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Morgan City Disaster Recovery Center Closes Saturday

BATON ROUGE, La. — Time is running out for Hurricane Isaac survivors in St. Martin Parish to visit the State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center in Morgan City. The center closes at 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Although the center will close, Hurricane Isaac survivors can still contact FEMA online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

Survivors may also contact the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) after the center closes at 1-800-659-2955 or www.sba.gov.

The center is located at:

3257 Hwy. 70
Morgan City, LA 70380

Hours are: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Saturday, Oct. 27.

Recovery centers have opened in many affected parishes to assist homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained uninsured or underinsured losses to their home or personal property as a result of Hurricane Isaac. For a list of open centers in Louisiana go to www.fema.gov/disaster/4080.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, visit online at www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. You can follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.

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Morgan City Disaster Recovery Center Closes Saturday

New Orleans Disaster Recovery Center Closes Thursday

BATON ROUGE, La. — Time is running out for Hurricane Isaac survivors in Orleans Parish to visit the State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center on Loyola Avenue in New Orleans. The center closes at 6 p.m. on Thursday.

Although the center will close, Hurricane Isaac survivors can visit any of the other three recovery centers that remain open in New Orleans branch libraries. They are located at the Algiers Regional Branch, East NOLA Branch and the Robert E. Smith library.

Survivors can contact FEMA online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

Survivors may also contact the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) after the center closes at 1-800-659-2955 or www.sba.gov.

The center is located at:

Main Library3
219 Loyola Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70112

Hours are: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Thursday, Oct. 25.

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New Orleans Disaster Recovery Center Closes Thursday

Call 2-1-1: Voluntary Agencies Can Help Survivors with Unmet Needs

BATON ROUGE, La. – As Louisianians continue to recover from Hurricane Isaac, they may have needs not met by state or federal grants and loans. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has partnered with more than 150 voluntary agencies that are providing a wide range of crucial assistance to survivors.

Voluntary agencies provide services such as debris cleanup, tree removal, counseling, home repairs and reconstruction. They also are instrumental in collecting and distributing donated food, clothing, cleaning supplies and other items needed by survivors as they begin their road to recovery.

Survivors may be connected to these agencies by calling the Louisiana information helpline at 2-1-1. Operators are available round-the-clock, seven days a week. Additional resources can also be found at www.louisiana211.org. Two parishes have set up hotlines to connect survivors with services. In Plaquemines Parish, the number is 1-504-564-0309. In St. John, the number is 1-985-359-1024.

“FEMA is doing everything we can to help survivors recover from Hurricane Isaac, but we can’t do everything,” said Gerard M. Stolar, FEMA’s federal coordinating officer. “By partnering with these voluntary agencies, we work together as part of the whole community to help survivors get their needs met.”

Calling 2-1-1 is not the same as registering with FEMA. Those with uninsured or underinsured damages who have not registered with FEMA should apply online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Those without Internet access may call 1-800-621-3362 or TTY 1-800-462-7585. For 711 Relay or Video Relay Services, call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, click www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.

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Call 2-1-1: Voluntary Agencies Can Help Survivors with Unmet Needs

Hurricane Isaac Demonstrates the Need for Flood Insurance

CLINTON, Miss. – Slow-moving Hurricane Isaac sat on the Mississippi coast for two days dumping rain, totaling up to 20 inches in places, and battering coastal areas with a 10-foot storm surge. Rivers reached near-historic flood levels. Flooding damaged or destroyed nearly 3,000 homes, according to state officials.

“Flooding is the most common disaster we see in our state each year,” said Mississippi Emergency Management Agency State Coordinating Officer Bill Brown. “Many who flooded during Isaac were not in high-risk flood zones. Having a flood insurance policy from the National Flood Insurance Program won’t keep the water out of your house, but it will protect the investment you have in it.”

Flood insurance is important regardless of your flood zone. In fact, people outside high-risk areas file more than 20 percent of NFIP claims. In Mississippi, 86,000 households have flood insurance. About 39,000 of those policies were bought by consumers living outside a high risk flood zone.

“Here are two important points people need to understand. First, homeowners’ policies do not cover flooding. Second, flood insurance policyholders can file a claim for flood damage even if a storm doesn’t trigger a federal disaster declaration,” said Terry L. Quarles, FEMA’s federal coordinating officer. “Flood insurance is available to homeowners, business owners and renters in communities that participate in the NFIP and enforce their local flood damage prevention ordinances.”

