Rebuild with floods and fires in mind

Images shows house that had a ceramic roof when built saved the home from the Valley fires.

Ceramic tile roofing is a best practice to mitigate embers from igniting the roof structure when considering living with the threat of wildfires. When one home with a shake shingle roof is destroyed, another homeowner with a ceramic tile roof mitigated the penetrating flames and saved the structure and all personal belongings. Adam Dubrowa/ FEMA

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Decisions made now in rebuilding homes destroyed or damaged in the September wildfires can pay big dividends by minimizing future fire and flood damage.

Free publications from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will explain how. They are available at the Disaster Recovery Centers, at FEMA display locations listed below and online by searching for the titles at FEMA.gov.

Flood after Fire Risks – FloodSmart.gov describes the importance of buying flood insurance. The insurance is available to both homeowners and renters. Standard homeowner and rental insurance may not cover flood damage. Charred, barren ground increases the risk of flash flooding because it is less able to absorb rainfall. Forecasters are predicting above average rainfall this coming rainy season because of an El Niño weather pattern.

Rebuilding After a Wildfire Fact Sheet presents many ways to rebuild safer, stronger and more resilient to wildfires.

FEMA displays are at the following locations:

Sender’s Market
8111 Garabaldi St.
Mountain Ranch, CA 95246

Mendo Mill & Lumber Co.
5255 Old Hwy. 53
Clearlake, CA 95422

Four Corners Builders Supply
14918 Olympic Dr.
Clearlake, CA 95422

Ace Hardware
155 S. Main St.
Angels Camp, CA 95221

These sites have all the information that is provided at the Disaster Recovery Centers about rebuilding and protecting your property and also information about flood insurance. To locate the nearest Disaster Recovery Center, go to www.fema.gov/DRC. The publications listed above also are available online for download at www.fema.gov. Click on Search and type in the full title shown above.

Survivors can register for FEMA assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362; TTY 800-462-7585; 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362. The deadline to register is Nov. 23, 2015.

For more information on California’s wildfire recovery, visit: caloes.ca.gov or fema.gov/disaster/4240 and follow us on Twitter @femaregion9

and at Facebook.com/FEMA.

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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Rebuild with floods and fires in mind

Pine Ridge Disaster Recovery Center to Close

PINE RIDGE, S.D. – The last Pine Ridge Disaster Recovery Center (DRC), located at the SuAnne Big Crow Center, is closing permanently at 5 p.m., MST, on Friday, November 6, 2015.

Oglala Sioux Tribal and federal officials have been paying close attention to how many applicants have been visiting the center. Over the past weeks, the number of individuals seeking help at the Pine Ridge Disaster Recovery Center has dropped, indicating that the information needs of survivors in the area who suffered damages during the May 8-29th event have mostly been met. 

After the center closes, disaster survivors can still call the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at 800-621-3362 to have questions answered about their disaster assistance registration, check their application status, or update their insurance claim or contact information. A FEMA representative is available at the toll-free number from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., MST, seven days a week.

Anyone with questions concerning a loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) or for information about SBA programs, go to sba.gov/disaster or call (800) 659-2955.

Survivors should complete and return their SBA loan applications as soon as possible. Filing the loan application does not obligate people to accept an SBA loan. However, failure to complete and submit the home disaster loan application may stop the FEMA grant process. Survivors who submit an SBA application and are declined a loan may be considered for other FEMA assistance. 

In addition to the Pine Ridge Disaster Recovery Center, which has been open continuously since August 15th, FEMA deployed 13 Mobile DRCs that rotated among 7 different locations across the Pine Ridge Reservation during a 60-day period.  Collectively these centers serviced more than 2500 visits by Oglala Sioux Tribal residents.

DRCs have been operated by the Oglala Sioux Tribal Office of Emergency Management and FEMA in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA Helpline. Choose Option 3 for other languages. People who have a speech disability or are deaf or hard of hearing may call (TTY) 800-462-7585.

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Pine Ridge Disaster Recovery Center to Close

FEMA Specialists Blanketed Fire Ravaged Areas of California with Help

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The day after President Obama issued a major disaster declaration in Calaveras and Lake counties, Calif., FEMA teams were already on the ground and fanned out providing information and helping survivors register for assistance from the disastrous wildfires.

Beginning Sept. 23, more than 61 Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) specialists divided into teams and went door-to-door, store-to-store and into high-traffic areas – wherever survivors might be. DSA specialists provided survivors with information, registered them for disaster assistance on the spot and also referred them to additional resources when needed.

This boots-on-the-ground technique allowed DSA team members to reach survivors in remote mountainous areas, and as a result, DSA specialists registered more than 45 percent of the 3,497 survivors who applied for assistance, a high mark for the FEMA DSA program.  

