New Mexico Awarded More than $3 Million for Road Repairs in Lincoln County

DENTON, Texas – On Oct. 6, 2014, at the request of Governor Susana Martinez, President Obama declared a major disaster for the state of New Mexico. In June 2015, the state of New Mexico was awarded more than $3 million in federal disaster assistance for repairs to roads in Lincoln County following severe storms and flooding in July and August 2014. The New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management continues to administer the funds and provide support to the county as it recovers.

The severe weather and floodwaters washed away a total of 15 roads. The funding covers the excavation of the roads; the hauling and replacement of gravel; the shaping and grading of the roads; and hazard mitigation measures to reduce the risk of future storm damage. 

The funding is made possible by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Public Assistance program. To date, FEMA has obligated more than $5.9 million in relation to the last year’s severe storms and flooding.

The funding represents a 75 percent federal cost share. FEMA awards funding for projects directly to the state of New Mexico; the state then disburses the grant to the eligible applicant.

It is important that citizens take appropriate measures to protect themselves and their families. There are actions that should be taken before, during and after an event that are unique to each hazard. Identify the hazards that have happened or could happen in your area and plan for the unique actions for each. 

Local emergency management offices can help identify the hazards in your area and outline the local plans and recommendations for each. Share the hazard-specific information with family members and include pertinent materials in your family disaster plan.

For additional information, visit www.ready.gov. Some basic protection actions are similar across many different hazards. They include:

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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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New Mexico Awarded More than $3 Million for Road Repairs in Lincoln County

Preventing Post-Flooding Mold at Home: Clean It, Dry It or Discard It

AUSTIN, Texas – Recovery specialists have some sound advice for Texans whose homes and property took on floodwaters: Protect your family’s health and your own by treating or discarding mold- and mildew-infected items.

Health experts urge those who find mold to act fast. Cleaning mold quickly and properly is essential for a healthy home, especially for people who suffer from allergies and asthma, said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Mold and mildew can start growing within 24 hours after a flood, and can lurk throughout a home, from the attic to the basement and crawl spaces. The best defense is to clean, dry or, as a last resort, discard moldy items.

Although it can be hard to get rid of a favorite chair, a child’s doll or any other precious treasure to safeguard the well-being of your loved ones, a top-to-bottom home cleanup is your best defense, according to the experts.

Many materials are prone to developing mold if they remain damp or wet for too long. Start a post-flood cleanup by sorting all items exposed to floodwaters:

  • Wood and upholstered furniture, and other porous materials can trap mold and may need to be discarded.
  • Carpeting presents a problem because drying it does not remove mold spores. Carpets with mold and mildew should be removed.
  • However, glass, plastic and metal objects and other items made of hardened or nonporous materials can often be cleaned, disinfected and reused.

All flood-dampened surfaces should be cleaned, disinfected and dried as soon as possible. Follow these tips to ensure a safe and effective cleanup:

  • Open windows for ventilation and wear rubber gloves and eye protection when cleaning. Consider using a mask rated N-95 or higher if heavy concentrations of mold are present.
  • Use a non-ammonia soap or detergent to clean all areas and washable items that came in contact with floodwaters.
  • Mix 1-1/2 cups of household bleach in one gallon of water and thoroughly rinse and disinfect the area. Never mix bleach with ammonia as the fumes are toxic.
  • Cleaned areas can take several days to dry thoroughly. The use of heat, fans and dehumidifiers can speed up the drying process.
  • Check out all odors. It’s possible for mold to hide in the walls or behind wall coverings. Find all mold sources and clean them properly.
  • Remove and discard all materials that can’t be cleaned, such as wallboard, fiberglass and cellulose areas. Then clean the wall studs where wallboard has been removed, and allow the area to dry thoroughly before replacing the wallboard.

 For other tips about post-flooding cleanup, visit www.fema.gov, www.epa.gov, or www.cdc.gov.

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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.  Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

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Preventing Post-Flooding Mold at Home: Clean It, Dry It or Discard It

Sixty Percent of Americans Not Practicing for Disaster: FEMA urges everyone to prepare by participating in National PrepareAthon! Day on April 30

WASHINGTON – A recent Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) survey found that nearly 60 percent of American adults have not practiced what to do in a disaster by participating in a disaster drill or preparedness exercise at work, school, or home in the past year. Further, only 39 percent of respondents have developed an emergency plan and discussed it with their household. This is despite the fact that 80 percent of Americans live in counties that have been hit with a weather-related disaster since 2007, as reported by the Washington Post. With the number and severity of weather-related disasters on the rise, the America’s PrepareAthon! is an opportunity for individuals, organizations, and communities to take action to prepare for specific hazards through group discussions, drills, and exercises.

