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FEMA Urges Gulf Coast Residents to Prepare for Tropical Storm Karen

FEMA also Monitoring Potential Severe Weather in the Central U.S.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through its national response coordination center in Washington, DC and its regional offices in Atlanta, Ga., Chicago, Ill., Denton, Texas and Kansas City, Mo., is monitoring the conditions of Tropical Storm Karen, and the potential for severe weather in the Central U.S., including severe thunderstorms, damaging winds and hail.

“Residents in areas forecasted for potential severe weather are encouraged to monitor local conditions, review their family emergency plans, and follow the direction of local officials,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “FEMA is staying in close contact with states and local partners and is poised to provide support, if needed.”

Based on applicable legal requirements and consistent with its contingency plan, FEMA has begun to recall currently furloughed employees necessary to serve functions of the agency that protect life and property as they prepare for potential landfall of Tropical Storm Karen and the severe weather in the Central U.S., including parts of Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota and Wisconsin. More than 100 FEMA employees have been recalled from furlough to support response efforts.

FEMA has recalled from furlough and today deployed three incident management assistance teams (IMAT) to potentially affected states. Each IMAT is supported by its defense coordinating element staffed by the Department of Defense. Liaison officers have also been recalled and are currently positioned in emergency operations centers in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi to assist with the coordination of planning and response operations. Regional response coordination centers in Atlanta, Ga. and Denton, Texas are also activated and those in Chicago, Ill. and Kansas City, Mo., are at an enhanced watch. Additional teams are on standby and available for deployment as needed and requested.

At all times, FEMA maintains commodities, including millions of liters of water, millions of meals and hundreds of thousands of blankets, strategically located at distribution centers throughout the United States, including in the Gulf Coast region, that are available to state and local partners if needed and requested. FEMA has recalled staff from furlough to activate our distribution center in Atlanta, Ga.

According to the National Weather Service, a hurricane watch is in effect for Grand Isle, La. to west of Destin, Fla. A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within in the watch area, generally within 48 hours.

A tropical storm warning is in effect from Morgan City, La. to the mouth of the Pearl River. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within 36 hours. Tropical storm watches are in effect for metropolitan New Orleans, Lake Maurepas, Lake Pontchartrain and from Destin to Indian Pass, Fla. A tropical storm watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible, generally within 48 hours.

Residents in potentially affected areas are encouraged to:

Follow the instructions of local officials. Local officials make decisions on evacuations, shelter openings or sheltering in place.
Have important supplies ready to sustain you and your family, if needed. This includes water, a battery-powered radio, flashlight, extra batteries, cell phone charger, medicines, non-perishable food, and first aid supplies.
Stay up-to-date with the latest forecast – Monitor local radio and TV reports, as well as forecasts from the National Hurricane Center and National Weather Service.

For more information on preparing for hurricanes and other natural disasters, and what you can do to protect yourself and your family, visit www.Ready.gov or www.listo.gov. Information regarding emergency preparedness and what to do before and after a disaster can also be found at m.fema.gov or by downloading the FEMA app from your smartphone’s app store.

Follow FEMA online at blog.fema.gov, 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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FEMA Urges Gulf Coast Residents to Prepare for Tropical Storm Karen

FEMA Urges Gulf Coast Residents to be Prepared for Tropical Storm Karen, Follow Direction of Local Officials

FEMA Recalling Certain Furloughed Employees

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through its regional offices in Atlanta, Ga. and Denton, Texas is monitoring the conditions of Tropical Storm Karen and staying in close coordination with officials in Gulf Coast states.

“Gulf Coast residents in potentially impacted areas should take steps now to be prepared and follow the direction of local officials,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “FEMA will continue to support our state and local partners as they prepare for any potential impacts.”

Based on applicable legal requirements and consistent with its contingency plan, FEMA has begun to recall currently-furloughed employees necessary to serve functions of the agency that protect life and property as they prepare for potential landfall of Tropical Storm Karen. This morning, FEMA re-activated the Hurricane Liaison Team that is embedded with the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

FEMA is in close coordination with state and local partners through its regional offices. At all times, FEMA maintains commodities, including millions of liters of water, millions of meals and hundreds of thousands of blankets, strategically located at distribution centers throughout the United States, including in the Gulf Coast region, that are available to state and local partners if needed and requested.

According to the National Weather Service, a hurricane watch is currently in effect from Grand Isle, La. eastward to Indian Pass, Fla. A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area. A watch is typically issues 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical storm-force winds.

