Silver Jackets teams in states across the United States bring together multiple state, federal, and sometimes tribal and local agencies to learn from one another in reducing flood risk and other natural disasters. By applying their shared knowledge, the teams enhance response and recovery efforts when such events do occur. Although each state’s Silver Jackets team is unique, common agency participants include state agencies with mission areas of hazard mitigation, emergency management, floodplain management, natural resources management or conservation, etc. Federal participation typically includes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Emergency Management Agency and often others such as the National Weather Service and the U.S. Geological Survey. Resources for activities associated with the team come through the individual programs of each agency within the constraints of available budgets.
No single agency has all the answers, but leveraging multiple programs and perspectives can provide a cohesive solution.
why the name "silver jackets"?
Traditionally, different agencies wear different colored jackets when responding to emergencies. For example, FEMA personnel wear blue and USACE personnel wear red. The name Silver Jackets is used to underscore the common mission of a single team of diverse agencies working together to reduce flood risk at the state level.
silver jackets program goals
- Facilitate strategic life-cycle flood risk reduction.
- Create or supplement a continuous mechanism to collaboratively solve state-prioritized issues and implement or recommend those solutions.
- Improve processes, identifying and resolving gaps and counteractive programs.
- Leverage and optimize resources.
- Improve and increase flood risk communication and present a unified interagency message.
- Establish close relationships to facilitate integrated post-disaster recovery solutions.
The Vermont Silver Jackets Team strives to advance these program goals for the flood risk management needs of the state of Vermont. The multiple-agency team shares and combines resources, including funding, programs, and technical expertise as appropriate to meet the state’s needs. Team goals include fostering continuous interagency collaboration pre- and post-disaster; developing a common understanding of the opportunities and limitations of different agency’s programs; working together to improve the agencies’ flood risk management programs, policies, and processes; implementing high-priority State Hazard Mitigation Plan actions, including through innovative interagency nonstructural flood risk management projects; conducting outreach to deliver unified flood risk messages; and, in cooperation with the emergency managers, jointly participating in response and recovery.
Example activities:
Winooski River Flood Inundation Mapping at Montpelier and Waterbury
Brattleboro Chestnut Hill Dam Break Analysis and Emergency Action Plan
Coventry, Johnson, Lyndon, and Swanton Ice Jam Assessment and Outreach
Brandon Flood Loss Avoidance Study
Vermont High-Water Mark Signs
For More Information Contact
New York District:
Jennifer Curran, Silver Jackets Coordinator, email: Jennifer.L.Curran@usace.army.mil
New England District:
Sheila Warren, Silver Jackets Coordinator, email: Sheila.M.Warren@usace.army.mil
Participating Agencies
State
- VT Emergency Management (VEM)
- VT Agency of Natural Resources (ANR)
- VT Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD)
- VT Agency of Transportation
Federal
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - New York District (USACE)
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - New England District (USACE)
- Federal Emergency Management Agency – Region 1 (FEMA)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Weather Service (NOAA/NWS)
- U.S. Geological Survey – New England Water Science Center (USGS)
- U.S. Department of Agriculture/Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA/NRCS)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Region 1 (EPA)
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