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Louisiana Recovery Update: Katrina and Rita by the Numbers

BATON ROUGE, La. – Nearly a decade after hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated Louisiana, hard-hit communities are coming back stronger than ever. To date, assistance to Louisiana’s residents and communities from the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency totals more than $19.6 billion.

“Louisiana is more prepared today than ever before,” said GOHSEP Director Kevin Davis. “That’s a tribute to the local, state and federal partnership we have created in Louisiana, focused on preparedness and resiliency.”

The more than $19.6 billion in federal disaster assistance has made its way to Louisiana cities, parishes and citizens through FEMA’s Individual Assistance, Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation grant programs.

That includes nearly $5.8 billion in Individual Assistance grants provided to nearly 916,000 individuals and families affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita in Louisiana. More than $5.5 billion of the total was provided within a year of the storms, giving residents a helping hand in rebuilding their lives and restoring livelihoods.

The total also includes nearly $12.4 billion obligated in Public Assistance reimbursements to the state and local governments, and eligible private nonprofit organizations; and more than $1.4 billion obligated for mitigation projects to build stronger, safer, more resilient communities. FEMA continues to reimburse the State of Louisiana for 100 percent of the costs for projects under the Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant programs.

To date, nearly 80 percent of the currently projected repair and replacement costs under the Public Assistance program for Katrina have been disbursed to applicants. Under Hurricane Rita’s Public Assistance program, 90 percent of the repair and replacement costs have been disbursed.

Separately, the state and FEMA provided more than $321.5 million in Disaster Unemployment Assistance to nearly 185,000 survivors who lost jobs as a result of the hurricanes, and $17.9 million in Relocation Assistance so more than 10,000 families could return home to their communities.

In addition, FEMA funded one of the largest crisis counseling programs ever – providing more than $68.5 million to Louisiana Spirit to help adults and children identify ways to deal with the trauma and stress of surviving and recovering from the hurricanes. Louisiana Spirit is a federally-funded crisis counseling and stress management program for individuals, families and groups affected by presidentially declared disasters across the state of Louisiana.

In addition to the $19.6 billion in grant program funding, the FEMA-administered National Flood Insurance Program paid more than $16.2 billion in claims to more than 215,000 policyholders in the state, while the U.S. Small Business Administration provided nearly $6.9 billion in low-interest disaster recovery loans to help homeowners, renters and businesses rebuild.

Although recovery from the storms has been a top priority, FEMA and local jurisdictions also considered the safety of residents in the future. With more than $23 million in FEMA assistance, Louisiana increased the number of jurisdictions with FEMA-approved hazard mitigation plans from just four to 68, including all 64 parishes in the state. Mitigation plans form the foundation of a community’s long-term strategy to reduce disaster losses and break the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction and repeated damage.

While monetary assistance is vital to Louisiana’s recovery, it does not tell the full story of the state and federal family’s commitment to survivors since Katrina and Rita struck in 2005.

Through collaborative efforts, FEMA and GOHSEP conducted the largest housing operation in our nation’s history, providing temporary housing to nearly 74,000 families displaced by Katrina and another 11,000 families displaced by Rita. As of three years ago, all of these survivors had returned to longer-term housing.

“The success of Louisiana’s recovery so far has been all about solidifying and strengthening partnerships. It’s about coming together, finding common ground and focusing on rebuilding communities that are stronger and more sustainable for the future,” said Mike Womack of FEMA, director of the Louisiana Recovery Office.

For more information on Katrina and Rita recovery, including project highlights, photos, video and fact sheets, visit https://beta.fema.gov/katrina10. For further recovery information, photos and a calendar of Katrina and Rita anniversary events around Louisiana, visit GOHSEP’s Katrina 10th anniversary Web page at www.gohsep.la.gov/RECOVER/KATRINA-RITA-10-YEARS-LATER. Also visit FEMA on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion6 and on Facebook at facebook.com/FEMA for further Katrina and Rita anniversary content in the coming days.

