RICHMOND, Va. — Time is limited for state and local officials, county agencies and certain private nonprofit organizations in Virginia to submit a Request for Public Assistance (RPA) for federal disaster funds that can support the recovery from the derecho and severe storms of late June, 2012.

The deadline to submit the one-page RPA is Monday, Aug. 27, 2012 for the counties and cities of the commonwealth included in the original disaster declaration.

The counties are: Albemarle, Alleghany, Amelia, Amherst, Appomattox, Arlington, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Bland, Botetourt, Buckingham, Campbell, Carroll, Charlotte, Clarke, Craig, Culpeper, Cumberland, Dinwiddie, Fauquier, Floyd, Fluvanna, Frederick, Giles, Greene, Halifax, Highland, Louisa, Lunenburg, Madison, Nelson, New Kent, Nottoway, Orange, Page, Pittsylvania, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Pulaski, Rappahannock, Roanoke, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Tazewell, and Warren.

The cities are Bedford, Charlottesville, Covington, Danville, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Lexington, Lynchburg, Manassas Park, Martinsville, Radford, Roanoke, Salem, Staunton, and Winchester cities.

The deadline is Sept. 13, 2012 for the municipalities included in an amendment to the declaration: Franklin, Montgomery, Smyth and Stafford counties and the cities of Buena Vista, Falls Church and Harrisonburg.

The Virginia Department of Emergency Management Agency (VDEM), with support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has conducted three applicant briefings for officials in the 51 counties and 18 cities included in the declaration. The briefings address application procedures, administrative requirements, funding and program eligibility.

Public officials and other eligible applicants who were unable to attend the applicant briefings and want to file an RPA may call VDEM at (804) 935-5556 or (804) 335-8755 to submit their RPAs before the approaching deadlines.

Following the applicant briefings, kickoff meetings are held with the individual applicants to identify and review their specific jurisdiction’s needs. To date, approximately 70 kickoff meetings have been held and more than 75 RPAs have been received.

The kickoff meeting is an important early step in the process of receiving federal assistance.

FEMA provides 75 percent of the approved costs for eligible work.

Eligible work may include debris removal, emergency protective measures (such as overtime for police, fire and medical services), road and bridge repair, and repair and restoration of public utilities, buildings, and recreational facilities.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. FEMA Region III’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.  Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts are available at http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary and www.youtube.com/fema.   Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion3.

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Time is Limited for Governments to Request Federal Assistance for Derecho Damage

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Outreach staff of the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be at a motorcycle festival in Starke, a bead and jewelry show in Jacksonville and a home improvement store in Orange Park beginning this week.

The mitigation specialists will provide information on cleaning up and rebuilding homes after Tropical Storm Debby.

FEMA specialists will be in Bradford County to answer questions at the 2012 Starke Bikefest on Friday, Aug. 24, and Saturday, Aug. 25, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and on Sunday, Aug. 26, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The festival will take place near 100 E. Call St. in Starke.

In Duval County, the specialists will be at the Intergalactic Bead and Jewelry Show on Saturday, Aug. 25, and Sunday, Aug. 26, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The show will be at the University Center of the University of North Florida located at 12000 Alumni Drive in Jacksonville.

Specialists will also be available in Baker County to answer questions at Lowe’s from Wednesday,

Aug. 22, to Sunday, Aug. 26, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Monday, Aug. 27, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The address is 2285 Kingsley Ave. in Orange Park.

Sign up for Tropical Storm Debby recovery updates via email by going to www.fema.gov/Disaster/4068 and clicking the subscription link. It’s a simple process that only requires a valid email address. During signup, subscribers can choose to receive updates immediately, daily or weekly.

For more information on Florida’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov or www.floridadisaster.org. On Facebook, go to www.facebook.com/FloridaSERT. To receive Twitter updates: www.twitter.com/FLSERT or www.twitter.com/femaregion4.

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). If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

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FEMA Mitigation Specialists to Answer Questions in Northeast Florida Cities

Beyond Recovery; Building Resilient Communities

NEW ORLEANS – In support of Louisiana’s recovery from hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has provided approximately $19.1 billion over the past seven years to help communities and families throughout the state rebuild and improve their capabilities to protect against future hazards.

“Since 2005, FEMA has remained committed to this state’s post-Katrina recovery. The Louisiana that we celebrate today with our local and state partners represents the ‘whole community’ and the progress than can occur when people work together,” said FEMA’s Louisiana Recovery Office Executive Director Joseph Threat.

