Brad Holwegner Completes Benefit-Cost Analysis Training for FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grants

Brad Holwegner Completes Benefit-Cost Analysis Training for FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grants

Brad Holwegner, project manager and design engineer for WLC Engineering and Surveying’s Casper office completed a Benefit-Cost Analysis Training through the Homeland Security Training Program on June 13, 2018. This vocational certification is required for any entities seeking Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grants. This training enables WLC to seek, obtain and administer FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grants on behalf of federal, state, local or tribal entities.

All FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grants require Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) as part of the submittal. Through the Benefit-Cost Toolkit, FEMA’s program that evaluates benefit to cost, users enter the requested information and the Toolkit provides the Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR). Benefits have to outweigh the cost by at least a factor of one.

According to FEMA’s website, “The BCR is a numerical expression of the “cost-effectiveness” of a project. A project is considered to be cost effective when the BCR is 1.0 or greater, indicating the benefits of a prospective hazard mitigation project are sufficient to justify the costs.”

At the completion of the training, Mr. Holwegner displayed an understanding of how to effectively utilize the Benefit-Cost Toolkit in order to evaluate a potential project. The BCA Toolkit includes modules for flood, tornado safe room, hurricane wind, hurricane safe room, earthquake, wildfire, drought, and multi-hazards.

“As many previously successful projects demonstrate, WLC has strong stormwater management and mitigation expertise,” said Shane Porter, president of WLC Engineering and Surveying. “To remain a top service provider in this field, it’s critical we participate in continuing education about the topic. Specifically, this certification allows WLC to work with municipal clients to identify potential hazards in their communities or repair areas damaged by a natural disaster and develop grants to proactively mitigate these threats.”

The training certification does not require an update or renewal. To obtain this certification, Mr. Holwegner participated in a distant-learning, two-day training course and completed a series of scenario exercises to demonstrate his understanding of the Benefit-Cost Toolkit.

Mr. Holwegner joined WLC in 2006 and has more than 13 years of civil engineering and project management experience. He has a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Wyoming and is a licensed professional engineer in the State of Wyoming.