By law, federally regulated or insured mortgage lenders require flood insurance on properties that are located in areas at high risk of flooding, called special flood hazard areas. An interactive guide to determine your flood risk is available online at FloodSmart.gov.

Flood insurance, with the average premium running about $600 per year, can save homeowners thousands of dollars in repairs. Just 3 inches of floodwater in a home will require replacing drywall, baseboards, carpet, furniture and other necessary repairs can cost an estimated $22,590.

The deeper the floodwater, the more it will cost – 24 inches of water means repairs to the electrical system and the heating and cooling system. It also means replacement of doors, appliances and cabinetry, which could add another $40,000 to the bill.

Homeowners can insure their homes for up to $250,000 and contents for up to $100,000. Renters can cover their belongings for up to $100,000. Nonresidential property owners can insure a building and its contents for up to $500,000 each.

There is normally a 30-day waiting period when purchasing a new policy so now is the time to get your policy, before the next disaster strikes. The NFIP is administered by FEMA, which works closely with nearly 90 private insurance companies to offer flood insurance to property owners and renters.

NFIP policies can be purchased from state licensed property and casualty insurance agents who already deal with other property insurance needs. NFIP can also put people in touch with agents. Visit www.floodsmart.gov for more information about flood insurance and to locate a local agent.

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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Hurricane Isaac Demonstrates the Need for Flood Insurance

Voluntary Organizations Assist Hurricane Isaac Survivors

BATON ROUGE, La. – Thousands of Louisianians affected by Hurricane Isaac are finding help with their unmet needs through the Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) members — groups that arrived before the hurricane made landfall, that kept coming during the rain and flooding, and that will remain in communities for months to come.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has partnered with more than 150 voluntary, community- and faith-based organizations to provide crucial assistance as Louisiana recovers from the storm. FEMA assists the organizations by providing information about available federal assistance programs, offering technical assistance with volunteer management, donation intake and distribution, and helping with unmet needs for the longer term.

“Voluntary groups work together to help survivors get on the road to recovery and to stay on it in the months to come,” said Gerard M. Stolar, FEMA’s federal coordinating officer for Hurricane Isaac recovery. “Volunteers are the backbone of disaster recovery. They go where the need is. They are the first to arrive and the last to leave when disaster strikes.”

Since Isaac hit, volunteer agencies have worked in survivors’ homes, on the affected communities’ streets and public spaces, and in community institutions to help with the recovery effort. Volunteers have mucked mold and mud out of houses and apartments, and installed tarps on roofs as temporary repairs.

Groups from Louisiana and elsewhere in the country have removed trees and debris from neighborhoods and roadways. Other volunteers have worked at call centers, provided support in offices with data analysis, for example, and staffed emergency operations centers for Louisiana VOAD members.

“Sometimes their work is simple and short term. Sometimes these groups are deeply involved in communities for years,” Stolar said. “Always, the work is appreciated.”

Most importantly, perhaps, volunteers have helped survivors directly first with evacuation before the storm made landfall and then by providing food, water, ice, replacement clothing and household items, and cleaning kits after it passed through. As recovery continues, volunteers are acting as counselors and advisers, staffing crisis and legal hotlines and helping survivors navigate and determine their eligibility for federal programs.

Sometimes the volunteers’ motivation comes from a general sense of wanting to contribute to recovery. Sometimes it’s very personal.

“Unfortunately, sometimes it takes having gone through the experience yourself in order to fully appreciate the sufferings and heartaches of what people are going through at a time like this,” said Father John Tran of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church. “There is a mutual understanding of heartache shared between the volunteers who have been there and the residents now dealing with it.”

Volunteer organizations involved in the Hurricane Isaac recovery effort are not funded by the federal government. Voluntary agencies will continue to help storm survivors and to provide disaster relief services in all affected parishes and any other area in need regardless of the federal declaration status.

Also, if disaster survivors sustained uninsured or underinsured damages because of Hurricane Isaac, they should apply for FEMA assistance as soon as possible even if they have already registered with voluntary organizations. Registering with voluntary organizations doesn’t mean that they have automatically registered with FEMA.

Survivors can register online with FEMA at www.disasterassistance.gov or via smartphone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. For 711 Relay or Video Relay Services call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, click www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. You can follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.