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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

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Louisiana Recovery Update: Katrina and Rita by the Numbers

Seven Disaster Recovery Centers in Five Texas Counties to Close August 27

AUSTIN, Texas – Seven Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in Caldwell, Harris, Hays, Jim Wells and Nueces counties will close Aug. 27. That also is the final day for survivors of the May 4 to June 22 storms and flooding to register for FEMA recovery assistance or a loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The following DRCs will cease operations at 6 p.m. that Thursday:

Caldwell County: Martindale Baptist Church, 12351 Highway 142, Martindale, TX 78655.

Harris County: Leonel Castillo Community Center, 2101 South St., Houston, TX 77009. The DRC at Bayland Community Center, 6400 Bissonnet St., Houston, TX 77074, will close then transition the following day to an SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center.

Hays County: San Marcos Activity Center (Front Lobby Area), 501 E. Hopkins St., San Marcos, TX 78666, and Wimberley Community Center, 14068 Ranch Road 12, Wimberley, TX 78676.

Jim Wells County: Old Armory, 1207, N. Cameron St., Alice, Texas 78332.

Nueces County: Richard M. Borchard Regional Fairgrounds, Conference Center- Meeting Room A, B & C, 1213 Terry Shamsie Blvd., Robstown, TX 78380, will close then transition the following day to an SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center.

DRCs operated by the State of Texas and the Federal Emergency Management Agency and supported by other agencies have remained open until the needs of area residents were met. The centers have served as one-stop shops for information and guidance about disaster assistance.

Survivors with questions regarding their applications or the appeals process after the DRCs close have several ways to obtain information:

Go online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
Call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. People who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) can call 800-621-3362. Multilingual operators are available.
Visit the Texas Disaster Recovery website www.fema.gov/disaster/4223

Contact U.S. Small Business Administration’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program has a call center to answer Texas policyholders’ flood insurance questions. Specialists can help with servicing claims, providing general information and offering technical assistance to aid in recovery. To speak with a flood insurance specialist, call 800-621-3362 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Visit http://www.fema.gov/texas-disaster-mitigation for publications and reference material on rebuilding and repairing safer and stronger.

For more information on Texas recovery, visit the disaster web page at www.fema.gov/disaster/4223, Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the Texas Division of Emergency Management website, www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem.

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All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for childcare, medical, dental expenses and/or funeral expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, those who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, transportation, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

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Seven Disaster Recovery Centers in Five Texas Counties to Close August 27

Texans Who Filed Insurance Claims for May-June Storm Damage Should Register With FEMA

AUSTIN, Texas – If you are among the thousands of Texans who filed insurance claims for damage related to the May 4 to June 22 storms, you may be eligible for additional state-federal assistance. The key is to register with FEMA before the Aug. 27 deadline. Filing a claim under FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program is different than registering for a FEMA disaster assistance grant.

FEMA may be able to help you with uninsured or underinsured losses or if your insurance settlement is delayed. Be sure to document your situation and gather insurance company documents that can be included when you talk with FEMA after registering.

Have you received the maximum settlement from your insurance and still have unmet disaster-related needs? You may be eligible for a grant.

For example, if you have exhausted the maximum settlement from your insurance for Additional Living Expenses (ALE for loss of use) and still need help from FEMA with temporary housing, you should document your need and assemble paperwork that shows use of ALE from insurance.

While FEMA cannot duplicate benefits covered by your insurance or other sources, you may also be eligible for emergency home repairs, disaster-related medical, dental and funeral costs and other disaster-related expenses.

Has a decision on your insurance settlement been delayed longer than 30 days from the time you filed your claim? Be sure to let FEMA know and have ready any documents from your insurance company to show that you filed a claim. If the claim was filed over the telephone, include the claim number, date applied, and an estimate of how long it will take for you to receive your settlement. Any help from FEMA would be considered an advance and would have to be repaid to FEMA when your insurance settlement is received.

You can apply for FEMA assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362 toll free from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) daily until further notice. Multilingual operators are available.

Disaster assistance applicants who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY should call 800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

Applying for an SBA low-interest disaster loan is part of federal disaster assistance. Many people who apply to FEMA are automatically referred for a low-interest disaster assistance loan. Survivors should complete SBA loan applications so they can be considered for all available disaster assistance.

