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FEMA Individual Assistance Disaster Aid Reaches $2 Million

SAIPAN – Homeowners and renters have been approved for over $2 million in individual aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) since Typhoon Souder.

The tallies are likely to rise, as the federal agency continues to review applications for assistance from the storm, which made impact August 1-3, and caused significant damage in Saipan. More than 7,000 survivors have already been in touch with FEMA seeking help or information on disaster assistance.

Individuals and households on Saipan can register with FEMA by calling 1-800-621-3362 or TTY 1-800-462-7585 directly. Multilingual interpreters are available at the FEMA registration number, including Chinese, Tagalog, Japanese, and Korean. Survivors can also register online at DisasterAssistance.gov.

They are advised to have the following information when they register:

• Address with zip code

• Directions to property

• Condition of your damaged home

• Insurance information, if available

• Phone number where you can be contacted

• Address where you can get mail

• Social Security Number **If you do not have your SSN card, you can show a Medicare/Medicaid card, W2 form, or filed tax return.

A joint Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is open at the Pedro P Tenorio Multi-purpose Center in Susupe to help individuals and families affected by Typhoon Soudelor with the recovery process. Normal hours of operation are Monday-Saturdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sundays 10 a.m.-4 p.m. After registering online or by telephone, survivors can access “one-stop shop” service at the DRC and receive assistance with additional registration needs such as case inquiries and updates. Subject matter experts from FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the American Red Cross will be available at the DRC.

Survivors are reminded to use disaster grants wisely, and those who receive funds from FEMA will get a letter outlining what those funds should be used for. They are intended for disaster-related needs. If the applicant spends the money on anything other than the purpose for which the payment is intended, no additional assistance may be granted if the need arises in the future.

FEMA also encourages survivors to start making repairs to their homes as soon as possible, and NOT wait for FEMA assistance or housing inspections. They should save receipts for any disaster-related expenses as those may be reimbursable later.

The FEMA housing inspections are ongoing. Registered survivors will be contacted by a FEMA housing inspector to schedule an appointment for an inspection; you do not need to contact FEMA to set up an inspection. For those who have been displaced and need transportation to and from the housing inspection, they can contact the Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority at 670-483-4344 or 670-237-8000 to schedule transportation.

Disaster legal services have also been made available for Typhoon Soudelor survivors. Disaster survivors facing legal issues who are unable to afford a lawyer can call 670-234-7729. This service has been set up in partnership between Micronesian Legal Services Corporation, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, and FEMA. The types of legal assistance available includes assistance with securing FEMA and other government benefits available to disaster victims, assistance with life, medical and property insurance claims, help with home repair contracts and contractors, consumer protection remedies and procedures, counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems, and counseling on landlord-tenant problems.

For more information on CNMI disaster recovery, visit http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4235 or https://www.facebook.com/JICNMI.

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 Individual Assistance Disaster Aid Reaches $2 Million

FEMA and SBA May Offer Texas Renters Disaster Assistance

Texas renters who were affected by the storms and flooding that occurred May 4 through June 19 may be eligible for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA). Assistance may include:

A short-term rental grant to assist with rent at a new location.
A free referral service to help identify another rental property.
A low-interest loan from the SBA to repair or replace damaged personal property.

Additional FEMA grant assistance may be available for eligible survivors, including renters, with uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses and serious needs caused by the disaster, such as:

Disaster-related medical and dental expenses.
Repair or replacement of necessary personal property lost or damaged in the disaster, including household items, such as room furnishings or appliances, and tools and equipment required by students or the self-employed for their jobs.
Essential vehicle damaged by the disaster.
Disaster-related funeral and burial expenses.

To be eligible for assistance, a survivor:

Must reside in one of the counties designated for Individual Assistance.

Must have damages resulting from the severe storms, tornadoes, straight line winds and flooding that occurred May 4 through June 19.

