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Building better and smarter can start with an SBA Disaster Loan

NEW YORK – Protection from future severe weather damage can begin with a low-interest U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loan for eligible homeowners, businesses and private nonprofits.

SBA disaster loans can be used for elevating a structure to reduce or eliminate future flood damage. Other projects can include building retaining walls, seawalls, sump pumps or elevating utilities. A disaster loan can be increased up to an additional 20 percent of the verified loss amount if rebuilding is to prevent future disaster damage.

The deadline to apply for an SBA disaster loan is Feb. 27, 2013.

A simple, fast way to complete the application is online, using the SBA’s electronic loan application. Go to https://DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ELA. SBA customer service representatives are available to issue or accept low-interest disaster loan applications and answer questions at all New York State/FEMA disaster recovery centers and SBA business recovery centers. Survivors can receive an update on the status of a loan application by calling 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing).

To find the nearest disaster recovery center, check out the disaster recovery center locator at www.FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or, with a tablet or smartphone, go to m.fema.gov. Another option is to text “DRC” and a Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA). Or call 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585).

More information is available by calling the SBA Disaster Customer Service Center toll-free number, 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339). Assistance is also available by sending an email to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or by visiting www.sba.gov.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/SandyNY, www.twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

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.

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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Building better and smarter can start with an SBA Disaster Loan

Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Briefing Set for Wyoming County

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A Hurricane Sandy Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation briefing is scheduled for Wyoming County, according to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Date, time and location of the briefing is as follows:

DATE:

Tuesday, Feb. 5

TIME:

10 a.m.

LOCATION:

Wyoming County Emergency Operations Center

3880 State Route 6 East

Tunkhannock, PA 18657

At the briefing, officials from state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations will receive information about applying for federal assistance to recover from Hurricane Sandy during the period from October 26 to November 8, 2012.

FEMA manages the Public Assistance program, approves grants and provides technical assistance to the Commonwealth and applicants. The Commonwealth educates potential applicants, works with FEMA to manage the program and is responsible for implementing and monitoring the grants awarded under the program. Local officials are responsible for identifying damage, providing information necessary for FEMA to approve grants and managing each project funded under the program.

For more information about the Public Assistance process, including a list of frequently asked questions, see http://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-frequently-asked-questions.

Federal funding is also available through the Public Assistance program on a cost-sharing basis for Hazard Mitigation measures in all counties of the Commonwealth.

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. FEMA Region III’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts are available at http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary and www.youtube.com/fema. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion3.

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Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Briefing Set for Wyoming County

Disaster Unemployment Assistance Deadline Feb. 4

WINDSOR, Conn. — The deadline for Hurricane Sandy survivors to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance is Feb. 4.

Connecticut residents who lost their jobs due to this disaster should file a claim by calling their local TeleBenefits line. To find your local TeleBenefits number, visit the Connecticut Department of Labor website at www.ctdol.state.ct.us, check the blue pages of your telephone directory, or contact Infoline at 211.

The U.S. Department of Labor oversees the DUA program in coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which provides the funds for payment of benefits and reimburses the state for its administrative costs.

DUA is available to those who are not eligible for state unemployment benefits, including the self-employed, farmers and farm workers.

Workers may qualify for DUA if:

They were injured in the disaster and are unable to work;
Their workplace was damaged or destroyed;
Transportation to work is not available;
They could not get to their job because they must travel through an affected area;
The disaster prevented them from starting a new job;
Their business suffered because most of its income was derived from an affected area; and
They are able and available for work, unless injured in the disaster, and have not refused a suitable offer of employment.

Registering for FEMA disaster assistance is not required to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance.

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Disaster Unemployment Assistance Deadline Feb. 4

New York Disaster Recovery Centers to end service on Sundays

NEW YORK – All Disaster Recovery Centers in New York will stop offering service on Sundays beginning Feb. 3, 2013. Hurricane Sandy survivors in New York can still receive assistance Monday through Saturday at any recovery center.

The State of New York and the Federal Emergency Management Agency closely monitor visitor traffic at all New York Disaster Recovery Centers and revise hours of operation accordingly. Traffic at the recovery centers has slowed on Sundays. So far, more than 145,000 Hurricane Sandy survivors have visited recovery centers in New York.

In addition, the recovery center located in the Sheepshead Bay Club, 3076 Emmons Ave., Brooklyn, NY, 11235, will close early, at 1 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013. The center will open at 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 4.

The recovery center at the American Legion, 209 Cross Bay Blvd., Broad Channel, NY 11693, will open at 10 a.m., Monday, Feb. 4, 2013.

The two centers’ normal operating hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Survivors who need help may still visit any of the other 17 centers that remain open throughout New York. To find the nearest center, the following options are available: Text DRC and a Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA), and a text message will be sent back with the address. Also, the Disaster Recovery Center locator is available online at www.FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers.

