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In Disaster Recovery, Volunteer Efforts are Priceless

LINCROFT, N.J. — From mucking out homes to hanging drywall; from providing cleaning supplies to delivering food and financial assistance, volunteers and charitable organizations from around the nation have worked diligently to help residents of hard-hit New Jersey recover from Superstorm Sandy.

At the one-year anniversary of Sandy, many of the volunteers and sponsoring organizations who lent a hand in the critical first days after the disaster are still here and still helping.

As of the end of September 2013, some 173,544 volunteers had invested more than 1 million volunteer hours in the Sandy recovery effort. The value of their contributions now totals more than $30 million.

“In a disaster such as Hurricane Sandy, the efforts of volunteers are critical to the recovery,” said Gracia Szczech, federal coordinating officer for FEMA in New Jersey. “Volunteers have made a substantial contribution to helping New Jerseyans respond and recover from the challenges they faced after Hurricane Sandy.”

While the volunteer efforts that extend across the state may appear unrelated, in reality, they are all part of a collaborative mission, participating in a massive team effort to assist survivors of Hurricane Sandy in their transition to long term recovery.

“I’ve witnessed how valuable volunteers have been,” said Lt. Joseph Geleta of the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management. “It’s very important for the OEM to partner with the volunteer community.”

As the Volunteer Agency Liaison for Sandy Recovery, Geleta works in partnership with FEMA and a coalition of volunteer organizations who are members of the NJ Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster to coordinate a network of resources to assist survivors as they rebuild their lives.

“We have established Long Term Recovery Groups to help survivors,” Geleta said. “Our goal is to try to meet those unmet needs of survivors who have exhausted all of their disaster assistance dollars and who are still in need.”

The task is a big one.

Back in 1999, in the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd, 70,000 people registered for FEMA disaster assistance. “At that time we established a Somerset County Long Term Recovery Group, and they were helping people for five years after the storm hit.”

In 2011, after Hurricane Irene, 90,000 New Jerseyans registered for disaster assistance. “We were still working on unmet needs from Irene when Sandy hit,” Geleta noted.

The number of people seeking help after Hurricane Sandy exceeded the numbers who registered after Floyd and Irene combined.

“More than 260,000 residents of New Jersey registered for disaster assistance,” Geleta said. “Clearly we expect this is going to be a very long recovery.”

During the year after Sandy, the NJVOAD coordinated and supported the volunteer efforts of more than 500 organizations.

These organizations ranged from internationally known agencies like the American Red Cross to smaller groups that regularly travel thousands of miles to assist their fellow Americans when disaster strikes.

Among those groups are the Southern Baptist Men, who applied emergency “blue roof” coverings on over 1,500 homes that had been so damaged by the hurricane that their interiors were exposed to the elements.

Other groups that provided volunteers, resources and skilled workers to Sandy survivors in New Jersey included Habitat for Humanity, Feed the Children, Lutheran Disaster Response, United Jewish Communities, the National Disaster Relief Office of the Roman Catholic Church and Mennonite Disaster Services, to name only a few.

Local churches, charities and nonprofits also worked around the clock to provide the help their neighbors needed to survive, recover and rebuild.

The Foodbank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties regularly provides more than 127,000 people with food and other services. The need for assistance increased substantially with the arrival of Sandy.

“In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Sandy we provided over 1 million meals to people who were affected by the storm,” said Marion Lynch, marketing and communications coordinator for the Foodbank. And a year after the storm, “Our work continues. We provide food and outreach services to some of the area’s most hard hit communities and support recovery efforts in both counties. We remain committed to helping our neighbors recover and we rely on a caring community to support our work.”

The American Red Cross has also been a major partner in the recovery effort.

In the weeks following the disaster, the American Red Cross’s 5,300 employees and volunteers supported 65 shelters, distributed more than 1.5 million relief items, provided more than 23,000 health and mental health contacts, and served more than 4 million meals and snacks to Sandy survivors in New Jersey.

More than 2,200 Red Cross volunteers came from around the country, working with partner groups like the Southern Baptists, Islamic Relief – USA, Team Rubicon and others to help New Jersey.

