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

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

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

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

“In Alabama we have learned being ready is no longer an option, it is truly a must,” says AEMA Director Art Faulkner. “Alabama has a very unique weather pattern so people can no longer look at the calendar and say they will be prepared this month and not the next, we all must be prepared daily.”

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

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

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

Here are a few important tips to get you started:

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

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

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

 

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Originally posted here:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here are a few important tips to get you started:

 

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

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

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

 

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

For Sandy, a Huge Response from the New York Community

NEW YORK – The Met Council distributed 170,000 pounds of food and prepared 85,000 meals.

A rock climbing gym in Brooklyn became a staging ground for first responders.

Taxicabs in New York are displaying disaster assistance information from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

All over New York, the whole community is responding to those who lost homes, cars, possessions and a sense of security after Hurricane Sandy swept over the region.

“New York is made up of neighborhoods,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer Michael F. Byrne, a New Yorker himself. “Every neighborhood is distinctly different, with different traditions, dialects and sense of community.”

That sense of community, in this case, is greatly expanded. It involves FEMA, other federal, state and local agencies, the private sector, voluntary groups and faith-based organizations.

“FEMA is not the team,” Byrne said. “FEMA is part of a much larger team, one that represents every aspect of the community. Individuals, groups and government agencies all came together to respond and begin recovery. This disaster was so immense that it required a massive effort by thousands of people. Those people are still at work, and will be for a long time.”

Some examples of the team effort:

  • Russian-speaking storm survivors in Brighton Beach and Coney Island came to FEMA
  • Disaster recovery centers to seek assistance and wound up volunteering to stay and translate for other Russian-speaking survivors.
  • A woman lost her job and her basement apartment after the storm. She found another job as a caregiver and was sleeping on her client’s couch. She came to a recovery center and was able to get transitional housing and legal assistance with the help of the American Red Cross, FEMA and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
  • The American Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division is operating a hotline
  • (800-699-5636), coordinating with FEMA and the Legal Services Corporation to provide information and help to Sandy survivors.
  • Sandy survivors are being given priority for 2,500 vacant apartments by private landlords in New York City, under an agreement between property owners and government officials.
  • The Humane Society of the United States partnered with the Nassau County Office of Emergency Management, Nassau County SPCA, the North Shore Animal League and the Pet Safe Coalition to care for nearly 300 pets daily in an emergency shelter on Long Island.
  • More than 500 survivors with access and functional needs are being assisted by FEMA specialists. Some Disaster Recovery Centers are using iPads to help survivors with speech disability or hearing loss. The iPads have a Skype app that can provide video relay to help the survivor with the assistance process.
  • The private sector displayed FEMA disaster assistance information on large screens at Times Square, Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, Lincoln Center, movie theaters and taxicabs, increasing public awareness of disaster assistance information.

More than 500 voluntary organizations have participated in the effort, including NY Cares, NY Disaster Interfaith Services, National Latino Evangelical Coalition, American Red Cross, The Salvation Army and Mennonite Disaster Services, among others.

Federal partners have involved FEMA, Small Business Administration, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Transportation, Department of Defense, Department of Agriculture, Department of Homeland Security, General Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy and Department of Justice, to name a few.

In many cases, it requires a coordinated effort by several organizations to deliver assistance to people in need.

After the storm, a Five Towns family lost their home to fire, caused by a candle when the power was out. They registered with FEMA and were staying in an aunt’s living room on the floor. The wife gave birth and, with three other children, the family needed a place to stay. The father found an apartment but had no money because he was out of work.

A FEMA Community Relations team directed the family to a distribution center, where they received blankets, cots, baby formula, food and water. The FEMA team contacted a faith-based organization and a community center, both of which provided rent money. The family found an apartment and was being processed for FEMA assistance.

