Survivors in St. James and West Baton Rouge Parishes May Receive FEMA Help, Urged to Register

BATON ROUGE, La. – Survivors in 22 Louisiana parishes may now be eligible for federal disaster assistance as a result of the continuing severe storms and floods that began Aug. 11.

St. James and West Baton Rouge parish disaster survivors may now be eligible for federal disaster assistance. They join Acadia, Ascension, Avoyelles, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Livingston, Point Coupee, St. Helena, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Vermilion, Washington and West Feliciana as parishes where survivors may receive FEMA help.

Apply for FEMA help three ways:

  • Log onto DisasterAssistance.gov with any computer, smartphone or tablet.
  • Download and use the FEMA mobile app.
  • If you cannot access the website or FEMA app call the FEMA helpline at 800-621- 3362. If you use TTY, call 800-462-7585. If you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

You don’t need to register again if you’re a survivor in St. James or West Baton Rouge parish who has already done so. The toll-free telephone numbers are operating from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

FEMA never charges fees to apply for or receive federal disaster assistance. State and federal officials encourage you to be alert for scams and report any suspicious activity by calling the Louisiana Attorney General’s Consumer Protection hotline at 800-351-4889.

Assistance provided by FEMA for homeowners and renters can include grants for rent, temporary housing and home repairs to their primary residence, as well as other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses or funeral and burial costs.

In addition, Assumption, Cameron, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist and West Baton Rouge parishes have joined Acadia, Ascension, Avoyelles, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Livingston, Point Coupee, St. Helena, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Vermilion, Washington and West Feliciana as parishes eligible for FEMA Public Assistance.

Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) also may be available to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. The loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

Homeowners and renters should apply as quickly as they can, even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments but underinsured applicants may receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.

Residents are urged to contact their insurance company to file their flood insurance claims. For flood insurance policyholders who may have questions, FEMA has streamlined its process to better service claims and answer questions. Policyholders may call 800-621- 3362 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and select Option 2. Call center staff are available to assist policyholders with information regarding their policy, offer technical flood guidance to aid in recovery, and respond to general as well as complicated questions about the NFIP. Policyholders with questions specifically about an insurance claim can be transferred to their insurance carrier for additional assistance.

Download and use the FEMA mobile app for disaster resources, weather alerts, and safety tips. You can also check the status of your FEMA help application. The app provides a customizable checklist of emergency supplies, maps of open shelters and weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations across the Nation. The latest feature of the app allows you to send notifications to your device to remind you to take important steps to prepare your home and family for disasters. Go to Ready.gov for more details.

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We urge everyone to continue to use caution in areas where floodwaters remain. Monitor DOTD’s www.511la.org website for updated road closure information. Look for advisories from your local  authorities and emergency managers. You can find the latest information on the state’s response at www.emergency.la.gov. GOHSEP also provides information on Facebook and Twitter. You can  receive emergency alerts on most smartphones and tablets by downloading the new Alert FM App. It is free for basic service. You can also download the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find other information at  www.getagameplan.org.

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.  Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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

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Survivors in St. James and West Baton Rouge Parishes May Receive FEMA Help, Urged to Register

Mobile Disaster Recovery Center to Open in Livingston Parish for Louisiana Survivors

BATON ROUGE, La. – A mobile disaster recovery center is opening Friday, Sept. 2, in Livingston Parish to assist Louisiana flood survivors. The center is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice.

The mobile disaster recovery center is operating at the following address and hours:

Livingston Parish

Location:  Bass Pro Shops

175 Bass Pro Boulevard

Denham Springs, LA 70726

Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Monday through Sunday)

Survivors may locate other centers near them by visiting fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers, calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362, or downloading the FEMA mobile app.

To register with FEMA, go online with any computer, smartphone or tablet to DisasterAssistance.gov, call the FEMA Helpline, or download the FEMA mobile app. Help is available in most languages and the FEMA Helpline is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice.