Members of the U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen Action Group, VISTA and AmeriCorps members also served as Red Cross disaster volunteers, joining members of Red Cross societies from Canada, Mexico, Saipan and other locations around the globe who were deployed throughout the state.

Red Cross volunteers contributed over 395,000 hours of service in New Jersey and millions of dollars’ worth of Sandy-specific in-kind donations flowed from generous corporate donors through the Red Cross. The agency delivered everything from batteries to baby food, food trucks to internet access, to the people of New Jersey.

Donations made by Americans around the country to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund supported the distribution of more than 47,000 Red Cross Clean-up kits and more than 28,000 Red Cross Comfort Kits in New Jersey.

“The American Red Cross continues to support residents of New Jersey in their recovery from Hurricane Sandy through a variety of programs, including grant funding to community and faith-based groups actively working to help individuals and families recover,” said Nancy Orlando, regional CEO of the American Red Cross South Jersey Region. “Additionally, through our Move-in Assistance Program, the Red Cross is providing direct financial assistance of up to $10,000 for housing-related expenses to eligible individuals whose primary homes were destroyed or made uninhabitable by Sandy. As of September, the American Red Cross has given close to $6 million to approximately 1,300 households in New Jersey through the MIAP initiative.”

While volunteer efforts have helped thousands of New Jerseyans repair, rebuild and recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy, many residents still need help. NJVOAD has been working since before the disaster struck to coordinate and deploy volunteer resources where they are needed.

LTRGs continue to serve survivors in the following locations: Atlantic County, Atlantic City, Bergen County, Camden County, Cape May County, Cumberland County, Essex County/Ironbound, Gloucester/Salem Counties, Hudson County, Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Morris County, Ocean County and Somerset County

“They are all working hard to help people in their communities,” said Cathy McCann, chair of NJVOAD. “NJVOAD has been hosting six regularly scheduled coordination calls among the different LTRGs so that they can share challenges, successes and support one another and that we can speak as a united group on any issues we see on a statewide basis. The different coordination calls are Case Management, Volunteers, Construction, Donations, Emotional and Spiritual Care.

This week we have asked Church World Service to come in and do four workshops on how cases can flow through the Long Term Recovery process. We have over 200 people scheduled to participate in these workshops. Sometimes it is hard to believe it is a year already and other times it feels like we should be further along, there have been many challenges, and many organizations that have not traditionally worked together are learning to do so, and are finding that we all need to work together to help people recover.”

If you or someone you know is still in need of assistance with a Hurricane-Sandy related problem, help is available via the web at www.Ready.gov and http://www.state.nj.us/njoem/programs/sandy_recovery.html

Survivors may also find information and access resources by calling 2-1-1 or via the web at https://www.nj211.org.

The confidential service is funded by local United Way chapters in partnership with the State Department of Human Services, the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness and the Department of Children and Families.

Resource specialists can connect New Jerseyans with community agencies for help with basic human needs such as clothing, food, shelter, rent and utilities, with special needs such as caring for an elderly or disabled person, with child care and with locating health and mental health care services

“The needs are still many,” McCann noted. “So many people are not aware of the Long Term Recovery Groups that are out there and that volunteers are available to help in the rebuilding,” McCann noted.

And as they help our neighbors in New Jersey rebuild, members of the volunteer network are reminding those who still want to help that donations of money and resources are still needed.

For information on making a donation of cash or materials, visit the National Donations Management Network on the web at www.ndmn.us/ to match your donation to the needs of the community.

Video Timeline of the Sandy Recovery Effort

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.

In Disaster Recovery, Volunteer Efforts are Priceless

One Year Later: Beaches And Boardwalks: Restoring The Jersey Shore’s Lifelines

LINCROFT, N.J. — Boardwalks are the backbone of many of New Jersey’s shore communities. Often lined with shops, amusements and restaurants, and serving as the main access points to beaches, boardwalks are the magnets that attract tourists to beach towns.