“When it comes to preparedness, practice makes perfect,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “America’s PrepareAthon! is about taking action now to better prepare yourself, your family, and your community to be ready to respond to these events before they occur.”

America’s PrepareAthon! is a national community-based campaign that provides free, easy-to-use guides, checklists, and resources to get more people to take action to prepare every day. On April 30, individuals, families, workplaces, schools and organizations will come together to practice simple actions to stay safe before, during, and after emergencies relevant to their area. Examples include:

  1. Sign up for local text alerts and warnings and download weather apps to your smartphone.
  2. Develop an emergency communication plan for your family. This will help you be in touch if a disaster strikes and family members are in different locations.
  3. Collect important documents and keep them in a safe place. This will help you evacuate without delay and get back on track after the disaster passes.
  4. Gather emergency supplies. Pack a “go bag” to evacuate quickly and have supplies in the home to be safe without water or power.

Visit the America’s PrepareAthon! website, ready.gov/prepare to take action, be counted and spread the word.

America’s PrepareAthon! was established to provide a comprehensive campaign to build and sustain national preparedness as directed by Presidential Policy Directive-8. The campaign is coordinated by FEMA in collaboration with federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations.

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Sixty Percent of Americans Not Practicing for Disaster: FEMA urges everyone to prepare by participating in National PrepareAthon! Day on April 30

Get Ready Now for Potential Severe Weather & Wildfires

DENTON, Texas – People living in parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas are urged to get ready now for potential severe weather that could strike over the next few days in the form of possible severe thunderstorms, hail, strong winds, flash flooding, tornadoes and wildfires.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Region 6 office continues to monitor the situation and stands ready to support state and local partners as needed and requested in any affected areas.

“We encourage people to keep listening to their local and state officials for updated instructions and information. The safety of people is the first priority,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “We encourage people to have an individual or family emergency plan in place, practice that plan and put together an emergency kit.”

If you have severe weather in your area, you will likely want to become familiar with the terms used to identify a severe weather hazard including:

  • Watch: Meteorologists are monitoring an area or region for the formation of a specific type of threat (e.g. flooding, severe thunderstorms, or tornadoes); and
  • Warning: Specific life and property threatening conditions are occurring and imminent. Take appropriate safety precautions.

More tools and resources are available online to help you prepare for, respond to and recover from any type of disaster. Visit www.Ready.gov or the Spanish language site www.Listo.gov.

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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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Get Ready Now for Potential Severe Weather & Wildfires

Revised Preliminary Flood Maps in Morehouse Parish, Louisiana Ready for Public View

DENTON, Texas – Homeowners, renters and business owners in Morehouse Parish are encouraged to look over newly-revised preliminary flood maps in order to determine their flood risks and make informed decisions.

Parish officials and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are presenting the revised preliminary maps to communities and unincorporated areas in order to help leaders and residents identify known flood risks in their area. Residents and business owners can use this information to make decisions about buying flood insurance and other building decisions. Community leaders can use this information to identify how the community should move forward with any development.    

“We have worked with our state and local partners to bring this critical information to the parish and hope that everyone reviews the maps to understand what flood risks are involved,” said Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “It is very important to have the community as an active partner in the flood mapping process.”

To view the revised flood maps, please contact your local floodplain administrator who may be located at City Hall or the local parish government building. You can also visit http://msc.fema.gov/portal or http://maps.riskmap6.com/LA/Morehouse/.  To contact a FEMA Map Specialist, call 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or send an email to FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com.

Once a flood risk is identified, the next step is to consider the purchase of a flood policy from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). 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 http://twitter.com/#!/femaregion6, and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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Revised Preliminary Flood Maps in Morehouse Parish, Louisiana Ready for Public View

Chambers County, Texas Flood Maps Become Final in May

DENTON, Texas ––In early May, new flood maps for Chambers County will become effective.

Local, state and federal officials are encouraging everyone to view the maps before Tuesday, May 5, 2015 in order to understand their flood risk and then consider buying flood insurance.

