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One Year Later: New Jersey Private Sector Gets Down to Business with Sandy Recovery

LINCROFT, N.J. – The devastating aftermath of Superstorm Sandy left survivors and businesses in New Jersey with large-scale recovery needs. Throughout the year, the state’s private sector has made significant contributions to the recovery process and continues to play a key role.

More than 600 businesses, utility companies, banks, insurance companies, colleges and universities, and professional organizations stood with local, state and federal agencies, voluntary agencies and faith-based organizations to strengthen the recovery efforts.

They disseminated information about disaster assistance to 7.2 million New Jersey residents through bill inserts, newsletters, signage and other means.

“One fast-food chain, which asked to remain anonymous, distributed 7,000 sandwiches with disaster-assistance information at 32 distribution points in three counties,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Gracia Szczech of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “That’s just one example of how essential the private sector is to a strong recovery effort.”

Immediately after Sandy struck, specialists with FEMA’s Private Sector Division in External Affairs deployed to New Jersey to work with chambers of commerce, industry associations, individual companies, colleges and universities and other organizations.

Response was immediate. Utility companies inserted messages in billing statements, reaching 3.3 million customers. The South Jersey Transportation Authority featured registration information on its Vehicle Messaging Systems at toll plazas, and the ticker messaging system on its website, reaching an estimated 2.9 million people a month.

Chambers, associations and businesses shared FEMA’s electronic newsletter (the E-News Update) for the private sector stakeholders with their memberships and contacts. The access to recovery information proved invaluable to their members and had far-reaching effects.

“To have the opportunity to interact directly with representatives, ask questions and get answers has helped not only members, but their clients as well,” said New Jersey Association of Realtors Chief Executive Officer Jarrod Grasso. “The recovery process in the aftermath of Sandy has not been easy, but getting the correct facts to our members has relieved a great deal of the uncertainty related to flood maps, insurance and elevation that so many New Jersey residents felt.”

Two FEMA program areas, Private Sector and the Federal Disaster Recovery Coordination group, facilitated an Insurance Industry Roundtable. The resulting public-private partnership engaged the insurance industry in a series of four meetings to explore how to enhance and expedite the disaster assistance process. A roundtable work group identified issues impeding the process and then developed recommendations that were submitted to President Obama’s Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force.

The private sector reached out in more basic ways as well. Sometimes it was as simple as offering a space to work. Operation Photo Rescue, a nonprofit organization of volunteer photojournalists from around the country, wanted to help Sandy survivors restore treasured photos. The organization began helping disaster survivors during Hurricane Katrina recovery. Volunteers need to set up a temporary shop close enough for survivors to access the free services.

“Finding a place for us to host our copy run was turning into a major problem as we could not secure a building close enough to where Sandy hit,” said Operation Photo Rescue President Margie Hayes. “We were coming up empty handed until Chris Spyridon, regional pro sales manager for Home Depot, offered us space at a Home Depot in Seaside Heights.”

The business of recovery is long-term, and an important part of that is preparedness, which not only helps individuals survive a disaster but can help businesses endure as well. FEMA’s Private Sector specialists have covered the state to help executives and officials understand the need for a continuity plan so work continues once the emergency is over. Montclair State University recorded FEMA’s preparedness webinar to share with all of New Jersey’s colleges and universities.

Amy Ferdinand, the university’s director of Environmental Health and Safety, said, “With the recent trend of ever-increasing disasters – whether natural or manmade – being the ‘new normal,’ there is a definite need among business leaders and stakeholders to become better informed on the topic of continuity and business planning.”

Video-links: Partnering for Preparedness, Jenkinson’s Aquarium Continuity Plan Works,
Serenity Spa Open for Business

Next in the One Year Later series: the role of Environmental and Historic Preservation in disaster recovery.

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 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.

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One Year Later: New Jersey Private Sector Gets Down to Business with Sandy Recovery

New Jersey Private Sector Gets Down to Business with Sandy Recovery

Edison, N.J., Aug. 27, 2013 — Federal Emergency Management Agency Private Sector Specialists, Pamela Mason and Art Goetz, speak with business owners and the public about preparedness techniques to mitigate disasters like Sandy at the Sam’s Club Emergency Preparedness Expo. Rosanna Arias/FEMAMore than 600 businesses, utility companies, banks, insurance companies, colleges and universities, and professional organizations stood with local, state and federal agencies, voluntary agencies and faith-based organizations to strengthen the recovery efforts.