For more information on Texas recovery, visit the disaster web page at www.fema.gov/disaster/4223, Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6, and the Texas Division of Emergency Management website, www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem.

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The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

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Texans Who Filed Insurance Claims for May-June Storm Damage Should Register With FEMA

Ten Years after Katrina, FEMA has Obligated Over $3.2 billion in Public Assistance

BILOXI, Miss. — More than $3.2 billion in FEMA funding has been allocated to Mississippi for Public Assistance after Hurricane Katrina. FEMA’s Public Assistance program includes grants for the repair and rebuilding of public infrastructure, such as bridges, roads, schools, hospitals and sewer treatment facilities. The PA program also provides funding for debris removal and emergency protective measures, such as search and rescue operations, temporary roads and overtime for other emergency workers, including police and firefighters.

Some of the PA projects in Mississippi included repairing and rebuilding the Biloxi Civic Center and Library; the Hancock County Courthouse and Medical Center; the Waveland City Hall and Municipal Complex; and St. Martin School in Jackson County. The famous Biloxi Lighthouse, which came to represent the resiliency of the Mississippi Gulf Coast after Katrina, was also repaired with funding from FEMA’s PA program.

For more information on PA recovery projects in Mississippi, please go to FEMA’s Revitalizing Mississippi Communities.

The PA program normally reimburses local, state and tribal governments and qualified nonprofit organizations for a certain share of eligible costs. However, because of the magnitude of Katrina, FEMA covered 100 percent of allowable project expenses.

The largest PA project funded by FEMA in Mississippi after Katrina is the repair of a large section of Biloxi’s water and sewer treatment system. After Katrina, the system was out of operation for weeks. It was brought back into working condition with generators and temporary bypass pumps to transfer wastewater to treatment plants. City officials decided to use the $363 million in eligible FEMA repair and rebuilding grants toward the total cost of improving and upgrading the system. Repairs include consolidating and hardening the pump stations along the beachfront to withstand future storms.

Following is a breakdown of Public Assistance funding by sector.

Health Care: More than $50 million has been obligated to rebuild and improve hospitals and other health care facilities in disaster-affected areas. Over $40.6 million was used to restore parts of Hancock Medical Center in the town of Bay St. Louis which serves a population of approximately 44,000.

Education: More than $334 million has been allocated for K-12 public schools and universities. Some of these schools, such as the St. Martin school in Jackson County, combined the funding with other sources to build new state-of-the-art educational facilities and a public safe room to protect the community from future disasters.

Public Works/Utilities: Nearly $901.6 million has been obligated. This includes more than $363 million to repair and rebuild part of Biloxi’s sewer and water treatment system and nearly $99 million for the sewer and water treatment system in Gulfport. More than $36 million funded the repair of the wastewater treatment facility in Diamondhead.

Roads and Bridges: More than $84 million was allocated for repair and rebuilding.

Public Safety and Protection: Over $33 million has been obligated for the restoration of fire and police stations, courthouses and corrections facilities. Some public safety buildings, such as the Pass Christian police station, were rebuilt using FEMA 361 standards for public safe rooms to protect first responders in future disasters.

Historic Structures: Over $129 million was obligated for restoration of historic properties, such as the town of Waveland’s Civic Center, the Carnegie Library in Gulfport and the Old Brick House in Biloxi.

Debris Removal/Emergency Protective Measures: More than $1.15 billion was allocated to clear debris and reimburse overtime hours for emergency workers, including police and firefighters.

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Ten Years after Katrina, FEMA has Obligated Over $3.2 billion in Public Assistance

FEMA provides federal funds to help fight the Renner Fire

Through Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAGs), federal funds are available to support firefighters battling wildfires if needed. Original photo by Andrea Booher/FEMA News Photo. Los Alamos, N.M., May 4, 2000 – “Hot Shot” members from Zuni, NM, continue their fight with smoldering forest fires.

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SEATTLE – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Renner Fire in Ferry and Stevens County, Washington.