Most property insurance policies do not cover the effects of a flood. Floods can place people at risk of uninsured loss to their businesses, homes and personal property if they don’t have either a private flood insurance policy or coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a voluntary protection program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Flooding is the #1 natural disaster in the U.S. and only flood insurance covers these unexpected, damaging and sometimes fatal events. “Where there is rain, there could be flooding,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “Everyone lives in a flood zone.”

To learn if your community participates in the NFIP and to review the new flood maps, contact your local floodplain administrator.

FEMA map specialists and flood insurance experts also are available to answer 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.
•    To see the interactive web page visit: http://goo.gl/RzvrIJ
•    To view a Preliminary Interactive Flood Map: http://goo.gl/U0Yk7y

FEMA encourages communities not currently participating in the NFIP to look at the benefits of joining the program. Contacting a local insurance agent is the first step to obtaining information about insurance. Folks can visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-379-9531 to locate an agent in their 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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Chambers County, Texas Flood Maps Become Final in May

Revised Preliminary Flood Maps in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana Ready for Public View

DENTON, Texas – Homeowners, renters and business owners in Lafayette Parish are encouraged to look over newly-revised preliminary flood maps in order to determine their flood risks and make informed decisions.

Parish officials and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are presenting the revised preliminary maps to communities and unincorporated areas in order to help leaders and residents identify known flood risks in their area. Residents and business owners can use this information to make decisions about buying flood insurance and other building decisions. Community leaders can use this information to identify how the community should move forward with any development.    

“We have worked with our state and local partners to bring this critical information to the parish and hope that everyone reviews the maps to understand what flood risks are involved,” said Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “It is very important to have the community as an active partner in the flood mapping process.”

To view the revised flood maps, please contact your local floodplain administrator who may be located at City Hall or the local parish government building. You can also visit http://msc.fema.gov/portal or http://maps.riskmap6.com. To contact a FEMA Map Specialist, call 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or send an email to FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com.

Once a flood risk is identified, the next step is to consider the purchase of a flood policy from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). 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 http://twitter.com/#!/femaregion6, and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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Revised Preliminary Flood Maps in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana Ready for Public View

President Declares Major Disaster for Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians and ordered federal aid to supplement the Tribe’s efforts in the area affected by severe storms, flooding, and mudslides during the period of December 4-6, 2014.

Federal funding is available to the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by severe storms, flooding, and mudslides.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for the Tribe. 

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

Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts available at www.fema.gov/medialibrary and www.youtube.com/fema; follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fema and on Facebook at www.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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President Declares Major Disaster for Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians

Revised Preliminary Flood Maps in El Paso County, Texas Ready for Public View

DENTON, Texas – Homeowners, renters and business owners in El Paso County in Texas are encouraged to look over newly-revised preliminary flood maps in order to determine their flood risks and make informed decisions.

County officials and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) presented the revised preliminary maps to communities and unincorporated areas in order to help leaders and residents identify known flood risks in their area.  Residents and business owners can use this information to make decisions about buying flood insurance and other building decisions.  Community leaders can use this information to identify how the community should move forward with any development.   

“Working together with our state and local partners to bring this critical information to the county, we hope that everyone reviews the maps to understand what flood risks are involved,” said Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “Having the community as an active partner in the flood mapping process is very important.”

To view the revised flood maps, please contact your local floodplain administrator who may be located at City Hall or the local courthouse. You can also visit http://msc.fema.gov/portal or http://maps.riskmap6.com. To contact a FEMA Map Specialist, call 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or send an email to FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com.

Once a flood risk is identified, the next step is to consider the purchase of a flood policy from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).  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 http://twitter.com/#!/femaregion6, and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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Revised Preliminary Flood Maps in El Paso County, Texas Ready for Public View

President Declares Disaster for New York State

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to the state of New York to supplement state, local and tribal recovery efforts in the area affected by a severe winter storm, snowstorm, and flooding during the period of November 17-26, 2014.

The President’s action makes federal funding available to state and eligible local and tribal governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe winter storm, snowstorm, and flooding  in the counties of Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Jefferson, Lewis, Orleans, St. Lawrence, and Wyoming.

In addition, federal funding is available to the state and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis for snow assistance for a continuous 48 hour period during or proximate to the incident period in Erie, Genesee, and Wyoming counties.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

William L. Vogel has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.  Vogel 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 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. 

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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President Declares Disaster for New York State

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