To assist in rebuilding disaster-damaged public infrastructure, FEMA’s Public Assistance Program has provided approximately $11.5 billion for the restoration of roughly 23,669 Katrina and Rita recovery projects throughout Louisiana. Such FEMA aid has enabled significant impacts across various public sectors, including approximately:

  • $3.9 billion for education and learning facilities
  • $1.1 billion for public safety facilities
  • $5.4 billion for general infrastructure (e.g., roads, transportation, parks and sewerage and water facilities)
  • $1.1 billion for health care facilities 

“This unprecedented level of progress has contributed to a recent recovery milestone – the opening of FEMA’s Region 6 Baton Rouge Processing Center. As part of the normal disaster recovery cycle, the opening of this processing center will further assist Louisiana in her final stage of recovery. For hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the center’s current focus is supporting state efforts to finalize remaining hazard mitigation projects,” added Threat. 

FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program services individuals and public entities impacted by hurricanes Katrina and Rita by providing grants to communities and state agencies for projects that are designed to save lives and protect properties. Specifically, in response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita, FEMA has made more than $1.8 billion in HMGP funding available to the state of Louisiana.

Regarding individuals and families, after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, hundreds of thousands of Louisiana residents needed help rebuilding their lives. To aid these residents, FEMA provided approximately $5.8 billion in Individuals and Households Program grants to 915,884 individuals and families statewide. These dollars were used as housing assistance for rent, repairs and replacement housing, as well as other needs assistance for such things as furniture, clothing and replacement vehicles.

FEMA also housed more than 92,000 households in travel trailers, park models and mobile homes across Louisiana to combat the largest housing shortage ever seen in the agency’s history. Units were located on private properties, at industrial sites, in commercial mobile home parks and across 111 FEMA built and maintained group sites throughout the state.

“Another major recovery milestone was reached this year when, in July, the last FEMA temporary housing unit was removed from this state, marking the first time since 2005 that there have been no FEMA temporary housing units in Louisiana. This means thousands of families once devastated by Katrina are now living in more permanent housing,” said Threat.

For more information about Louisiana’s ongoing recovery efforts, visit FEMA’s website dedicated to the seventh anniversary of hurricanes Katrina and Rita: www.fema.gov/la7year .

All data is as of Aug. 9, 2012.                                                                                                                           

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.

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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Louisiana – Seven Years After Hurricanes Katrina And Rita

ATLANTA— August 24 marks 20 years since Hurricane Andrew made landfall in South Florida, devastating Homestead, Florida City and parts of Miami.

When Andrew struck, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) coordinated across the entire federal government to deploy response assets, move personnel, equipment and supplies. FEMA provided more than $290 million in federal assistance to more than 108,000 people affected by the storm in Florida, and provided more than $746 million to help rebuild public infrastructure.  At the time, Hurricane Andrew was the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history. 

 “Hurricane Andrew was a life-changing event for many people,” said FEMA Region IV Administrator Phil May. “As the Federal Coordinating Officer for the disaster, I saw the destruction first hand as FEMA worked with disaster survivors and community officials throughout the area.  We knew we had years of recovery ahead of us given the severe impact that this storm had on South Florida communities, and it was clear the government couldn’t do it alone. At FEMA we often highlight the importance of working together as a team in emergency management—storms like Andrew remind us how critical that team really is. Federal, state and local partners, the private sector, the faith-based and non-profit groups, and especially the public–everyone rolled up their sleeves and worked together to help people recover from the storm.”

“We learned a lot from Hurricane Andrew and today our team is stronger than ever,” said May. “Over the years, the emergency management community has evolved and improved the way it communicates and leverages resources to prepare for the next emergency or disaster. We’ve expanded our relationships with the private sector, our coordination with our state emergency management partners is better, and we communicate more effectively with the public.  Weather forecasting technology has also improved to give us more lead time before a storm. But the most critical members of the team are still the public. The better prepared individuals and families are, the safer our communities will be across the country.”

Hurricane Andrew’s anniversary is a reminder that now is the time to get ready for disasters and other emergencies. Next month marks the ninth annual National Preparedness Month, and this year’s slogan is “Pledge to Prepare”.  Individuals, families, and organizations in all sectors can support this effort and find resources on emergency preparedness by ‘pledging’ on the National Preparedness Coalition Online Community. The goal this year is to transform awareness into action by encouraging all Americans to take specific steps to ensure that their homes, workplaces and communities are ready for disasters and emergencies of all kinds.

“Preparedness is important not just for governments and first responders, but for the public.  I encourage everyone to pledge to prepare and visit www.Ready.gov for more information.”

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 Andrew 20th Anniversary Is A Reminder To Prepare For Emergencies

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, FEMA announced the extension of the Preferred Risk Policy eligibility under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) until further notice, as the Agency completes a study and analysis of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012, signed into law by President Obama on July 6, 2012.
 
FEMA announced today that until an implementation plan for the new flood insurance law is put into place, customers holding existing preferred risk policies can continue to renew at the lower cost rate, beyond the previously designated two-year period.
 
