FEMA Rebuilding Experts to Provide Advice in Louisville

JACKSON, Miss. – Residents in the Louisville area can learn how to build or rebuild to reduce the likelihood of damage the next time severe storms, tornadoes or floods hit. Federal Emergency Management Agency’s mitigation experts know how and they are sharing their knowledge.

FEMA mitigation specialists will be at Winston County Co-Op in Louisville Friday, Saturday and Monday to discuss specific methods with anyone who stops by. They will have free booklets and pamphlets with additional details.

Friday-Saturday, May 30-31, and Monday, June 2

Winston County Co-Op

408 W. Main St.

Louisville, Miss. 39339

Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Monday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Disaster survivors in Itawamba, Jones, Leake, Lee, Lowndes, Madison, Montgomery, Rankin, Simpson, Warren, Wayne and Winston counties may be eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program.

Individuals and households in those counties can online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone or tablet at m.FEMA.gov or by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362). People who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY should call 800-462-7585. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (central time) and assistance is available in multiple languages.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, go to FEMA.gov/Disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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. 

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-3362. If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

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

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FEMA Rebuilding Experts to Provide Advice in Louisville

One Month After Disaster: Federal Aid for Alabama Disaster Tops $20 Million

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — More than $14 million has been approved through FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program. The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved more than $5 million through its low-interest disaster loan program.

The following numbers, compiled May 29, provide a snapshot of the Alabama/FEMA disaster recovery to date:

Funds approved

  • $12.2 million for Housing Assistance grants to help with recovery rental expenses and home repair costs.
  • $2.5 million for Other Needs Assistance to cover essential disaster-related needs, such as medical expenses and lost personal possessions.
  • $5.4 million approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration for low-interest loans to eligible homeowners, renters or business owners.

Survivor recovery

  • 9,968 of the 10,464 damaged homes and property have been inspected (95 percent of requests).
  • 3,285 visits have been made to the eight disaster recovery centers located in designated counties.
  • 9 counties designated for Individual Assistance.

FEMA works with many volunteer agencies and the private sector to speed the recovery effort. Those affected by the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding need to register with FEMA for disaster assistance.

No matter the degree of loss or insurance status, survivors are urged to apply for help. They can use the following methods:

  • By phone, call 800-621-3662 (FEMA) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., local time. Operators are multilingual. TTY 800-462-7585.
  • By computer, go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
  • By smartphone or tablet, use m.fema.gov.

County-by-County approved breakdown of Individual Assistance:

County

Approved Registrations

Housing Assistance

Other Needs Assistance

Baldwin

1,577

$6,242,607.13

$968,722.75

Blount

16

99,152.38

3,189.15

DeKalb

23

37,845.10

20,674.77

Etowah

46

416,163.67

38,049.04

Jefferson

373

993,188.44

147,512.20

Lee

48

207,679.16

51,907.93

Limestone

247

761,540.29

390,040.69

Mobile

2,393

3,365,319.90

849,947.13

Tuscaloosa

43

157,684.42

46,744.85

Total:

4,766

$12,281,180.49

$2,516,788.51

Recovery officials urge all Alabama residents who have registered for assistance to stay in close contact with FEMA throughout the recovery process. This is especially true during the first weeks after registering when FEMA housing inspectors must contact applicants to view damages. Those with mobile phones should provide that number to FEMA during the registration.

Affected survivors and business owners in the nine designated counties may apply for assistance. Those counties are: Baldwin, Blount, DeKalb, Etowah, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone, Mobile and Tuscaloosa.

Alabama/FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers are located in Baldwin, Blount, Jefferson, Limestone, Mobile and Tuscaloosa counties. These centers are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The DRC in Blount County will close Saturday, May 31 at 6 p.m. The Tuscaloosa DRC will transition from a DRC as of 6 p.m. Saturday, May 31, to a Disaster Loan Outreach Center with hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The deadline to register is Tuesday, July 1.

