- Mutual aid allows communities to quickly mobilize additional qualified personnel to handle the surge in
- inspections and permit requests that typically occur after a disaster.
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Expertise and Resources
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- Through mutual aid agreements, communities can access specialized expertise and resources they may not
- have internally.
+ Mutual aid allows communities to quickly mobilize additional qualified personnel to handle the surge in inspections and permit requests that typically occur after a disaster.
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Cost-Effective Solution
- Utilizing mutual aid is often more cost-effective than hiring temporary staff or contractors, as
- partnering jurisdictions typically only seek reimbursement for direct costs.
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Consistency in Enforcement
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- Mutual aid personnel are usually familiar with building codes and standards, helping ensure consistent and
- proper enforcement of regulations during rebuilding.
+ Utilizing mutual aid is often more cost-effective than hiring temporary staff or contractors, as partnering jurisdictions typically only seek reimbursement for direct costs.
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Consistency in Enforcement
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Reduced Strain on Local Staff
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Reduced Strain on Staff
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Reduced Strain on Local Staff
- By bringing in outside assistance, mutual aid prevents burnout of local building department staff who may
- be overwhelmed by increased workloads following a disaster.
+ By bringing in outside assistance, mutual aid prevents burnout of local staff who may be overwhelmed by increased workloads following a disaster.
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Reduced Strain on Local Staff
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Improved Community Resilience
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Consistency in Enforcement
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- Mutual aid can help rebuild in ways that make structures more resilient and better prepare communities to
- handle future disasters.
+ Mutual aid personnel are usually familiar with building codes and standards, helping ensure consistent and proper enforcement of regulations during rebuilding.
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Examples of how communities can use mutual aid for post-disaster rebuilding
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Mutual aid from nearby counties helps residents assess hurricane damage quickly
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After a severe hurricane, a mid-sized city finds its building department overwhelmed with inspection requests for damaged structures.
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The city activates its mutual aid agreement with neighboring counties, bringing in additional certified inspectors to help clear the backlog.
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This allows residents to quickly determine if their homes are safe to occupy and expedites the start of repair work, significantly reducing the time people spend in temporary housing.
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State assistance helps small town recover after tornado damage
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A small, rural town with limited resources is hit by a tornado, damaging numerous buildings.
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The town's single part-time building inspector is unable to handle the volume of work needed for rebuilding.
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Through a state-wide mutual aid program, the town receives assistance from building officials from larger cities, who help process permits and conduct inspections.
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This support ensures that rebuilding efforts comply with current safety standards and progress swiftly.
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Experts from other states assist urban neighborhood after flood
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In an underserved urban neighborhood, a flash flood damages many older homes and small businesses, overwhelming the already understaffed local building department that lacks expertise in flood-related repairs.
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Through a mutual aid agreement, the city brings in floodplain management experts and additional permit processors from other states to address the community's needs.
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This targeted assistance speeds up the recovery process and helps implement flood-resistant building practices, improving the neighborhood's long-term resilience.