Today, FEMA released the revised Preliminary Damage Assessment Guide (PDA Guide) and its accompanying Preliminary Damage Assessment Pocket Guide (PDA Pocket Guide). The updated PDA Guide adjudicated comments received from a one-year public comment period that closed on June 8, 2021. The revised guide is effective as of October 1, 2021.
A Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) is the mechanism state, local, tribal, and territorial governments and the Federal Government use to determine the impact and magnitude of damage following a disaster and the resulting unmet needs to individuals, businesses, the public sector and communities. The primary objective of the PDA is to collect information, conduct analysis, and provide situation awareness to state, territorial, or tribal government leaders to determine whether the impacts of a disaster warrant a disaster declaration request under the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.)
The PDA guide establishes a framework for how emergency management officials, at every level of government, document and validate details of damage following a disaster. The guide includes a concept of operations, defined roles and responsibilities, recommended methodologies, and the documentation and data required to validate damage.
If you have any questions, please contact FEMA’s Office of External Affairs:
- Congressional Affairs at (202) 646-4500 or at FEMA-Congressional-Affairs@fema.dhs.gov
- Intergovernmental Affairs at (202) 646-3444 or at FEMA-IGA@fema.dhs.gov
- Tribal Affairs (202) 646-3444 or at FEMA-Tribal@fema.dhs.gov
- Private Sector Engagement at (202) 646-3444 or at nbeoc@max.gov
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Helping people before, during, and after disasters.