“I’m very proud of the dedicated DSA teams,” said Timothy Scranton, FEMA’s federal coordinating officer for the disaster. “DSA provides support to disaster survivors directly in the communities where they live and work. This is a value-added service we can bring after a disaster to expedite the recovery process.”

But these specialists do more than registration. They keep alert to conditions, needs and activity in affected areas and report their findings to the appropriate individuals.

“They become an extra pair of eyes and ears in determining where issues exist,” Scranton added.

At the height of this operation, DSA specialists worked in the two counties, handing out flyers, providing information to people displaced by the wildfires, and followed up with the survivors to check the status of their applications.

The fires wiped out phone service in many areas. DSA specialists allowed survivors to use their FEMA-issued cell phones to check their registration or make other important calls.

“It can be stressful not to be able to pick up the phone and make a call,” said Tony Nguyen, Disaster Survivor Assistance branch director. “Making our cell service available is another way to help survivors recover.”

DSA teams have provided disaster assistance information to survivors in Calaveras and Lake counties since Sept. 23. Here is a snapshot of their efforts:

  • Homes visited – 5,279
  • Survivor interactions – 6,370
  • Survivor registrations – 1,462
  • Referrals to other agencies such as American Red Cross and SBA– 1,209
  • Businesses visited – 600
  • Community locations where DSA help was provided – 165

Survivors can apply for FEMA assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362; TTY 800-462-7585; 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362. The deadline for survivors to register is Nov. 23, 2015. 

For more information on California’s wildfire recovery, visit: caloes.ca.gov or http://beta.fema.gov/disaster/4240 and follow us on Twitter @femaregion9

and at Facebook.com/FEMA.

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 are referred to SBA for a disaster loan must apply to be eligible for additional FEMA assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

 

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FEMA Specialists Blanketed Fire Ravaged Areas of California with Help

South Carolina Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Bamberg and Eutawville

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Two disaster recovery centers are open in Bamberg and Eutawville to help South Carolina flood survivors.

The centers will be open seven days a week, Monday through Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., until further notice.

Representatives from the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Small Business Administration and other agencies will be at the centers to explain disaster assistance programs and help survivors apply for aid.

The disaster recovery centers are located at the following addresses:

Bamberg County
Kearse Building
847 Calhoun St.
Bamberg, SC

Orangeburg County
Gaillard Park Rural Development Center
848 Sandspoint St.
Eutawville, SC

If possible, before going to a disaster recovery center, people with flooding losses should register with FEMA.  They can go online to DisasterAssistance.gov or call 800-621-3362. Help is available in most languages, and lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week until further notice.

Disaster assistance applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing should call 800-462-7585 (TTY). For Video Relay Service or accommodations to visit a center, call 800-621-3362.

Federal disaster assistance for individuals and families can include money for temporary rental assistance and essential home repairs for primary residences not covered by insurance.

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South Carolina Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Bamberg and Eutawville

FEMA Hiring Local Employees for South Carolina Disaster Recovery Offices

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency is hiring South Carolinians for full-time, temporary jobs at offices in Blythewood, Florence and North Charleston.

The South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce and FEMA are working together to advertise job opportunities. To apply for open positions, create an account on the jobs.scworks.org website.

The following positions are needed:

  • Administrative assistant
  • Logistics management specialist
  • Courier
  • Program liaison
  • Speakers bureau specialist
  • Digital communications specialist
  • Writer/editor
  • GIS specialist
  • Environmental specialist
  • Environmental floodplain specialist
  • Historic preservation specialist
  • Switchboard operator

More positions may be posted on the SCworks website as disaster recovery continues.

Candidates must be U.S. citizens 18 years of age or older. They must have a valid government identification card, such as a driver’s license or military ID. Before hiring, selected candidates will be subject to a complete background investigation.

FEMA is committed to employing a highly qualified workforce that reflects the diversity of our nation. All applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, political affiliation, nondisqualifying physical handicap, sexual orientation and any other nonmerit factor. The federal government is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Visit https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4241 and http://www.scemd.org/ for news and information about South Carolina’s recovery.

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FEMA Hiring Local Employees for South Carolina Disaster Recovery Offices

Commonly Asked Questions on the Benefits of SBA Disaster Loans

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) provides low-interest disaster loans to businesses, private nonprofits, homeowners and renters. Survivors of the California wildfires may have questions about the SBA.

Below are the most common along with the answers:

What is an SBA disaster loan?

SBA disaster loans are the primary source of federal long-term disaster recovery funds for disaster damage not fully covered by insurance or other compensation. SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance is working in conjunction with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help business owners and residents recover as much as possible from this disaster.

Who is eligible for SBA low-interest loans?