The first step in the process is to register with FEMA either online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362). Disaster assistance applicants who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY should call 800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

Some survivors will need to complete a loan application from the SBA. If the SBA is unable to approve a loan, it may refer the applicant to be considered for other disaster aid.

After a survivor registers, a FEMA inspector may call to set a date for an inspection. During the inspection, applicants should be sure to point out all personal property that has been lost and show receipts for items that have been replaced due to the disaster.

Following the inspection, applicants receive a letter explaining their eligibility status.

For more information on Texas disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4223.

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FEMA and SBA May Offer Texas Renters Disaster Assistance

President Declares Disaster for the Federated States of Micronesia

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 government of the Federated States of Micronesia under the Compact of Free Association between the Government of the United States of America and the government of the Federated States of Micronesia, as amended, due to Typhoon Maysak during the period of March 29 to April 1, 2015.

The President’s action makes federal funding available for U.S. Government emergency relief and reconstruction assistance to the Federated States of Micronesia in accordance with Public Law 108-188, as amended, including Article X of the Federal Programs and Services Agreement to the Compact of Free Association. Federated States of Micronesia President Emanuel Mori requested a disaster declaration on April 17, 2015.

The United States Agency for Internationa Development’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance will coordinate U.S. Government disaster assistance efforts in conjunction with FEMA and the government of the Federated States of Micronesia.

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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President Declares Disaster for the Federated States of Micronesia

Grant to Secaucus, NJ Provides Town’s Firefighters with Modern, Compliant Equipment

Federal Funding Also Offers Upgrades in Training

New York, NY — An award from the federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program will outfit 46 volunteer firefighters in Secaucus, New Jersey with personal protective equipment, in addition to funding advanced firefighter training.

The new equipment, which includes coats, pants, boots, gloves, suspenders, helmets, hoods, and facial shields, will replace 10- to 14-year old gear that has become too worn or damaged to offer the required level of safety for the town’s 90 volunteer first responders. The new gear complies with the standards of both the National Fire Protection Association and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The federal grant will also fund training for 55 volunteers to achieve Firefighter II status, through a course providing them with sufficient knowledge and skill to function in an emergency without direct supervision and to be capable of making on-duty decisions.

The federal grant comes to $132,027, with the applicant’s share amounting to $6,948.

The announcement was made here today by Ms. Dale McShine, Director of Grants for Region II of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which administers the AFG program.

“This grant is truly a lifesaver,” said Michael Gonnelli, the mayor of Secaucus, who is also the town’s former fire chief and serves with the department’s volunteers. “Secaucus is one of the last fully volunteer fire departments in Hudson County,” he added, emphasizing that “firefighter safety is our primary aim. The additional training covered in this grant follows the same path.”

The Town of Secaucus, with a population of roughly 18,500 – which grows by some 100,000 during work hours – responds annually to an average of 700 incidents, ranging from those taking place in 25-story structures, 300,000 square-foot warehouses, and marsh fires to single family homes. These responses include fire suppression, hazardous materials, extrications, technical rescue, structure-collapse rescue, natural disasters, and emergency medical service.

The Bergen County Fire Academy, adjacent to Hudson County, will offer the Firefighter II course, which, in addition to practical exercises, features lectures, overheads, audiovisual presentations, and a final practical evaluation. The course involves 37 three-hour courses.

“We are very pleased to have been involved in this grant,” FEMA’s Ms. McShine noted. “Our foremost goal of first-responder safety coincides precisely with Mayor Gonnelli’s.”

FEMA’s AFG program has been aiding firefighters and other first responders since 2001. “The program provides critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources needed to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards,” said Tania Hedlund, FEMA’s Grants Branch Chief. In 2012, the AFG provided funding of $25,340,000 for FEMA’s Region II (New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands).

For further information, please contact William H. Douglass at FEMA: 212-680-3665 or 917-561-3223.

Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/fema, www.fema.gov/blog,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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Grant to Secaucus, NJ Provides Town’s Firefighters with Modern, Compliant Equipment

FEMA, West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Announce a Statewide Test of the Public Alert and Warning System in West…

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, the West Virginia Broadcasters Association, and others will conduct a statewide test of the Public Alert and Warning System on Wednesday, September 17, 2014. The test will begin at approximately 2:00 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) and will last approximately two minutes.

“During an emergency, federal, state and local public safety officials must be able to provide the public with life-saving information quickly,” said Damon Penn, Assistant Administrator of FEMA’s National Continuity Programs. “This test will help us assess the operational readiness of the Public Alert and Warning System to ensure the residents of West Virginia have the information they need in the event of an emergency.”

The test will be seen and heard over radio, television and cable TV systems as part of the regular monthly testing of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) conducted by West Virginia broadcasters. The test is designed to have limited impact on the public with only minor disruptions of radio and television programs that normally occur when broadcasters test EAS in their area.

“Periodic testing of the Public Alert and Warning System capabilities is an important step to ensure that West Virginia’s public safety officials are prepared to alert and warn the whole community during an emergency,” said Jimmy Gianato, Director of West Virginia’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. “Whether it’s severe weather or another emergency in our community, it’s a reminder that everyone should make preparedness a priority.”

September is also National Preparedness Month, and FEMA reminds the residents of West Virginia to be informed about emergencies that could happen in their community. This year’s theme, Be Disaster Aware and Take Action to Prepare, encourages states, territories, local governments, tribal communities, individuals, families, schools, businesses, faith-based and community-based organizations to be informed and to practice what to do in advance of a disaster to be better prepared to handle any type of emergency they may encounter.

More information on the Public Alert and Warning System and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) is available at www.fema.gov/ipaws or www.ready.gov/alerts. Details on National Preparedness Month are available at www.ready.gov /september.

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FEMA, West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Announce a Statewide Test of the Public Alert and Warning System in West…

Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas Receive More Than $2.5 Million in FEMA Preparedness Grants

DENTON, Texas — Emergency management agencies in Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas have been awarded more than $2.5 million in preparedness grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

In Oklahoma, the grants total more than $1million and cover a variety of items such as:

• Firefighting equipment for the Blanchard Fire Department, the city of Ponca City, the Frederick Fire Department, the Hanna Rural Fire Association, the Marble City Volunteer Fire Association and the Grady County Fire Department;

• Vehicles including a brush truck for the Snyder Volunteer Fire Department and an engine for the Post Mountain Volunteer Fire Department; and

• Training for the Olive Volunteer Fire Department, training and firefighting equipment for the Chandler Fire Department and portable radios and a thermal imaging camera for the Hominy Fire Department.

The grants in New Mexico total $714,801 and pay for firefighter equipment for the Texico Volunteer Fire Department and firefighting equipment and training for the Las Cruces Fire Department.

In Texas, the grants total $781,700 and pay for:

• Firefighting equipment for District 7 Fire Rescue in San Antonio, the city of Palestine Fire Department, the Adrian Volunteer Fire Department, the Bells Fire Department, the Lorena Volunteer Fire Department, the Fresno Volunteer Fire Department, the Rio Vista Volunteer Fire Department and the Plum Grove Volunteer Fire Department in Cleveland;

• Communications equipment for the Hamby Volunteer Fire Department in Abilene and the 84 East Volunteer Fire Department in Palestine; and

• A tanker/tender vehicle for the New Waverly Volunteer Fire Department and wellness and fitness immunizations for the Washington County Emergency Medical Services Department in Brenham.

The federal grants are part of the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) program. The primary goal of the AFG is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and non-affiliated emergency medical service organizations. Since 2001, AFG has helped firefighters and other first responders get critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources needed to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards. For more information on the AFG program, visit http://www.fema.gov/assistance-firefighters-grant.

