PENSACOLA, Fla. – Survivors of the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding in Jackson County have until 6 p.m. Saturday, June 7, to visit the registration intake center.

The State Emergency Response Team and the Federal Emergency Management Agency closely monitor visits by disaster survivors at all centers. The center will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through June 7.

Even though the registration intake center is closing, survivors will still be able to contact FEMA online at DisasterAssistance.gov via smartphone at m.fema.gov, or by phone at 800-621-3362; TTY 800-462-7585.  Multilingual operators are available.

Survivors may also visit any of the open disaster recovery centers currently open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., in the following locations:

Escambia County

Brownsville Community Center

3100 W. DeSoto St.

Pensacola, FL 32505

Okaloosa County

Senior Centerview Parks & Recreation

205 Stillwell Blvd.

Crestview, FL 32536

Santa Rosa County

Gulf Breeze Recreation Center

800 Shoreline Drive

Gulf Breeze, FL 32561

Walton County

Community Church of Santa Rosa Beach

3524 U.S. 98

Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

For more information on Florida disaster recovery, click fema.gov/disaster/4177. Visit the Florida Division of Emergency Management website at FloridaDisaster.org or Facebook page at facebook.com/FloridaSERT.

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

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.

 

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Survivors Have Until Saturday to Visit the Registration Intake Center in Jackson County

PENSACOLA, Fla. – There are still four disaster recovery centers and one registration intake center open to assist survivors of the recent severe storms and flooding in Escambia, Jackson, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties.

The hours of operation for the disaster recovery centers and registration intake center, this week, are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Center locations are:

Escambia County

Brownsville Community Center

3100 W. DeSoto St.

Pensacola, FL 32505

Okaloosa County

Senior Centerview Parks & Recreation

205 Stillwell Blvd.

Crestview, FL 32536

Santa Rosa County

Gulf Breeze Recreation Center

800 Shoreline Drive

Gulf Breeze, FL 32561

Walton County

Community Church of Santa Rosa Beach

3524 US 98

Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

 

Registration Intake Center:

Jackson County

City of Marianna Fire Station No. 2

3990 Kynesville Highway

Marianna, FL 32448

If possible, survivors should register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency before going to a recovery center. Survivors in Escambia, Jackson, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties can register for disaster assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov, or by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. central time and assistance is available in multiple languages.

For more information on Florida disaster recovery, click fema.gov/disaster/4177. Visit the Florida Division of Emergency Management website at FloridaDisaster.org or Facebook page at facebook.com/FloridaSERT.

# # #

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.

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.

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Disaster Recovery Centers Open to Help Survivors

LINCROFT, N.J. – Beach, softball and picnic season offers lots of opportunities for outdoor fun.

Most of us look forward to these sunny day celebrations all year, but unfortunately Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate.

Most of us have had the experience of being outdoors when we feel the first few drops of rain on our shoulders, hear rumbles of thunder in the sky or spot a flash of lightning in the distance.

Many of us heard as children that it’s possible to gauge how far away thunder and lightning storm is by counting the seconds between the sound of thunder and the appearance of lightning in the sky.

Scientists say that there is truth to that assumption. While the speed of sound changes depending on the temperature and the amount of humidity in the air, it can reasonably be estimated to travel at approximately 1,200 feet per second or approximately one mile in five seconds.

Counting the seconds after you see the first lightning bolt in the sky, you can estimate how far away it is by using this rough measure. If 10 seconds pass before you heard thunder, then the source of the lightning is approximately 2 miles away.

Safety experts advise abiding by the 30/30 lightning rule: Go indoors if, after seeing lightning, you can’t count to 30 before hearing thunder, and stay indoors for 30 minutes after you hear the last clap of thunder.

Remember, lightning is both unpredictable and dangerous. Between 1950 and 2012, more than 4,000 Americans were killed by lightning.

