Neel-Schaffer, Inc.

Neel-Schaffer, Inc. Neel-Schaffer is committed to serving and enhancing the communities in which we live and work.

Neel-Schaffer is a multi-disciplined engineering and planning firm that was founded in 1983, and with 500-plus employees is now one of the largest privately held engineering firms in the South.

Hurricane season begins tomorrow.Preparedness is not a single task. It is the coordination of planning, communication, l...
05/31/2026

Hurricane season begins tomorrow.

Preparedness is not a single task. It is the coordination of planning, communication, logistics, finance, training, and recovery operations working together before a storm arrives.

Final Checklist:
Damage Assessment Preparation
✔ Train teams on initial damage assessments (IDA)
✔ Prepare GIS and damage reporting tools
✔ Coordinate preliminary damage assessment procedures with state partners
✔ Review disaster declaration request procedures

Recovery Coordination
✔ Prepare Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) support plans
✔ Review housing and community recovery strategies
✔ Identify recovery staffing surge needs
✔ Coordinate with state recovery agencies

Our teams know preparation before the storm helps communities recover faster after it. Is your agency ready for hurricane season?

Additional Resources:
• FEMA Hurricane Preparedness Resources
• FEMA Public Assistance Program
• FEMA Grants Portal
• Ready.gov Hurricane Planning
• National Hurricane Center
• SAM.gov
• Grants.gov

Financial preparedness is a critical part of disaster readiness.Agencies that establish processes before an event are be...
05/30/2026

Financial preparedness is a critical part of disaster readiness.
Agencies that establish processes before an event are better positioned to manage response costs, documentation, and recovery funding after the storm.

Areas to Review:

Financial Preparedness
✔ Establish disaster-specific accounting codes
✔ Review emergency purchasing thresholds
✔ Verify disaster finance staffing plans
✔ Prepare emergency payroll procedures
✔ Review insurance coverage documentation
✔ Organize records retention and audit procedures

Grant & Funding Readiness
✔ Verify SAM.gov registration status
✔ Confirm Grants.gov access
✔ Update FEMA Grants Portal accounts
✔ Prepare state and federal grant tracking systems

Preparation behind the scenes helps support operations in the field.

Preparedness plans only work if teams know how to execute them. Training, exercises, and coordination with partner agenc...
05/29/2026

Preparedness plans only work if teams know how to execute them. Training, exercises, and coordination with partner agencies are critical before hurricane season begins.

Areas to Review:

Preparedness Exercises
✔ Conduct tabletop exercises for hurricane response scenarios
✔ Test evacuation and sheltering operations
✔ Conduct EOC activation drills
✔ Exercise debris management and recovery procedures
✔ Review interagency coordination procedures

Partner Coordination
✔ Meet with local jurisdictions and regional partners
✔ Coordinate with hospitals and healthcare coalitions
✔ Review nonprofit and volunteer agency coordination
✔ Engage school districts and transportation agencies
✔ Coordinate with utility providers and critical infrastructure partners

Strong partnerships are essential during emergency response.

Preparedness depends on more than plans. It depends on resources being ready when they are needed most.Now is the time t...
05/28/2026

Preparedness depends on more than plans. It depends on resources being ready when they are needed most.

Now is the time to review logistics, supplies, staging areas, and operational readiness before hurricane season begins June 1.

Areas to Review:

Resource Readiness
✔ Inventory generators, fuel supplies, and emergency equipment
✔ Verify fuel vendor agreements
✔ Confirm emergency commodity contracts (water, meals, tarps, etc.)
✔ Review shelter supply inventories
✔ Validate staging area locations and logistics plans
✔ Coordinate emergency transportation resources
✔ Review medical surge support coordination

Facilities & Infrastructure
✔ Inspect Emergency Operations Center (EOC) readiness
✔ Test backup power systems
✔ Verify cybersecurity and data backup procedures
✔ Inspect emergency shelters and special needs shelters
✔ Coordinate with utilities on restoration priorities

Strong logistics support stronger response operations.

We kicked off the 2026 Texas Division of Emergency Management Conference the best way we know how, connecting with clien...
05/27/2026

We kicked off the 2026 Texas Division of Emergency Management Conference the best way we know how, connecting with clients, partners, and friends at our Client Appreciation Social at Acre Distilling Co.

Great conversations, strong partnerships, and a chance to celebrate the relationships that keep communities moving forward. We’re excited for a great week at TDEM and look forward to seeing everyone throughout the conference!