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Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas Receive More Than $2.5 Million in FEMA Preparedness Grants

NJ Firefighters to Receive New Breathing Apparatuses – Stanhope Wins Federal Grant of Nearly $158,000

NJ Firefighters to Receive New Breathing Apparatuses

Stanhope Wins Federal Grant of Nearly $158,000

New York, NY — The 3,548 residents of the Borough of Stanhope will be safer because the town’s 40 volunteer firefighters will be better equipped with their 19 new self-contained breathing apparatuses, Dale McShine, Director of Grants for FEMA’s Region II, said here today.

The new equipment for Stanhope Hose Company #1 is made possible, Ms. McShine said, by an Assistance to Firefighters Grant, or AFG, which is administered by FEMA, of $157,776. The local share comes to $8,303.

Brian McNeilly, the borough’s administrator, says all the firefighters are very pleased with the new equipment. He said that it will replace units that were at least ten years old, were expensive to repair, and not compliant with National Fire Protection Association criteria. “These new units,” he pointed out, “provide a much broader field of vision, which is critical.” “Each of these new units,” he added, “is equipped with a personal alert safety system, which automatically summons assistance” should a firefighter become incapacitated or overwhelmed.

“Perhaps the most important benefit for our borough,” McNeilly observed, is that “with our small population, our firefighting volunteers are our neighbors, so when a fire or other emergency breaks out, it’s a matter of neighbors helping neighbors.”

FEMA’s Dale McShine said that the AFG program has been aiding firefighters and other first responders since 2001, “providing critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources” needed to help the public and emergency responders from fire and related hazards.

Tania Hedlund, FEMA’s Branch Chief for Grants, reported that, in 2012, the AFG provided funding of $25,340,000 for FEMA’s Region II (New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands).

For further information, please contact William H. Douglass at FEMA: 212-680-3665 or 917-561-3223.

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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NJ Firefighters to Receive New Breathing Apparatuses – Stanhope Wins Federal Grant of Nearly $158,000

Whole Community Disaster Recovery Takes Many Hands

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – While the public may know the Federal Emergency Management Agency as the government entity that offers financial resources following disasters, FEMA is but one member of a team that brings much more.

Supporting the recovery is the coordinated effort of many federal, state and local partners, who together provide a wealth of programs and services to impacted communities and their residents.

Volunteers

Many volunteer agencies provide for the basic needs of survivors immediately following a disaster – a hot meal, a place to sleep and a change of clothes. Established organizations like the Salvation Army, United Way, Samaritan’s Purse, the American Red Cross and others provide these vital services until they are no longer needed.

Individuals, churches and neighbors also step in. As local governments begin to clean up and address damages, so do homeowners and others begin the task of recovering.

These volunteers assist in clearing debris, a task that can seem insurmountable for survivors. Crews from such organizations such as Mennonite Disaster Service, the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, Samaritan’s Purse and Team Rubicon have all responded to Alabama with experience, the tools and the equipment to begin repairing and rebuilding.

In Alabama, other groups of concerned residents have banded together with the state Emergency Management Agency, federal agencies including FEMA, local governments and volunteer groups to comprise the state’s Volunteer Agencies Active in Disasters (VOAD) to help disaster survivors recover.

VOADs, usually organized on a county-by-county basis, establish and operate what are known as Long Term Recovery Committees. The committees address a wide range of unmet needs that survivors can either not afford or are unable to provide for themselves.

FEMA Corps

FEMA Corps members are volunteers aged 18-to-24 who provides direct aid to survivors in their homes and elsewhere. They volunteer for 10 months and gain on-the-job training in the emergency management field.

Corps members are supplemented with other specialists to make up Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams, all of whom go door-to-door to provide information on registering for federal aid, guide people in the registration process and follow-up on pre- or post-disaster needs. They also coordinate with local, tribal and state governments and other partners. More than 8,000 Alabama homes were visited.

Among those 8,000 homes, the teams aided seniors, shut-ins, and people with disabilities as well as those who do not speak English to obtain federal disaster aid.

