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As Tropical Storm Nears Florida, FEMA Urges Florida and Gulf Coast Residents to Monitor Conditions and Follow the Direction of Local Officials

FEMA and Federal Partners Continue to Monitor Tropical Storm Isaac

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its federal partners, through the FEMA Regional Headquarters in Atlanta, Ga., and Denton, Texas, continue to monitor Tropical Storm Isaac and remain in close coordination with local officials and emergency management partners in Florida, and other southeastern and Gulf Coast states. Earlier today, President Obama was briefed by FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate and National Hurricane Center Director Dr. Rick Knabb on the projected track and timing of the storm as well as steps being taken by the Administration to support potentially impacted states. Tropical storm conditions are already being experienced along the Florida Keys and the Florida East Coast.

According to NOAA’s National Weather Service advisory at 2:00 p.m., a Hurricane Warning is in effect for the Florida Keys including the Dry Tortugas, the west coast of Florida from Bonita Beach southward to Ocean Reef and the Florida Bay. A Hurricane Watch is in effect for east of Morgan City, Louisiana to Indian Pass Florida including Metropolitan New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Florida east coast from Sebastian Inlet southward to Ocean Reef; the Florida west coast and the Florida Panhandle from north of Bonita Beach, FL to Indian Pass, FL including Tampa Bay; and Lake Okeechobee. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the Florida east coast north of Sebastian Inlet to Flagler Beach. Hurricane conditions are possible in the Hurricane Watch area along the North Coast on Tuesday, with tropical storm conditions possible by Monday night.

“As Tropical Storm Isaac continues towards Florida and the Gulf States, local residents need to monitor storm conditions and follow the direction of local officials,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “FEMA and its federal partners remain in close coordination with states and tribal governments across the Southeast as Tropical Storm Isaac continues to move toward Florida and the Gulf States. Teams have been deployed to Florida and states along the Gulf Coast to provide support as needed, and additional teams have been placed on alert.”

FEMA has deployed an Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) to Florida and a liaison is on site at the Florida emergency operations center. A Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) team is also being deployed to support the state with secure and non-secure voice, video, and information services, operations, and logistics support to state response operations, and with any potential requests for assistance. An IMAT team is already on the ground in Louisiana and today, at the request of the states, FEMA is deploying IMAT teams as well as liaisons to the Alabama and Mississippi emergency operations center in advance of the storm. Other teams have been identified and will be deployed as needed and requested to southern and Gulf Coast states. At all times, FEMA maintains commodities including millions of liters of water, millions of meals and hundreds of thousands of blankets, strategically located at distribution centers throughout the United States and its territories, to support states if needed and requested. FEMA has distribution centers in Atlanta, Ga. and Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, and in coordination with U.S. Northern Command, has prepositioned supplies closer to potentially affected areas in Jacksonville, Fla. and Montgomery, Ala. More than 436,000 meals, 1.1 million liters of water, 2,000 cots, 4,600 blankets and other supplies are on the ground in Jacksonville and supplies will be arriving in Montgomery, Ala. today.

FEMA urges coastal residents in Florida and the Gulf Coast states to monitor NOAA Weather Radio and local news for severe weather updates and warnings, and follow instructions of state and local officials. Tropical weather systems can bring heavy rains, flooding and flash flooding, tornadoes and high winds. According to the National Weather Service, isolated tornadoes are possible over portions of Central and Southern Florida and the Florida Keys today, and flooding is likely to occur. Now is the time to prepare your family, home or business to lessen the impact of severe weather. Coastal residents are urged to ensure that you and your family have an emergency plan, including your local evacuation route, where you will go if you need to evacuate or seek shelter, family contact information and important paperwork and nearby shelter information. Also be sure to fill up your tanks with gas and get cash in case ATMs are unavailable due to power loss. If you haven’t already, visit Ready.gov (Listo.gov para español) for additional tips on creating your family emergency plan, getting an emergency kit and taking other steps to prepare.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends coastal residents include food safety as part of their preparedness plans. Power outages and flooding that often result from weather emergencies compromise the safety of stored food, and planning ahead can minimize the risk of food borne illness. USDA food safety tips include having a cooler on hand to keep refrigerator food cold in case of power outage, and to group food together in the freezer; this helps the food stay cold longer. Additional food safety preparedness tips can be found at USDA Food Safety Inspection Service’s website www.fsis.usda.gov.