The top three states for lightning fatalities are Florida, with 468 deaths between 1959 and 2012; Texas, with 215 deaths between 1959 and 2012, and North Carolina, with 194 fatal strikes

While lightning may be less frequent in other states, it is no less deadly when it strikes. From 1959-2012, 74 New Jerseyans were killed by lightning.

The riskiest time of day for lightning strikes is during summer afternoons and evenings.

If you are caught outside during a sudden thunder and lightning event, get inside a building or take shelter in a hard-top (not a convertible) automobile. 

Keep in mind that, contrary to common folklore, rubber-soled shoes and rubber tires provide no protection from lightning. It is the steel frame of an automobile that provides some protection, not its rubber tires. Although you may still be at risk of injury inside an automobile, you are safer there than you would be out in the open.

If you are in an open area without shelter, go to a low place such as a ravine or valley. Be alert for flash floods.

If you are in a forest when a storm approaches, seek shelter in a low area under a thick growth of small trees.

If you feel your hair stand on end, which indicates that lightning is about to strike, squat low to the ground on the balls of your feet, put your hands over your ears and put your head between your knees in order to make yourself as small a target as possible. It’s important to minimize your contact with the ground. Do not lie flat on the ground.

Remember:  Your chances of being struck by lightning are about 1 in 600,000 – but it does happen.

Before you make plans for the beach, ball game or picnic, check the weather report  to see whether there is a Severe Thunderstorm Watch or Severe Thunderstorm Warning for your area.

By taking a few precautions, you can substantially reduce your risk of being injured by lightning and enjoy all that summer has to offer.

For more information about protecting yourself during lightning and thunder storms, go to www.ready.gov.

http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4086/updates/sandy-one-year-later
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

Visit source: 

Beware Those Uninvited Guests at Picnics and Beach Excursions: Thunder and Lightning Can Be Dangerous

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Additional disaster recovery centers are now open in Okaloosa and Walton counties to assist Florida Panhandle survivors affected by the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding.

The disaster recovery centers will be open until 5 p.m. today, Saturday, May 17, and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 18.

Beginning Monday, May 19, the centers will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sundays. The centers are located at:

Okaloosa County

Senior Centerview Parks and Recreation

205 Stillwell Blvd.

Crestview, FL 32536

 

Walton County

Community Church of Santa Rosa Beach

3524 U.S. 98

Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

Specialists from the State Emergency Response Team, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration will be on hand to answer questions. Survivors will be able to:

Discuss their individual disaster-related needs.

  • Submit any additional documentation needed, such as occupancy or ownership verification documents and letters from insurance companies.
  • Find out the status of an application.
  • Obtain information about different types of state and federal assistance.
  • Get help from SBA specialists in completing low-interest disaster loan applications for homeowners, renters and business owners.
  • Receive referrals to the American Red Cross and other voluntary organizations to help with immediate disaster-related needs.

Before going to a center, if possible, survivors should register with FEMA. Apply for assistance by registering online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone at m.fema.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362. Survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability can call (TTY) 800-462-7585.

Disaster assistance may include money to help pay for temporary housing and essential home repairs. Low-interest SBA loans may also be available for losses not covered by insurance or other sources.

For more information on Florida disaster recovery, click fema.gov/disaster/4177. Visit the Florida Division of Emergency Management website at FloridaDisaster.org or Facebook page at facebook.com/FloridaSERT.

Link:  

Disaster Recovery Centers Now Open for Survivors in Okaloosa and Walton Counties

NEW YORK — FEMA has approved more than $141 million in Hurricane Sandy assistance to fund emergency efforts and help repair and rebuild public infrastructure in Suffolk County.

To date, local, state and federal recovery officials have identified 608 projects from applicants in Suffolk County that are eligible for Public Assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The $141,230,254 million represents 90 percent of the cost of approved PA projects that will be reimbursed by FEMA. The state manages the PA program and disburses funding.

