Last Chance to Visit Disaster Recovery Centers in Islip, Mastic

21 Centers to Remain Open                                                                                                

NEW YORK – Hurricane Sandy survivors in Suffolk County have until 3 p.m. Sunday,

Jan. 6, to visit Disaster Recovery Centers in Islip and Mastic.

Survivors can get face-to-face help at the recovery center at Town Hall West, 401 Main St., Islip, and the center at the Mastic Recreation Community Center, 15 Herkimer St., Mastic. The center in Mastic will operate 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The center in Islip will be open

9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Both centers are open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

The State of New York and the Federal Emergency Management Agency closely monitor visitor traffic at all New York Disaster Recovery Centers. When traffic slows at a certain time, a center may change its hours or come under consideration for possible closure. So far, more than 3,400 survivors have visited the centers in Islip and Mastic.

Survivors in Suffolk County will still be able to visit the Disaster Recovery Center that remains open at the Lindenhurst Library, 1 Lee Ave., Lindenhurst, or any of the 20 other centers that remain open throughout New York.

Following is a county-by-county and borough-by-borough list of Disaster Recovery Centers in operation and their hours:

Kings

Holy Family R.C. Church

9719 Flatlands Ave.

Brooklyn, NY 11236

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sun.

 

Coffey Park

85 Richards St.

Brooklyn, NY 11231

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

 

Knights of Columbus Hall

2882 Gerritsen Ave.

Brooklyn, NY 11229

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sun.

 

Social Security Building

Gravesend

10 Bouck Court

Brooklyn, NY 11223

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

 

Jewish Community Center

YM-YWHA

3300 Coney Island Ave.

Brooklyn, NY 11235

Normal hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sun.

 

MCU parking lot

1904 Surf Ave.

Brooklyn, NY 11224

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

 

Sheepshead Bay Yacht Club

3076 Emmons Ave.

Brooklyn, NY 11235.

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sun.

 

Manhattan

Southbridge Towers 

Store No. 10

66 Frankfort St. New York, NY  10038

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

 

Nassau

Recreation and Ice Arena

700 Magnolia Blvd.

Long Beach, NY 11561

Normal hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sun.

 

Sacred Heart Parish

RR station parking lot

127 Long Beach Rd.

Island Park, NY 11558

Normal hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sun.

 

Cedar Creek Park

Merrick Rd. East

Seaford, NY 11783

Normal hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sun.

 

Marjorie Post Community Center

477 Unqua Rd.

Massapequa, NY 11758

Normal hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sun.

 

Young Israel, gymnasium

859 Peninsula Blvd.

Woodmere, NY 11598

Normal hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sun

8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon.-Thurs.

8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Fri.

Closed Sat.

 

Freeport Recreation Center

130 E. Merrick Rd.

Freeport, NY 11520

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sun.

 

Queens

Fort Tilden Park

415 State Rd.

Breezy Point, NY 11697

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

 

Community Church of the Nazarene

1414 Central Ave.

Far Rockaway, NY 11691

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sun.

 

American Legion

209 Cross Bay Blvd.

Broad Channel, NY 11693

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sun.

 

Storefront

1001 Beach 20th St.

Far Rockaway, NY 11691

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

 

Arverne by the Sea

68-20 Rockaway Beach Blvd.

Arverne, NY 11692

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

 

Richmond

Kia in Staten Island

1976 Hylan Blvd.

Staten Island, NY 10306

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

 

Suffolk

Town Hall West

401 Main St.

Islip, NY 11751

 

Normal hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sun. through Jan. 6

 

Mastic Recreation Community Center

15 Herkimer St.

Mastic, NY 11950

Normal hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sun. through Jan. 6

 

Lindenhurst Library

1 Lee Ave.

Lindenhurst, NY 11757

Normal hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sun.

