Alabama-based architecture and engineering firm Goodwyn Mills Cawood has created a new disaster recovery department to help restore communities in the wake of hurricanes, tornadoes and other crises.
“Over the last several years, GMC has become a leader in critical programs to restore impacted communities from disasters,” the firm wrote in announcing the new group. “The firm’s experience with disaster management and recovery programs, coupled with its engineering and architectural experience, allows the team to effectively assist communities in achieving their disaster program and long-term recovery goals.”
Among the services provided by the new group are pre-disaster planning, debris management and help with grants and other means of financial recovery, including through the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program.
Robert Ramsey will serve as executive vice president, leading the program. “Ramsey led debris monitoring and cost recovery efforts in his hometown of Albany, Georgia, following the tornadoes that struck in January 2017,” the firm notes. “This, in turn, incited his passion for not only rebuilding and restoring communities, but also working to create more resilient communities to mitigate damage before disasters strike.”
Before creating the new department, the Montgomery-based firm provided many of these same services through other departments.
“Under Ramsey’s leadership, GMC has provided disaster recovery services for numerous municipalities throughout the Southeast,” the firm says, mentioning specific work Opp, Atmore and Satsuma in Alabama; in Albany, Kingsland, St. Marys, Seminole County, Iron City, Donalsonville in Georgia; and in several sites in South Carolina.
In addition, the firm has consulted with utility companies on disaster recovery and worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency on recovery funding.
Based in Montgomery, GMC has offices throughout Alabama and in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee.