“By extending the eligibility period until further notice, home and building owners’ preferred risk policies will continue at a lower cost rate,” said FEMA Federal Insurance and Mitigation Associate Administrator, David Miller. “As we continue to evaluate how best to implement the recent National Flood Insurance Program legislation, we encourage property owners to take advantage of this extended low rate. This way, families and businesses can continue to protect their property financially from one of the most common and costly natural disasters: flooding.”

Beginning with the first renewal effective on or after January 1, 2013, existing preferred risk policies will not be transitioned into full-risk rating. Instead, they will continue to be issued as preferred risk policies at each renewal, until further notice. Additionally, the preferred risk policy discounted rate will be available to property owners and renters whose buildings are found to be in Special Flood Hazard Area following map revisions that became effective on or after October 1, 2008. In order to be eligible for the preferred risk policy, the building must also meet certain loss-history requirements.  If there are two claims, or disaster relief payments for flood of $1,000 or more, or three losses of any amount, the structure is ineligible for a preferred risk policy.
 
Premiums for all preferred risk policyholders are being increased an average of 13 percent to maintain a revenue neutral program that also accounts for the expected increase in participation and policies issued under the preferred risk rate. This increased rate remains below the average full-risk premium that would otherwise be incurred among these policy holders. 
 
For more information on FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program, and to identify your flood risk, visit www.floodsmart.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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FEMA Extends Preferred Risk Policies for Homeowners

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Members of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and a home improvement store are teaming up this week to provide information on cleaning up and rebuilding homes after Tropical Storm Debby.

FEMA mitigation specialists can answer questions at Home Depot in Hernando County from Wednesday, Aug. 22, to Sunday, Aug. 26, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Monday, Aug. 27, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The address is 4765 Commercial Way in Spring Hill.

Mitigation specialists offer suggestions on cleaning mold and mildew. They also provide information on flood insurance.

Sign up for Tropical Storm Debby recovery updates via email by going to www.fema.gov/Disaster/4068 and clicking the subscription link. It’s a simple process that only requires a valid email address. During signup, subscribers can choose to receive updates immediately, daily or weekly.

For more information on Florida’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov or www.floridadisaster.org. On Facebook, go to www.facebook.com/FloridaSERT. To receive Twitter updates: www.twitter.com/FLSERT or www.twitter.com/femaregion4.

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). If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

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FEMA Mitigation Specialists to Answer Questions in Hernando County

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The disaster recovery centers in Lake City and Live Oak will become disaster loan outreach centers operated by the U.S. Small Business Administration Monday, Aug. 27, to assist Tropical Storm Debby survivors.

Homeowners, renters and business owners who visit the center may talk with SBA representatives about low-interest disaster loans, get help filling out loan applications and submit completed applications. Federal Emergency Management Agency staff will also be there to answer questions about federal disaster assistance.

A disaster recovery center typically meets the more immediate concerns of storm survivors, while a disaster loan outreach center focuses on funds needed for long-term rebuilding and recovery.

Disaster recovery center hours will remain 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., through Saturday, Aug. 25. They will be closed this Sunday.

The disaster recovery centers will become disaster loan outreach centers on Monday, Aug. 27, and remain at the Westfield Shopping Center, 484 S.W. Commerce Drive in Lake City and Suwannee Coliseum Exhibition No. 2, 1302 11th St. SW in Live Oak. The hours of operation will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday until further notice.

Completing and submitting SBA disaster loan applications is important because it may pave the way for additional disaster assistance. There are valid reasons for applying, even if you think you won’t need or qualify for a loan.

  • SBA can offer temporary loans to help cover immediate expenses until insurance is settled.
  • SBA can offer loans with terms of up to 30 years and interest rates as low as 1.938 percent.
  • SBA disaster loans can be used by a homeowner to repair or replace their primary residence.
  • Homeowners and renters can replace damaged household contents and vehicles with SBA disaster loans.
  • Business owners can apply to SBA for disaster loans for physical damages or economic losses.

Homeowners, renters and businesses may apply for an SBA loan online at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela; or obtain information on SBA disaster loan applications by calling 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for people who are deaf or hard of hearing and use a TTY) or online at www.sba.gov.

Help is always available by calling FEMA’s toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362. Lines are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and assistance is available in most languages. Survivors who are deaf or hard of hearing and use a TTY can call 800-462-7585.

Sign up for Tropical Storm Debby recovery updates via email by going to www.fema.gov/Disaster/4068 and clicking the subscription link. It’s a simple process that only requires a valid email address. During signup, subscribers can choose to receive updates immediately, daily or weekly.

For more information on Florida’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov or www.floridadisaster.org. On Facebook, go to www.facebook.com/FloridaSERT. To receive Twitter updates: www.twitter.com/FLSERT or www.twitter.com/femaregion4.

