Town hears FEMA process briefing as consultants outline damage-inventory timeline

Black Mountain Town Council heard a presentation from Integrated Emergency Management (IEM) on the town's preliminary damage inventory and the steps required to secure federal Public Assistance for hurricane recovery.

IEM consultant Mike Shevary told the council the firm is working with town staff to prepare a consolidated packet of damages for FEMA review and to structure projects so the state and FEMA can obligate funding. "The numbers are going to change as we move through this process," Shevary said, adding the team is aiming to submit documentation ahead of the federally set deadlines.

The consultants described the standard FEMA workflow: presidential disaster declaration, state and FEMA coordination, submission of a Request for Public Assistance, damage inventory and scoping, site inspections, project formulation with cost estimates and supporting documentation, state review and obligation, and finally requests for reimbursement.

Town staff and IEM emphasized that emergency work (Category A and B under FEMA rules) is handled differently from permanent work (Categories C through G). "Category A and B are your emergency work projects," Shevary said, citing examples such as emergency protective measures and debris removal. Permanent work includes bridges, buildings and water facilities.

Consultants repeatedly cautioned the council that the process is document‑heavy and can take months. "It could take up to a year," one IEM representative said when asked about the overall time frame, while also explaining some emergency reimbursements typically arrive sooner. The firm advised the town it can begin reconstruction and other work before FEMA reimbursements are received, but that careful documentation (time sheets, invoices, contracts, photos) is required to preserve eligibility for reimbursement.

Council members asked whether FEMA policy or congressional funding decisions posed a risk to the town's recovery; IEM said it had not seen immediate indications of federal funding cuts and that the firm had worked with county staff to secure extensions to submission deadlines when needed. The consultants said they would work with the town to prioritize projects, prepare RFQs for engineering services, and align any mitigation work with funding opportunities.

Town staff said IEM's deliverables would be posted on the town website so residents can follow the inventory and timelines. Council members asked IEM to return with more-detailed schedules and to flag items that the town might want to start now because of cash-flow constraints.

Why it matters: securing FEMA Public Assistance is central to paying for debris removal, emergency repairs and the longer-term rebuilding of public facilities. The town must document work now to maximize federal reimbursement and to access mitigation funds that can reduce future flood risk.

What happens next: IEM and town staff will continue compiling and refining the damage inventory, prepare materials for FEMA site inspections and begin RFQs for engineering work. The town will receive additional briefings as projects are packaged for FEMA and the state.