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More than $159 million Obligated for Safe Rooms from Katrina

BILOXI, Miss.– In the last 10 years, FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program has obligated more than $159 million from Hurricane Katrina recovery to build community safe rooms throughout Mississippi to protect people during storms. HMGP provides grants to state, local and tribal governments to implement long-term mitigation measures to reduce the loss of life and property from a disaster.

Safe rooms can be built as multipurpose shelters to protect communities from tornadoes, hurricanes and floods. These community safe rooms are built to FEMA 361 specifications, which include hardening of walls and roofs to withstand 200 mph winds.

Mississippi Emergency Management Agency officials have made the construction of safe rooms a priority since Katrina. A recent study from the Centers for Disease Control found that safe rooms are the best option to reduce the number of deaths during tornadoes.

“We always tell folks to get out of mobile homes and manufactured homes, and to consider going to a more substantial structure to wait out the storm,” said Robert Latham, executive director of MEMA. “By providing a secure place for them to go, we make our communities safer. Citizens need to incorporate safe room locations into their plans, or know where a substantial structure is located.”

“In so many cases, the death toll would be much higher were it not for safe rooms for people to take shelter in,” said Acting Director of FEMA’s Mississippi Recovery Office, Loraine Hill.

To date, 42 public safe rooms have been added to schools; 34 have been built as stand-alone structures for general use, and 9 constructed for first responders. Populations served by these safe rooms include approximately 44,000 students and staff; 28,000 citizens in the general population, and 3,500 first responders.

During the threat of an outbreak of tornadoes in the state earlier this year, 70 residents sought shelter; in a community safe room in Rankin County, built to FEMA 361 standards.

Another $205 million in HMGP funding was made available to Mississippi for mitigation projects, such as elevating buildings, flood control, sirens, generators and grants to individuals to retrofit areas of their home or build stand-alone safe room units.

For more information on building a public safe room to FEMA 361 specifications, go to http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/3140.

A video on community safe rooms in Mississippi.

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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.

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More than $159 million Obligated for Safe Rooms from Katrina

FEMA provides federal funds to help fight Twisp River Fire

SEATTLE – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Twisp River Fire, burning in Okanogan County, Washington.

FEMA Region X Regional Administrator, Kenneth D. Murphy determined that the Twisp River 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 19, 2015 at 7:12 p.m. PDT.

The fire started on August 19 and has burned in excess of 1,500 acres of Federal, State, and private land. At the time of the request, three firefighters had lost their lives with multiple others injured. The fire threatened 1,200 homes in and around the communities of Twisp, Winthrop and neighboring areas with a total population of 2,600. Approximately 95% of the threatened homes are primary residences and 5% are secondary homes. The fire was also threatening timberland, cultural resources, camp grounds, wildlife areas, power lines, communications and community infrastructure in the area. Mandatory and voluntary evacuations were issued for approximately 2,600 people. There are currently three shelters open.

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 Twisp River Fire

Residents Urged to Clean Up Now

SAIPAN – Individuals affected by Typhoon Soudelor that occurred August 1-3, 2015 are urged to begin cleaning up their homes and personal property as soon as possible. Officials from the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) emphasize that it is not necessary to wait for a housing inspection before beginning this process.

Residents need to document their losses thoroughly and take pictures of all the damages so that when FEMA housing inspectors arrive, they can make a quick analysis and take information with them. Residents will also need to keep all of the receipts they acquire while purchasing new living items during their displacement.

“We encourage individuals affected by the disaster to remain cautious and return home only when it is safe to do so,” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Stephen M. DeBlasio Sr. “Property owners should document all losses and damages by taking photos first, or making a list, and then begin immediately removing all damaged personal property to help combat mold and other health hazards and move forward in the recovery process.”

Before making permanent repairs to your home such as drywall, structural components, electrical systems or plumbing, make sure you get the proper permits from the CNMI Department of Public Works to ensure compliance with local building codes.

For more information on local clean-up instructions and local permit requirements, contact the CNMI at 670-237-8000.

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Residents Urged to Clean Up Now

Major Disaster Declaration for CNMI (FEMA-4235-DR) amended to include the Islands of Saipan and Tinian for Public Assistance Categories C-G.

SAIPAN – On August 18, 2015, the Major Disaster Declaration for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (FEMA-4235-DR) as a result of damages occurred August 1-3 by Typhoon Soudelor, was amended to include the Islands of Saipan and Tinian for Public Assistance [Categories C-G].