Hurricane Sandy survivors in New York have until Jan. 28, 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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Last Chance to Visit Disaster Recovery Centers in Islip, Mastic

FEMA Aid Will Not Affect Senior Citizens’ Benefits

WARWICK, R.I. – Rhode Island senior citizens who receive federal disaster assistance for losses due to Hurricane Sandy will still be able to receive all their other federal benefits-and they need not worry about having to pay any additional taxes. 

“We want to assist seniors affected by Hurricane Sandy,” said Federal Coordinating Officer James N. Russo, who leads the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Sandy recovery mission in Rhode Island. “We can’t do that if they fear that asking for help will impact their other benefits or raise their taxes.”

Federal disaster assistance does not affect Social Security payments, Medicare benefits, food stamps or any other federal assistance programs.. The Internal Revenue Service does not consider it taxable income.

Seniors and others who experienced damage from Sandy may be eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program. This may cover expenses for temporary housing, home repairs, replacement of damaged personal property and other disaster-related needs, such as medical, dental or transportation costs, not covered by insurance or other programs.

To determine whether they are eligible for disaster recovery help from FEMA, seniors and others must register. Go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or to m.fema.gov if using a smartphone or call 800-621-FEMA (3362), 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Those who are deaf, hard of hearing or who have a speech disability may use TTY 800-462-7585.

After registering with FEMA, applicants may receive a packet from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). SBA loans are not just for small businesses. After a federally declared disaster, the SBA offers low-interest disaster recovery loans for homeowners and renters. No one is obligated to take out a loan. But if you don’t complete the application, you will not be considered for some other federal grants.

Some seniors with paid-off mortgages may wonder why they would want a long-term government loan. But if they need funds to restore their homes to pre-disaster condition, a low-interest loan from the federal government may be the best solution. The SBA offers disaster loans up to $200,000 to repair or replace homes and up to $40,000 to homeowners and renters for personal property losses.  Interest rates are as low as 1.688 percent. 

Find tweets about Sandy recovery at @femaregion1. For Rhode Island specific information go to http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4089. Other online resources include @FEMASandy and http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/FEMASandy and http://blog.fema.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.

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 temporary housing assistance and grants for medical and dental expenses, 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 Aid Will Not Affect Senior Citizens’ Benefits

By Building Stronger, One Family’s Home Withstood the Storm

NEW YORK – When Thomas O’Grady decided to build a house on East Atlantic Beach, the neighborhood he grew up in, he wasn’t very happy learning that he couldn’t build his main floor because of new local building codes that would require him to elevate his home to the area base flood elevation (BFE). 

BFE is the elevation of surface water resulting from a flood that has a 1 percent chance of equaling or exceeding that level in any given year. Despite their hesitation, the O’Gradys built four feet over the required 11 foot BFE, which conforms to the minimum National Flood Insurance Program requirements as well as state and local building codes. Their decision ultimately paid off.

“My parents have lived in this neighborhood, right next door, since 1967 and we’ve never had an inch of water on our street,” said O’Grady.

However, when Hurricane Sandy made landfall in October 2012 and severely damaged many homes throughout Long Island, because their home was elevated, the O’Gradys survived the storm. Though the slow-moving storm swamped other houses in their area, the O’Grady home stayed snug and dry.

In addition to elevating their home well above the BFE, O’Grady built to other state and local codes that would enable the structure to withstand hurricane force winds. By building stronger, the family ensured that their home could withstand a disaster like Sandy. “We were upstairs during the storm and we felt the wind,” O’Grady said. But we were never worried about any serious damage from the wind.”

The storm surge came up about three feet above the water line and breached the dunes on the beach near the O’Grady home.  In contrast, all their neighbors who had not elevated their homes received at least three feet of water in their living areas. As for the O’Grady house, the living area received no water at all. “The water went through the crawl space, through the flood vents and out the flood vents, so once the tide subsided, the water was gone,” O’Grady said.

When a structure is elevated and tied together with the proper hardening measures, evidence shows it survives significantly better. “They [local building officials] all know how upset I was in the beginning that I could not build that main floor, said O’Grady. Now they are all laughing at me saying, ‘Aren’t you thankful now you elevated your home?’ I sure am.”