FEMA Region X Regional Administrator Kenneth D. Murphy determined that the Renner Fire threatened such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. Murphy approved the state’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) on August 21, 2015 at 4:52 p.m. PDT.

The fire started on August 14, 2015 and has burned in excess of 3,000 acres of federal, state, private lands. At the time of the request, the fire had threatened 185 homes in and around the communities of Orient and Boyds. Nearly 2,800 residents were impacted and mandatory and voluntary evacuations were issued. Approximately 90% of the threatened homes are primary residences and 10% are secondary homes. The fire was also threatening high value timberland, cultural resources, camp grounds, wildlife areas, power lines, communications, water supplies, natural gas lines and community infrastructure in the area. There are multiple other large fires burning uncontrolled within the state. The fire was 0 percent contained.

The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of the State of Washington’s eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires. These grants provide reimbursement for firefighting and life-saving efforts. They do not provide assistance to individuals, homeowners or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.

Fire Management Assistance Grants are provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies.

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FEMA provides federal funds to help fight the Renner Fire

31st MEU’s Typhoon Relief Mission in Saipan

SAIPAN – Following Typhoon Soudelor, FEMA called upon the expertise of our federal partners to help support the response. This included mission assigning the Navy and the Marine Corps to help provide relief to the island. The 31^st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) was conducting regularly scheduled training in the vicinity of the Mariana Islands when they were redirected to support the relief efforts.

When the USS Ashland and the MEU arrived in Saipan, August 7^th, they hit the ground running. The Navy-Marine Corps team quickly assessed the situation and brought to bear a myriad of capabilities including: manpower, transfer of goods and equipment, and distribution of donated humanitarian aid to individual survivors. This included multiple mobile water containers able to transport more than 2,000 gallons of drinking water, generators and equipment to repair and restore power and approximately 10,000 pounds of Red Cross relief goods.

“The Marines provided manpower, equipment and technical expertise for emergency drinking water production, and distribution for typhoon survivors as directed by the CNMI government. Their assistance expedited immediate humanitarian relief. We appreciate the unique capabilities of the Marines” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Stephen M. DeBlasio Sr.

The 31^st MEU also provided critical emergency water production and distribution to survivors of Typhoon Soudelor in support of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands government. 337,200 gallons of water and 71,136 individual Meals, Ready to Eat, were delivered to distribution sites across the island of Saipan. These sites included Koblerville Fire Station, Garapan Fishing Base, San Roque Fire Station, and Kagman Fire Station.

Debris clearance was another priority of the Marines, and they assisted in debris clearance for Marianas High School, Hopwood Junior High School, Garapan Elementary School, William Reyes Elementary School, Koblerville Elementary School, Koblerville Middle School, and Saipan Southern High School.

The 31^st MEU will complete their mission at 6PM on August 22, and following that will return to their home port in Okinawa, Japan. Media queries concerning the 31^st MEU’s participation in typhoon relief efforts operations may be directed to Capt. Jennifer Giles, 31^st MEU Public Affairs Officer at jennifer.giles@bhr.usmc.mil.

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31st MEU’s Typhoon Relief Mission in Saipan

Texans Who Received FEMA Recovery Assistance Urged to Use Funds Wisely

AUSTIN, Texas— Texans have received nearly $50 million in grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help recover from losses caused by the flooding and severe storms from May 4 through June 22. While the assistance is tax free and the grants do not have to be repaid, survivors are reminded to use their funds wisely and solely for recovery.

When a grant is awarded, FEMA sends a letter listing examples of approved uses that include home repair, rental assistance for a different place to live temporarily, and other disaster-related expenses. These include repair or replacement of a flooded essential vehicle or medical care for an injury caused by the disaster. Disaster grants should not be used for regular living expenses, such as utility bills or food, medical or dental expenses not related to the disaster, travel, entertainment, or any other discretionary expenses not disaster related.

By now, survivors who had insurance may have received settlements. Since grants by law cannot duplicate funds received from other sources, it’s important for survivors to update FEMA. The best way is to call FEMA’s toll-free Helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362) which is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice. Multilingual operators are available. Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 800-462-7585 directly. Users of 711 or Video Relay Services (VRS) should call 800-621-3362.