Disaster recovery centers are staffed by representatives from the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Small Business Administration, National Flood Insurance Program specialists, volunteer groups and other agencies. These representatives are available to provide information about disaster assistance, flood insurance, personal and property risk reduction and low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters and businesses. They can also help survivors apply for federal disaster assistance.

Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) teams are canvassing many affected areas and are able to register people for FEMA assistance if needed. Sometimes these teams will remain in certain locations convenient to the community, such as a library or mayor’s office. When residents require further assistance the teams may refer them to a disaster recovery center nearby.

It is not necessary to visit a center to register for and receive federal disaster assistance. If possible, survivors should register with FEMA before visiting a recovery center.

Disaster survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585 to register. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service or require accommodations while visiting a center may call 800-621-3362. All disaster recovery centers are accessible and equipped with tools to accommodate disaster survivors who need disability-related communication aids. Each disaster recovery center has assistive technologies for people with disabilities. To arrange to have an ASL interpreter at the DRC when you visit, call 225-382-1739.

Low-interest disaster loans from the SBA are available for businesses of all sizes including landlords, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters. Disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries.

For more information, applicants may contact the SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or visiting the SBA’s website at sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

For information call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362, download the FEMA mobile app, or go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or www.fema.gov/disaster/4277.

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We urge everyone to continue to use caution in areas where floodwaters remain. Monitor DOTD’s www.511la.org website for updated road closure information. Look for advisories from your local authorities and emergency managers. You can find the latest information on the state’s response at www.emergency.la.gov. GOHSEP also provides information on Facebook and Twitter. You can receive emergency alerts on most smartphones and tablets by downloading the new Alert FM App. It is free for basic service. You can also download the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find other information at www.getagameplan.org.

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.  Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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

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Mobile Disaster Recovery Center to Open in Livingston Parish for Louisiana Survivors

Louisiana Flood Survivors Can Get FEMA Rebuilding Advice in Gonzales

BATON ROUGE, La. — As Louisianans repair or rebuild their homes damaged by the August floods, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and local hardware and 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 to provide information in an Ascension Parish Home Depot store from Sept. 1 to Sept. 10. They will be available to answer questions and offer home improvement tips and proven methods to prevent and lessen damage from future disasters. Most of the information is aimed at both do-it-yourselfers and general contractors.

FEMA advisors will be on hand from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.

Ascension Parish
Home Depot
2740 S. Cajun Ave.
Gonzales, La. 70737

Additional information on Louisiana’s disaster recovery can be found by visiting  fema.gov/disaster/4277, twitter.com/femaregion6, twitter.com/FEMA, facebook.com/FEMA,  fema.gov/blog and www.fema.gov/louisiana-disaster-mitigation.

Survivors who have questions about their flood insurance policies and coverage should contact the National Flood Insurance Program call center at 800–621-3362 (Option 2) between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday. Specialists can help service claims, provide general information regarding policies, and offer technical assistance to aid in recovery.

Free reference booklets, in English and Spanish, with information on protecting your home from flood damage, will be available at the Gonzales location. More information about strengthening property can be found at http://www.fema.gov/what-mitigation.

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Louisiana Flood Survivors Can Get FEMA Rebuilding Advice in Gonzales

Free Legal Services Available To Disaster Survivors

BATON ROUGE, La. – Free disaster-related legal advice is available to low-income Louisiana flood survivors through a partnership among the Louisiana State Bar Association, the Louisiana Civil Justice Center, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Low-income survivors facing legal issues may call the Legal Services hotline, 800-310-7029, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Voice mail is available 24/7 and messages are generally returned the next business day. Examples of legal assistance available include:

  • Assistance with securing FEMA and other benefits available to disaster survivors;
  • Assistance with life, medical and property insurance claims;
  • Help with home repair contracts and contractors;
  • Replacement of wills and other important legal documents that were destroyed;
  • Assisting in consumer protection matters, remedies and procedures;
  • Counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems; and
  • Counseling on landlord/tenant problems.