When a federal disaster is declared, the SBA is authorized to offer low-interest disaster loans to businesses of all sizes (including landlords), private nonprofit organizations, and to individual homeowners and renters who have sustained damage in the designated counties – in this case  Calaveras and Lake counties.

What’s the most common misunderstanding about SBA disaster loans?

The most common misunderstanding about an SBA disaster loan is the assumption that they are only for businesses. While SBA offers loans to businesses of all sizes, low-interest disaster loans are available to individual homeowners, renters and to private nonprofit organizations alike.

Why should survivors apply?

Survivors referred to the SBA must apply with SBA even if they feel they cannot afford or do not want a loan in order to receive some FEMA assistance.

Whether a loan is wanted or not, the SBA loan application may trigger additional grant assistance through FEMA’s Other Needs Assistance (ONA) program, administered by the state of California.

Some of these additional FEMA grants could include reimbursement for lost personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, moving and storage expenses.

What is available as part of the SBA low-interest disaster loan programs?

Eligible homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 for home repair or replacement of primary residences.

Eligible homeowners and renters may borrow up to $40,000 to replace disaster-damaged or destroyed personal property.

Businesses of all sizes can qualify for up to $2 million in low-interest loans to help cover physical damage.

Small businesses and most private nonprofits suffering economic impact due to the wildfires can apply for up to $2 million for any combination of property damage or economic injury under SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.

What are the loan terms?

Interest rates for SBA disaster loans can be as low as 1.875 percent for homeowners and renters, 4 percent for businesses and 2.625 percent for private nonprofit organizations, with terms up to 30 years.

What if I decide to relocate?

You may use your SBA disaster loan to relocate. The amount of the relocation loan depends on whether you relocate voluntarily or involuntarily. If you are approved for an SBA disaster loan you should discuss relocation with your case manager for details on your specific situation.

Is there help available for refinancing?

SBA can refinance all or part of prior mortgages that are evidenced by a recorded lien, when the applicant:

  • Does not have credit available elsewhere,
  • Has suffered substantial uncompensated disaster damage (40 percent or more of the value of the property), 
  • Intends to repair the damage.

Homes: Homeowners may be eligible for the refinancing of existing liens or mortgages on homes, and in some cases up to the amount of the loan for real estate repair or replacement.

Businesses: Business owners may be eligible for the refinancing of existing mortgages or liens on real estate, machinery and equipment, and in some cases up to the amount of the loan for the repair or replacement of real estate, machinery and equipment.

When SBA loan officers discuss their approval recommendations they will include a discussion on refinancing if applicable to your application. 

What are the deadlines to apply?

California survivors have until Nov. 23, 2015 to apply for SBA disaster loans. This is also the deadline for survivors to register with FEMA.

Eligible small businesses applying for only the EIDL program have until June 22, 2016 to apply.

Disaster survivors who are notified by the SBA that they may be eligible for low-interest disaster loans should work directly with the SBA to complete the application.

How do I apply?

Disaster survivors should first register with FEMA by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362). TTY users call 800-462-7585, with Video Relay Service survivors calling 800-621-3362. Or, register online at DisasterAssistance.gov. To apply for an SBA disaster loan survivors can apply in person at any of the State/FEMA/SBA recovery centers or directly online at: https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

Where do I get specific information about the SBA process?

For questions about SBA or the process, or for help completing the SBA application, contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339. Survivors also may visit with an SBA representative at any Disaster Recovery Center. No appointment is necessary.

For more information on California’s wildfire recovery, survivors may visit: caloes.ca.gov or fema.gov/disaster/4240 and follow us on Twitter@femaregion9 and Facebook.com/FEMA.

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 are referred to SBA for a disaster loan must apply to be eligible for additional FEMA assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

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Commonly Asked Questions on the Benefits of SBA Disaster Loans

Federal Assistance for California Wildfire Survivors Tops $20 Million

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Since wildfires swept Lake and Calaveras counties, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) mission has been to help individuals, families and businesses recover from the disaster.

As of today, FEMA and the SBA have approved more than $20 million in federal disaster assistance for California survivors.

Here is a snapshot of the disaster-recovery effort as of Oct. 29, 2015:

  • The SBA has approved more than $10.3 million in low-interest disaster loans to businesses, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters.
  • More than 3,500 Californians have contacted FEMA for information or registered for assistance with FEMA and nearly $9.7 million has been approved. 
    • Housing Assistance approved: more than $6.4 million
    • Other Needs Assistance approved: nearly $3.3 million
  • Three Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) are open in the affected areas. To date, more than 3,300 survivors have been assisted at DRCs in Calaveras and Lake counties. To locate the nearest center, survivors can go to FEMA.gov/DRC or call the FEMA helpline, 800-621-FEMA (3362); TTY 800-462-7585; 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.
  • Inspectors in the field have made 2,671 home inspections – completing 99 percent of those required to date.
  • Disaster Survivor Assistance teams have had 7,300 survivor interactions and made more than 1,700 whole community referrals.

