George County, Mississippi, Successfully Managed FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Funds – Hurricane Katrina

This report is our second and final report on our audit of Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds awarded to the County. In May 2013, we issued an interim report (Audit Report DA-13-15) recommending that FEMA work closely with the State, County, and contractor representatives to resolve contractor disputes that were contributing to a delay in completion of two safe rooms funded under the grant. The County received a Hazard Mitigation Grant Program award of $4.1 million from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), a FEMA grantee, following Hurricane Katrina, which occurred in August 2005. The award provided $713,100 for emergency generators at a 75 percent Federal cost share ($534,825) and $3.4 million for the construction of two safe rooms at a 100 percent Federal cost share.