As is always the case, local officials make decisions on issuing evacuation orders, so FEMA advises residents to remember to listen to the direction of their local officials, and to learn where evacuation routes and sheltering locations are located, in case evacuation orders are given.

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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As Tropical Storm Nears Florida, FEMA Urges Florida and Gulf Coast Residents to Monitor Conditions and Follow the Direction of Local Officials

FEMA Urges Residents in the Florida Keys and Coastal Areas to Take Steps to Prepare

FEMA and Federal Partners Continue to Monitor Tropical Storm Isaac

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its federal partners, through the FEMA Regional Headquarters in Atlanta, Ga., and Denton, Texas, continue to monitor Tropical Storm Isaac and remain in close coordination with local officials and emergency management partners in Florida, and other southeastern and Gulf Coast states. According to NOAA’s National Weather Service at 11:00 a.m., Tropical Storm Isaac is expected to strengthen and become a hurricane tomorrow as the storm approaches the Florida Keys and parts of Florida.

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the Florida Keys (including the Dry Tortugas), the west coast of Florida from Bonita Beach southward to Ocean Reef, and for Florida Bay. A Hurricane Watch also is in effect for the Florida east coast from Golden Beach southward to Ocean Reef. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Florida east coast from Sebastian Inlet southward to Ocean Reef, and for Lake Okeechobee. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the Florida east coast north of Sebastian Inlet to Flagler Beach, and for the Florida West Coast north of Bonita Beach to Tarpon Springs.

“As Tropical Storm Isaac moves closer to Florida, local residents need to be prepared,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “FEMA and its federal partners remain in close coordination with states and tribal governments across the Southeast as Tropical Storm Isaac continues to move out of the Caribbean. Residents in this area should make sure to listen to local officials for updates and information. Check your family plans and emergency supplies, review your evacuation routes and remember that evacuation orders come from local officials. Visit Ready.gov or Listo.gov for more information. FEMA stands ready to support states and tribal governments, if necessary.”

Today, FEMA deployed an Incident Management Assistance Team to the Louisiana emergency operations center, and on Thursday, the Agency deployed a liaison to the Florida emergency operations center to assist the state with coordination and any potential requests for assistance. Other teams have been identified and will be mobilized as needed and requested. FEMA has distribution centers in Atlanta, Ga., and Denton, Texas, and in coordination with U.S. Northern Command, has prepositioned supplies closer to potentially affected areas if needed. At all times, FEMA maintains commodities including millions of liters of water, millions of meals and hundreds of thousands of blankets, strategically located at distribution centers throughout the United States and its territories, to support states if needed and requested.

While tropical storms are unpredictable, FEMA encourages those in the possible path of the storm to prepare now. This includes putting together a family emergency plan and emergency kit. Some of the items in a basic emergency kit include: one gallon of water per person per day, for drinking and sanitation; at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food; battery-powered radio and a NOAA Weather Radio; flashlight and extra batteries; and First Aid kit. Having a kit can help area residents better weather the storm. Additional preparedness information can be found at Ready.gov and Listo.gov.

FEMA encourages residents to familiarize themselves with the terms that are used to identify a severe weather hazard. A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected within 36 hours. A Hurricane Watch, in this case, means that hurricane conditions are possible within the next 24-36 hours. A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within 36 hours. A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within 48 hours.

Original source –

FEMA Urges Residents in the Florida Keys and Coastal Areas to Take Steps to Prepare

President Declares Major Disaster for New Mexico

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to New Mexico to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the area affected by flooding during the period of June 22 to July 12, 2012.

Federal funding is available to state, tribal, 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 by the flooding in the counties of Lincoln and Sandoval and the Santa Clara Pueblo.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for all counties and tribes within the state.

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

Follow FEMA online at http://blog.fema.gov, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only.

FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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President Declares Major Disaster for New Mexico

FEMA Urges Residents in Coastal Areas to Take Steps to Prepare

FEMA and Federal Partners Continue to Monitor Tropical Storm Isaac

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its federal partners, through the FEMA Regional Headquarters in Atlanta, Ga., continue to monitor Tropical Storm Isaac and remain in close coordination with local officials and emergency management partners in southeastern and Gulf Coast states. Yesterday, the storm passed to the south of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, however, a flash flood watch remains in effect for parts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. FEMA urges residents in affected areas to continue to monitor conditions and follow the direction of local officials. Be aware that water can rise rapidly and flash flooding can occur. If there is any possibility of a flash flood, move immediately to higher ground.