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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By Building Stronger, One Family’s Home Withstood the Storm

Notice on National Flood Insurance Program Borrowing Authority: Payments for Claims Related to Hurricane Sandy As Well As Other Major Disasters in…

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), mandated by Congress to administer the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), today notified Congress that without the approval of additional borrowing authority, funds available to pay claims will be exhausted sometime around the week of January 7, 2013.

Supplemental legislation currently under consideration by Congress, based on the Administration’s request submitted to Congress last month and subsequently passed by the Senate in a bipartisan vote, includes $9.7 billion in additional borrowing authority to support the National Flood Insurance Fund to address claims resulting from Superstorm Sandy and other floods. The NFIP continues to pay out claims related to Sandy. To date, nearly 140,000 claims have been made and $1.7 billion has been paid out to survivors. 

“FEMA continues to work closely with Write Your Own (WYO) partner companies to meet the needs of survivors and accelerate partial payments for claims,” said Dave Miller, FEMA’s Associate Administrator for the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration.  “We urge timely congressional action with regard to the pending supplemental to continue to meet survivor needs.”

Payments on more than 115,000 claims in states across the country may be delayed until Congress increases the NFIP borrowing authority. The use of National Flood Insurance Fund monies are being closely monitored based on actual and anticipated claims.

NFIP policies allow up to approximately 90 days after receipt of a claim to make a payment.  Upon depletion of borrowing authority, FEMA will work to ensure any available funds, including ongoing premium payments, may be applied to claim payments.

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:

Notice on National Flood Insurance Program Borrowing Authority: Payments for Claims Related to Hurricane Sandy As Well As Other Major Disasters in…

El centro de recuperación en Atlantic City cambia de ubicación

TRENTON, N.J. — El centro de recuperación por desastre en Atlantic City cambiará de ubicación el viernes, 4 de enero.

El centro está actualmente abierto en el Centro de Convenciones de Atlantic City y se reubicará a la siguiente dirección:

Boardwalk Hall

2301 Boardwalk

Atlantic City, NJ 08401

El horario para el centro es de 9 a.m. hasta 7 p.m., de lunes a sábado.

Los representantes de la Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias (FEMA, por sus siglas en inglés) están disponibles en los centros para proveer información sobre las cartas recibidas de FEMA, ayudar a los sobrevivientes a encontrar una vivienda temporal si la vivienda principal fue dañada o destruida, verificar el estado de su solicitud para asistencia, o referir a las personas a otras agencias que puedan brindar ayuda adicional.

En adición, los sobrevivientes pueden hablar con los representantes de servicio al cliente de la Administración para el Desarrollo de la Pequeña Empresa (SBA, por sus siglas en inglés) sobre los préstamos a bajo interés por desastre para reparar o reconstruir sus viviendas. Los especialistas de mitigación de FEMA también están disponibles en los centros para brindar información sobre técnicas económicas de reconstrucción y reparación que puedan reducir los daños a las propiedades durante desastres futuros.

La misión de FEMA es apoyar a los ciudadanos y a las agencias de primera respuesta para garantizar que trabajemos juntos como nación para desarrollar, mantener y mejorar nuestra capacidad de prepararnos, protegernos, y recuperarnos de los peligros, responder ante ellos y mitigarlos.

Siga a FEMA en línea en www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, y www.youtube.com/fema. También, siga las actividades de administrador Craig Fugate en www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

Los enlaces a redes sociales se proporcionan solamente a manera de referencia. FEMA no endosa ninguna página de Internet, compañía o aplicación no gubernamental. 

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El centro de recuperación en Atlantic City cambia de ubicación

Resolve to be Ready in Georgia, Commit to Emergency Preparedness in 2013!

Resolve to be Ready in Georgia, Commit to Emergency Preparedness in 2013!

ATLANTA — This year was characterized by extremely active and devastating weather events across the country; flooding in the Southeast as a result of Tropical Storm Debby and Hurricane Isaac, wildfires across the Midwest, and Hurricane Sandy which devastated parts of the Northeast and was the second-largest Atlantic storm on record.

