When disaster strikes, Henrico County has a plan for dealing with the mess left in its wake.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently approved Henrico's debris-management plan for its Public Assistance Pilot Program, making the county eligible for additional federal funding after a disaster.

The federal program encourages localities to plan for a debris-generating disaster such as a hurricane or flood, allowing for faster recovery operations, said Laura L. Southard, public outreach coordinator for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.

In recent years, Henrico has been through two disasters that inundated the county with vegetative and structural debris -- Hurricane Isabel in 2003 and the remnants of Tropical Storm Gaston in 2004, said Steve Yob, solid-waste and recycling division director with the Henrico Department of Public Utilities.

Crews made three sweeps of the county to collect fallen trees and other debris after Isabel, and waterlogged construction materials had to be hauled away from about 500 homes flooded by Gaston, he said.

Henrico's plan identifies locations for storing the waste, departments involved in collecting it and approved contractors. It also prioritizes debris removal.

"Hospitals, shelters and all of that are high on the list," Yob said. "We have a network of roads and facilities that we will make sure are looked after first."

Under the federal program, the county can receive an additional 5 percent federal reimbursement -- up to 80 percent -- of the cost to handle disaster debris. The county also can be reimbursed for regular salaries, not just overtime salaries, for debris-related activities, and it can keep revenue from the sale of disaster debris for recycling.

The Board of Supervisors last month adopted the debris-management plan, which was developed by the county's public utilities, public works, recreation and parks, finance and fire departments.

Henrico is one of seven Virginia localities with FEMA-approved plans for managing disaster-related debris. The others are Hanover and Fairfax counties and the cities of Chesapeake, Newport News, Norfolk and Fairfax.
Contact Melodie N. Martin at (804) 649-6290 or mmartin@timesdispatch.com.