To join the whole community effort, FEMA encourages volunteers and donors to work directly with our nonprofit partners to ensure that survivors’ needs are addressed in the most effective and efficient way. For online links to those organizations, visit:

www.fema.gov/hurricane-sandy-donate-and-volunteer

www.serve.gov

www.nycservice.org

www.newyorkcares.com

Storm survivors who need assistance can register with FEMA online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov. They may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) can call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate 24 hours a day seven days a week until further notice.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/SandyNY, www.twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

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For Sandy, a Huge Response from the New York Community

30 Days Left for New Yorkers to Register for FEMA Disaster Aid

New York – New York State and federal officials remind those affected by Hurricane Sandy that they have 30 days left to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for possible federal disaster assistance.

Applications must be received by Monday, Dec. 31, to be considered for disaster assistance from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Anyone who sustained a loss in any of the 13 New York counties designated for federal disaster assistance should register before the deadline even if they have insurance.

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

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.

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 800-621-FEMA (3362). People who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, can call 800-462-7585 directly; people who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), can call 800-621-3362.

Online registration is available at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or through a smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov.

Low-interest disaster loans from the SBA are also available to help with residential and business losses not covered by insurance. Homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes may obtain information on SBA disaster loan applications by calling 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for people who have a speech disability or hearing loss) or online at www.SBA.gov. They may also apply for disaster loans at http://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4085, http://twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

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30 Days Left for New Yorkers to Register for FEMA Disaster Aid

Telephone Hotline For New Jersey Disaster Legal Services

TRENTON, N.J.– A toll-free hotline, 1-888-541-1900, is now available for New Jersey survivors facing legal issues because of Hurricane Sandy.  Disaster survivors with storm-related legal issues can call the hotline to request free legal assistance.

The office will be staffed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday by members of the Young Lawyers Division of the New Jersey Bar Association. Voice messages can be left when the office is not staffed.

The type of legal assistance available includes:

  • Assistance with replacing legal documents that may have been lost due to flooding.
  • Assistance with life, medical and property insurance-related claims.
  • Assistance in consumer protection matters, remedies, and procedures.
  • Counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems.
  • Counseling on landlord/tenant problems.
  • Creditor-debtor matters.
  • FEMA appeals.

Callers will be interviewed to determine what help they need and then will be matched with a volunteer attorney who can provide assistance or general legal information regarding their issue.

When calling, survivors should make clear that they are seeking legal assistance related to Hurricane Sandy.

The hotline is part of a long-standing partnership between FEMA and the American Bar Association.

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

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema. 

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

 

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Telephone Hotline For New Jersey Disaster Legal Services

New Jersey Hurricane Survivors Can Register for Disaster Assistance

TRENTON, N.J. — Residents of 10 New Jersey counties who suffered damages from Hurricane Sandy may be eligible for federal disaster assistance as a result of the presidential disaster declaration made Oct. 30, 2012.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and New Jersey Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM) announced jointly that assistance has been made available to residents of Atlantic, Bergen, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Somerset and Union counties.

Joint teams of federal, state and local recovery experts have conducted damage assessments across the state. Officials said additional counties may be added to the declaration.

Individual assistance for eligible homeowners and renters can include grants to help pay for rental housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses not met by insurance or other assistance programs.

Homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and some nonprofit organizations can register online anytime at www.disasterassistance.gov, or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), (TTY 800-462-7585). These toll-free telephone numbers will operate 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. daily. Disaster information and recovery resources are available directly from a smartphone browser at m.fema.gov/.

Registering with FEMA is required for federal disaster aid, even if a person has registered with another disaster relief organization such as the American Red Cross, local officials or churches. Registrants with FEMA must use the name exactly as it appears on their Social Security card. Applicants need to have the following information to register:

  • Social Security number

  • Address of the damaged home or apartment

  • Description of the damage

  • Information about insurance coverage

  • A current contact telephone number

  • An address where the applicant can get mail

  • Bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit of any financial assistance.

 

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

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema. 