The United States’ first boardwaSeaside Heights, N.J., May 14, 2013 — Demolition of the Jet Star roller coaster in Seaside Heights, NJ was taking less time than anticipated, as debris was placed on a large barge for removal from the ocean. The roller coaster and three other attractions were plunged into the sea from the partially destroyed Casino Pier during Sandy last October. Photo by Sharon Karr/FEMAlk was built in Atlantic City in 1870. The brainchild of rail conductor Alexander Boardman and hotel owner Jacob Keim, its stated purpose was to keep visitors to the resort from tracking sand from the beach back into the hotels and onto the train cars.

For many shore towns affected by Superstorm Sandy, rebuilding the beaches and boardwalks – and rebuilding them by the start of the summer tourist season – became a top priority.

The Federal Emergency Management Authority has obligated $79 million in aid for 84 boardwalk and beach repair projects. Communities up and down the Jersey Shore employed different methods of beach replenishment and protection.

Some municipalities constructed timber bulkheads, large rock walls and/or concrete seawalls. To stabilize their dunes, some placed geotubes (tubes filled with sand and water wrapped in geotextile fabric) and gabions (wire baskets filled with large rocks) underneath the dunes. Geotubes have been used on the north end of Ocean City and along Cape May’s beaches. Gabions were used in the West Atlantic City portion of Little Egg Harbor. Officials in these and other shore communities credited those measures with protecting homes and residents from Sandy. Mantoloking and Brick Township are two communities now considering using geotubes.

Atlantic City’s boardwalk suffered its most severe damage to the section that borders Absecon Inlet, between Oriental and Maine avenues. FEMA obligated $2.5 million to repair and replace the boardwalk, ramps, railings, and lifeguard and comfort stations. A new seawall is also being built along the Absecon Inlet section of the boardwalk. Atlantic City and neighboring Ventnor will receive a combined 2 million cubic yards of sand to replenish the beaches in both communities. Brigantine used 630,000 cubic yards of sand to replenish its beach.

Atlantic City, N.J., Feb. 5, 2013 — The old boardwalk, which was severely damaged by Sandy, has been removed. Photo by Liz Roll/FEMAParts of Long Beach Island had 22-foot-high dunes and a 200-foot berm in front of coastal homes. The Sandy Disaster Relief Act will provide funds for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete the project on the whole island. Three million cubic yards of sand were dredged and pumped onto the beach. Repairs were also made to the boardwalk, sand fence and access roads at Island Beach State Park. The Corps is also making first-time beach restorations in Ship Bottom, Beach Haven and Long Beach Township, areas not protected by the original dunes and berm on the island.

Belmar’s 1.3-mile boardwalk and everything on it was destroyed by Sandy. Construction started in January and the new boardwalk opened May 22. FEMA covered $7.6 million of the $10 million cost of the project. Belmar is also designing a new $6 million dune system to protect the new boardwalk.

FEMA obligated $1.6 million for the reconstruction of Sea Girt’s boardwalk. Parts of the boardwalk that were damaged will be repaired using salvaged boards and rails. A 2,335-foot section will be rebuilt as the second phase of the project. The municipality is also rebuilding its dunes, which prevented serious damage to homes but took the brunt of the storm surge. The new dunes are expected to be more than 20 feet high.

Sea Girt, N.J., Jan. 16, 2013 — Sandy’s storm surge penetrated the boardwalk systems and there are several missing sections up and down the State’s shorelines. Photo by Adam DuBrowa/FEMASpring Lake’s boardwalk, which had been seriously damaged by Hurricane Irene in 2011, was hit again by Sandy. The storm pushed the boardwalk off its supports, damaged several support piles, and completely washed away the dunes protecting the boardwalk and town. FEMA reimbursed the borough for $4.1 million of the $5.5 million cost of rebuilding the boardwalk. The new boardwalk, made of a composite wood, was completed in April.