Original article:

One Month After Disaster: Federal Aid for Alabama Disaster Tops $20 Million

Help Continues: Students Involved in SR 530 Slide Recovery

Students have been helping with the SR 530 Slide recovery. One example is in Mill Creek, Wash., where a broadcast team of seven students from Henry M. Jackson High School produced one of the first newscasts that told the story of the SR 530 Slide. The newscast was produced for the high school’s news network as a way of increasing media awareness among younger audiences, said Zachary Anders, who is part of the broadcast team.

“I believe our coverage reached the younger audience simply by us students covering it, and for those of our age being able to relate to us,” he said. “Many of the students I talked to told us they ignored the coverage by CNN and NBC, or that they don’t watch the news at all.”

To view their newscast, click: http://youtu.be/LEesplF7l9Y.

Another example of student involvement in SR 530 Slide recovery is in Edmonds, Wash. Two Edmonds Community College students, Rob Matthews and Quincy Powell, are volunteering their skills to help survivors recover their memories from computer hard drives, flash drives and SD cards that were damaged as a result of the SR 530 Slide.

“I want to help the survivors by giving them back something they thought they had lost. Then they can maybe begin the healing process and get some remembrance and closure,” Matthews said.

Matthews, Powell and other students of the college are earning degrees in Information Security Technology and Data Recovery. They are working with members of the High Technology Crime Investigation Association to recover the data for free.

These are only a few examples of students helping with the SR 530 Slide recovery. There are many other ways to help. For more information about how to volunteer, click: www.uwsc.org/.

For more information on data recovery through Edmonds Community College, contact Rob Matthews at r.matthews1234@edmail.edcc.edu or Quincy Powell at q.powell6908@edmail.edcc.edu.

For details about what to do with a damaged hard drive, click: infosec.edcc.edu/OsoDataRecovery.html.

For more information on the SR 530 Slide, visit the Washington Emergency Management Division website at www.emd.wa.gov/activations/Activation.shtml or the FEMA website at www.fema.gov/.

The state of Washington and FEMA have been partnering in recovery since the SR 530 Slide. Those who were directly impacted by the slide may register for disaster assistance through June 2. Register online through midnight, Pacific Daylight Time or by phone by 7 p.m., Pacific Daylight Time.

To register online, click: www.DisasterAssistance.gov or m.fema.gov. To register by phone, call (800) 621-FEMA (3362). Survivors who use TTY should call (800) 462-7585 directly; those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS) may call (800) 621-3362. Survivors may call these toll-free telephone numbers to access the FEMA help line from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, seven days a week.

Source:

Help Continues: Students Involved in SR 530 Slide Recovery

Legal Services Available For Alabamians Affected By Recent Disaster

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabamians who have legal issues that are a direct result of the April 28 through May 5 severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding may receive free help from the Volunteer Lawyers Program of the Alabama State Bar Association.

Residents must reside in the designated counties of Baldwin, Blount, DeKalb, Etowah, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone, Mobile and Tuscaloosa.

  • Assistance with insurance claims (life, medical and property).
  • Counseling on landlord/tenant problems.
  • Assistance with home repair contracts.
  • Assistance with consumer protection-foreclosure problems.
  • Replacement of wills and other important legal documents destroyed in the disaster.
  • Drafting of powers of attorney.
  • Preparation of guardianships and conservatorships.
  • Referring individuals to local and state agencies that may be of further assistance.

Survivors should be aware that there are some limitations on disaster legal services. For example, assistance is not available for cases that will produce a fee (i.e., those cases where attorneys are paid part of the settlement by the court). Such cases are referred to a local lawyer referral service.

The Disaster Legal Services hotline phone number is 888-857-8571. The service is available from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. In the Huntsville area of Limestone County, call 256-539-2275. Those in Mobile and Baldwin counties can call 855-997-2857.

The helpline is part of a long-standing agreement between FEMA and the ABA.

