October 27, 2008 – Iberia Parish, Louisiana: Iberia Parish, Louisiana, has selected the Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS) to provide disaster management consulting services to support local recovery from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.
IBTS, through its Disaster Management Group, will help Iberia Parish maximize recovery funds available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other federal programs. The IBTS team will also provide technical assistance and serve as a federal programs advisor on compliance with federal regulations and procedures.
“We look forward to working with Iberia Parish to expedite its recovery from these devastating hurricanes,” said Ashok Goswami, IBTS Chief Executive Officer. “We have had success working with public assistance and recovery programs in other jurisdictions hit hard by natural disasters. Our disaster management team is well-equipped to help local officials in Iberia Parish maximize the use of federal disaster recovery funds.”
IBTS, a national not-for-profit engineering and education organization affiliated with five state and local public interest groups, already has a major presence in Louisiana, working with the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to help local governments implement the State Uniform Construction Code. The statewide building code became law in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
IBTS will help Iberia Parish implement its responsibilities as a subgrantee applicant for FEMA funds including the Public Assistance Program which is designed to reconstruct public and nonprofit facilities. Disaster management experts from IBTS will be work in Iberia Parish to provide programmatic and administrative assistance to local elected officials, management staff, and operational personnel.
“IBTS is committed to helping Iberia secure federal funds quickly to get the rebuilding process started,” said Brett Kriger, Director of the IBTS Disaster Management Group. “With IBTS’s knowledge of disaster recovery and FEMA public assistance and mitigation grant processes, we anticipate that Iberia Parish will get the aid it needs quickly and efficiently.”
Press Contact:
Karen Johnson
Market Engagement Program Director
kjohnson@ibts.org