Seaside Heights had to take out a $14 million emergency appropriation loan to pay for essential repairs to its boardwalk and other areas after Sandy. Construction on the boardwalk began in mid-February, and a six-block section of the mile-long boardwalk was completed in early May. The main section reopened days before Memorial Day, and the $7.6 million reconstruction was completed in mid-June. Mayor William Akers has also suggested that a seawall may be built, though no decision has been made, and as a new project, it would be ineligible for FEMA funding.

Not all of the boardwalks along the shore have been restored. The older southern portion of the Long Branch boardwalk will not be rebuilt until 2014. “My goal isn’t to get it done quickly, it’s to make sure it is done right,” Mayor Adam Schneider said in December.

FEMA is covering $6.2 million of the $8.2 million cost of various repair projects in Long Branch, including completely rebuilding the southern section and repairing damage to the northern section. While the newer northern section, including Pier Village and the Long Branch Promenade, did not escape Sandy unscathed, Schneider said that section of boardwalk was designed to survive a hurricane, “and it did.”

Video-links: Long Beach Island, NJ Beach Replenishment, Roller Coaster Removed From Ocean,
New Jersey Bird Environment After Sandy

Next, the One Year Later series examines the restoration of the Atlantic Highlands Harbor, a vital link to lower Manhattan.

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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One Year Later: Beaches And Boardwalks: Restoring The Jersey Shore’s Lifelines

Circumstances Dictate Approach To Shorefront Protection

LINCROFT, N.J. — With the most developed and densely populated coastline in the country, New Jersey has communities along the Shore that are discovering the numerous ways to protect lives and property when storm clouds gather off the coast.

Yet, not all beach protection methods are the same. Not all of them will stop an ocean hell-bent on raging into the community.

Rock walls, geotubes, sand dunes and gabions are options for reducing the risk of damage during storms. But which one is best?

“You can’t say one is better than the other. Different site or community circumstances play into which protection measure a community may want or need to provide the protection they expect,” said Michael Foley, group supervisor with the mitigation branch of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

In New Jersey, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’Philadelphia and New York districts are managing several projects that will deposit about 15 million cubic yards of sand on beaches along the Atlantic coast. Another 875,000 cubic yards will be deposited along the south shore of Raritan Bay near Keansburg. That’s almost 800,000 dump trucks of sand – a single dump truck holds about 20 cubic yards. The projects are 100 percent funded under the Hurricane Sandy Relief Bill.

Sand dunes, mounds of dry sand built up naturally by wind and vegetation, are important first lines of defense against coastal storms, acting as a buffer to reduce losses to inland coastal development. Dune grasses anchor the dunes with their roots, helping to trap the sand, and also have the ability to grow new stalks up through layers of sand.

“For most areas along the oceanfront, beach fill represents the most cost-effective and least environmentally intrusive method to reduce risk from storm damage,” said Stephen Rochette, spokesman for the Corps’ Philadelphia District, which is constructing a dune and berm beach fill to restore four miles of Long Beach Island.

In 2010, the Corps built 22-foot dunes on parts of Long Beach Island, specifically Harvey Cedars, Surf City and Brant Beach. After Superstorm Sandy hit last October, the Hurricane Sandy Relief Bill provided the funding to restore the dunes in the three communities to full design level. The project illustrated the value of sand dunes.

Harvey Cedars “sustained very minimal damage mostly because the dunes were in place to protect it against the storm,” said Keith Watson, the Corps’ project manager on the Long Beach Island dune project. “The dunes really did their job.”

Geologists study the ocean bottom sediment to locate potential sources of suitable beach sand. Not all sand is the same. Grain size variation within the sediment is a critical factor in designing a stable beach, according to the New Jersey Geological Survey.

The Corps further conducts an analysis to determine the method and scope of a beach nourishment project.

“We look at a 50-year economic period and we run all the potential storms and combinations of storms that can occur over that time frame and look at the damages reduced from each design – big dunes, small dunes, flat berms, structures,” Watson said. “We choose the plan that maximizes the net benefits – that is, the damages prevented versus the costs.”

Wave action, tidal action and storms move sediment from one place to another. According to the Coastal Research Center’s website at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, “the total absence of bedrock along the shoreline means that all the oceanfront is vulnerable to be removed and redeposited elsewhere over relatively short periods of time.”