A tropical storm watch is in effect from west of Grand Isle, to east of Morgan City, La; metropolitan New Orleans, Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain. A tropical storm watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area – generally within 48 hours.

Gulf Coast residents are encouraged to:

Listen to the instructions of local officials. Local officials make decisions on sheltering in place or going to your pre-designated safe meeting location.

Have important supplies ready to sustain you and your family, if needed. This includes water, a battery-powered radio, flashlight, extra batteries, cell phone charger, medicines, non-perishable food, and first aid supplies.

Stay up-to-date with the latest forecast. Follow local radio and TV reports, as well as forecasts from the National Weather Service, weather.gov.

For more information on preparing for hurricanes and other disasters, and what you can do to protect yourself and your family, visit www.Ready.gov or www.listo.gov on the Internet. Information regarding emergency preparedness and what to do before and after a disaster can also be found at m.fema.gov or by downloading the FEMA app from your smartphone’s app store.

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

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FEMA Urges Gulf Coast Residents to be Prepared for Tropical Storm Karen, Follow Direction of Local Officials

FEMA Region IV Designated StormReady

ATLANTA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Region IV office in Atlanta became the first FEMA office to earn the National Weather Service’s StormReady designation.

Forecasters from the weather service presented the designation to FEMA Region IV Administrator Phil May Monday during the Regional Interagency Steering Committee meeting with the region’s eight state emergency management agencies and federal response partners.

“Disaster preparedness is important at every level, from the federal government all the way to each and every member of the public,” May said. “We’re proud to set a good example in our community and we hope that others follow us as we work to become a more resilient nation.”

StormReady is a nationwide program of the weather service that helps communities and organizations to protect their citizens during severe weather, and encourages a proactive approach to improving local hazardous weather operations.

“We are continuously working to get more communities and organizations into the StormReady program,” said NWS Peachtree City Meteorologist in Charge Keith Stellman. “Our goal is that all communities and government installations will take the steps necessary to become StormReady which will in turn mean our residents will be better prepared when severe weather threatens their area.”

The FEMA Region IV campus includes four buildings in the greater Atlanta area, as well as a facility in Thomasville, Ga. And Biloxi, Miss. Less than 30 government facilities nationwide have the StormReady designation.

To be recognized as StormReady, the following criteria must be met:

Establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center.
Have multiple ways to receive severe weather warnings and forecasts and to alert the public.
Create a system that monitors weather conditions locally.
Promote the importance of public readiness through community seminars.
Develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises.

For more information about StormReady visit www.stormready.noaa.gov.

FEMA Region IV comprises the eight states of Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

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FEMA Region IV Designated StormReady

New Flood Maps Show Updated Flood Risks Throughout Upper Chattahoochee River Region

ATLANTA – New flood insurance rate maps will soon go into effect in metro Atlanta for communities in the Upper Chattahoochee River Region, specifically in Cobb, Douglas, Forsyth, Gwinnett, DeKalb and Fulton counties.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources have been working with county and municipal governments over the last several years to incorporate the best available data into these flood maps. The ultimate goal of the maps is to protect property owners and communities by showing the extent of flood risk in their areas. Flood maps also help to determine flood insurance rating and building requirements.

Flood maps for Cobb, Douglas, Forsyth and Gwinnett counties will be effective on March 4, 2013; maps for DeKalb County will be effective in May, and maps for Fulton County will be effective in September. Coweta County’s flood maps were effective earlier this month. If you live in an area with a new map, visit www.GeorgiaDFIRM.com to find your flood risk online. You can also contact your local floodplain manager with questions about the new maps, and to learn more about flood risks in your community.

These updated maps are more precise than older maps because better flood hazard and risk data has been incorporated, and the latest science has been used to make them more accurate. Flood risks change over time due to construction, development, environmental changes, floodplain widening or shifting, and other factors. These changes send water flowing in new directions, creating flood risks that didn’t exist previously—precisely why flood maps must be updated periodically.

The historic September 2009 flooding in North Georgia is a reminder of how devastating disasters can be. We may not know when the next one will strike, but we can protect ourselves by knowing what risks exist in our communities, and to prepare for them.

By law, federally regulated or insured mortgage lenders require flood insurance on properties that are located in areas at high risk of flooding. Even people living in lower risk areas can experience flooding, which is the most common and costly natural disaster in the U.S. In fact, about 25 percent of flood insurance claims occur in lower risk flood zones.