Public Assistance (PA) is the assistance for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities. The Islands of Saipan and Tinian are included for Public Assistance Categories C-G, which are as follows: Category C: Roads and Bridges, Category D: Water Control Facilities, Category E: Public Buildings and Equipment, Category F: Utilities, Category G: Parks, Recreational Facilities, and Other Items.

The Islands of Rota, Saipan, and Tinian were also included for debris removal and emergency protective measures (Categories A and B), including direct federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program.

The Government of CNMI agencies and certain private nonprofit agencies, that may be eligible for federal and commonwealth disaster assistance, must submit Request for Public Assistance (RPA) forms to Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Homeland Security. The deadline for RPAs for original categories A-B is September 4, 2015. The deadline for RPAs for categories C-G is September 18, 2015.

The Public Assistance Program provides grants to commonwealth governments and certain private non-profit entities to assist them with the response to and recovery from disasters.

PA funds are available to eligible applicants as part of the federal disaster declaration of August 5, 2015, for the typhoon that occurred August 1-3, 2015 in CNMI.

The primary goal of the Public Assistance program, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and CNMI, is to provide reimbursement for eligible expenses for emergency response as well as the repair and replacement of damaged public facilities.

Under the PA program, FEMA reimburses successful applicants for 75 percent of their eligible expenses, while the other 25 percent is the non-federal share. The CNMI government pays 75 percent of the non-federal share of eligible costs incurred by the commonwealth agencies and special districts with local agencies picking up the remaining 25 percent.

Commonwealth agencies and certain private nonprofits are responsible for the entire non-federal share. The federal portion is paid directly to the territory, with CNMI being the grantee, which then makes disbursements to sub-grantees, the local jurisdictions and organizations.

For forms and more information on the PA program, contact CNMI Public Affairs Officer, Ivan Blanco at 670-237-8040.

The RPA form can be submitted via email to: Nerissa Benavente at Nerissa.cip@gmail.com

September 4, 2015 is the deadline to submit RPAs for Categories A-B. September 17, 2015 is the deadline to submit RPAs for Categories C-G.

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Major Disaster Declaration for CNMI (FEMA-4235-DR) amended to include the Islands of Saipan and Tinian for Public Assistance Categories C-G.

Advice on Preventing Damage from Future Storms Offered at Home Improvement Stores in Texas

AUSTIN, Texas – As Texans rebuild or repair their homes damaged by the May 4 through June 22 storms, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and local home improvement stores have teamed up to provide free information, tips and literature on making homes stronger and safer.

FEMA mitigation specialists will be on hand in Brazoria, Grayson, Harris, Montgomery, and Williamson counties at in-store information centers to answer questions and offer home improvement tips and proven methods to prevent and lessen damage from future disasters. Most of the information is geared for do-it-yourself work and general contractors.

Also, if you’re thinking of building a storm shelter or safe room, literature is available about the best options. Safe rooms built to FEMA specifications have saved thousands of lives.

Advisors will be available at the following locations Aug. 20 – 25:

Brazoria County: Home Depot located at 100 Abner Jackson Parkway, Lake Jackson, TX 77566

Grayson County: Home Depot located at 601 Northcreek Drive, Sherman, TX 75092

Harris County: Lowe’s located at 9640 Katy Freeway, Houston, TX 77055

Montgomery County: Home Depot located at 23575 U.S. Highway 59, Porter, TX 77365

Williamson County: Lowe’s located at 201 Ed Schmidt Blvd., Hutto, TX 78634

Hours of operation: Thursday – Saturday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Monday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Tuesday (Aug.25), 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Mitigation teams will also have free reference booklets in English and Spanish on protecting your home from flood damage and cleaning up mold and mildew. More information about strengthening property can be found at http://www.fema.gov/what-mitigation.

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 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, http://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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Advice on Preventing Damage from Future Storms Offered at Home Improvement Stores in Texas

FEMA Helps Mississippi Preserve Important Architectural Properties

BILOXI, Miss. — As part of an innovative agreement between federal, state, local and tribal officials, 29 historic properties lost during Katrina have been commemorated with cast aluminum markers.

“We thought it especially important to have sketches of the destroyed buildings on the markers,” said Kenneth P’Pool, deputy state historic preservation officer of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. “It gives people an appreciation of what was lost. Some of these illustrations are the last examples of architectural styles on the Coast.”