Long Beach Island communities on either end of the Corps’ beach restoration project saw significant damage from Sandy. Tidal surges washed the beaches right across the island, depositing sand up and down streets and yards. Some beachfront homes were washed off their foundations, some were left teetering after sand beneath the structures washed away.

But damage was less severe in areas of the island that were protected behind the sand dunes. “Superstorm Sandy came along and really vindicated what we’re doing and (illustrates) that our design is the right one for this island,” Watson said.

Along New Jersey’s 127 miles of coastline, communities have constructed timber bulkheads, large rock walls and concrete seawalls. To stabilize their dunes, some Shore communities have placed geotubes and gabions underneath the dunes. Geotubes are filled with sand and water, and wrapped in an ultra-strong geotextile fabric. Gabions are wire baskets filled with large rocks.

Geotubes have been used on the north end of Ocean City and along Cape May beaches; gabions in the West Atlantic City portion of Little Egg Harbor. Those measures were credited with protecting the communities from significant damage during Sandy.

Stockton College will host the 2013 conference of the Northeast Shore and Beach Preservation Association Sept. 9-11.

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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Circumstances Dictate Approach To Shorefront Protection

Now is the Time to Prepare for the 2013 Hurricane Season

LINCROFT, N.J. — With the 2013 hurricane season less than a month away, now is the time to update or make a disaster preparedness plan for yourself and your family. The Federal Emergency Management Agency urges all New Jerseyans to assemble a disaster preparedness kit, make a plan and be informed of the risks before the start of the hurricane season.

The Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June to November, with the peak season from mid-August to late October.

“Every family should have supplies ready to shelter in place for 72 hours following a hurricane, or any other disaster,” Federal Coordinating Officer Gracia Szczech said. “We are asking everyone to check their kits, or make a kit, before the start of the 2013 hurricane season.”

New Jerseyans can find information on how to build a preparedness kit at Ready.gov. The kit should include water, food, a flashlight with extra batteries and a first aid kit among other supplies.

Having an updated and accurate Family Emergency Plan is a key component to planning for hurricane season. The unique needs of family members, such as the elderly, infants, those with access and functional needs and any pets should be considered. Also, you should inquire about what plans are in place at work and schools in case of emergency. After all of the information is collected, gather your family to discuss how the plan works. Practice your plan at least twice a year and update it according to any issues that arise.

Being informed of the risks associated with hurricane season is an important part of preparedness. You should identify the hazards that are unique to your area. Local emergency management offices can help pinpoint the hazards in your area and outline the local plans and recommendations for each, which may include evacuations. Familiarize yourself with evacuation routes and how to secure your property in the event of a hurricane.

Visit www.Ready.gov, www.FEMA.gov or www.FloodSmart.gov for a detailed list of emergency supplies, as well as information on how to prepare for hurricanes and other disasters.

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Now is the Time to Prepare for the 2013 Hurricane Season

Hudson, Cape May Disaster Recovery Centers To Transition This Weekend To SBA Loan Outreach Centers

TRENTON, N.J.–Two FEMA-State disaster recovery centers will transition to Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Outreach Centers this weekend.

The disaster recovery center at the Hudson County Government Building in Jersey City will close Friday, April 26. The center at the Ocean City Community Center in Ocean City will close Saturday, April 27. Both will transition and reopen Monday morning, April 29, as SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Centers.

State and federal officials have been paying close attention to how many applicants are visiting disaster recovery centers throughout the state. Over the past weeks, the number of individuals seeking help at the Jersey City and Ocean City centers has dropped, indicating the information needs of survivors in the area have mostly been met.

SBA representatives at the Disaster Loan Outreach Center will provide homeowners, renters, business owners and nonprofit organizations with face-to-face service in answering questions about SBA’s low-interest disaster loan programs, completing loan applications, checking the status of applications and closing on SBA loans.

The SBA outreach centers will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday.