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

Original article – 

New Jersey Hurricane Survivors Can Register for Disaster Assistance

Disaster Legal Help Available for Connecticut

HARTFORD, Conn. – Free assistance with legal issues resulting from Hurricane Sandy is available for Connecticut disaster survivors in the counties designated for FEMA assistance.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, through an agreement with the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association and in partnership with the Connecticut Bar Association, provides free legal help for survivors in these counties.

Disaster-related legal questions typically involve such matters as lost wills, landlord-tenant relations, property ownership, home repair contracts, and government benefit programs.

Survivors who qualify for assistance will be matched with Connecticut lawyers who have volunteered to provide free legal help.

Legal help is available to affected residents of Fairfield, Middlesex, New Haven, and New London counties and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Tribal Nation located within New London County. Call the Disaster Legal Services Hotline at: 866-864-4464.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status.  If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

FEMA’s 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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Disaster Legal Help Available for Connecticut

Nearly $28 Million in Federal Assistance to Mississippi for Hurricane Isaac

CLINTON, Miss. – In the more than two months since Hurricane Isaac struck Mississippi, $28 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 Nov. 5:

  • More than 6,400 households have received FEMA grants that assist with housing and personal property loss.
  • More than $13 million has been approved for housing grants, including short-term rental assistance, home repair and replacement costs.
  • More than $2.4 million has been approved to cover other essential disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses and lost personal possessions.
  • Nearly $7.5 million in low-interest disaster loans has been approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration to assist homeowners, renters and businesses.
  • Nearly 20,500 home inspections have been completed.

Those who received money from FEMA must keep the receipts or bills for which the money was used. The records document that the assistance was used to meet disaster-related needs and must be saved for three years. For more on what should be kept, consult the “Help After a Disaster” guide, which was mailed to each applicant. Information is also available online at fema.gov/help-after-disaster.

Survivors with any questions can go online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by mobile device at m.fema.gov. Or 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.

Nearly 26,000 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.

Although the registration period has closed, those who have applied 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 also is 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 also may 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.

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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Nearly $28 Million in Federal Assistance to Mississippi for Hurricane Isaac

Nearly $23 Million in FEMA Assistance to Mississippi for Hurricane Isaac

CLINTON, Miss. – In nearly eight weeks since Hurricane Isaac struck Mississippi, $23 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. 29:

  • Nearly 6,400 households have received FEMA grants that assist with housing and personal property loss.
  • Nearly $13 million has been approved for housing grants, including short-term rental assistance, home repair and replacement costs.
  • More than $2.4 million has been approved to cover other essential disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses and lost personal possessions.
  • Nearly $7.6 million in low-interest disaster loans have been approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration to assist homeowners, renters and businesses.
  • Nearly 20,300 home inspections have been completed.

Survivors have just two days to register for disaster assistance. Registration ends midnight 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 25,200 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 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.

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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Nearly $23 Million in FEMA Assistance to Mississippi for Hurricane Isaac

Houma Disaster Recovery Center Closes Tuesday — SBA Loan Center Opens Wednesday

BATON ROUGE, La. — Time is running out for Hurricane Isaac survivors in Terrebonne Parish to visit the State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center in Houma. The center, located at the American Legion Hall, 602 Legion Ave., closes at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 30. 

To continue to meet the needs of the Terrebonne community, the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will open a Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) in Houma on Wednesday, Oct. 31, at the Terrebonne Parish Library, 151 Library Drive. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays until further notice. 

At the Houma DLOC, SBA customer service representatives will be available to meet individually with residents and business owners to answer their questions, explain SBA’s disaster loan program, issue applications, help them complete their applications and close their approved disaster loans. 

The State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center will remain open Saturday, Monday and Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. After it closes, 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 SBA at 1-800-659-2955 or www.sba.gov.

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.
 

Original article: 

Houma Disaster Recovery Center Closes Tuesday — SBA Loan Center Opens Wednesday

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