 

Taken from:

Legal Services Available For Alabamians Affected By Recent Disaster

Disaster Unemployment Assistance Deadline Approaches for Arkansas Survivors

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Survivors of the April 27 severe storms, tornadoes and floods may be eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA).  Disaster Unemployment Assistance provides unemployment benefits and re-employment services to people who have become unemployed because of the storms.

Residents of Faulkner County have until June 2 to apply for DUA.

The DUA deadline for residents of Pulaski, Randolph and White counties is June 5.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance claims may be filed at the following Arkansas Department of Workforce Services offices:

Faulkner County       1500 N. Museum Road, Suite 111, Conway             (501) 730-9894

Pulaski County          5401 S. University, Little Rock                                  (501) 682-2257

OR

                                    #2 Crestview Plaza, Jacksonville                                (501) 982-3835

Randolph County     116 W. Elm St., Walnut Ridge                                   (870) 886-3556

White County            501 W. Arch Ave., Searcy                                          (870) 268-8601

Survivors can continue to register for FEMA assistance online until June 30 at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled device at m.fema.gov. They may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585.  The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

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Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status.  If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) is the state’s homeland security and preparedness agency. The agency works to identify and lessen the effects of emergencies, disasters and threats to Arkansas by developing effective prevention, preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery actions for all disasters and emergencies.  For additional information, contact ADEM at (501) 683-6700 or visit the website at www.adem.arkansas.gov.

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.  Follow us on Twitter athttps://twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov. For information on rebuilding and repairing safer and stronger, visit fema.gov/ar-disaster-mitigation.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations 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 information about SBA programs, applicants can go to www.sba.gov/disaster or call (800) 659-2955 (TTY 1-800-977-8339).

 

Excerpt from – 

Disaster Unemployment Assistance Deadline Approaches for Arkansas Survivors

FEMA Announces 2014 Youth Preparedness Council Members

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is pleased to announce the members of the 2014-2015 FEMA National Youth Preparedness Council.

FEMA’s Youth Preparedness Council was formed in 2012 to bring together youth leaders from across the country interested in advocating on behalf of youth preparedness and making a difference in their communities. The Council supports FEMA’s commitment to involving youth in preparedness-related activities. It also provides an avenue to engage youth by taking into account their perspectives, feedback and opinions.

Young people play an important role in raising emergency preparedness awareness. Preparedness education empowers youth to keep themselves and others safe in an emergency; encourages them to share preparedness information with their families, schools and communities; and reduces anxiety about potential disasters. The Youth Preparedness Council members represent the youth perspective on emergency preparedness, and they share information with their communities.

The 2014 application process produced a large number of highly qualified applicants. The 12 newest members of the Council were selected based on their dedication to public service, community involvement and potential to expand their impact as national advocates for youth preparedness.

The distinguished members selected in 2014 are as follows:

• FEMA Region I: Bridget Smith (Connecticut)

• FEMA Region II: James Collins (New Jersey)

• FEMA Region III: Sahara Duncan (Pennsylvania)

• FEMA Region IV: Jonathan Salazar (Florida)

• FEMA Region V: Isaiah Garcia (Michigan)

• FEMA Region VI: Obie Jones (Texas)

• FEMA Region VII: Austin Witt (Iowa)

• FEMA Region VIII: Weston Lee (Utah)

• FEMA Region VIII: Matthew Mayfield (Colorado)

• FEMA Region IX: Brittany Amano (Hawaii)

• FEMA Region IX: Navjot Hansra(California)

• FEMA Region X: Raylene Ensminger(Washington)

The returning Council members are as follows:

• Council Chairperson: Emily Rosenblum (Missouri)

• FEMA Region II:  Sophie Friedfeld-Gebaide (New York)

• FEMA Region V:  Daniel Wernsman (Wisconsin)

Each Council member completes a self-selected legacy project during his or her term. Council members also participate in a Youth Preparedness Council Summit where they share their ideas, opinions and questions about youth disaster preparedness with the leadership of national organizations working on this critical priority. During the summit, they will determine their legacy projects and meet with FEMA community preparedness staff who will be their ongoing FEMA support contacts and mentors. Members also meet with FEMA throughout their term to provide input on strategies, initiatives and projects.