While the exact track of the storm is uncertain, NOAA’s National Weather Service forecasts tropical conditions associated with Isaac, including high winds, heavy rain and rough surf, could begin to affect parts of coastal Florida starting as early as this evening into early next week. Residents in potentially impacted areas, including the Florida Keys and the southern Florida peninsula, should monitor the progress of Isaac and be sure to follow direction of local officials.

FEMA has activated an enhanced National Watch in Washington, D.C., and, today, is activating its Regional Response Coordination Center that supports southeastern states, to proactively support any potential needs or requests from coastal states. In anticipation of the storm, FEMA has deployed a liaison to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, and is preparing to deploy liaisons to Alabama and Mississippi as necessary. Other teams have been identified and will be mobilized as needed and requested.

At all times, FEMA maintains commodities including millions of liters of water, millions of meals and hundreds of thousands of blankets, strategically located at distribution centers throughout the United States and its territories, to support states if needed and requested. FEMA has distribution centers in Atlanta, Ga. and Denton, Texas, and in coordination with U.S. Northern Command, has prepositioned supplies closer to potentially affected areas if needed.

“Residents in coastal areas of southeastern states, including the Florida Keys, should be paying close attention to this storm and listening to their local officials for key updates and information,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “FEMA will continue to coordinate closely with our partners at the federal level, in southern coastal states and on tribal lands, throughout the weekend, as the storm continues to approach coastal areas. Coastal residents are encouraged to take this weekend to discuss your family plans, know your evacuation routes and check your emergency supplies. Visit Ready.gov or Listo.gov for more information.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends coastal residents include food safety as part of your preparedness plan. Power outages and flooding that often result from weather emergencies compromise the safety of stored food, and planning ahead can minimize the risk of foodborne illness. USDA food safety tips include having a cooler on hand to keep refrigerator food cold in case of power outage, and to group food together in the freezer; this helps the food stay cold longer.

FEMA urges residents in southeastern states to listen to NOAA Weather Radio and local news, monitor for severe weather updates and warnings, and follow instructions of local officials. State and local officials make determinations and announcement about evacuations, and if local officials give the order to evacuate, leave immediately. Everyone should familiarize themselves with the terms that are used to identify a severe weather hazard. A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within 48 hours. A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within 36 hours.

History shows that storm tracks can change quickly and unexpectedly, so FEMA encourages coastal residents to monitor weather conditions, follow the direction of local officials, and visit Ready.gov to learn about a few simple steps they can take now to be prepared.

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FEMA Urges Residents in Coastal Areas to Take Steps to Prepare

FEMA Awards More than $1.4 Million to Texas for Repairs to the Elissa

DENTON, Texas – More than $1.4 million has been awarded to the state of Texas by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for repairs to the historic ship, the Elissa, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike.

Wave action and storm surge generated by Hurricane Ike damaged the structural integrity of the Elissa’s hull, weakening it to a point where significant rehabilitation efforts are necessary. The funding will cover the services needed for the repair work so that the vessel can continue its role as the official tall ship of Texas.

“The Elissa is a National Historic Landmark and should be treated as such,” said FEMA Region 6 Acting Administrator Tony Robinson. “We are proud to support our state and local partners as they repair this Texas treasure and restore it to sailing condition.”

FEMA’s contribution, made possible by a Public Assistance grant, represents a 90 percent federal cost share. FEMA awards funding for projects directly to the state of Texas; the state then forwards the grant to the eligible applicant.

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FEMA Awards More than $1.4 Million to Texas for Repairs to the Elissa

The FEMA Declaration Process: Know the Facts

SAN JUAN, PR – As the peak of the hurricane season rapidly approaches and to manage accurate expectations, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials explain the response process to an emergency event and the course of action for any potential federal declaration.