Survivors should be aware that there are some limitations. For example, assistance is not available for cases where fees could be paid as part of a court settlement. Those cases will be referred to a lawyer-referral service.

To register with FEMA, go online to DisasterAssistance.gov, call the FEMA helpline, 800-621-3362 or download the FEMA mobile app. Help is available in most languages and phone lines are open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

Disaster survivors who are deaf, hard-of-hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585 to register. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service or require accommodations while visiting a Disaster Recovery Center may call 800-621-3362. All Disaster Recovery Centers are accessible and equipped with tools to accommodate disaster survivors who need disability-related communication aids. Each Disaster Recovery Center has assistive technologies for people with disabilities. To arrange to have an American Sign Language interpreter at the Disaster Recovery Center when you visit, call 225-382-1739.

For information call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 or go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or www.fema.gov/disaster/4277.

Download the FEMA mobile app for disaster resources, weather alerts, and safety tips. The app provides a customizable checklist of emergency supplies, maps of open shelters and weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations across the Nation. The latest feature of the app allows you to send notifications to your device to remind you to take important steps to prepare your home and family for disasters. Go to Ready.gov for more details.

See original article here: 

Free Legal Services Available To Disaster Survivors

FEMA provides federal funds to help fight Gold Canyon Fire

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

FEMA Region X Regional Administrator, Kenneth D. Murphy determined that the fire threatened such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. Murphy approved the state of Oregon’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) at 11:17 p.m. PDT on August 30, 2016.

The fire started on August 30, 2016, and had burned in excess of 120 acres of state and private land. At the time of the request, the fire was threatening 105 primary residences in and around the communities of Selma. Level 3 evacuations were issued for approximately 660 people. At the time of the authorization, the fire was zero percent contained.

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

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 Gold Canyon Fire

Disaster Recovery Center to Open in East Baton Rouge Parish for Louisiana Survivors

BATON ROUGE, La. – A disaster recovery center is opening Wednesday, August 31, in East Baton Rouge Parish to assist Louisiana flood survivors. The center is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice.

The disaster recovery center is operating at the following address and hours:

 

East Baton Rouge Parish Location: Celtic Studios

10000 Celtic Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Hours:      8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Monday through Sunday)

Survivors may locate other centers near them by visiting fema.gov/disaster-recovery-  centers, calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362, or downloading the FEMA mobile app.

To register with FEMA, go online with any computer, smartphone or tablet to  DisasterAssistance.gov, call the FEMA Helpline, or download the FEMA mobile app. Help is available in most languages and the FEMA Helpline is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice.

Disaster recovery centers are staffed by representatives from the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Small Business Administration, National Flood Insurance Program specialists, volunteer groups and other agencies. These representatives are available to provide information about disaster assistance, flood insurance, personal and property risk reduction and low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters and businesses. They can also help survivors apply for federal disaster assistance.

Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) teams are canvassing many affected areas and are able

Disaster Recovery Center to Open in East Baton Rouge Parish, Page 2

to register people for FEMA assistance if needed. Sometimes these teams will remain in certain locations convenient to the community, such as a library or mayor’s office. When residents require further assistance the teams may refer them to a disaster recovery center nearby.

It is not necessary to visit a center to register for and receive federal disaster assistance. If possible, survivors should register with FEMA before visiting a recovery center.

Disaster survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585 to register. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service or require accommodations while visiting a center may call 800-621-3362. All disaster recovery centers are accessible and equipped with tools to accommodate disaster survivors who need disability-related communication aids. Each disaster recovery center has assistive technologies for people with disabilities. To arrange to have an ASL interpreter at the DRC when you visit, call 225-382-1739.

Low-interest disaster loans from the SBA are available for businesses of all sizes including landlords, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters. Disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries.

For more information, applicants may contact the SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or visiting the SBA’s website at sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

For information call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362, download the FEMA mobile app, or go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or www.fema.gov/disaster/4277.