Opportunities for Employment

One of FEMA’s top priorities is to provide temporary full-time jobs to the community. In Alabama, these jobs range from human resource specialists, information technology, couriers, engineers, communications, finance and administration.

FEMA has employed 18 local individuals to fill a variety of positions.

Not only do these jobs bring work opportunities for the community, these employees bring local experience and a feeling for the community to the federal government.

Help with Child Care Costs

Childcare costs following a presidential disaster declaration have been added in 2014 as a reimbursable expense in some cases.

To be eligible, survivors must live in a declared county and use a licensed childcare service (center-based, group home, in-home or other provider). The children can be up to age 13, disabled children, as defined by federal law and who need assistance in caring for themselves, may be up to age 18.

They also must be occupants of the household, are listed on the Application for Disaster Assistance and are dependents of the applicant.

Costs per child may be awarded for a total of eight weeks, which may or may not be consecutive.

Helping to Rebuild Stronger and Safer

Lowe’s and Home Depot home improvement stores around the state teamed up with FEMA mitigation specialists to provide advice on how to rebuild homes and other structures in a way that will be less susceptible to flooding, wind damage and other hazards.

The outreach program took place throughout June. In the first five days of operation, more than 300 shoppers stopped to ask questions, with the most frequently asked question — how to build to withstand tornadoes and high winds.

Overall, FEMA mitigation specialists spoke with more than 1,600 shoppers during the month.

The mitigation specialists also can offer advice on cleaning up mold and mildew, how electrical systems, furnaces and other appliances can be protected from flooding, how to build a safe room as well as information on the National Flood Insurance Program.

Disaster Legal Services

How do you go about recovering important legal documents that have been lost during the disaster? Another group of volunteers has stepped up to provide free legal assistance to survivors.

The Volunteer Lawyers Program of the Alabama State Bar Association offers low-income individuals and families with legal assistance on such topics as assistance with insurance claims, landlord/tenant problems, home repair contracts, consumer protection-foreclosure problems, replacement of important legal documents, drafting powers of attorney, preparation of guardianships and conservatorships, as well as referring individuals to local and state agencies for assistance.

Disaster legal services are available by calling the hotline phone number 888-857-8571 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. In the Huntsville area of Limestone County, call 256-539-2275 and in Mobile and Baldwin counties call 855-997-2857.

Disaster Unemployment

A program that FEMA funds and has been completed in Alabama is Disaster Unemployment. The program, to which 63 individuals applied, is aimed at workers who would not qualify for regular unemployment insurance. It is operated by the state of Alabama.

Eligible workers included the self-employed who lived or worked in affected areas during the storm, those who are unemployed as a result of the storm, workers who were unable to reach their jobs as a result of the storm and those who were to begin employment but were unable to work because the business was damaged as a result of the disaster.

Individuals who became the primary or major wage earner due to the disaster-related death of the head of the household also may be eligible, as may workers who could not work because of an injury caused as a direct result of the storm.

Albie Lewis, federal coordinating officer for the Alabama disaster, said recovery needs to be inclusive of all disaster survivors.

“FEMA and all recovery partners work together to mitigate the tough, long-term whole community inclusive issues to make sure everyone gets information and access to recovery programs they need in an appropriate manner.”

All of these programs are available because FEMA, its state and federal partners and volunteer agencies are committed to providing help to those in need. In Alabama, these agencies will continue to work shoulder-to-shoulder to recover as long as needed.

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

For more information on Alabama’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov or http://www.ema.alabama.gov/. For the joint Facebook page, go to www.facebook.com/AlabamaEMA. To receive Twitter updates: http://twitter.com/AlabamaEMA or www.twitter.com/femaregion4.