Survivors who sustained disaster-related losses in Calaveras and Lake counties should register with FEMA by the Nov. 23, 2015 deadline. Survivors can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362; TTY 800-462-7585; 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

A direct telephone hotline is operational to process any requests from survivors who may need additional assistance: 916-381-0330, for TTY, call 711.

For more information on California’s wildfire recovery, survivors may visit: caloes.ca.gov or fema.gov/disaster/4240 and follow us on Twitter@femaregion9 and Facebook.com/FEMA.

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 are referred to SBA for a disaster loan must apply to be eligible for additional FEMA assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

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

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Federal Assistance for California Wildfire Survivors Tops $20 Million

Three Counties Added to Washington Public Assistance Disaster Declaration for Windstorm

CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has extended federal disaster aid under the Public Assistance program to three additional Washington counties affected by the Aug. 29, 2015, severe windstorm.  

Eligible applicants in Clallam, Grays Harbor and Whatcom counties may now apply for FEMA Public Assistance (PA) supplementary reimbursement for the costs of debris removal, emergency protective measures, and repairs to roads and bridges, water control facilities, public buildings and equipment, utilities, parks and recreational facilities and other public as well as some private facilities.

Supplementary funding under the PA program goes to the state and eligible agencies, tribal governments, local governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations. Under the program, FEMA obligates funds to the state for 75 percent of eligible costs, while the remaining 25 percent is the nonfederal share. The state forwards the federal funds to the eligible local and tribal governments or organizations that incurred costs.

In the original October 15 declaration, Island, Jefferson and Snohomish counties were designated for FEMA Public Assistance funding as a result of the windstorm.

For more information on Washington disaster recovery, visit online at www.fema.gov/disaster/4242. FEMA Region 10 is also on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/femaregion10 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA.

Originally posted here:  

Three Counties Added to Washington Public Assistance Disaster Declaration for Windstorm

SCEMD and FEMA Encourage South Carolina Flood Survivors to Keep Information Updated

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Survivors of South Carolina’s recent floods who registered for disaster assistance are urged to keep their personal information updated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency throughout the recovery process.

Applicants should share any change of address, telephone and bank account numbers and insurance information with FEMA to avoid disaster assistance processing delays.

Keeping in touch with FEMA allows applicants to learn where they are in the application process, initiate appeals and reschedule home inspections. They can also notify FEMA about insurance settlements and ask any disaster-related questions.

To update information or apply for assistance call FEMA’s toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362. Survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities should call 800-462-7585 (TTY); those who use 711/VRS can call 800-621-3362.

Operators are on duty from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time seven days a week until further notice. Survivors can also visit DisasterAssistance.gov or a disaster recovery center. Find the closest center online at fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers.  

Applicants who are referred to the U.S. Small Business Administration should complete and return their application as soon as possible. No one is obligated to accept a loan. The information provided on the application is needed to determine if an applicant qualifies for a loan or may be referred for other federal and state help.

For more information, applicants can contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, log onto DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or visit SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Applicants who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may call 800-877-8339.

For the latest information on South Carolina flood recovery operations, visit scemd.org and fema.gov/disaster/4241.

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SCEMD and FEMA Encourage South Carolina Flood Survivors to Keep Information Updated

Otero County, New Mexico Flood Maps Become Final

DENTON, Texas ––New flood maps for Otero County and the Village of Tularosa will become effective and will be used for rating flood insurance policies on Wednesday, Nov. 4. Flooding is the most frequent natural disaster in the U.S. and only flood insurance covers these unexpected, damaging and sometimes fatal events. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a voluntary protection program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Contact your local floodplain administrator to learn if your community participates in the NFIP and to review the new flood maps. FEMA map specialists and flood insurance experts also are available to answer your questions. They can be reached by phone and online chat.  

•    To use the live chat service, visit http://go.usa.gov/r6C.  Click on the “Live Chat” icon.
•    To contact a FEMA Map Specialist, call 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or send an email to FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com.
•    NFIP Helpline – 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), press “2” for Flood Insurance questions
    
FEMA encourages communities not currently participating in the NFIP to look at the benefits of joining the program. The purchase of insurance should be considered for those newly mapped into a Special Flood Hazard Area before the maps become effective. Contacting a local insurance agent is the first step to obtaining information about insurance. Visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-379-9531 to locate an agent in your area.

                                                                                                   

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 www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov. 

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Otero County, New Mexico Flood Maps Become Final

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