They disseminated information about disaster assistance to 7.2 million New Jersey residents through bill inserts, newsletters, signage and other means.

Lincroft, N.J., Feb. 12, 2013 — Kathy Cook, Public Information Officer for Small Business Administration, explains her role in assisting Sandy survivors to roundtable of federal and insurance industry partners. Rosanna Arias/FEMA.Response was immediate. Utility companies inserted messages in billing statements, reaching 3.3 million customers. The South Jersey Transportation Authority featured registration information on its Vehicle Messaging Systems at toll plazas, and the ticker messaging system on its website, reaching an estimated 2.9 million people a month.

Hazlet, N.J., July 27, 2013 — A homeowner discusses storm preparation and prevention with Federal Emergency Management Agency Mitigation specialist Mark Rollins and External Affairs specialist Art Goetz at the Home Depot Hurricane Workshop in Hazlet, New Jersey. The multi-state event shares information on how to prepare for storms like Sandy. Rosanna Arias/FEMA Two FEMA program areas, Private Sector and the Federal Disaster Recovery Coordination group, facilitated an Insurance Industry Roundtable. The resulting public-private partnership engaged the insurance industry in a series of four meetings to explore how to enhance and expedite the disaster assistance process. A roundtable work group identified issues impeding the process and then developed recommendations that were submitted to President Obama’s Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force.

Video-links: Partnering for Preparedness, Jenkinson’s Aquarium Continuity Plan Works,
Serenity Spa Open for Business

Next in the One Year Later series: the role of Environmental and Historic Preservation in disaster recovery.

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.

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New Jersey Private Sector Gets Down to Business with Sandy Recovery

Disaster Recovery Centers Open in El Paso and Morgan Counties

DENVER – Colorado’s recovery continues with two Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) opening in Colorado Springs and Fort Morgan on Tuesday, Oct. 29.

The Colorado Springs DRC will be open for one week only from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 29 to Saturday, Nov. 2.

Colorado residents who suffered losses and damages as a result of the severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides can get face-to-face disaster information at these DRCs:

EL PASO COUNTY

Black Forest Fire Department No.1

11445 Teachout Rd.

Colorado Springs, CO 80908

Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., MDT, Tuesday, Oct. 29, through Saturday, Nov. 2. One week only.

MORGAN COUNTY

Fort Morgan Police Station

901 E. Beaver Ave.

Fort Morgan, CO 80701

Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., MDT, Tuesday, Oct. 29, through Sunday, Nov. 3. (Closed every Sunday beginning Nov. 10)

All DRCs are operated by the Colorado Office of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), county and local governments.

Representatives from FEMA and the SBA are among the agencies represented at each DRC to explain assistance programs and help survivors apply for disaster aid.

Survivors with disaster losses will save time by registering with FEMA before going to a DRC.

Register with FEMA by phone, 800-621-3362, from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., MDT, seven days a week. Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA Helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages. People who have a speech disability or are deaf or hard of hearing may call (TTY) 800-462-7585; users of 711 or Video Relay Service can call 800-621-3362.

Register online: DisasterAssistance.gov or by Web-enabled device, tablet or smartphone: type m.fema.gov in the browser.

For individuals who have hearing and visual disabilities or are deaf, DRCs can provide accommodations such as:

• Captioned telephones, which transcribe spoken words into text
• The booklet “Help After a Disaster” in large print and Braille
• American Sign Language interpreters available upon request
• Magnifiers and assistive listening devices
• 711-Relay or Video Relay Services

For more information on the Colorado disaster operation, visit fema.gov/disaster/4145.

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Disaster Recovery Centers Open in El Paso and Morgan Counties

Four Steps to Appeal Your Flood Insurance Claim

DENVER – As the November 14 deadline draws near for filing flood damage claims, survivors may have questions or need additional information regarding any determination their insurer might make regarding their claim.

If an insurer sends a written denial of the claim or part of a claim, an owner can appeal this determination. To file an appeal, follow these four steps:

Talk with the adjuster first regarding any questions about the claim.
If a satisfactory resolution isn’t reached, get contact information for the adjuster’s supervisor.
If the adjuster’s supervisor can’t resolve the issues, contact the insurance company’s claim representative. Ask the insurance agent or company representative for assistance.
If questions or concerns remain after steps one through three are completed, send a written letter to FEMA within 60 days from the date the denial letter was received from the flood insurer. Address this letter to:

FEMA

Mitigation Directorate

Federal Insurance Administration

1800 South Bell Street

Arlington, VA 20598-3010

The letter should be written by the person named on the NFIP policy or by their legal representative. If someone other than the policy owner writes the letter, clearly identify the relationship to the insured.