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Whole Community Disaster Recovery Takes Many Hands

Help Continues: Students Involved in SR 530 Slide Recovery

Students have been helping with the SR 530 Slide recovery. One example is in Mill Creek, Wash., where a broadcast team of seven students from Henry M. Jackson High School produced one of the first newscasts that told the story of the SR 530 Slide. The newscast was produced for the high school’s news network as a way of increasing media awareness among younger audiences, said Zachary Anders, who is part of the broadcast team.

“I believe our coverage reached the younger audience simply by us students covering it, and for those of our age being able to relate to us,” he said. “Many of the students I talked to told us they ignored the coverage by CNN and NBC, or that they don’t watch the news at all.”

To view their newscast, click: http://youtu.be/LEesplF7l9Y.

Another example of student involvement in SR 530 Slide recovery is in Edmonds, Wash. Two Edmonds Community College students, Rob Matthews and Quincy Powell, are volunteering their skills to help survivors recover their memories from computer hard drives, flash drives and SD cards that were damaged as a result of the SR 530 Slide.

“I want to help the survivors by giving them back something they thought they had lost. Then they can maybe begin the healing process and get some remembrance and closure,” Matthews said.

Matthews, Powell and other students of the college are earning degrees in Information Security Technology and Data Recovery. They are working with members of the High Technology Crime Investigation Association to recover the data for free.

These are only a few examples of students helping with the SR 530 Slide recovery. There are many other ways to help. For more information about how to volunteer, click: www.uwsc.org/.

For more information on data recovery through Edmonds Community College, contact Rob Matthews at r.matthews1234@edmail.edcc.edu or Quincy Powell at q.powell6908@edmail.edcc.edu.

For details about what to do with a damaged hard drive, click: infosec.edcc.edu/OsoDataRecovery.html.

For more information on the SR 530 Slide, visit the Washington Emergency Management Division website at www.emd.wa.gov/activations/Activation.shtml or the FEMA website at www.fema.gov/.

The state of Washington and FEMA have been partnering in recovery since the SR 530 Slide. Those who were directly impacted by the slide may register for disaster assistance through June 2. Register online through midnight, Pacific Daylight Time or by phone by 7 p.m., Pacific Daylight Time.

To register online, click: www.DisasterAssistance.gov or m.fema.gov. To register by phone, call (800) 621-FEMA (3362). Survivors who use TTY should call (800) 462-7585 directly; those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS) may call (800) 621-3362. Survivors may call these toll-free telephone numbers to access the FEMA help line from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, seven days a week.

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Help Continues: Students Involved in SR 530 Slide Recovery

FEMA, NOAA Sponsor National Flood Safety Awareness Week

LINCROFT, N.J. — The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association are sponsoring National Flood Safety Awareness Week from March 16-22, 2014.

NOAA and FEMA are reviving the “Be a Force of Nature: Take the Next Step” awareness theme from National Severe Weather Preparedness Week earlier in March by asking individuals and businesses to know their risk, take action and be an example for their community.

Flooding can happen in any state in the United States at any time. On average, $8.3 billion in damage is caused by flooding every year, more than any other weather-related event. In 2013, 85 people were killed in flood-related incidents. More than half of these cases were the result of people inadvertently driving into floodwaters.

The National Weather Service (NWS) recently redesigned its flood safety website, http://www.floodsafety.noaa.gov. It contains advice and information on what to do before, during and after a flood. Floodsmart.gov is the home of everything related to flood insurance and protecting your home and possessions. The NWS has provided daily posts for blogs and websites and has also made an article about the 10^th anniversary of the National ‘Turn Around Don’t Drown’ program available for publication online or in local newspapers.

Follow @NOAA, @NWS and @OwlieSkywarnNWS on Twitter. Those accounts will be using the hash tag #FloodSafety this week for Flood Safety Awareness posts. NOAA has prepared a social media plan for the week with pre-written Facebook and Twitter posts. It has also partnered with OSHA on a workplace education program to teach workers how to prevent and respond to floods and other disasters.

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

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FEMA, NOAA Sponsor National Flood Safety Awareness Week

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