A breakdown by category of work:

         Debris Removal                                                   $   88,226,373           

         Emergency Protective Measures                         $   15,513,282

         Roads and Bridges                                              $   14,656,932

         Buildings and Equipment                                     $     3,348,296

         Utilities                                                                 $     1,053,988 

         Parks, Recreational and Other Facilities             $   18,431,381 

The Town of Babylon was awarded more than $2.5 million as a result of the damages to the Cedar Beach Marina, Overlook Beach Boardwalk, and Venetian Shores Park. 

More than $3.8 million was approved for the Town of Brookhaven for debris removal. These costs were incurred by the highway and waste management departments.

$915,791 is included in the funding for Suffolk County for permanent work that will reduce or eliminate repeat disaster damage.

PA applicants can include:

  • state agencies
  • local and county governments
  • private nonprofit organizations that own or operate facilities that provide essential government-type services

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. 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.

Link – 

$141 Million in Federal Funding Supports Suffolk County’s Sandy Recovery

NEW YORK More than $2.1 billion in federal aid has been approved to reimburse state, local and tribal governments for Sandy-related response and recovery efforts in New York one year after the devastating storm.

Public Assistance grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency reimburse local, state and tribal governments and eligible private nonprofits for eligible costs of emergency response, debris removal and repairing or rebuilding damaged public facilities. In New York, more than 2,700 grants have been approved so far.

FEMA’s cost-share Public Assistance program reimburses 90 percent of eligible costs. The remaining 10 percent comes from nonfederal funds. The state forwards the federal reimbursement to the eligible local governments or organizations that incurred costs.

The largest single Public Assistance project to date is nearly $402 million to the New York City Department of Environmental Protection for the Rapid Repairs program that allowed survivors to remain in their storm-damaged homes while repairs were made. The work also included infrastructure repairs at the Rockaway, North River and other wastewater treatment plants, pump stations, drinking water facilities and sewers.

Other major Public Assistance obligations include:

  • Nearly $325 million to the Long Island Power Authority for repairs to overhead lines and emergency work;
  • Nearly $180 million to New York University Langone Medical Center for emergency work, including the evacuation of more than 250 patients, the restoration of critical services and facilities, the removal and disposal of asbestos-containing materials and wastewater, debris and mold, repairs, and replacement of its information technology network.
  • $130 million to the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation for emergency work, cleanup, temporary relocation, repairs and replacement of contents at various HHC facilities, including Coney Island Hospital;
  • Nearly $128 million to the New York City Police Department for evacuations, search-and-rescue operations, distribution of critical equipment, door-to-door checks, the removal of fallen trees, traffic regulation and monitoring of fuel rationing during the gas shortage caused by Sandy;
  • More than $119 million to the New York City Department of Sanitation for debris removal;
  • Nearly $115 million to Nassau County for debris removal throughout the county;
  • Nearly $58 million to the state of New York Department of Transportation for debris removal;
  • More than $31 million to Long Beach for emergency work and repairs to waste water pump stations and fire hydrants;
  • More than $31 million to the town of Hempstead for debris removal and emergency work;
  • More than $13 million to the New York City Fire Department for coordinating more than 500 swift-water boat rescues, conducting more than 1,000 evacuations, extinguishing fires, searching 3,100 homes and businesses during Hurricane Sandy’s immediate aftermath, and temporary generators for Manhattan fire stations;
  • Nearly $7 million to Long Beach Public Schools for emergency protective measures and repairs at school and administrative facilities;
  • More than $2.1 million to Long Beach Memorial Nursing Home for emergency protective measures, demolition, cleanup and flood-related repairs.

To learn more about FEMA Public Assistance in New York, visit: fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit and dhses.ny.gov/oem/recovery.

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

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A Year After Hurricane Sandy, More Than $2.1 Billion In FEMA Public Assistance Grants In New York Helps Clear Debris, Reopen Public Facilities

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 boardwaA large crane mounted on an off-shore barge deconstructs the ruins of the Jet Star rollercoaster.Seaside 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.

The skeleton of the damaged Atlantic City boardwalk overlooks a fishing boat out on the ocean.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.

Traffic cones overlooks a missing segment of the boardwalk along Sea Girt's beach.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.

