Bob Young, Regional Director, Atlanta Region, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), was the Keynote speaker at the Disaster Relief: The Federal Response Seminar coordinated and led by the San Juan Field Office on August 15, 2006.

Regional Director Bob Young addresses the audience at the Disaster Relief Seminar in Puerto Rico.

This was an unprecedented event since it is the first time in Region IV that various Federal Agencies join together to share with the general public information about their programs and initiatives, and the procedures that should be followed by local governments during disaster recovery efforts.

Presentations were made by top representatives from the Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency, Small Business Administration, USDA Rural Development, USDA Farm Service Agency and HUD San Juan Field Office.

Federal agencies were also joined by Christian Caribbean Initiative Executive Director who gave a presentation on the faith-based involvement in the disaster recovery process. The whole day event ended with a presentation from the US Department of Labor and Occupational Safety and Health Administration which shared their involvement during the Katrina experience.

From left to right: Bob Young, Regional Director, Alejandro de la Campa, FEMA Director, Hon. Jorge Rivera, Secretary PR Department of Housing, Angel Castillo, Commissioner for Municipal Affairs, and Juan Ortiz, USDA Farm Service Agency Director.

San Juan Field Office Director, Michael A. Colon, was commended by Regional Director Bob Young for his leadership in putting together this event which brought together San Juan Field Office Field Policy and Management staff as well as all Program Directors.

At least 170 persons attended the Seminar. The audience was composed of staff members of the different Municipal Emergency and Disaster Management Offices and Office of Federal Programs, State Agencies, Office of the Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, National Guard of Puerto Rico, Federal Agencies, Faith-Based and Community-Based Organizations, and the Private Sector; all who had a role in disaster recovery efforts.