The letter of appeal must contain the following six items:

Policy Number as shown on the NFIP policy declarations page
Policyholder’s name as shown on the NFIP policy declarations page
Property address as shown on the NFIP policy declarations page (not a mailing address)
Contact information—where and how the policyholder can be reached
Complete details of the concerns
Dates of contact and contact details for the person(s) spoken with in steps one through three

Documentation of everything that supports the appeal should also be included, including a copy of the insurer’s written denial and a statement of the basis of the appeal. (Keep originals, send only copies.)

Examples of the kinds of documentation that FEMA requires can be found in the FEMA Flood Insurance Claims Handbook and downloaded at: http://tinyurl.com/pp8vz4l

Register with FEMA by phone, 800-621-3362, from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., MDT, seven days a week; or online: DisasterAssistance.gov. Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages.

People who have a speech disability or are deaf or hard of hearing may call (TTY) 800-462-7585; users of 711 or Video Relay Service can call 800-621-3362.

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Four Steps to Appeal Your Flood Insurance Claim

One Year Later: Mitigation Technique Applied 30 Years Ago Survived Sandy

LINCROFT, N.J. — The devastation Superstorm Sandy left behind changed the face of many New Jersey communities, perhaps none more so than along the Shore. With individual homes and businesses and even whole communities swept away, many people were left wondering if it’s even possible to live at the Shore.

But also along the Shore are homes that stand like lone sentinels, a testament to mitigation techniques that make structures stronger and safer. Mitigation construction practices such as elevation, berms and use of damage-resistant materials help reduce the risk of future damage. More and more, buildings throughout the country, and along the Shore, are constructed with these techniques.

Mantoloking, N.J., Nov. 5, 2012 — A Mantoloking home appears to be on its own island as Hurricane Sandy isolated it and damaged infrastructure and properties in the surrounding area. Before the storm came ashore last week, this was Route 528. Two new inlets were created as a result of the storm. Photo by Liz Roll/FEMA When Mantoloking resident Ed Wright built his home 30 years ago, he used a classic mitigation technique: elevation. Last October, that decision proved to be a good one. The storm surge from Sandy swept away five neighboring homes and left his standing alone at the end of the Mantoloking Bridge.

Wright had seen photos of debris washing down the street and elected to elevate the home rather than build on a standard foundation. He built it on 35- to 45-foot pilings sunk into the ground and later enclosed the ground level with breakaway walls, which are designed to collapse in flood waters.

Elevation is a tried-and-true mitigation technique. After a major disaster declaration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency makes Hazard Mitigation grants available to the designated state for projects that reduce or eliminate losses from future disasters.

Projects eligible for hazard mitigation grants include retrofitting buildings to minimize damage from high winds and flooding; elevation of flood-prone buildings; minor flood-control projects; and the purchase of property at risk of repetitive flooding for conversion to open space. The state works with local communities to determine the focus of the Hazard Mitigation program.

Hazard Mitigation grants cover up to 75 percent of approved project costs. State and local governments pay the remaining 25 percent (in-kind donations of labor and materials can contribute toward this share). A project’s potential savings must be more than the cost of implementing the project.

Mantoloking, N.J., Oct. 11, 2013 — A Mantoloking home is completely restored one year after Hurricane Sandy. Through successful mitigation efforts years before, this home survived the floodwaters that destroyed many homes in the surrounding area with minimal damage. While the state sometimes pays for mitigation projects through FEMA grants after a disaster, Wright paid for his home’s elevation as part of the construction cost. It was an investment in the future.

The day after Sandy struck New Jersey, a friend called Wright to tell him his home was the only one standing. When he returned home, he didn’t know what to expect.

“We had no clue,” he said. “It was very emotional to see it standing there all by itself.”

The home experienced minimal damage, losing the furnace, air conditioning unit, washer and dryer, and vehicles.

“We’re very fortunate,” Wright said. “We’re very happy to be here.”

Property owners who are interested in the Hazard Mitigation programs available in New Jersey after Sandy should contact their local emergency management office.

Video-links: Elevation Helps a Home Survive Hurricane Sandy,
What To Do About Mold (in American Sign Language)

Next, the One Year Later series examines the ways in which New Jersey’s private sector got down to business to aid in the recovery process.