To learn more about FEMA’s youth preparedness efforts, please visit www.ready.gov/youth-preparedness.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema 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.

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.

View post: 

FEMA Announces 2014 Youth Preparedness Council Members

Denial of Disaster Assistance May Be Appealed

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A letter denying assistance to storm survivors may not be the last word.

Every applicant for federal assistance has the right to file an appeal for another review of their case. In filing an appeal, documentation that proves the applicant’s reason for filing the appeal must be included.

A denial letter does not necessarily mean an applicant is not eligible for assistance,” said Federal

For example, an applicant might receive a letter indicating that the Federal Emergency Management Agency did not receive all the information it needed to provide the applicant with assistance.  In that particular case, an appeal that provides all the missing information may be successful,” he said.

It is important that applicants read all letters from FEMA carefully,” added Lewis.

“We want to ensure everyone who is eligible receives all the assistance they are entitled to,” said Alabama Emergency Management Agency Director, Art Faulkner. “People should not be discouraged if they need to file an appeal to be sure they access the available help.”

Assistance may be denied because the applicant failed to provide complete information to support their initial claim.

Some reasons for a denial because of incomplete information are that the applicant did not:

  • Provide an insurance denial or settlement letter.
  • Provide proof that the damaged property was the primary residence at the time of the disaster;
  • Provide evidence of identity;
  • Provide documentation of the disaster damage;
  • Provide proof of ownership of the damaged property;
  • Sign all the documents.

If an applicant receives an award but believes the amount to be too low, an appeal for a higher award can be submitted with documentation to support the change to the award.

If an applicant’s damages and losses are covered by insurance, the application may be denied because FEMA cannot duplicate benefits.

Appeals must be postmarked within 60 days of receipt of a letter denying assistance. Applicants or someone they designate to act on their behalf must explain in writing why they believe the initial response was wrong and provide any new or additional information and documents that support the appeal.

More information on filing an appeal is in the Applicant’s Guide FEMA mails to each applicant and online at  www.fema.gov. Applicants may talk with experts daily 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. on FEMA’s toll free Helpline, 800-621-FEMA (3362), TTY 800-462-7585. Applicants can check the status of their appeals by calling these same numbers or online at: www.fema.gov.

 

View original: 

Denial of Disaster Assistance May Be Appealed

Disaster Recovery Center in Oneonta Closing May 31

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The center, operated by the Alabama Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is located at Oneonta Recreation Park – City Depot, Chamber of Commerce Room, 28161 State Highway 75, Oneonta, 35121

The center will be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through the final day.

After the center closes, survivors will still be able to contact FEMA online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone at  m.fema.gov, or by phone at 800-621-3362; TTY 800-462-7585.  Multilingual operators are available.

Survivors may also visit any of the open Recovery Centers in Alabama currently open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the following locations:

·    Baldwin County

o Elberta Town Hall,10352 Main St., Elberta, 36530

o Fairhope Civic Center (Delchamps Room), 161 North Section St., 3653

·    Blount County:

o Oneonta Recreation Park – City Depot, Chamber of Commerce Room,

28161 State Highway 75, Oneonta, 35121

(Closes May 31, 6 p.m.)

·    Jefferson County:

o Maurice C. West Community Center, 171 2nd St. SW, Graysville 35073

o Lawson State Community College, 1100 9th Ave SW, Bessemer, 35022

·    Limestone County:

o Ripley Woodmen of the World Hall, 11281 Ripley Road, Athens, 35611

·    Mobile County:

o Old Navy/Marine Corps Reserve Center, 4851 Museum Drive, Mobile, 36608

·    Tuscaloosa County:

o Salvation Army Building, 1601 University Blvd. East, Tuscaloosa, 35404

(Closes May 31, 6 p.m.)

