact on individuals and communities while identifying the resources 
needed for the community to recover.
    The PDA is an important first step in the disaster declaration 
process. The PDA information will be used by the State to determine if 
the response and recovery actions will require Federal support. If the 
Governor determines that the State does not have adequate resources to 
respond and recover from the disaster, and supplemental Federal 
assistance is required, the Governor may request a Presidential 
emergency or major disaster declaration under the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 
5170 and 5191). The PDA information, along with the Governor's request 
is included with the Regional Summary, Analysis, and Recommendations 
(RSAR) and is forwarded to FEMA for review. FEMA then prepares a 
recommendation to the President based on the PDA information and RSAR. 
Establishing a single set of PDA procedures ensures that regardless of 
the location, type of disaster, or FEMA Regional Office involved, the 
assessment of damages will be consistent, thorough, and well 
coordinated.
    The draft PDA Manual would supersede FEMA Manual 9327.1 PR, 
Preliminary Damage Assessment for Individual Assistance Operations 
Manual, dated April 2005. FEMA convened an IA PDA working group to 
review and update the 2005 manual. The draft PDA Manual, therefore, was 
prepared and reviewed by FEMA regional staff, in collaboration with 
State and local government representatives, including Tribes, with 
extensive field experience in performing PDAs. It incorporates 
procedures developed and used by individual FEMA regional offices in 
the course of conducting PDAs throughout the United States in a variety 
of disasters over several years. It reflects FEMA's extensive 
experience working with State and local governments. The draft PDA 
Manual is intended to set the standard for defining and recording 
levels of damage; as well as to establish uniformity in the composition 
of teams and the means by which data is collected.
    The proposed manual does not have the force or effect of law.
    FEMA seeks comment on the draft PDA Manual, which is available 
online at http://www.regulations.gov in Docket ID FEMA-2011-0022. Based 
on the comments received, FEMA may make appropriate revisions to the 
draft manual. Although FEMA will consider any comments received in the 
drafting of the final manual, FEMA will not provide a response to 
comments document. When or if FEMA issues a final manual, FEMA will 
publish a notice of availability in the Federal Register and make the 
final manual available at http://www.regulations.gov. The final manual 
will not have the force or effect of law.
    Authority: The draft PDA Manual is consistent with and supports the 
current plans and procedures of the National Response Framework for 
implementation of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq. and its implementing 
regulations in Title 44, Chapter I of the Code of Federal Regulations.

    Dated: October 6, 2011.
W. Craig Fugate,
Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
[FR Doc. 2011-26390 Filed 10-12-11; 8:45 am]
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