As a utility professional you are a person of service. You serve the citizens of your area to provide them with what we consider a basic right. Unfortunately in this age of social media those same citizens you serve may have lost their gratitude for the privileges you provide, often only engaging at the roughest moments, without worry because of the shelter and anonymity provided by social media. You may have even asked yourself why you would...

In cooperation with the American Planning Association (APA), the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) presents the October 2017 Planning Information Exchange (PIE) webinar. PIE, is a free quarterly webinar series focusing on tools, best practices, and strategies on the role of hazard mitigation planning and its connections with other community planning and hazard risk reduction initiatives. A community may have a large number of pl...

Law enforcement agencies across the country are considering body-worn cameras for every public safety officer. These videos are instrumental in avoiding unsubstantiated claims of violence and mistreatment. So what is stopping widespread adoption? Cost and complexity. Until now, adopting this crucial technology has meant massive investments in secure storage and administration for terabytes of video files. Google has a better option that can dr...

Make sure you are up to speed on the regulatory requirements of your storm water maintenance program. Thousands of storm water BMPs have been built and most NPDES MS4 permits require that they be maintained. In addition, storm water BMPs protect lives and our water resources by controlling runoff, reducing flood risk and pollution, and protecting streams from pollution. Therefore, these valuable facilities need to be maintained so that they co...

Subsurface construction is often fraught with danger and uncertainty. As consultants and engineers, we work to minimize that uncertainty and engineer solutions to make construction safer. However, in many cases, it is the unknown presence of abandoned utilities that can pose both a danger to workers and adversely affect the project schedule and costs. This live webinar helps the persons responsible for planning and designing construction to av...

The Freedom of Information Act, enacted in 1966, was the first law that gave Americans the right to access the records of federal agencies. FOIA establishes a legal right of access to government records and information on the basis of the principles of openness and accountability in government. In 1974, after the Watergate scandal the act was amended to force greater agency compliance. In 1991 the General Accounting Office reported over 1.9 m...

Benefits FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program plays a very important role in protecting communities and their residents and businesses from the disaster caused by flooding. It publicizes the areas of greatest flood risk, restricts construction with high flood risk, and provides insurance for the flood losses that are excluded from most homeowners and general business policies. These activities have a critical impact on the ability of local...