“At the local, state and federal governments we are prepared and ready to effectively respond to, recover from, and mitigate against any disaster, but it is important to highlight that it also takes all aspects of a community, volunteer, faith and community-based organizations, the private sector, and the public, including survivors themselves, to prepare because it is possible that assistance could take up to 72 hours to arrive ,” explained FEMA’s Caribbean Area Division Director, Alejandro De La Campa.

When an emergency incident occurs, whether a natural or man-made event, the local, state and federal governments engage in a series of responding procedures, which include emergency response measures, communication protocols, organizational structure, terminology and key resources to achieve an even surge of efforts in responding to incidents at all levels of government.

In the Territory of the US Virgin Islands (USVI), as well as in the United States, if an effective response is beyond the capability of local and state governments and voluntary organizations, the magnitude and severity of the damage is assessed to determine if federal assistance is needed. This evaluation, known as a preliminary damage assessment (PDA), is conducted by local, state and federal governments and estimates the extent of the disaster and its impact on individuals and public facilities.

The Governor of USVI must request a disaster declaration to the President of the United States through the Regional FEMA office. The USVI is under the jurisdiction of FEMA Region II based in New York, which serves New York, New Jersey and Puerto Rico, as well. The request should explain the insufficiency of state and local resources and include: damage estimates, committed resources and requested assistance.

Normally, the PDA is completed prior to the submission of the Governor’s request. However, when an obviously severe or catastrophic event occurs, the Governor’s request may be submitted prior to the PDA. Nonetheless, the Governor must still make the request.

A presidential declaration activates assistance under the Stafford Act that includes Individual Assistance for individuals and family households, Public Assistance for government infrastructure and Hazard Mitigation, which grants assistance to local, state governments and certain nonprofit organizations to implement hazard mitigation measures in the declared jurisdiction.

If you want to learn more about your community emergency evacuation plan, contact your local emergency management office. Further information on how to prepare for an emergency is available at www.fema.gov or www.ready.gov.

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The FEMA Declaration Process: Know the Facts

St. Thomas’ King Airport Open for Normal Operation; St. Croix’s Rohlsen Airport Set Passenger Check-in for 10 AM Today

The Virgin Islands Port Authority announced today that the Cyril E. King Airport on St. Thomas is open and processing passengers as normal. The Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix is also open, however, passenger check-in was set for 10 a.m. today. VI Port Authority received the following cancellation information as of 10 a.m. today:

American Airlines – canceled today’s flight to Miami from St. Thomas and today’s midday flight from St. Croix to Miami.

LIAT, Ltd., – canceled all flights to St.Thomas on Wednesday. Flights have not resumed.

Cape Air – canceled all flights as of 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday, and all of today’s flights.

Seaborne Aviation canceled flights between St. Croix and St. Thomas on Wednesday. Services have not resumed as 10 a.m. today.

VI Port Authority will continue to update the community as flight information becomes available.

The VI Port Authority is advising travelers to call their airline directly for flight schedule information.

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St. Thomas’ King Airport Open for Normal Operation; St. Croix’s Rohlsen Airport Set Passenger Check-in for 10 AM Today

Health Department Operating Shelter for Functional and Access Needs Residents

Acting Health Commissioner Darice Plaskett announced that the Department of Health’s Functional and Access Needs Shelter is opened and accepting residents at the Charles Harwood Medical Complex for persons needing medical assistance during emergency evacuation situations.

Plaskett said that the intent is to provide, to the extent possible under emergency conditions, an environment in which the current level of health of persons with functional and access needs is sustained within the capability of available resources. The shelter will be opened at 7 p.m. on St. Croix.

Functional and access needs are independent individuals with special medical support equipment needs or receive care in the home from a family member, she said.

“Those eligible for the [shelter] have physical or mental condition that require medical/nursing oversight that cannot be accommodated or provided for in a general population shelter,” Plaskett said.

Functional and Access Needs persons should bring medical equipment, such as oxygen tanks, if necessary and all medication and dietary supplies.

Further, when a person requiring functional and access needs care is ordered to evacuate, he or she should bring a caregiver with them to the shelter who will be expected to remain with the Functional and Access Needs person.

Plaskett said that Department of Health nurses are assigned to staff the shelter to assist individuals and their caregivers as needed for basic support services. The nursing staff will provide support within their scope of practice based on their training and qualifications and are not expected to provide total care beyond their professional level of expertise. A DOH physician will supervise the nurses.