In Georgia, 2012 was active with disasters as tornados, flooding, tropical storms and a record-breaking heat wave plagued the state.

As 2012 comes to a close and people make resolutions for the new year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency/Homeland Security (GEMA) are encouraging everyone to Resolve to be Ready in 2013 by committing to emergency preparedness.

“Research from our Ready Georgia campaign shows more Georgians are prepared for emergencies and disasters than ever before. Although these gains are modest at best, they do show positive trends and movement in the right direction. But, much work remains to be done. That’s why we ask all residents, families and businesses to make disaster preparedness one of their 2013 resolutions,” said GEMA/Homeland Security Director Charley English.

As we have seen in 2012, including the recent severe weather affecting many parts of the country during the holidays, disasters can strike anytime, anywhere, and being prepared is one of the most effective things we can do to protect our homes, businesses and loved ones.  Resolve to be Ready in 2013 is a nationwide effort to increase awareness and encourage individuals, families, businesses and communities to take action and prepare for emergencies in the new year. 

“Resolve to be Ready is one new year’s resolution you’ll want to keep,” said FEMA Region IV Administrator Phil May. “There are simple steps you can take to prepare for emergencies, such as putting together an emergency supply kit and creating a family emergency plan. Taking these steps will help keep you and your family safe, and could be the most important pledge you make.”

By making a resolution to take a few simple steps in advance, people can minimize the impact of an emergency on their families, homes and businesses.  To take the pledge, visit www.ready.gov/resolve or www.listo.gov, which includes free information, checklists and guidelines about how to put together a kit and make a plan.

Here are a few important tips to get you started:

  • Be informed. Know the hazards and risks in your area and learn what you need to do to get ready for them. One way you can do this is by signing up to receive information on your mobile device.  Here are a few agency websites that offer timely information:
  • Make a family emergency plan so you know how you would communicate with and find your loved ones when a disaster strikes. Think about how you would reach your kids at school or your spouse at work. If you had to evacuate, where would you go? Thinking this through in advance will make a big difference.
  • Build two emergency supply kits – one for home and one for the car – that include water, food and first aid supplies to help you survive if you lose power or are stranded in your car. This is especially important for dealing with icy roads and snowstorms this winter.
  • Get Involved.  Be an advocate and educator for safety and emergency preparedness within your community. Contact your local Citizen Corps.

Spread the word to your loved ones and encourage them to Resolve to be Ready in 2013. Anyone can learn more by visiting Ready.gov or Listo.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.

 

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Resolve to be Ready in Georgia, Commit to Emergency Preparedness in 2013!

Don’t Wait on Insurance to File For FEMA Aid or Apply for an SBA Disaster Loan

WINDSOR, Conn. — Disaster officials say residents should file their homeowner’s insurance claims first, but not wait on an insurance settlement to register for FEMA disaster assistance or complete an application for an SBA disaster loan.

“We want to make sure everyone who had damage from Sandy gets all the help they are eligible for,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Albert Lewis. “Don’t think you have to wait for an insurance adjuster. File your insurance claim, then register with FEMA and get the process started.”

Officials say it is always best to document damage thoroughly with photos and/or videos in case some of the damaged items have to be disposed of during the cleanup or before an inspector can inspect the property.

Residents of Fairfield, Middlesex, New Haven and New London counties, and the Mashantucket Pequot and the Mohegan Tribal Nations located within New London County who had damage from Hurricane Sandy may be eligible for federal disaster assistance from the FEMA Individual Assistance grant program.

Survivors can register online anytime day or night at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or with a smartphone or other Web-enabled device at m.fema.gov. Survivors can also register by phone anytime by calling FEMA at 800-621-3362. The TTY number is 800-462-7585. Multilingual operators are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available at the close of the English message.

Registering for disaster assistance with other agencies or organizations does not register survivors for FEMA disaster assistance. Having FEMA flood insurance does not register policyholders for disaster assistance; flood insurance claims are handled separately.