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We urge everyone to continue to use caution in areas where floodwaters remain. Monitor DOTD’s  www.511la.org website for updated road closure information. Look for advisories from your local authorities and emergency managers. You can find the latest information on the state’s response at  www.emergency.la.gov. GOHSEP also provides information on Facebook and Twitter. You can  receive emergency alerts on most smartphones and tablets by downloading the new Alert FM App. It is free for basic service. You can also download the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find other information at www.getagameplan.org.

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. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at  http://blog.fema.gov.

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 businesses of all sizes, private non- profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at

SBA.gov/disaster Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

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Disaster Recovery Center to Open in East Baton Rouge Parish for Louisiana Survivors

Flood Insurance Settlements to Texans Top $1 Billion

AUSTIN, Texas—More than 22,000 Texans battered by flooding over the last two years settled claims with the National Flood Insurance Program for over $1 billion, disaster recovery officials said today.

Severe storms and flooding over the last two years resulted in six federal disaster declarations in Texas, affecting more than half of the state’s 254 counties, many on multiple occasions. Residents are still picking up the pieces from flood-related disaster declarations in March, April and May-June this year.

About 100,000 individuals and families registered with FEMA for federal assistance during the 2015-2016 recovery. Only a small percentage received the agency’s maximum award of $33,000, for losses likely much greater. The average FEMA grant for the May-June floods was about $6,800.

Those with flood insurance and who filed claims in the last two years received an average settlement of about $57,000.  There doesn’t have to be a federal disaster declaration to file a claim; in fact, most floods do not result in disaster declarations.

Most Texans Lack Flood Policies

Flooding is the most common U.S. disaster as well as the costliest natural disaster. Yet most Texans lack flood insurance, according to the Insurance Council of Texas. Less than 25 percent of the state’s homeowners are covered, despite the risks.

Homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flood damage, but the NFIP does. Funded by FEMA, NFIP makes flood insurance available for communities that participate in the program, regardless of whether the area is high, low, or medium risk. Check the Community Status Book to see if your community is already an NFIP partner.

NFIP carries a maximum coverage of $250,000 for homes and $100,000 for contents. Business coverage is a maximum of $500,000 for building and $500,000 for contents.

In nearly all cases, it takes 30 days after purchase for a policy to take effect, so it’s important to buy insurance before the storm approaches and the floodwaters start to rise.

To learn more about any property’s flood risk, estimate an NFIP premium or locate an insurance agent who sells flood insurance, go to www.floodsmart.gov. For flood information and safety tips visit www.ready.gov/floods. Find the Spanish-language website at www.listo.gov.

# # #

September is National Preparedness Month. Feel free to share with your audience important tips from www.Ready.gov to prepare, plan and stay informed during any emergency.

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.

Original article: 

Flood Insurance Settlements to Texans Top $1 Billion

One week left for West Virginia survivors to apply to FEMA, SBA

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – There is only one week left to apply for disaster assistance from FEMA and to submit applications for physical low-interest disaster loans to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). West Virginia survivors eligible for federal assistance, who were impacted by the June 22-29 storms, floods, landslides and mudslides, have until Wednesday, Sept. 7 to file their applications.

More than two months after President Obama signed the June 25 disaster declaration making West Virginia residents in Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Roane, Summers and Webster counties eligible for federal assistance, 8,791 households have applied to FEMA for help.

Storm survivors in the 12 designated counties have been approved for FEMA grants under the Individuals and Households program totaling more than $39.2 million to date, while SBA has approved 714 loans to homeowners, renters and businesses for more than $46.7 million.

Disaster assistance for individuals may include grants to help homeowners and renters with temporary housing, essential home repairs, personal property replacement, and disaster-related needs. Disaster assistance grants are not taxable income and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicare and other federal and state programs. Grants do not have to be repaid to the federal government.