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.

Link to article:

One Year Later: Mitigation Technique Applied 30 Years Ago Survived Sandy

A Year After Hurricane Sandy: New Jersey Recovery By The Numbers

Sandy facts

October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy strikes with a storm surge weather experts had never seen before
37,000 primary residences destroyed or damaged
8.7 million cubic yards of debris left behind
2.7 million New Jerseyans without power

The first 48 hours

548 FEMA specialists on the ground in New Jersey
Three mobile disaster recovery centers open
3 States responded with Emergency Medical Services – 385 people
8 Disaster Medical Assistance Teams and U.S. Public Health Strike Teams arrive
October 31, 2012, the first FEMA Individuals and Household Program disbursement of $155,027

Response milestones at one year

More than $5.67 billion in total federal assistance approved for Individual Assistance grants, SBA low-interest disaster loans, National Flood Insurance Program payments and Public Assistance grants.

Individual Assistance

More than $413 million approved for individuals and households including:
- Nearly $356 million for housing assistance
- More than $56.6 million for other needs, including clothing, household items, disaster-related damage to a vehicle, and disaster-related medical and dental expenses
More than 261, 000 people contacted FEMA for help or information
127,046 housing inspections completed
36 disaster recovery centers opened
90,000 visits to disaster recovery centers
5,546 individuals and families housed temporarily in hotel rooms under the Transitional Sheltering Assistance program
3,410 survivors received disaster unemployment assistance

U.S. Small Business Administration

More than $819.8 million in SBA low-interest disaster loans approved for homeowners, renters and businesses

National Flood Insurance Program

More than $3.5 billion paid on all claims in flood insurance payments made to policyholders

Public Assistance

More than $926 million was approved in FEMA Public Assistance grants to communities and some nonprofit organizations that serve the public
4,959 projects approved so far

A whole community response

507 voluntary agencies were involved in recovery
More than 1.6 million meals and 1.4 million liters of water were distributed
21 languages were used to communicate assistance information to survivors
More than 1 million multilingual fliers were distributed
Nearly 8.7 million cubic yards of debris was removed
At peak, more than 2,429 people were deployed to New Jersey by FEMA and other federal agencies
36 federal agencies assisted FEMA during Hurricane Sandy in New York
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers received 335 requests for generators – 106 installed at peak
Approximately 300,000 pounds of food was provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
The Defense Logistics Agency delivered 2.3 million gallons of fuel to distribution points in New York and New Jersey
The Port of New Jersey was closed to incoming and outgoing vessel traffic because of Superstorm Sandy, according the U.S. Coast Guard

This article is from:

A Year After Hurricane Sandy: New Jersey Recovery By The Numbers

NFIP Proof of Loss Claims Due By Nov. 14

DENVER—National Flood Insurance policyholders whose homes or other structures were damaged by flooding have until November 14, 2013, to file claims for their losses.

A Proof of Loss form includes detailed estimates of the cost to replace or repair damaged property.

Proof of loss substantiates the damage claim and is required before the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) can make payment. File damage claims with your NFIP insurance company and work with your adjuster to get the proof of loss forms.

If owners notice additional damage to buildings or property, they can file supplemental claims. To do this, immediately notify the insurance adjuster, document the newly discovered damage, then repeat the documentation and filing process used on the original claim. Owners are urged to keep a copy of this packet.

Policy owners who would like to speak to someone in person regarding their claim are urged to go to their local Disaster Recovery Center where staff members are available to provide assistance. To find the DRC closest to you, go to fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers

For more information about flood insurance, go to floodsmart.gov

Register with FEMA by phone: 800-621-3362 or online at: DisasterAssistance.gov. Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages.

People who have a speech disability or are deaf or hard of hearing may call (TTY) 800-462-7585; users of 711 or Video Relay Service can call 800-621-3362.

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NFIP Proof of Loss Claims Due By Nov. 14

One Year Later: Mitigation Efforts Paid Off For Highlands Restaurateurs

LINCROFT, N.J. — One month after Superstorm Sandy, Dan Shields and his business partner, Robert Higgins, were thanking their lucky stars.

Their waterfront restaurant, Windansea in Highlands, had withstood the raging flood tides and winds of Sandy with only relatively minor damage.