Regardless of flood zone, everyone should take steps to financially protect themselves from a flood disaster which affects far too many communities each year. The primary way to do this is by purchasing flood insurance. Since standard homeowner’s, business owner’s, and renter’s insurance doesn’t cover flood damage, flood insurance is an important consideration for everyone.

Flood insurance is available through the National Flood Insurance Program, a voluntary program administered by the FEMA. You can purchase flood insurance policies from state-licensed property and casualty insurance agents who you deal with for other property insurance needs, or visit www.floodsmart.gov to locate an agent.

New Flood Maps Show Updated Flood Risks Throughout Upper Chattahoochee River Region

FEMA and MEMA’s Community Relations Teams Reach Out to Mississippi Disaster Survivors

ATLANTA – Teams of federal and state disaster recovery professionals are reaching out to disaster survivors in Forrest and Lamar counties to make sure they know what help is available and how to get it.

FEMA and MEMA’s Community Relations teams go door-to-door in hard-hit areas and visit churches, schools, and other community gathering places. CR teams are easily identified by FEMA photo ID badges and their blue FEMA shirts.

The goal is to identify anyone who needs help—homeowners, renters, business owners, eligible nonprofit agencies and faith-based organizations—and explain how to register for assistance. This includes people with disabilities, those with access and functional needs, seniors, and people with limited English proficiency.

“Recovering from a disaster is difficult,” said State Coordinating Officer Robert Latham. “But state, federal, local partners along with voluntary and faith-based organizations are working together to make sure that all disaster survivors receive the assistance they need.”

Registering with the Federal Emergency Management Agency is the only way survivors can get federal disaster aid.

“We try to make it simple for survivors to get the help they need. They can register online, by phone, or web-enabled devices” said Federal Coordinating Officer Terry Quarles.

FEMA registration can be done:

Online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov any time day or night.
By phone or video relay at 800-621-FEMA (3362) daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time. Help is available in many languages.
By TTY at 800-462-7585.
C-Spire Wireless customers can register by calling #362.
By web-enabled mobile devices at m.fema.gov. Select “Disaster Survivor” then “Apply Online for FEMA Assistance.”

Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service, call 1-800-621-3362.

If there is limited access to phones or the internet, CR teams also can help survivors register for aid.

Once registered, survivors may be eligible for temporary housing, basic home repairs and other serious disaster-related needs. They also may be eligible for low-interest disaster loans.

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

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FEMA and MEMA’s Community Relations Teams Reach Out to Mississippi Disaster Survivors

The Great Central U.S. ShakeOut helps Alabama Prepare for Earthquakes

ATLANTA – In two days, more than 2.5 million people are expected to participate in the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut earthquake drill.

The ShakeOut will be held Thursday, February 7 at 10:15 a.m. local time. It is a multi-state earthquake drill for millions of people to simultaneously practice the recommended response to earthquake shaking:

DROP to the ground
Take COVER by getting under a sturdy desk or table, and
HOLD-ON to it until the shaking stops

Although people living in this part of the country haven’t experienced many earthquakes, scientists estimate that there is a 25-40 percent probability of a damaging earthquake occurring in the central U.S. within a 50-year timeframe.

“The only way to be prepared for an earthquake is to practice,” says Alabama Emergency Management Agency Director Art Faulkner. “This ShakeOut drill is the perfect opportunity for families, schools and churches to review and practice their plan of action if an earthquake occurs.”

Thursday’s drill marks the anniversary of the last of the powerful New Madrid earthquakes, a series of at least three magnitude 7-8.0 quakes that struck in the winter of 1811-12 and affected many parts of this region. If it happened today, an earthquake would cause injury and loss of life, and widespread damage and disruption to the nation’s economy and built environment.

Anyone can sign up to participate in Thursday’s drill at shakeout.org/centralus. The website offers many resources for participants to use including:

Drill Manuals
Audio and Video Drill Broadcasts
Earthquake Scenarios and more

The Great Central U.S. ShakeOut is coordinated by the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium, its Member and Associate States, FEMA, the U.S. Geological Survey and many other partners. States participating include Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee.

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The Great Central U.S. ShakeOut helps Alabama Prepare for Earthquakes

The Great Central U.S. ShakeOut helps Kentucky Prepare for Earthquakes

ATLANTA – In two days, more than 2.5 million people are expected to participate in the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut earthquake drill.

