FEMA Case Study Library

Browse case study reports and best practice articles from across FEMA's areas of expertise. You can search by title or keywords, select additional content filters, or jump to a collection.

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United Way of Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA, CA - On the morning of January 10, 1995, the staff of the United Way arrived at their facility in downtown Santa Barbara to find 3 feet of water in their offices.

University of Mississippi Structural Seismic Evaluation

LAFAYETTE COUNTY, MS - The University of Mississippi, located within the New Madrid seismic risk zone, has a number of buildings subject to seismic risk. These buildings, at any given time, house a large number of students/faculty, and are all closely located within a high density area.

University of North Dakota Backflow Valve Project

NORTH DAKOTA - During the spring flood of 1997, much of the damage was caused by sewer back-up after the city's lift station failed. This resulted in tremendous damage to personal property in lower levels of buildings throughout the city, including the University of North Dakota.

Updated Ordinances Kept Asheville Businesses High & Dry During Flood

ASHEVILLE, NC - When the Swannanoa River broke its banks and swamped the Biltmore business district of Asheville, N.C. in early Sept. 2004, tough new building ordinances kept a number of businesses high and dry.

Updating Flood-Hazard Information in DuPage

DUPAGE COUNTY, IL - As a large county in Illinois with an active water resources management program, DuPage County has developed its own, highly advanced methodology for modeling the flood hazard.

Urban Drainage and Flood-Control District

DENVER, CO - On May 17, 1999, Denver’s Urban Drainage and Flood Control District (UDFCD) became one of the first partners to sign an agreement with FEMA under the Cooperating Technical Communities (CTC) initiative (now Cooperating Technical Partners [CTP] initiative).

Urban Forestry Educational Program Reducing Vegetation Damage and Loss

MICHIGAN - On July 2, 1997, a series of tornadoes and straight-line winds resulted in several deaths and millions of dollars damage in southeast Michigan. Communities were faced with downed power lines, blocked streets, downed and damaged trees, and mountains of tree debris.

Using Grants to Help Convert Overhead Electrical Lines to Underground

INDEPENDENCE, MO - For the City of Independence, removing power lines from utility poles and burying them underground is not just a matter of aesthetics; it’s also good business.

Valmeyer Acquisitions Buyouts Create Open Space

VALMEYER, IL - Prior to 1993, the Village of Valmeyer was a small farming community in southwestern Illinois. The Village is located 5 miles east of the Mississippi River, just south of St. Louis, Missouri. The Village is protected by levees and, consequently, has rare but extreme flood events.

Vegetation Made the Difference

SAN DIEGO, CA – Herb Peters is convinced that ice plant placed on three sides of his Rancho Bernardo home early in 2007 was a major reason his 1,500-square-foot house did not burn when the Witch Fire roared through his neighborhood during the morning hours of October 21, 2007.