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Voluntary Organizations Assist Hurricane Isaac Survivors

New Roads Disaster Recovery Center Closes Wednesday

BATON ROUGE, La. — Time is running out for Hurricane Isaac survivors in Pointe Coupee Parish to visit the State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center in New Roads. The center closes at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

Although the center will close, Hurricane Isaac survivors can still contact FEMA online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

Survivors may also contact the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) after the center closes at 1-800-659-2955 or www.sba.gov.

The center is located at:

Scott Civic Center
1200 Major Pkwy.
New Roads, LA 70760

Hours are: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Wednesday, Oct. 24.

New Roads Disaster Recovery Center Closes Wednesday

Chalmette Disaster Recovery Center Will Not Reopen

BATON ROUGE, La. — The St. Bernard Parish State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center located in Chalmette and scheduled to reopen on Oct. 22 has closed down permanently.

Although the center has closed, Hurricane Isaac survivors can still contact FEMA online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

Survivors may also contact the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) at 1-800-659-2955 or www.sba.gov.

The center was originally located at:

3220 Jean Lafitte Blvd.
Chalmette, LA 70043

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Chalmette Disaster Recovery Center Will Not Reopen

Cleveland and Creek County Residents Receive More Than $11.5 Million in Disaster Assistance

OKLAHOMA CITY – More than $11.5 million in state and federal disaster assistance has been approved for homeowners, renters and businesses impacted by the Aug. 3-14 wildfires in Cleveland and Creek counties according to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Eligible residents have received nearly $6 million in Housing Assistance for temporary lodging expenses, home replacement or repairs as well as more than $600,000 in Other Needs Assistance for repair or replacement of personal property, essential vehicles, moving and storage costs, and other miscellaneous disaster related expenses.

Federal disaster assistance programs are available for a limited time following a major disaster declaration. The deadline for all Cleveland and Creek County residents who suffered damages or losses to apply is Nov. 21.

To date, more than 775 individuals and families have registered with FEMA.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved more than $4.9 million in low-interest loans to repair or replace damaged real estate, personal property and business assets not covered by insurance. SBA makes up to $200,000 available to homeowners to repair or replace primary homes; up to $40,000 to homeowners and renters to repair or replace personal property; and, up to $2 million to businesses for physical losses and economic injury.

SBA wants to remind applicants that anyone who registers with FEMA and receives an SBA application needs to submit their completed application by the Nov. 21 deadline. Otherwise, they may miss out on additional federal assistance. Some people mistakenly assume these loans are only for small businesses; or, they choose to ignore them because they do not think they can’t afford or don’t qualify for a disaster loan.

Residents with access to computers or smartphones may apply for assistance or track their status online at www.disasterassistance.gov, or web-enabled phones at m.fema.gov or the FEMA app. If they do not have a computer, they can call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585. If using 711 Relay or Video Relay Services, the number is the same, 1-800-621-3362. FEMA phone lines are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. CT seven days a week; multilingual operators are available.

Homeowners, renters and businesses affected by the Aug. 3-14 wildfire, can apply for an SBA disaster loan after registering with FEMA by going online to SBA’s secure site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela; calling 1-800-659-2955 or TTY 1-800-877-8339. For information on SBA disaster assistance, go to www.sba.gov.

For more information on Oklahoma disaster recovery, click on www.fema.gov/disaster/4078 or www.oem.ok.gov.

Follow the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management on Twitter and Facebook at twitter.com/okem and www.facebook.com/oklahomadepartmentofemergencymanagement. FEMA tweets about the Oklahoma disaster are at twitter.com/femaregion6. Additional FEMA online resources include blog.fema.gov, www.facebook.com/fema and www.youtube.com/fema.

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Cleveland and Creek County Residents Receive More Than $11.5 Million in Disaster Assistance

Nearly $22 Million In Fema Assistance For Hurricane Isaac

CLINTON, Miss. – In nearly seven weeks since Hurricane Isaac struck Mississippi, $21.9 million in state and federal aid has been approved to help those affected.

MEMA and FEMA provide the following snapshot of the disaster recovery effort as of Oct. 22:

More than 6,200 households have received FEMA grants that assist with housing and personal property loss.
Nearly $12.6 million has been approved for housing grants, including short-term rental assistance, home repair and replacement costs.
More than $2.3 million has been approved to cover other essential disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses and lost personal possessions.
Nearly $7 million in low-interest disaster loans have been approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration to assist homeowners, renters and businesses.
Nearly 20,000 home inspections have been completed.