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.

Originally from – 

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

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.

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.

Continue reading – 

Circumstances Dictate Approach To Shorefront Protection

TRENTON, N.J.—Wednesday, May 1 was the last day to register for FEMA disaster assistance.While registration has closed, FEMA remains active in helping New Jersey recover from Superstorm Sandy.

FEMA is available to help survivors, local governments, volunteer agencies and other interested parties continue the state’s recovery.

Applicants can stay in touch with FEMA through the Helpline, online at DisasterAssistance.gov, or at m.fema.gov on a smartphone or other web-enabled mobile devices.

For answers to disaster assistance questions, Superstorm Sandy survivors can call FEMA’s toll-free Helpline at 800-621-3362. Individuals who use TTY can call 800-462-7585; FEMA phone lines are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week; multilingual operators are available.

By calling 800-621-3362, applicants can:

  • Check the status of an application.
  • Get answers to other questions they might have about their application.
  • Find out if FEMA needs more information and provide it.
  • Receive information on the home inspection process.
  • Get answers to any question regarding insurance and its bearing on FEMA assistance.
  • Update insurance information.
  • Add or delete a person designated to speak for the applicant.
  • Learn how to appeal a FEMA application decision.

For information about their applications for SBA disaster assistance loans, survivors can call 800-659-2955 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Deaf or those who have difficulty hearing may call 1-800-877 8339.

Survivors also can also visit one of the SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Centers located in Brick, Jersey City, Mays Landing, Ocean City, Toms River and Union Beach. The centers are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturdays.

State and federal officials continue to work as partners in the ongoing effort to repair and rebuild public infrastructure.

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.

Link:  

While Registration Has Closed, FEMA Remains Active In Helping New Jersey Recover

NEW YORK – The disaster recovery center in Long Beach, N.Y., currently staffed by state and federal specialists, will become a disaster loan outreach center operated by the U.S. Small Business Administration beginning at 9 a.m., Saturday, April 13.

Hurricane Sandy survivors in New York have until 8 p.m. Friday, April 12, to visit the disaster recovery center at the Recreation Center and Ice Arena, 700 Magnolia Blvd., Long Beach, N.Y., 11561.

A disaster recovery center typically meets the more immediate concerns of survivors, while a disaster loan outreach center focuses on funds needed for long-term rebuilding and recovery.

At an SBA disaster loan outreach center, homeowners, renters and businesses will be able to talk individually with SBA representatives. Visitors can ask questions about SBA low-interest disaster loans, get help filling out a loan application and submit completed applications.

No one is required to accept a loan, but returning a completed application could lead to other assistance from FEMA.

SBA disaster assistance includes:

  • Home Disaster Loans – Loans to homeowners to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate or personal property. Renters are eligible for personal property losses, including automobiles.
  • Business Disaster Loans – Loans to businesses to repair or replace disaster-damaged property, including real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery and equipment. Businesses of any size may apply. Certain private, nonprofit organizations may also be eligible.

The outreach center will operate 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Survivors can obtain more information about the low-interest SBA disaster loan by calling 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 TTY). Survivors can download SBA loan applications at www.sba.gov or apply online at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Survivors who need to visit a disaster recovery center may do so at any of the other centers that remain open throughout New York.

To find the nearest center, the following options are available: Text DRC and a Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA), and a text message will be sent back with the address. Also, the disaster recovery center locator is available at FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers.

Individuals also can find a recovery center – and register for FEMA help – at DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet by going to m.fema.gov or by downloading the FEMA app.

Survivors who have questions or want to register with FEMA can also call the helpline, 800-621-3362 (Voice, 7-1-1/Relay) or (TTY) 800-462-7585. The toll-free telephone numbers operate 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. EDT, seven days a week until further notice.

Hurricane Sandy survivors in New York have until Saturday, April 13, to register for possible federal disaster assistance, which can include money for rent, essential home repairs, personal property losses and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

Originally posted here: 

N.Y. disaster recovery center to become SBA disaster loan outreach center

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