The deadline to register for disaster assistance is July 1, 2014.

Original post:

Disaster Recovery Center in Oneonta Closing May 31

Recovery Center in Tuscaloosa to Close May 31; Re-Opens June 2 as SBA Center

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Disaster Recovery Center in Tuscaloosa will close Saturday, May 31 at 6 p.m.  An SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center will open in the same location on Monday, June 2, at 9 a.m.

The Recovery Center is located at the Salvation Army Building, 1601 University Blvd. East, Tuscaloosa, 35404. The FEMA center will be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through the final day.

The SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Friday, June 6 at 6:00 pm. The Center will have both SBA and FEMA staff on hand.

After the center closes, survivors will still be able to contact FEMA online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone at  m.fema.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362; TTY 800-462-7585.  Multilingual operators are available. Survivors may also visit any of the open Recovery Centers.

Recovery Centers in Alabama are currently open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the following locations:

·    Baldwin County

o Elberta Town Hall,10352 Main St., Elberta, 36530

o Fairhope Civic Center (Delchamps Room), 161 North Section St., 3653

·    Blount County:

o Oneonta Recreation Park – City Depot, Chamber of Commerce Room, 28161 State Highway 75, Oneonta, 35121

(Closes May 31, 6 p.m.)

·    Jefferson County:

o Maurice C. West Community Center, 171 2nd St. SW, Graysville 35073

o Lawson State Community College, 1100 9th Ave SW, Bessemer, 35022

·    Limestone County:

o Ripley Woodmen of the World Hall, 11281 Ripley Road, Athens, 35611

·    Mobile County:

o Old Navy/Marine Corps Reserve Center, 4851 Museum Drive, Mobile, 36608

·    Tuscaloosa County:

o Salvation Army Building, 1601 University Blvd. East, Tuscaloosa, 35404

(Closes May 31, 6 p.m.)

The deadline to register for disaster assistance is July 1, 2014

The SBA offers low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations for losses not covered by insurance. The SBA may lend up to $200,000 to repair or replace homes and up to $40,000 to repair or replace personal property.

Loans to businesses, including non-profits are available up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster damaged real estate, and other business assets.  Eligible businesses and non-profits can apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. The deadline for Economic Injury Disaster Loans is February 2, 2015.

Read more: 

Recovery Center in Tuscaloosa to Close May 31; Re-Opens June 2 as SBA Center

30 Days Later: Mississippi Recovery by the Numbers

30 Days Later: Mississippi Recovery by the Numbers

Main Content

Release date:

May 28, 2014

Release Number:

032

JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have approved more than $10.8 million in total assistance for survivors of the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that occurred in Mississippi from April 28 to May 3. The following is a breakdown of that assistance.

SBA disaster loans for homeowners and renters

  • More than $6.6 million in low-interest disaster loans has been approved by SBA for 95 homeowners and renters.

FEMA Individual Assistance

  • More than $4.2 million in FEMA Individual Assistance grants has been approved to help Mississippi disaster survivors recover, including:
    • Nearly $3.2 million approved for housing grants, including short-term rental assistance and home repair costs.
    • More than $1 million approved to help cover other essential disaster-related needs such as medical and dental expenses and lost personal possessions.
  • More than 4,600 people have contacted FEMA for help, information or referrals to other sources of disaster assistance.
  • 2,411 (99 percent) home inspections completed.
  • Nearly 4,000 visits to disaster recovery centers by people affected by the disaster.

Total Federal Assistance for survivors

  • More than $10.8 million in total federal disaster assistance has been approved by FEMA and SBA.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, including additional stories, blogs and photos, go to FEMA.gov/Disaster/4175. Visit MEMA at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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Last Updated:

May 28, 2014 – 17:07

State/Tribal Government or Region:

Region IV

and

Mississippi

Related Disaster:

Mississippi Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Source:

30 Days Later: Mississippi Recovery by the Numbers

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