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). If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

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Columbia, Suwannee County Disaster Recovery Centers Becoming SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Centers

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – There are a number of ways for Tropical Storm Debby survivors to get help as they recover from Tropical Storm Debby.

Information and assistance is available in the following ways:

  • Anyone who has questions about a letter from the Federal Emergency Management Agency or the agency’s programs for individuals, can call the toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362. Lines are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and assistance is available in most languages. Survivors who are deaf or hard of hearing can use the TTY line at 800-462-7585.
  • Survivors and businesses may obtain information on low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration by calling 800-659-2955 or online at www.sba.gov. Survivors who are deaf or hard of hearing can use the TTY line at 800-877-8339.
  • The Florida Volunteer and Donation Hotline can connect survivors with a local volunteer agency: 800-FL-HELP-1 (800-354-3571).
  • Survivors who can’t afford an attorney and run into legal difficulties due to the storm may call the Florida Disaster Legal Services hotline at 866-550-2929 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Assistance is available in Spanish.

Survivors have until Sept. 4 to register for federal disaster assistance by calling FEMA.

Applicants can sign up for Tropical Storm Debby recovery updates via email by going to www.fema.gov/disaster/4068 and clicking the subscription link. It’s a simple process that only requires a valid email address. During signup, subscribers can choose to receive updates immediately, daily or weekly.

For more information on Florida’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov or www.floridadisaster.org. On Facebook, go to www.facebook.com/FloridaSERT. To receive Twitter updates: www.twitter.com/FLSERT or www.twitter.com/femaregion4.

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). If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

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Help Available for Tropical Storm Debby Survivors

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.-Tropical Storm Debby survivors have two weeks remaining to register for federal disaster assistance.

Applications must be received by Tuesday, Sept. 4, to be considered for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

All survivors who had storm-related damage to their home, vehicle, personal property, business or its inventory between June 23 and July 26 should register for assistance.

Federal disaster assistance helps eligible applicants with temporary housing, uninsured personal property losses and medical, dental and funeral expenses caused by the disaster, along with other disaster-related expenses and serious needs.

Anyone who has not registered with FEMA for disaster aid, has questions about their application or needs more information about recovery programs should call FEMA’s toll-free helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362). People who are deaf or hard of hearing can call (TTY) 800-462-7585. Lines are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and assistance is available in many languages. Online registration is available at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or through a smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov.

Survivors must register with FEMA to be considered for federal disaster assistance even if they have contacted the state, their local emergency management agency, the American Red Cross or other charitable organizations.

Low-interest disaster loans from the SBA are also available to help with residential and business losses not covered by insurance. Survivors and businesses may obtain information on SBA disaster loan applications by calling 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for people who are deaf or hard of hearing) or online at www.SBA.gov. They may also apply for disaster loans at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Applications are due Sept. 4.

Sign up for Tropical Storm Debby recovery updates via email by going to www.FEMA.gov/Disaster/4068. During signup, subscribers can choose to receive updates immediately, daily or weekly.

For more information on Florida’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov or www.floridadisaster.org. On Facebook, go to www.facebook.com/FloridaSERT. To receive Twitter updates: www.twitter.com/FLSERT or www.twitter.com/femaregion4.

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). If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

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See the original post: 

Two Weeks Remain for Tropical Storm Debby Survivors to Register for Assistance

federal, state and local PARTNERS TEAM UP TO IDENTIFY Texas COASTAL FLOOD RISKS  

Storm surge study provides update on flood risks in Jefferson and Orange Counties

DENTON, Texas – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is updating flood maps in Jefferson and Orange, Texas counties following the release of a new, comprehensive storm surge study from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) that gives updated information on coastal flood risks

As FEMA works to update the new flood maps, the agency is working closely with its federal, state and local partners to help these two coastal counties better understand the current flood risk so that action can be taken to reduce that risk.

Meetings with local officials have already taken place and open houses for the general public are currently being scheduled.  The local workshops provided an opportunity for local officials to review the storm surge study methods and get an update on the project’s progress.  The Open Houses help to educate the public about the current flood risks in their area.

The Texas-based coastal flood mapping effort is part of FEMA’s comprehensive approach to integrating flood hazard identification and analysis with risk communications for affected coastal counties. In addition to the two counties, the effort also includes Aransas, Brazoria, Calhoun, Cameron, Chambers, Galveston, Harris, Jackson, Kleberg, Matagorda, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Victoria and Willacy counties.

Media note:  If media would like to join an online, informational briefing beginning at 1 p.m. (CST) Wednesday, Aug. 22 please call us at 940-898-5454 for details.

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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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FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL PARTNERS TEAM UP TO IDENTIFY TEXAS COASTAL FLOOD RISKS – Storm surge study provides update on flood risks in Jefferson and…

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