When Hurricane Ike made landfall in Galveston on September 13, 2008, one of the hardest hit institutions was the University of Texas Medical Branch. The storm flooded every building on the campus, causing an estimated $800 million in damages and lost revenue. The emergency services offered at the facility were by necessity moved to Houston, placing a strain on their emergency care capabilities.

In October 2008, University of Texas Systems contracted Witt Associates to assist UTMB in developing, documenting, managing, and submitting grant applications for funds available under the FEMA Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs. Witt Associates' experienced team of Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation professionals worked with UTMB staff and department managers to identify damages and counsel UTMB on critical aspects of the PA program. Witt Associates highlighted nuances of Federal regulations to maximize UTMB's Disaster Recovery awards.

Witt Associates continues to work side‐by‐side with UTMB and FEMA representatives, conducting site inspections, quantifying cost details and championing opportunities for UTMB under the 404 & 406 Hazard Mitigation programs. Acting as the UTMB's representative, the JLWA team then negotiated with FEMA to resolve eligibility issues and gain FEMA's support to increase the PA awards for numerous projects.