Registering with FEMA is the first step in qualifying for assistance. Sept. 7 is the last day for survivors to file an application. FEMA encourages all survivors who sustained disaster-related damage or losses to apply by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362 (TTY users should call 800-462-7585) or online at DisasterAssistance.gov. The toll-free lines are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. EDT seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

The SBA, one of FEMA’s partners in disaster recovery, offers low-interest disaster loans to businesses, homeowners and renters. SBA disaster loans may cover repairs, rebuilding, as well as the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged real estate and personal property.

For more information about SBA loans, call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit http://www.sba.gov/disaster.  TTY users may call 800-877-8339. Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. The deadline to file an SBA physical disaster loan application is Wednesday, Sept. 7.

You are not required to accept a loan even if you qualify for one.

If SBA determines you aren’t eligible for a home loan, they will refer you back to FEMA. This could make you eligible for more FEMA aid.

If your SBA loan application is approved, you may be eligible to borrow additional funds to cover the cost of improvements that will protect your property against future damage. Examples include elevating utilities, water heaters and furnaces, and installing retaining walls and sump pumps. Applicants may be eligible for an SBA loan increase, for mitigation purposes, of up to 20 percent of their physical damages.

Survivors with questions regarding their application or who have not yet registered for assistance should call the FEMA toll-free Helpline (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. (TTY users should call 800-462-7585) or visit DisasterAssistance.gov. The lines are open 7 a.m. to   10 p.m. seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

West Virginia homeowners and renters who have registered for disaster assistance with FEMA are encouraged by recovery officials to “stay in touch.” If survivors change their address or phone numbers they should update that information with FEMA. Missing or erroneous information could result in delays getting a home inspection or in receiving assistance.

Additional information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery can be found by visiting fema.gov/disaster/4273, twitter.com/femaregion3, twitter.com/FEMA, facebook.com/FEMA, fema.gov/blog and the flood information pages at http://wvflood.com/Pages/default.aspx.

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One week left for West Virginia survivors to apply to FEMA, SBA

FEMA provides federal funds to help fight Suncrest Fire

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

 

FEMA Region X Regional Administrator, Kenneth D. Murphy determined that the fire threatened such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. Murphy approved the state of Washington’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) at 9:19 p.m. PDT on August 27, 2016.

The fire started on August 27, 2016, and had burned in excess of 400 acres of state and private land. At the time of the request, the fire was threatening 470 primary residences in and around the Suncrest area of the city of Leavenworth. Voluntary evacuations were issued for approximately 1,880 people. There are six other large fires burning uncontrolled within the state. At the time of the authorization, the fire was zero percent contained.

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

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.

See the original post – 

FEMA provides federal funds to help fight Suncrest Fire

Don’t Wait. Prepare for Emergencies Today.

ATLANTA, Ga. — September is National Preparedness Month and as tropical storm activity increases this week, FEMA encourages residents in the Southeast to make disaster preparedness a priority.

“National Preparedness Month focuses on the need to be ready for disasters and emergencies,” said FEMA Region IV Regional Administrator Gracia Szczech. “September is also the peak of hurricane season, so preparing now is even more critical for families and businesses in the Southeast.”

Across the nation, disasters are occurring with greater frequency, and are larger and more complex. Severe weather and other emergencies can strike with little or no warning and can have disastrous impacts. Already this year, states across the Southeast have experienced destructive severe storms and flooding. Seven named tropical cyclones have formed this summer, and they serve as a reminder to be ready for hurricanes.

“Make preparedness a part of your everyday life,” said Szczech. “Prepare for the hazards that are most likely to occur where you live and work. Talk to your family and make a family disaster plan. But don’t stop there. Practice your plan. Practicing in advance of a disaster makes you better prepared to handle any emergency you may encounter.”

Download and use the free FEMA app, which provides valuable safety tips to help you prepare for and recover from more than 20 natural and man-made hazards. The FEMA app lets you receive weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations across the nation, making it easy to follow severe weather that may be threatening your family and friends.

The app also provides family communication plans, a customizable checklist of emergency supplies, and maps of open shelters and disaster recovery centers. The app is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

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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.

Continue at source: 

Don’t Wait. Prepare for Emergencies Today.

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