The wooden Church of the Redeemer was a prime example of the Carpenter Gothic style. The engraving of a bell tower in front of it depicts one from a newer church built in 1891. The bell tower was the only part of that structure to survive Hurricane Camille in 1969.

It is a challenge for communities to protect historic properties during and after a disaster. They need to protect the health and safety of citizens – for example, by removing large amounts of disaster debris in a timely manner – while preserving the integrity of a historic site.

The National Historic Preservation Act requires federal agencies to consider the effects their projects may have on historic properties. The agencies must review background information and consult with the State Historic Preservation Officer, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer and other knowledgeable sources. In many cases, further surveys and studies are needed to make a final determination on how or if to proceed. The review process can take several weeks—even months, which may not be in the interest of public safety.

To expedite removal of massive amounts of debris after Hurricane Katrina for public health and safety, FEMA entered into an agreement with several agencies to streamline the process. Partners included the Mississippi State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO); Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI); Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) and Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).

Using GPS data, FEMA’s Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation program surveyed historic districts, properties and archaeological sites in the lower Mississippi counties most affected by Katrina and created a database that will help emergency management officials in future disasters.

They also updated listings for the National Register of Historic Places, and found 58 archaeological sites that had not previously been identified.

“So much damage was done by Katrina that there was a great need to clean up the debris, but little time to enter into the proper consultation required by the National Historic Preservation Act,” said P’Pool.

“We now have a much better handle on the numbers, locations and types of historic properties and

where they’re distributed around the Gulf Coast. Having that knowledge provides us with an opportunity to make a much more rapid response in assessing damage to specific historic properties in the future.”

“It’s very rewarding to be part of an agreement that can be used as a model for other states,” said Cyril Baxter Mann, deputy environmental liaison officer for FEMA’s Historic Preservation program.

For its work after Katrina, FEMA received the Chairman’s Award for Federal Achievement from the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, in coordination with SHPO and other partners, for its innovative effort in creating the digitized database of historic properties.

In addition, for the Katrina recovery, FEMA’s EHP program reviewed more than 17,000 recovery projects for potential environmental and historic preservation issues. It also reviewed more than 13,000 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program applications for placement of in-ground shelters.

For more information on this agreement and FEMA archaeological specialists at work: view this video.

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FEMA Helps Mississippi Preserve Important Architectural Properties

Oklahomans Have One Week Left to Register for FEMA Assistance

OKLAHOMA CITY –There is only one week left for Oklahomans who sustained damages from the May 5 through June 22 storms to apply for state and federal disaster assistance.

Residents and business owners in the 45 counties approved for Individual Assistance have until August 26 to seek assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

The designated counties are Adair, Atoka, Beckham, Bryan, Caddo, Canadian, Carter, Cherokee, Choctaw, Cleveland, Coal, Comanche, Cotton, Delaware, Garvin, Grady, Hughes, Jefferson, Johnston, Kiowa, Latimer, Le Flore, Lincoln, Logan, Love, Marshall, Mayes, McClain, McCurtain, McIntosh, Murray, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Ottawa, Pittsburg, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Pushmataha, Rogers, Seminole, Stephens, Tillman, Tulsa and Wagoner.

To date, more than $47.5 million has been provided to Oklahoma disaster survivors. This assistance includes $16.9 million in funding for disaster related housing needs and other disaster related expenses, more than $19.9 million in SBA loans, and more than $10.6 million in payments to policyholders with the National Flood Insurance Program.

SBA has issued 1,546 applications for low-interest disaster loans to homeowners and businesses. More than $18 million has been approved for homeowners and more than $1.8 million has been approved for business owners rebuilding after the storms.
There have been more than 10,720 total registrations for assistance. There are several ways to register for assistance. Call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Or go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov using a computer, tablet or smartphone.

Oklahomans Have One Week Left to Register for FEMA Assistance

Disaster Recovery Centers to Open at CAP Offices

PINE RIDGE, S.D. – The Oglala Sioux Tribe and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are establishing Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in six locations for individuals who experience damage during the severe storms from May 8-29. The centers will be located at the CAP offices in the following locations:

Aug 19-22: Wounded Knee District ,Manderson
Aug 23-25: Porcupine District, Porcupine
Aug 26-29: Medicine Root District, Kyle
Aug 30-Sep 1: Eagle Nest District, Wanblee
Sep 2-4: Pass Creek District, Allen
Sep 5-7: LaCreek District, Martin

Another DRC is open at the SuAnne Big Crow Recreational Center, 1 Positive Pl. – E HWY 82, Pine Ridge. In addition, transportation to Pine Ridge DRC from the Oglala District office every other hour starting at 9:00 a.m. Individuals are free to visit any DRC location.