Individuals also can find a recovery center – and register for FEMA help – online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet by going to m.fema.gov or by downloading the FEMA app. Survivors also can call 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585). People who use 7-1-1 Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) should call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. EST, seven days a week until further notice.

Hurricane Sandy survivors in New York have until Feb. 27, 2013, to register for federal disaster assistance, which can include money for rent, essential home repairs, personal property losses and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/SandyNY, www.twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

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New York Disaster Recovery Centers to end service on Sundays

Federal Aid Programs for the State of Arkansas Declaration

Main Content

Release date:

January 29, 2013

Release Number:

HQ-13-004Factsheet

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 State of Arkansas.

Assistance for the State and Affected Local Governments 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, including direct federal assistance, taken to save lives and protect property and public health. (Source: FEMA funded, state administered.)
Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for repairing or replacing damaged public facilities, such as roads, bridges, utilities, buildings, schools, recreational areas and similar publicly owned property, as well as certain private non-profit organizations engaged in community service activities. (Source: FEMA funded, state administered.)

Payment of not more than 75 percent of the approved costs for hazard mitigation projects undertaken by state and local governments to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural or technological disasters. (Source: FEMA funded, state administered.)

How to Apply for Assistance:

Application procedures for state and local governments will be explained at a series of federal/state applicant briefings with locations to be announced in the affected area by recovery officials. Approved public repair projects are paid through the state from funding provided by FEMA and other participating federal agencies.

FEMA’s mission is to support our 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.

Last Updated:

January 29, 2013 – 18:33

State or Region:

Arkansas

and

Region VI

Related Disaster:

Arkansas Severe Winter Storm

Link:

Federal Aid Programs for the State of Arkansas Declaration

President Declares Disaster for Arkansas

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 State of Arkansas to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe winter storms during the period of December 25 to December 26, 2012.

The President’s action makes federal funding available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged in Garland, Grant, Hot Spring, Lonoke, Perry, Pulaski, and Saline counties.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

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

Follow FEMA online at 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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President Declares Disaster for Arkansas

Elevating Your Home Above Future Flooding

NEW YORK – Hurricane Sandy survivors repairing their homes with an eye toward avoiding damage from future storms can take several steps to rebuild stronger and safer.

If you’re rebuilding in a high risk flood area, you may have to elevate your home to meet your community’s minimum elevation regulations for construction. This will avoid future severe weather damage.

What are the rules for elevation?

You must follow local building codes and get the proper permits when rebuilding. This will not only make your home safer but will save money on federal flood insurance.

It is necessary to check with local building officials before rebuilding in a flood zone because they are responsible for knowing the elevation requirements, even in areas where the base flood elevation has not been established. Rebuilding higher than the minimum requirement is always a wise decision.

Are there any programs available to assist with construction cost?

Eligible homeowners who have National Flood Insurance Program policies and whose homes were substantially damaged may be eligible for Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) coverage of up to $30,000. This can pay all or part of the cost to elevate your home to the current effective Base Flood Elevation, which is the estimated level that floodwaters would reach.

You may be eligible for ICC coverage if your local floodplain building official determines either:

Your property is substantially damaged, meaning that the cost to repair the flood damaged property is 50 percent or more of its pre-disaster market value.

Your property sustained repetitive damage, meaning that flood damage occurred twice in the past 10 years, and the cost of repairing the flood damage, on average, equaled or exceeded 25 percent of the property market value at the time of each flood. Also, those two flood damage events must have resulted in flood insurance claim payments, and the community’s floodplain management ordinance must have a repetitive loss provision.

What are other programs that offer help with elevation costs?

The U.S. Small Business Administration offers loans to private nonprofits, businesses and homeowners for mitigation improvements including building elevation, retaining walls, seawalls, sump pumps and relocating utilities. The loan can be increased up to an additional 20 percent of the initial approved amount for these mitigation projects.

The deadline to apply for an SBA disaster loan is Feb. 27, 2013.

A simple way to complete the application is online, using the SBA’s electronic loan application. Go to https://DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ELA. SBA customer service representatives are available to issue or accept low-interest disaster loan applications and answer questions at all New York State/FEMA disaster recovery centers and SBA business recovery centers. To locate the nearest business recovery center, visit www.sba.gov or call 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing).

