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CED-78-114 1 (1978-05-05)

handle is hein.gao/gaobaaxhv0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 



                          DOCUMENT RESOE
 051197 - [B13263.311   ELAXD~ 6114I71

 The John!stown Area Ylocd of 1977: A Case Study for the Future.
 CED-7b-114; B-167790. Bay 5, 1978. Released may 12, 1978. 44 pp.
 + 9 appendices (26 pp.).

 Report to Sen. T.oL.'ar 1. Eagleton; by Elmer B. Staats,
 conptxcllsr General.
 Issue Area: Domestic Housing and Community Development (2100).
 Contact: Community and Economic Development Div.
 Budget Function: Community and Regional Development: Disaster
    Belief and Irsurance (453).
Organization Concerned: Department of Housing and Urban
    Develop.jent; Department of the Armyr: Corps of Engineers;
    Departe-ant of Agriculture; Small Business Administration;
    National Flood Insurers Associatioa.
Congressional Relevance: House Committve on Banking, Finance and
    Urban Affairs; Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and
    Urban Affairs. Sen. Thomas F. Eagleton.
Authority: Flood Div.ster .rotection Act of IS73 (P.L. 93-234).
    Disaster Relie kct of 1974 (P.L. 93-288).

         In July 1977, the oihnsto*l', Pnn-ylvania, area was
declared a major dis.ster area after a flood struck 136
communities in 8 couaties end killed 76 people, injured or
caused illness to 2,700, and damaged ever $300 million in
property. Federal disaster assistance to the Jchnstown area is
expected to total $261 million. Assistance was available to
individual victims and State and local governments from 12
Federal agencies responsible for 27 programs.
Findings/Conclusions: Host of the victims interviewed rated
Federal disaster response as excellent or good. There were no
complaints about coordination of the Federal response, but some
victims had complaints about specific programs or about the
number of forms that had to be completed for each agency. The
independence of the Federal coordinating officer from the
Federal Disaster Assistance Administration contributed to the
overall success of the Federal recovery effort. Without the
nearly $6 million in flood insurance proceeds paid by the
National Flood Insurance Program, additional loans and grants
would have been required. A local flash flood warning systam
could have alerted authorities to the disaster much sooner, and
an improved communications system could have p::ovided better and
quicker emergency assistance to the disaster area. The 'ederal
Insurance Administration did not: adeq.utely monitor community
enforcement of floodplain management regultins, adequately
encourage communities to participate in the fLood insurance
program, or actively encourage property ounerc' tc purchase flood
insurance. No disaster assistance was denied those not covered
by flood insurance, but victims were sometimes zeguired to
purchase flood insurance (RRS)

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