The DRCs will be open from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. until further notice. The DRC is set up for residents who would like to speak one-on-one to recovery representatives, but it’s not necessary to visit a center to receive disaster assistance. Individuals who want to register with FEMA can call 1-800-621-3362 (TTY 1-800-462-7585) or go online at www.fema.gov or www.disasterassistance.gov. The registration line is open daily from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. until further notice. Individuals may also register by smart phone at m.fema.gov.

Even if residents previously registered with the tribe, with a voluntary agency, or provided damage reports they must still register with FEMA to access federal disaster assistance programs.

Customer service representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will be at the centers to answer questions about SBA’s federal low-interest disaster loans and help business owners and residents complete their application.

FEMA Mitigation specialists are scheduled to be on hand at the DRC to provide information and answer questions about cost-effective rebuilding and repair techniques to reduce property damage in future disasters.

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Disaster Recovery Centers to Open at CAP Offices

Disaster Recovery Center Open in Carter County to Help Kentucky Storm Survivors

FRANKFORT, Ky. — A disaster recovery center operated by the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the Federal Emergency Management Agency is now open in Carter County.

The center will operate from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (EDT) Monday through Saturday until further notice. The Carter County center is located at Northeast Kentucky Community Action, 539 Hitchins Ave. in Olive Hill.

Specialists from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration will be on hand to answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available after the severe storms in July.

Survivors who suffered losses in Carter, Johnson, Rowan and Trimble counties can get help with registration, questions about an application or review information needed to process an application.

Before visiting a center, if possible, survivors should register for assistance.

Disaster recovery centers are accessible to people with disabilities. The centers have tools to amplify sound, magnifiers and materials in alternative formats along with video remote interpretation and available sign language interpreters. Survivors with a disability, and need an accommodation when visiting the disaster recovery center, should call 502-209-2748 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Survivors can register by using the following methods:

Online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov
By calling 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585, Video Relay Service 800-621-3362).

The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time seven days a week until further notice. Multilingual operators are available.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and essential home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

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For more information on Kentucky’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov or http://kyem.ky.gov. On Facebook, go to http://www.facebook.com/KYEmergencyManagement. To receive Twitter updates: http://twitter.com/kyempio or www.twitter.com/femaregion4.

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Disaster Recovery Center Open in Carter County to Help Kentucky Storm Survivors

Arkansas, Louisiana & New Mexico Receive More Than $2.4 Million in FEMA Preparedness Grants

DENTON, Texas — Fire departments in Arkansas, Louisiana and New Mexico have been awarded more than $2.4 million in preparedness grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

In Arkansas, the grants total $413,524 and cover firefighting equipment for the Lake Village Fire Department and the Lone Rock Volunteer Fire Department in Norfork.

In Louisiana, the grants total more than $1.8 million and pay for:

• Firefighting equipment for the Church Point Volunteer Fire Department, the Forest Volunteer Fire Department in Oak Grove, the Plaucheville Volunteer Fire Department and the West Baton Rouge Fire District 1 in Port Allen; and
• The hiring of 17 firefighters because of attrition for the Shreveport Fire Department.

The grant in New Mexico totals $169,000 and pays for tuition and educational assistance plus several other programs for the Mayhill Volunteer Fire Department.

The federal grants are part of the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) program and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grants program. SAFER awards provide funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to help them increase the number of trained, front line firefighters available in their communities. For more information on the SAFER Grant program, visit http://www.fema.gov/staffing-adequate-fire-emergency-response-grants.

The primary goal of the AFG is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and non-affiliated emergency medical service organizations. Since 2001, AFG has helped firefighters and other first responders get critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources needed to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards. For more information on the AFG program, visit http://www.fema.gov/assistance-firefighters-grant.

Follow FEMA Region 6 on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion6.

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Arkansas, Louisiana & New Mexico Receive More Than $2.4 Million in FEMA Preparedness Grants

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