Stop by our booth #1234 and let's connect!

Clear communication saves time, reduces confusion, and helps protect communities during disasters. Before hurricane seas...
05/27/2026

Clear communication saves time, reduces confusion, and helps protect communities during disasters. Before hurricane season begins, agencies should make sure both internal and public communication systems are ready.

Areas to Review:

Emergency Communications
✔ Test emergency notification systems
✔ Verify satellite phone and radio communications
✔ Confirm WebEOC and situational awareness platforms are operational
✔ Review backup communications procedures
✔ Coordinate interoperability testing with partner agencies

Public Information Readiness
✔ Prepare hurricane messaging templates
✔ Update evacuation maps and public guidance materials
✔ Coordinate Joint Information Center (JIC) staffing
✔ Review social media emergency communication plans
✔ Prepare multilingual communication resources
✔ Coordinate media briefing procedures

When conditions change quickly, communication matters.

Hurricane preparedness also means preparing for recovery before the storm arrives.One of the biggest challenges after a ...
05/26/2026

Hurricane preparedness also means preparing for recovery before the storm arrives.

One of the biggest challenges after a disaster is documentation, compliance, and reimbursement readiness. Agencies that prepare now are positioned to recover faster later!

Areas to Review:

FEMA Public Assistance Readiness
✔ Review FEMA Public Assistance documentation requirements
✔ Prepare force account labor tracking procedures
✔Confirm equipment usage tracking methods
✔ Establish disaster cost coding procedures in finance systems
✔ Review procurement compliance requirements (2 CFR 200)
✔ Update debris monitoring contracts and scopes of work
✔ Verify contractor prequalification lists
✔ Prepare damage assessment forms and GIS mapping tools

Hazard Mitigation Preparation
✔Review Hazard Mitigation Plan status
✔ Identify mitigation project priorities
✔ Update critical infrastructure vulnerability assessments
✔ Review floodplain and repetitive loss property data

Recovery starts long before landfall.

Hurricane season officially begins June 1. The time to prepare is now!For emergency management agencies, preparation goe...
05/25/2026

Hurricane season officially begins June 1. The time to prepare is now!

For emergency management agencies, preparation goes far beyond stocking supplies. It means reviewing plans, validating resources, coordinating partners, and making sure teams are ready to respond when communities need them most.

Over the next 7 days, True North Emergency Management will share key areas every agency should review before hurricane season begins.

Key areas to Review:

Review and Update Emergency Operations Plans (EOP)
✔ Update hurricane annexes and evacuation protocols
✔ Verify continuity of operations (COOP) plans
✔ Confirm sheltering and mass care procedures
✔ Review debris management plans
✔ Update emergency procurement procedures
✔ Verify emergency declaration templates
✔Review mutual aid agreements and EMAC participation
✔ Conduct legal and policy review of emergency authorities

Incident Command System (ICS) Readiness
✔ Confirm ICS organizational structure assignments
✔ Review staffing rosters and duty schedules
✔ Update contact lists for all departments and partners
✔ Validate succession plans for key leadership positions
✔ Ensure all personnel maintain required FEMA training certifications

Preparedness today helps strengthen response tomorrow!

05/22/2026

This Memorial Day Weekend, we pause to remember and honor the men and women who gave their lives while serving our country. From all of us at Neel-Schaffer, thank you to those who made the ultimate sacrifice and to the families who continue to carry their memory forward.

Neel-Schaffer was proud to join partners from Brasfield & Gorrie and the Alabama Department of Transportation at the Ten...
05/20/2026

Neel-Schaffer was proud to join partners from Brasfield & Gorrie and the Alabama Department of Transportation at the Tennessee Department of Transportation-ACEC Partnering Conference last week in Chattanooga for a panel discussion on the West Alabama Highway Progressive Design-Build project.

Moderator Frank Anderson (B&G) led the conversation with panelists Trey Ogle (B&G), Clay McBrien (ALDOT), and Lance Taylor (NS), who shared insights on partnership, innovation, and collaboration throughout the delivery of this transformational 70+ mile corridor project.

Collaboration drives successful projects long after designs are complete. While Neel-Schaffer’s design work on the project is nearly complete, it’s exciting to see construction continue as this major transportation improvement takes shape for Alabama communities. We appreciate the opportunity to work with HDR, Brasfield & Gorrie, and ALDOT on this impactful project.

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4450 Old Canton Road, Suite 100
Jackson, MS
39211

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