Those in the Hudson County area who want to visit a disaster recovery center can go to the Monmouth County disaster recovery center at:

Union Beach Municipal Building

650 Poole Avenue

Union Beach, NJ 07735

Those in the Cape May County area who want to visit a disaster recovery center can go to the Atlantic County disaster recovery center at:

Adjacent to Hamilton Mall

4403 Blackhorse Pike (Rt. 322)

Mays Landing, NJ 08330

Residents may choose to visit the remaining disaster recovery centers in New Jersey, located in Ocean, Atlantic and Monmouth counties. Survivors can locate the address of their nearest center by going to FEMA.gov/DRC or calling 800-621-3362.

FEMA staff is available at all the centers to provide clarification to FEMA letters, assist survivors with finding a temporary home if their primary residence was damaged or destroyed, check on the status of their application for assistance or refer survivors to other agencies that may provide additional help.

Also, survivors can consult with Small Business Administration customer service representatives about low-interest disaster loans to repair or rebuild their home and FEMA mitigation specialists about cost-effective rebuilding and repair techniques to reduce property damage in future disasters.

Survivors are reminded that May 1, 2013 is the last day to register for federal disaster assistance with FEMA.

Survivors can register online and check on the status of their applications at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov. They also can call 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services can call 800-621-3362.

For more information about the SBA, call the SBA Customer Service Center from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (EDT) Monday through Friday, at 1-800-659-2955. Survivors may apply online at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Applicants also may visit the SBA Web site at sba.gov/services/disasterassistance or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

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.

SBA’s Disaster Assistance Program provides long term, low-interest loans to homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes. For more information, visit www.sba.gov. All SBA’s program and services are provided on a nondiscriminatory basis.

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Hudson, Cape May Disaster Recovery Centers To Transition This Weekend To SBA Loan Outreach Centers

New Jerseyans Have Two Weeks Left To Register For FEMA Assistance

TRENTON, N.J. — Hurricane Sandy survivors who had storm-related damages in New Jersey have just two weeks left to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Residents must register for disaster assistance by midnight (EDT), May 1.

May 1 is also the deadline to return applications to the U.S. Small Business Administration for low-interest disaster loans, which are the primary source of federal funds for long-term rebuilding. Survivors can apply for an SBA disaster home or business loan by filling out an online application at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela by midnight, May 1.

Survivors who applied for federal disaster assistance are urged to stay in touch with FEMA and SBA. Applicants should notify FEMA and SBA of changes to their mailing addresses, phone numbers or email addresses.

FEMA staff is available at the disaster recovery centers to provide clarification to letters, assist survivors with finding a temporary home if their primary residence was damaged or destroyed, check on the status of applications for assistance or refer survivors to other agencies that may provide additional help.

Residents are reminded that three disaster recovery centers will transition Saturday, April 20, and reopen Monday, April 22, as Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Outreach Centers.

The DRCs transitioning are located at the Henry Hudson Trail Activity Center in Leonardo, the Little Egg Harbor Senior Center in Little Egg Harbor Township and the Ocean County Southern Resource Center in Manahawkin.

Residents may choose to visit the remaining disaster recovery centers in New Jersey, located in Ocean, Cape May, Hudson, Atlantic and Monmouth counties. Survivors can locate the address of their nearest center by going to FEMA.gov/DRC or calling 800-621-3362.

As of April 15, more than $384 million in grants has been approved for home repairs or replacement, rental assistance and other needs. Another $718.9 million in SBA low-interest disaster loans has been approved for more than 10,900 homes and businesses.

For more information about the SBA, call the SBA Customer Service Center from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (EDT) Monday through Friday, at 800-659-2955 OR TTY 800-877-8339. Survivors may apply online at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Applicants also may visit the SBA Web site at sba.gov/services/disasterassistance or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

Additional resources are available online at FEMA.gov/SandyNJ and SBA.gov/Sandy.

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.

Link:

New Jerseyans Have Two Weeks Left To Register For FEMA Assistance

Two Weeks Left To Register For Federal Disaster Assistance

TRENTON, N.J. — Hurricane Sandy survivors who had storm-related damages in New Jersey have just two weeks left to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Federal disaster assistance applications are due by Monday, April 1.