Survivors who have not yet registered for assistance are encouraged to do so before the August 27 deadline using the same phone number or by going online to www.disasterassistance.gov. They also can visit a disaster recovery center (DRC) where specialists with state, FEMA, U.S. Small Business Administration, and local organizations also can answer questions in person. To locate the nearest DRC, call the Helpline or go online to http://asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm.

It’s important for grant recipients to keep receipts for three years to show how funds were spent. Following every federally declared disaster, FEMA conducts audits of disaster assistance payments to ensure taxpayer dollars were properly provided based on a survivor’s needs and used appropriately by recipients. A small percentage of survivors may be asked to repay part or all of a grant. This process is an important part of FEMA’s obligation and commitment to be a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars.

For more information on Texas recovery, visit the disaster web page at www.fema.gov/disaster/4223, Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the Texas Division of Emergency Management website, https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem.

Texans who have questions about their flood insurance policies and coverage should contact the National Flood Insurance Program call center at 800-621-3362 between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (CDT) Monday through Friday. Specialists can help service claims, provide general information regarding policies, and offer technical assistance to aid in recovery.

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The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

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Texans Who Received FEMA Recovery Assistance Urged to Use Funds Wisely

FEMA provides federal funds to help fight Grizzly Bear Complex Fire

Two New Mexico firefighters walk up a hill to continue battling smoldering forest fires. Fire Management Assistance Grants can provide federal funds to support costs like firefighting tools and equipment, overtime compensation, mobilization and travel costs, meals, health and safety items.

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SEATTLE – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Grizzly Bear Complex Fire burning in Wallowa County, Oregon.

FEMA Region X Regional Administrator Kenneth D. Murphy determined that the fire threatened such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. Murphy approved the state of Oregon’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) at 12:15 a.m. PDT on Aug. 21, 2015.

At the time of the request, the fire was threatening 150 homes in and around the communities of Troy and neighboring areas. Nearly all of the threatened homes are primary residences. The fire was also threatening high value timberland, cultural resources, camp grounds, wildlife areas, power lines and community infrastructure in the area. Mandatory and voluntary evacuations were issued for approximately 200 people. Additionally the communities of Grouse Flats, Eden Bench, and Bartlett Bench are also threatened.

The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of the state of Oregon’s eligible firefighting costs for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires. These grants provide reimbursement for firefighting and life-saving efforts. They do not provide assistance to individuals, homeowners or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.

FMAGs are provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies.

FEMA provides federal funds to help fight Grizzly Bear Complex Fire

Thousands of Policyholders Taking Part in Hurricane Sandy Claims Review

FEMA Continues to Make Additional Payments to Eligible Policyholders

Over 11,000 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholders who filed claims for damage are in the Hurricane Sandy Claims Review process, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today. FEMA has already validated and begun providing additional funds to policyholders taking part in the Hurricane Sandy Claims Review.

“If you believe your flood claim was underpaid for any reason, we encourage you to do what so many of your neighbors are doing and ask FEMA to take another look,” said Roy Wright, Deputy Associate Administrator for FEMA’s Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration, which runs the NFIP.

FEMA reminds policyholders that September 15, 2015 is the last day to request a review of their Hurricane Sandy claims.

To be eligible, policyholders must have experienced flood damage between Oct. 27, 2012 and Nov. 6, 2012. Policyholders can call the NFIP’s Hurricane Sandy claims center at 866-337-4262 to request a review. Alternately, policyholders can go online to www.fema.gov/hurricane-sandy-nfip-claims to download a form requesting a review. The completed form may be emailed to FEMA-sandyclaimsreview@fema.dhs.gov to start the process.

For individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and use 711 or VRS, please call 866-337-4262. For individuals using a TTY, please call 800-462-7585 to begin the review process.