The following are some of the criteria for Functional and Access Needs.

People with minor health/medical conditions that require professional observation, assessment and maintenance

People with contagious health conditions that require precautions or isolation which cannot be handled in a general population shelter

People with chronic conditions that require assistance with activities of daily living but do not require hospitalization

People with regular need for medications and/or regular vital sign readings and who are unable to do so without professional assistance

www.healthvi.org

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Health Department Operating Shelter for Functional and Access Needs Residents

FEMA and Federal Partners Continue to Monitor Tropical Storm Isaac

FEMA Continues to Urge Residents in Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Coastal Areas to Take Steps to Prepare

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its federal partners, through the FEMA Regional Headquarters in Atlanta, Ga. and Caribbean Area Office, continue to monitor Tropical Storm Isaac in the eastern Caribbean Sea, and have been in close coordination with Puerto Rico Emergency Management Agency, Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency and the Florida Division of Emergency Management. NOAA’s National Weather Service issued a tropical storm warning for both Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and tropical storm conditions are possible over these areas within 36 hours. FEMA and its federal partners urge residents of the commonwealth and territory to closely monitor the storm and to follow the direction of local officials as potential severe weather approaches.

FEMA has activated an Enhanced National Watch in Washington, DC, as well as the Regional Response Coordination Center that supports Caribbean activities, to proactively support any potential needs or requests from Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands or Florida. In advance of the storm, FEMA proactively deployed Incident Management Assistance Teams to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to coordinate with local officials and to support emergency managers should additional support be requested, or needed. Additionally, FEMA has liaisons in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands emergency operations centers, to further strengthen coordination. These assets supplement federal resources and personnel that are staged, year-round, at FEMA’s Caribbean Area Office and Caribbean Area Distribution Center located in Puerto Rico.

Today, FEMA also deployed a liaison to coordinate with the Florida Division of Emergency Management. Other teams have been identified and will be mobilized as needed and requested. FEMA maintains commodities, including millions of liters of water, millions of meals and hundreds of thousands of blankets, strategically located at distribution centers throughout the United States and its territories, including Puerto Rico, and supplies are also available on the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“FEMA continues to monitor Tropical Storm Isaac and remains in close contact with state, commonwealth and territorial officials in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. All residents in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands should be paying close attention to this storm and listening to their local officials for key updates and information,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “In addition to strong winds, tropical storms can also bring heavy rains and flooding. Now is the time to prepare your families, homes or businesses, so if you haven’t already, visit Ready.gov or Listo.gov to learn how.”

The National Weather Service is forecasting total rain accumulations of two to four inches with maximum amounts of 10 inches possible in parts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. FEMA urges residents in affected areas to avoid walking or driving through flooded areas. Be aware that water can rise rapidly and flash flooding can occur. If there is any possibility of a flash flood, move immediately to higher ground. Don’t put yourself at risk, follow the instructions of local officials, and if they give the order to evacuate – evacuate.

At this time, it is still too early to know whether the storm could pose an immediate threat to the U.S. Coast. History shows that storm tracks can change quickly and unexpectedly, so FEMA encourages coastal residents to monitor weather conditions, follow the direction of local officials, and visit Ready.gov to learn about a few simple steps they can take now to be prepared.

Originally posted here:

FEMA and Federal Partners Continue to Monitor Tropical Storm Isaac

St. John Ferry Services Announces Schedule Changes in Light of Tropical Storm Isaac

Main Content

Release date:

August 22, 2012

As a result of the pending storm and the closing of the V.I. Ports, the ferry services’ schedules are as follows:

Departing:

Cruz Bay, St. John to Red Hook, St. Thomas
Hourly with final service at 7:00 pm.

Red Hook St. Thomas to Cruz Bay, St. John
Hourly until 7:00 with final service at 7:30 pm.

Charlotte Amalie, Sf. Thomas to Cruz Bay, St. John
Regular schedule with final service at 5:30 pm

Cruz Bay, St. John to Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas
Regular schedule with final service at 3:45 pm.

For further information, please call 340-776-6412 or 340-776-6282.

Last Updated:

August 23, 2012 – 19:04

State or Region:

U.S. Virgin Islands

and

Region II

Originally from –

St. John Ferry Services Announces Schedule Changes in Light of Tropical Storm Isaac

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