Atlantic Highlands, N.J., Oct. 10, 2013 — The Windansea restaurant withstood flood tides and winds with minimal damage from Hurricane Sandy. By renovating with FEMA’s building recommendations prior to Sandy, the restaurant was able to open shortly after storm. Rosanna Arias/FEMAThe rest of Highlands was not so fortunate. Flood waters had inundated dozens of homes and businesses in the low-lying sections of the borough. Debris littered the streets; a mobile home park on the north side of the borough was in shambles.

As flood waters receded in the business district, store owners had to reckon with the physical destruction of their businesses and the loss of their livelihoods.

Many of Shields’ and Higgins’ fellow restaurateurs were essentially out of business for the long term, faced with major damage from the storm.

What saved Windansea?

The borough’s new building code that required properties in flood zones to comply with tough new Federal Emergency Management standards. “We had to stick to ‘V’ zone construction,” said Shields, referring to the strictest standards for properties located in high-risk flood zones. “I felt like we were the poster child for FEMA.”

When the business partners bought the restaurant in 2000 for $690,000, they planned to invest approximately $300,000 in renovating the old restaurant, formerly known as Branin’s Wharf. But as work on the building progressed, hidden problems came to the surface. “It was just a terrible, terrible building.” Ultimately, more than 50 percent of the existing building had to be demolished. One day, as they worked on the restaurant, officials from FEMA and the borough drove up and told them to stop work. “You’ve got to do it our way,” they told the partners.

The structure would have to be rebuilt in compliance with FEMA standards for “V” zone construction, the strictest standard that applies to properties at high risk of flooding.

Atlantic Highlands, N.J., Oct. 10, 2013 — Hurricane Sandy damaged many businesses along the waterfront with floodwater and wind. The Windansea Restaurant received little damage because of mitigation measures taken prior to Hurricane Sandy. Rosanna Arias/FEMA To put it mildly, the partners were not happy. The shoestring budget they had assembled to pay for what they thought would be a fairly simple remodeling job wouldn’t cover the extensive construction that the town demanded. “It was a completely different animal from buying a little restaurant and (fixing it up),” Shields said.

Making the bayfront building flood-resistant required driving 80 pilings that measured 12 inches in diameter into the ground to a depth of 30 to 40 feet, reinforcing the roof and walls with steel rods and connecting the elements of the entire structure with steel plates and structural steel to hold the floor to the walls.

The project took a year longer than the partners anticipated and cost over $1 million more than they had originally budgeted.

“I felt like I was victimized,” Shields told the Asbury Park Press a few weeks after the storm, “like FEMA was trying to prove a point, trying to flex their muscles and trying to take it out on a little guy like me.”

He doesn’t feel that way anymore.

Though the building sustained some damage to its first floor lobbies and outdoor Tiki bar, Windansea was able to re-open less than three weeks after the storm. “There was not a crack in the sheetrock, not a thing out of place.”

Video-links: Avanti Linens Recovery and Mitigation Efforts, NJ Stronger Than The Storm Ribbon Cutting

Next, the One Year Later series examines the ways in which New Jersey’s private sector got down to business to aid in the recovery process.

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.

Continue reading here:

One Year Later: Mitigation Efforts Paid Off For Highlands Restaurateurs

Federal Aid Programs for Santa Clara Pueblo Declaration

Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Obama’s disaster declaration issued for the Santa Clara Pueblo.

Assistance for the Affected Tribal Government Can Include as Required:

Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for removing debris from public areas and for emergency measures taken to save lives and protect property and public health. Emergency protective measures assistance is available to the tribal government on a cost-sharing basis. (Source: FEMA funded, tribe administered.)

How to Apply for Assistance:

Application procedures for the tribal government will be explained at federal/tribal applicant briefings with locations to be announced in the affected area by recovery officials. Approved public projects are paid through the tribe from funding provided by FEMA and other participating federal agencies.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders and 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.

Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts available at www.fema.gov/medialibrary and www.youtube.com/fema ; follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fema and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fema.

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Federal Aid Programs for Santa Clara Pueblo Declaration

President Declares Disaster for Santa Clara Pueblo

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to the Santa Clara Pueblo to supplement the tribe’s efforts in the area affected by severe storms and flooding during the period of September 13-16, 2013.

The President’s action makes federal funding available to the Santa Clara Pueblo and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work as a result of severe storms and flooding.

Nancy M. Casper has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Casper said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the tribe and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

Follow FEMA online at blog.fema.gov, 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.

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Continued:

President Declares Disaster for Santa Clara Pueblo

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