Project Impact: Fremont County Emergency Management Agency
Address: 322 North 8th West Street
Riverton, Wy. 82501
Call (307) 856-2374
Fax (307) 857-4398
Internet: fcema@rmisp.com
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Fremont County Reaches Another Milestone in Project Impact Initiative
Fremont County officials have announced their receipt of an official
Project Impact Awards Package from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The
package seals FEMA's commitment to work in partnership with Fremont County and the state
of Wyoming to make the community more disaster resistant and designates $500,000 in
federal support to the effort.
Project Impact is a national initiative designed to bring private and public partners together to build disaster-resistant communities. "Since January 1998, local, state and federal partners have been jointly discussing and planning ways to achieve Project Impact's vision of building a disaster resistant community in Fremont County," said Kim Lee, Director of the Fremont County Emergency Management Agency.
The funding, provided by FEMA, is designed to act as seed money that can be leveraged through partnerships with the private and public sector. "Local commitment to the project through such partnerships has been overwhelming," said Wyoming Emergency Management Agency Coordinator, Bob Bezek.
Support from the local level provides an excellent example of the Project Impact vision at work, according to FEMA Region VIII Director Rick Weiland, "Within the combined effort of such partnerships lies the strength and potential of Project Impact."
"This is more than just a one time effort," Weiland said. "We are trying to change how we deal with disasters by taking action before a disaster strikes. That takes much more than just money. It takes the support of many diverse partners over time. It takes community commitment. Fremont County can be a leader nationally in the effort to reduce the costs of disasters.
FREMONT COUNTY, WYOMING
Community Profile
Fremont County is a largely rural county of about 38,000 residents located
in the Wind River drainage basin of Central Wyoming with major municipalities being
Riverton, Lander, Shoshoni, Dubois, Pavillion and the Wind River Indian Reservation.
Disaster Risk
Fremont County experiences annual flooding from spring runoff. Winter
storms, the Washakie Reservoir Dam, Wildfires, HAZMAT, Earthquakes, and Tornadoes also
pose certain risks with the most serious threat coming from annual floods and winter
storms.
Capacity for Public-Private Partnerships
Emergency Management officials have prepared a listing of nearly 60 target
groups from Business and Industry (12), Infrastructure (8), Volunteer/Community Based
Organizations (10), Health Care (7), Government (15), and Education (5). There is an
excellent capacity for comprehensive public-private partnership. Major industry includes
US Energy, Brunton Company, Koch Sulfur Industries, Shoshone Enterprises, and DH Print.
Disaster Prevention Commitment/Actions
An Emergency Management Blueprint has been prepared for Fremont County
Government before Project Impact had been brought to light. The plan focuses on
coordination as the key to success with the goal to identify and implement target
strategies to prevent or reduce the suffering, injury or death of local citizens or
visitors to the county. Previously, a flood warning gauge had been placed upstream of the
town Lander to provide warning of a flash flood on the Popo Agie River. Extensive
channelization has been completed on the Popo Agie River, a levee constructed on the Wind
River upstream from Riverton, and a two-year project begins this summer on making the
Washakie Reservoir Dam safe.