When policyholders call, they should have available the name on the policy, address of the damaged property, the name of the insurance company and the policy number that was in effect at the time of the loss. Policyholders will be asked a series of questions to determine whether they qualify for review. Once qualified, policyholders will be called by an adjuster, acting as a case worker, to begin the review. The timing of the adjuster’s initial call may be affected by the volume of requests for review. Most reviews can be concluded within 90 days.

Files will be assigned to an NFIP-certified adjuster who will review the claim file. Adjusters will contact policyholders to guide them through the review process. Policyholders who have already requested their review can call 866-337-4262 if they have questions or need more information.

After a policyholder receives the results of their claims review in writing from FEMA, they may seek reconsideration by a neutral third party reviewer if they are dissatisfied with the result. The review is an optional process established by FEMA to give policyholders an opportunity to seek further reexamination of their claim file by a neutral third party reviewer. FEMA will give substantial weight to the recommendation made by the officials in making its final determination on the file.

Policyholders who have already requested a Hurricane Sandy claims review do not need to take any additional action and can expect to be contacted by their adjuster.

The Sandy claims review process is intended to be simple for the policyholder and does not require paid legal assistance. Additionally, there are several nonprofit service providers ready to offer free advice and answer questions policyholders may have. A list of these advocacy groups can be found on the claims review website at www.fema.gov/advocacy-groups-and-services-referral-list.

Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/FEMASandy,www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/fema, www.fema.gov/blog, and www.youtube.com/fema.Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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Thousands of Policyholders Taking Part in Hurricane Sandy Claims Review

Flood Insurance Can Provide Peace of Mind for Texans

Main Content

Release date:

August 20, 2015

Release Number:

FS-013

Flood insurance can save Texas homeowners and renters thousands of dollars in repairs. It also can provide peace of mind considering that flooding is the most frequent natural disaster in the United States.

Flood Insurance in Texas:

Flooding comes from a variety of sources in Texas, such as rainstorms, tropical storms, and hurricanes.
Last year, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) paid out more than

$58.5 million in claims for Texans. So far this year, the agency has paid out more than quadruple that amount – exceeding $277.6 million, as of Aug. 19.

Nearly 600,000 Texas households had flood insurance as of May 31, according to the NFIP. While that number may seem large, it is a small percentage of the 8.9 million total Texas households.

Costs Add up Quickly:

Just three inches of floodwater in a home will require replacing drywall, baseboards, carpet, furniture and other necessary repairs that can cost $22,500 in a 2,000-square foot house.
The deeper the floodwater, the higher the repair costs – 12 inches of water in a 2,000-square foot house can cost $50,000 or more.

Common Misconceptions:

Understanding the value of flood insurance is important, yet many people remain uninsured, in part due to common misconceptions.
Many policyholders believe their insurance covers all hazards and flood insurance isn’t needed. However, standard homeowner policies do not cover flooding.
A federal disaster declaration is not necessary to make a claim on an NFIP flood insurance policy.
Homes located outside flood-prone areas need flood insurance, too. Nationally, 25 percent of the total structures that flood each year belong to policyholders whose properties are not in high-risk areas.

Obtaining Flood Insurance:

There is normally a 30-day waiting period when purchasing a new policy. Flood insurance is sold through private insurance companies and agents and is backed by the federal government.

Flood insurance is available to homeowners, business owners and renters in communities that participate in the NFIP and enforce their local flood plain management ordinances. To determine if a community participates in NFIP, go online to www.floodsmart.gov
Homeowners in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) must buy flood insurance if they have a mortgage from a federally regulated lender.
An interactive guide to determine flood risk is available online at www.floodsmart.gov. This site also provides additional information on the NFIP and a list of insurance agents in a homeowner’s area who sell NFIP flood coverage.

Costs and Coverage:

Flood insurance premiums average about $700 per year for homeowners.
Homeowners can insure their homes for up to $250,000 and contents for up to $100,000.
A number of factors determine rates for renters. Renters can cover their belongings in amounts up to $100,000.
Nonresidential property owners can insure a building and its contents for up to $500,000 each.

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Last Updated:

August 20, 2015 – 15:02

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Flood Insurance Can Provide Peace of Mind for Texans

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