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)

The State of New York administers the HMGP. While individuals are not eligible to apply directly to FEMA for HMGP funds, an eligible applicant or sub-applicant (e.g. state or local government) may apply for funding on your behalf to mitigate your home or other private structures under their jurisdiction. These applications are forwarded to the state for potential funding by FEMA. That mitigation can include elevating your home to meet flood insurance requirements. For more information, contact your local building officials about HMGP grants.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/SandyNY, www.twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

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. 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. 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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Elevating Your Home Above Future Flooding

FEMA and HSEM Provide More Than $4.3 Million Combined for Scanlon Interceptor Repairs

DULUTH, Minn. — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that $2,012,087 has been made available to the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District (WLSSD) in federal disaster aid for repairs to the Scanlon (Division D) Interceptor. Additionally, Minnesota Recovers has approved $2,334,497 in Disaster Relief Appropriation Funds to assist with essential restorations. The interceptor sustained damages during the June 14 – 21 severe storms and flooding. The FEMA funds are being made available as part of recovery efforts in response to President Obama’s federal disaster declaration of July 6, 2012.

The Scanlon Interceptor is a 36 inch iron pipe that carries wastewater to the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District (WLSSD) Knowlton Creek Pump Station in West Duluth. Flooding damaged a 150 foot portion of the Pipe Bridge, where the pipeline emerges from ground cover and is elevated over a creek. Three of the seven supporting concrete piers and the pipe itself were damaged. Rip-rap was eroded on each side of the creek and a portion of the six-foot high chain link fence that surrounds the pipeline and piers was destroyed.

In addition to repairing the damages caused by the disaster, WLSSD plans on replacing an additional 265 linear feet of the pipe, lining 175 linear feet of the buried portion of pipeline, and renovating three manholes. WLSSD intends to utilize the MN Recovers funds to cover the costs of these restorations.

FEMA’s Public Assistance Program provides funding to local government jurisdictions and eligible private non-profits for the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged infrastructure as well as costs incurred for disaster cleanup or emergency actions taken to protect lives or property. The federal share of recovery costs is 75 percent. The remaining share is the responsibility of the state and local government or non-profit organization.

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FEMA and HSEM Provide More Than $4.3 Million Combined for Scanlon Interceptor Repairs

Be Prepared, All Year Long

Duluth, Minn. – September is National Preparedness Month, a great time to organize and update your emergency plans and supplies. Disasters can happen with little or no warning. If you currently don’t have supplies on hand, now is the perfect time to prepare so you can care for yourself and family before, during and after any emergency.

You can start by planning for the types of disasters that can happen in the area where you live. Create a personalized emergency plan and kit based on the requirements of your family. For example, if you have infants, you will need to include items such as diapers, formula and a few toys in your kit. And don’t forget to include your pets when making your emergency plans.

Being prepared in case of an emergency does not have to cost a lot of money. Make a checklist of the most important items your family will need. Next, budget emergency preparedness items as a normal expense. Shop the sales and use coupons when you can. Try to buy one item from your list each time you go to the grocery store. The reward of knowing you are prepared before disaster strikes makes it all worthwhile.

It’s also important to remember you need to be prepared for all seasons. FEMA has many tools to help you plan, including videos and social media links. The following are just a few examples:

Winter is just around the corner, which can bring many types of unforeseen weather emergencies.

www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/6746

Spring weather is always unpredictable. Severe storms, tornadoes and flooding can occur without much warning.

www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/7626

In the summer, weather conditions may seem perfect for outside activities everyone must be aware of dangerous health issues related to extreme heat and high humidity.

www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/8966

Most people spend a lot more time on the road than they realize so no matter what the season. An emergency kit for your car should be part of your emergency plan.

www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/5546

Pre-planning will help you and your family better survive a disaster. For more information and ideas, log on to www.ready.gov. And remember to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest information: www.facebook.com/fema, www.twitter.com/fema.

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Be Prepared, All Year Long

August 25 is the Deadline for Cass and Itasca Counties to Request Federal Public Assistance

DULUTH, Minn. — State agencies, local governments and certain private nonprofits in Cass and Itasca counties two weeks remaining to file their official requests for federal public assistance to help recover from severe storms and flooding on June 14-21, 2012.

The deadline to file a Request for Public Assistance (RPA) is August 25, 2012.

Filing such a request with the State is the first step in the process of applying for federal reimbursements under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Public Assistance (PA) Grant Program. Applicants must file RPAs within 30 days of a presidential disaster declaration. President Obama issued a major disaster declaration for public assistance on July 6. Cass and Itasca counties were designated on July 26.

PA grants are obligated to the State to reimburse applicants for expenses they incurred while taking emergency measures to protect lives and property such as debris removal, search and rescue operations and sandbagging. Expenses for repairs to flood-damaged facilities such as roads, bridges, utilities and other public infrastructure may also be covered.

Although the program is oriented to public entities, private nonprofit organizations may apply directly to FEMA via the RPA for uninsured costs of debris removal and emergency protective measures. Additionally, nonprofits may qualify for FEMA assistance to make infrastructure repairs if they provide critical services such as communications, power, water, emergency response or medical treatment.

For details about FEMA’s PA program, visit: www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit.

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Follow FEMA online at 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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August 25 is the Deadline for Cass and Itasca Counties to Request Federal Public Assistance

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