April 1 is also the deadline to return applications to the U.S. Small Business Administration for low-interest disaster loans, which is the primary source of federal funds for long-term rebuilding. Survivors can apply for an SBA disaster home or business loans by filling out an online application at DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ela.

Survivors can register online and check on the status of their applications at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov. They also can call 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services can call 800-621-3362. Recovery assistants remain available daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

There are nine disaster recovery centers open in Atlantic, Cape May, Hudson, Monmouth and Ocean counties. FEMA staff is available at the centers to provide clarification to letters, assist survivors with finding a temporary home if their primary residence was damaged or destroyed, check on the status of applications for assistance or refer survivors to other agencies that may provide additional help. Survivors can locate their nearest center by going to FEMA.gov/DRC.

Survivors can ask questions about their SBA disaster home or business loan applications by calling 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339 or emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

Additional resources are available online at FEMA.gov/SandyNJ and SBA.gov/Sandy.

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.

Link:

Two Weeks Left To Register For Federal Disaster Assistance

Last Chance To Visit Atlantic City Recovery Center

TRENTON, N.J. — The disaster recovery center at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City will close Thursday, Feb. 14, at 7 p.m.

State and federal officials have been paying close attention to how many applicants are visiting centers throughout the state. Over the past weeks, the number of individuals seeking help at the Atlantic City center has dropped, indicating the information needs of survivors in the area have mostly been met.

Those who want to visit a disaster recovery center in the Atlantic City area can go to the Mays Landing or Ocean City centers at:

Hamilton Mall Ocean City Community Center

4403 Blackhorse Pike 1735 Simpson Ave.

Mays Landing, NJ 08330 Ocean City, NJ 08226

Since the Atlantic City disaster recovery center opened Nov. 8, 2012, there have been more than 5,400 visits from Hurricane Sandy survivors.

Help and information are always available online or by phone. Survivors can check on the status of their disaster assistance applications at DisasterAssistance.gov, by using a smartphone or tablet at m.FEMA.gov, or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), TTY 800-462-7585 or 711/VRS. They also can call those numbers to inquire about rental recertification.

They can ask questions about their Small Business Administration disaster home or business loan applications by calling 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339 or emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

Additional resources are available online at FEMA.gov/SandyNJ and SBA.gov/Sandy.

Survivors who have questions about flood insurance claims and the appeals process can call toll-free 855-336-2002.

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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Last Chance To Visit Atlantic City Recovery Center

FEMA Specialists Provide Free Repair and Rebuilding Advice

TRENTON, N.J. — Getting free advice on how to repair or rebuild your home to minimize future disaster damage is as easy as visiting your local home improvement store. Specialists from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will offer their expertise on building techniques that can help protect your home, business or other property.

This free service also offers information and publications on topics such as:

Ridding a home of mold and mildew.
Understanding flood- and wind-resistant building methods.
Knowing the benefits of flood insurance.
Elevating or anchoring utilities.

FEMA specialists are available daily from Tuesday, Feb. 12, to Friday, Feb. 15, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 16, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the following home improvement stores:

Atlantic County—Home Depot, 421 Absecon Blvd., Absecon, NJ 08201
Hudson County—Lowe’s, 400 Bayonne Crossing Way, Bayonne, NJ 07002
Monmouth County—Lowe’s, 118 Highway 35, Eatontown, NJ 07724
Monmouth County—Home Depot, 310 Highway 36, West Long Branch, NJ 07764
Middlesex County—Home Depot, 373 Route 9, Woodbridge, NJ 07095
Middlesex County—Home Depot, 1090 Route 9, Old Bridge, NJ 08857
Union County—Home Depot, 399-443 Springfield Ave., Newark, NJ 07103

For additional information on rebuilding stronger, visit fema.gov/SandyNJ and click on “Mitigation Resources.”

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:

FEMA Specialists Provide Free Repair and Rebuilding Advice

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.

View original post here:

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

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