Damage Assessment

Damage assessment is the systematic process of gathering, observing, evaluating, and recording information to determine the nature, severity, and magnitude of harm or loss inflicted on a community, structure, or system following a disaster or incident. Within Adams County, the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) oversees the Initial Damage Assessment Response Team (IDART). IDART is a multi-agency and multi-disciplinary team of county professionals charged with the responsibility of conducting local initial damage assessments in accordance with methods established by FEMA’s Preliminary Damage Assessment Guide. The information gathered by IDART in the immediate aftermath of a disaster is vital because it provides the critical information necessary to inform our elected officials of the severity of the incident so they can make critical policy decisions. This information is also vital for the emergency declaration process as it provides critical indicators regarding the issuance of emergency declarations. In all, the fundamental goal of the damage assessment process is to gather information and report on what has occurred so our communities can initiate the recovery process as quickly as possible.