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. For TTY, call 800-462-7585.

The U.S. Small Business Administration  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, nonprofit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and covers 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.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

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Don’t Wait on Insurance to File For FEMA Aid or Apply for an SBA Disaster Loan

FEMA Helpline Still Available to Assist Hurricane Sandy Survivors in Connecticut

WINDSOR, Conn. — FEMA’s registration Helpline is still available for Connecticut residents who suffered damage from Hurricane Sandy.

Although all FEMA-State Disaster Recovery Centers in Connecticut have closed, the Helpline remains available for survivors to register for federal disaster assistance. Sandy survivors who have already registered for aid can call to ask questions, update contact information or check the status of their applications.

Disaster survivors can call 800-621-3362 to register for assistance, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Those who use TTY can call 800-462-7585. Multilingual operators can be reached after the initial English message concludes.

The deadline to register with FEMA has been extended to Jan. 28.

Disaster survivors can register online anytime day or night at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or with a smartphone or other Web-enabled device at m.fema.gov.

Registering for disaster assistance with other agencies or organizations does not register survivors for FEMA disaster assistance. Having FEMA flood insurance does not register policyholders for disaster assistance; flood insurance claims are handled separately.

As of Dec. 28, 2012, more than 2,500 Connecticut residents have been approved for federal disaster assistance. FEMA offers financial help to survivors of federally-declared disasters to cover uninsured losses and critical expenses which cannot be covered by other means.

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. For TTY, call 800-462-7585.

The U.S. Small Business Administration 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, nonprofit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and covers 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.

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.

Taken from: 

FEMA Helpline Still Available to Assist Hurricane Sandy Survivors in Connecticut

Atlantic City Recovery Center Changes Locations

TRENTON, N.J. — The disaster recovery center in Atlantic City will change its location on Friday, Jan. 4.

The center located at the Atlantic City Convention Center will move to the following address:

Boardwalk Hall

2301 Boardwalk

Atlantic City, NJ  08401  

Center hours are 9 a.m. until 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday.   

Federal Emergency Management Agency staff are available at the center to provide clarification on letters, assist survivors with finding a temporary home if their primary residence was damaged or destroyed, check on the status of their application for assistance or refer survivors to other agencies that may provide additional help.

Also, survivors can consult with U.S. Small Business Administration customer service representatives about low-interest disaster loans to repair or rebuild their homes and FEMA mitigation specialists about cost-effective rebuilding and repair techniques to reduce property damages in future disasters.

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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Atlantic City Recovery Center Changes Locations

National Flood Insurance Program Probation for Port Vincent, Louisiana

DENTON, Texas- Efforts are ongoing by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist the village of Port Vincent, Louisiana hold on to its National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) status; a status that it is in jeopardy of losing if it does not correct current floodplain management violations.

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) makes flood insurance available in communities where minimum local floodplain management standards are adopted and enforced. FEMA recently issued a letter to Port Vincent that establishes a deadline of March 1, 2013 for the village to correct certain violations and program deficiencies.

The deficiencies cited in the probation letter include the failure to manage floodplain development in accordance with the village’s floodplain program and a lack of adequate administrative procedures and record keeping.

While the village works to correct these violations, property owners will still be able to purchase and renew flood insurance coverage during the probationary period. However, a $50 surcharge will be added to any policy sold or renewed in the community for the next year beginning on March 1, 2013. There are currently 103 flood insurance policies in the village.

If the village fails to make progress by Sept. 1, 2013, it could be suspended from the program. The result of suspension is the loss of federally backed flood insurance in the community.  Residents in the village will not be able to purchase or renew their flood insurance policies after the suspension occurs.

Additionally, if a flood disaster occurs in a suspended community, most types of federal disaster assistance for structures within the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), including federal assistance to individuals and households is not available. Also, the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 prohibits federal agencies from making grants, loans, or guarantees for the acquisition or construction of structures located in a SFHA.

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

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National Flood Insurance Program Probation for Port Vincent, Louisiana

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