By-Line: Julie Murphy, Flagler County Government
There are hundreds of boxes to be checked, “i”s to be dotted, and “t”s to be crossed to ensure Flagler County is ready for disasters such as hurricanes. In part, that’s what Emergency Management Director Jonathan Lord does under “blue skies” to ensure Flagler County ranks well within the state’s Florida Recovery Obligation Calculation (F-ROC) program that was designed to standardize, streamline, and simplify the cost-recovery process for disaster-related expenditures.
“There are hundreds of policies, procedures, and other documents that need to be updated and filed annually with the state to allow them to conduct a Disaster Readiness Assessment (DRA) for participating local governments,” Lord said, noting that he worked in tandem with his EM team and the county’s Financial Services team to complete the DRA. “The outcome of the audit-like DRA process is a score that is used to prioritize reimbursements statewide following a disaster, specifically for costs related to debris removal (Category A) and emergency protective measures, like evacuation and sheltering (Category B).”
Florida launched the program in 2023, and the first rankings occurred in 2024, making this year the second time Emergency Management and Financial Services have gone through the DRA. The highest score that can be achieved is 60, which Flagler County has for Category A. The county achieved a 59 for Category B.
The statewide average for Category A is 34, and 36 for Category B.
“I am extremely proud of our team for their foresight and dedication in establishing our place in this program. We are well prepared, both financially and operationally, for future storm events,” said County Administrator Heidi Petito. “Since the inception of the program, our Financial Services and Emergency Management teams have worked diligently to ensure our eligibility, maintain accurate documentation, and respond promptly to state requests. Their efforts have positioned us as a model participant in the program and have enabled us to seek timely reimbursements for damages sustained during storms.”