Survivors have just over a week to register for disaster assistance. Registration ends Oct. 31. Survivors should register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by mobile device at m.fema.gov. If online or mobile access is unavailable, applicants should call the FEMA toll-free Helpline at 800-621-3362. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

More than 25,000 survivors in designated counties have contacted FEMA for help or information regarding disaster assistance. Many people sought housing assistance from FEMA because their primary homes were unlivable or inaccessible.

Those who have already registered for disaster assistance should stay in contact with FEMA if they change their mailing address, phone number or e-mail address, if they receive an insurance settlement, or discover additional damage by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362.

The Helpline is also available for Mississippians who have needs not met by federal assistance. It is a good source of information referring survivors to state and local organizations and partner agencies such as the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the U.S. Small Business Administration. Survivors may also call 2-1-1 to be connected to volunteer or faith-based organizations that may be able to help them with resources and needs.

Businesses that need help may contact the SBA directly at the SBA Disaster Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (TTY) 800-877-8339, send an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or go to https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/ to apply.

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Nearly $22 Million In Fema Assistance For Hurricane Isaac

FEMA Dollars Continue to Support New Orleans’ Katrina Recovery

NEW ORLEANS – The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the city of New Orleans recently announced additional Katrina-related grants totaling nearly $7 million that will directly benefit two recovery projects within the city – the Joe Brown Center in New Orleans East and the Municipal Yacht Harbor on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain.

“These federal dollars will supplement important repairs going on at Joe Brown Center and the Municipal Yacht Harbor,” New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu said. “We are making progress every day and will continue to work with FEMA to identify new eligible funding for storm-damaged buildings and infrastructure. FEMA continues to be an important partner in our recovery from Hurricane Katrina.”

“The great thing about these grants is that they support publically recognizable facilities, since both serve various recreational needs in New Orleans,” said FEMA’s Louisiana Recovery Office Deputy Director of Programs Andre Cadogan. “These are projects that, once fully complete, locals will greatly utilize and note as yet another sign of Louisiana’s progress on her path toward full recovery.”

Of FEMA’s latest funding, $1.7 million was provided for recently determined eligible damages at the Joe Brown Center, a popular, pre-Katrina recreational facility. This grant brings FEMA’s total support for recovery efforts at the Joe Brown Center to $3.3 million, and it includes the following work:

Removal and replacement of flood-damaged sidewalks throughout the facility; countertops and millwork in the center’s office; storefront entrance; doors and frames; tile floors; and
Repairs to moisture-damaged bleachers in the main facility area and to damaged windows and skylights.

“We know the city is excited to soon open the Joe Brown Center again for public use, and we are pleased with our steadfast recovery partnership that has led to us working side-by-side with the city to ensure all eligible FEMA dollars, such as these, are provided for such important work,” added Cadogan.

FEMA’s remaining funding, $5.3 million of the $7 million, was provided for the New Orleans’ Municipal Yacht Harbor, a marina docking area that provides secure anchoring for both recreational and commercial boats. The harbor facility was significantly damaged during the storm, necessitating FEMA’s current level of support, which now totals $10.1 million.

FEMA’s most recent grant for the harbor captures scope of work updates and revised estimated project costs to repair the following sites at the facility: concrete piers and pile caps, finger and end piers, fender system, timber mooring piles, watchman’s offices and restrooms, safety equipment, Pier 9 replacement, eastern bulkhead, and the electrical and mechanical distribution systems to the individual boat slips.

To date, FEMA has obligated approximately $6.4 billion in public assistance funding for Katrina and Rita related recovery work throughout the city of New Orleans.

Editors: For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/latro.

Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/femalro, blog.fema.gov, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

When FEMA approves projects through its supplemental Public Assistance grant, the funds are made available to the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness, who disburses them to the applicant for eligible work completed.

The Public Assistance program works with state and local officials to fund recovery measures and the rebuilding of government and certain private nonprofit organizations’ buildings, as well as roads, bridges and water and sewer plants. In order for the process to be successful, federal, state and local partners coordinate to draw up project plans, fund these projects and oversee their completion.

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FEMA Dollars Continue to Support New Orleans’ Katrina Recovery

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