DROP to the ground
Take COVER by getting under a sturdy desk or table, and
HOLD-ON to it until the shaking stops

Kentucky Emergency Management Director John Heltzel said, “Earthquakes cannot be predicted and can occur anywhere at any time, which is why it is important to know what to do when one occurs. The ShakeOut is a great opportunity for people, and families, to practice and prepare.”

Anyone can sign up to participate in Thursday’s drill at shakeout.org/centralus. The website offers many resources for participants to use including:

Drill Manuals
Audio and Video Drill Broadcasts
Earthquake Scenarios and more

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The Great Central U.S. ShakeOut helps Kentucky Prepare for Earthquakes

FEMA Urges Southeast and Mid-Atlantic Residents to Monitor Conditions and Be Prepared for Severe Weather

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency, through its regional offices in Chicago, Atlanta, Denton, Texas; Philadelphia, New York, and Boston, is closely monitoring the storm system that is forecast to affect the upper Ohio Valley southward to the central Gulf Coast and eastward to the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast coast.

FEMA has been in touch with its state counterparts, and also is in close contact with federal partners at the National Weather Service. The severe weather is forecast to include the threat of widespread damaging winds, along with the possibility of tornadoes, through the evening and overnight hours.

Although there have been no requests for federal assistance at this time, FEMA encourages all individuals in areas where severe weather is expected to monitor NOAA Weather Radio, and local news for severe weather updates and warnings and to always follow the direction provided by local officials. When natural disasters like severe weather and tornadoes strike, the first responders are local emergency and public works personnel, volunteers, humanitarian organizations, and numerous private interest groups who provide emergency assistance required to protect the public’s health and safety and to meet immediate human needs.

Everyone should become familiar with the terms used to identify a severe weather hazard and discuss with your family what to do if a watch or warning is issued. Some of the more common terms used to describe severe weather and tornado hazards include the following:

Severe Thunderstorm Watch – Tells you when and where severe thunderstorms are likely to occur. Watch the sky and stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio or television for information.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning – Issued when severe weather has been reported by spotters or indicated by radar. Warnings indicate imminent danger to life and property to those in the path of the storm.

Tornado Watch – Tornadoes are possible. Remain alert for approaching storms. Watch the sky and stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio or television for information.

Tornado Warning – A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Take shelter immediately.

For a complete listing of weather-related forecasts in your area, visit www.weather.gov

If you are in an area that is in the track of the storm system but has not yet been affected by the severe weather, it’s never too early to prepare:

Keep up to date with local conditions – Follow TV and radio reports from your area, or visit www.weather.gov (http://mobile.weather.gov on your phone) for the latest forecast.
Check your family’s emergency supply kit – Make sure you have food, water, medications, and other necessities to sustain you and your family for at least 72 hours. This includes a battery-powered radio, flashlight, extra batteries, cell phone charger, medicines, non-perishable food, and first aid supplies.
Listen to the instructions of local officials. Local officials make decisions on sheltering in place or going to your pre-designated safe meeting location.

For more information on severe weather and tornado preparedness tips, visit www.ready.gov or www.listo.gov to find out how you can protect your family during emergencies.

Follow FEMA online at blog.fema.gov, 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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FEMA Urges Southeast and Mid-Atlantic Residents to Monitor Conditions and Be Prepared for Severe Weather

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

Resolve to be Ready in Georgia, 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.

In Georgia, 2012 was active with disasters as tornados, flooding, tropical storms and a record-breaking heat wave plagued the state.

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

“Research from our Ready Georgia campaign shows more Georgians are prepared for emergencies and disasters than ever before. Although these gains are modest at best, they do show positive trends and movement in the right direction. But, much work remains to be done. That’s why we ask all residents, families and businesses to make disaster preparedness one of their 2013 resolutions,” said GEMA/Homeland Security Director Charley English.

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.

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

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

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

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

“While Florida is known as the most hurricane-prone state in the nation, there are an abundance of severe weather threats that require all Floridians to be prepared year-round,” said FDEM Director Bryan W. Koon. “Making emergency preparedness a resolution for your family or business is a great way to get motivated and be prepared for whatever 2013 may bring to the Sunshine State.”

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.

To learn more about severe weather in Florida, and to Get A Plan!, visit www.FloridaDisaster.org or www.kidsgetaplan.com, and follow FDEM on Twitter at @FLSERT, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/FloridaSERT and on Google+ at FLSERT.

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

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