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Floridian Survivors: FEMA Speaks Your Language

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Language is not a barrier to receiving federal disaster assistance. If you or someone you know wants to apply for assistance in a language other than English, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) probably can provide a translator or interpreter in your language.

More than 27 percent of Floridians speak a language other than English in their homes, with Spanish the most common, according to recent Census Bureau data.

FEMA has many ways to meet survivors’ language needs. Many FEMA employees are bilingual or multilingual and can assist survivors in their primary language during encounters in communities, at Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) or at public meetings.

As Disaster Survivors Assistance Teams canvass neighborhoods in designated counties, they take special note of language needs and work with non-English speaking survivors to help them register. They are equipped with iPads that translate into languages that survivors understand.

Survivors can register for FEMA assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov. or by calling 800-621-3362, where they can speak with an employee fluent in their language. However, it is helpful if someone who speaks English can assist the survivor when calling FEMA. The toll free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

In the wake of hurricanes Hermine and Matthew, FEMA has provided Floridians with translations in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Chinese, Vietnamese, Portuguese, Burmese, Arabic, Korean and German.

All Disaster Recovery Centers are accessible and equipped with tools to accommodate survivors who need disability-related communication aids. Each center provides communication accessibility tools for people with communication disabilities. An American Sign Language interpreter can be available by appointment at the Disaster Recovery Center when you visit.

Survivors who are deaf, hard-of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call

800-462-7585 to register. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS) may call 800-621-3362.

For more information on Florida’s disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4283, twitter.com/femaregion4, facebook.com/FEMA, and fema.gov/blog, floridadisaster.org or #FLRecovers. For imagery, video, graphics and releases, see www.fema.gov/Hurricane-Matthew.

Floridian Survivors: FEMA Speaks Your Language

Speaking the Language of Louisiana Flood Survivors

Baton Rouge, La. – The population of Louisiana traces its origins back in many directions, with Spanish and French influences dominating. Along the coast, more recent arrivals may speak primarily Vietnamese or other languages.

In fact, it’s estimated that more than 70,000 residents of the 35 parishes designated for federal disaster assistance speak a language other than English. According to census data, the four most prevalent non-English languages spoken in parishes designated for federal assistance are Spanish, French, Chinese and Vietnamese.

However, language is not a barrier to receiving FEMA disaster assistance.

If you or someone you know is non-English speaking, let them know that FEMA has many ways to meet the language needs of survivors. For instance, many FEMA employees are bilingual or multilingual and are able to assist survivors in their primary language during normal encounters in communities, at Disaster Recovery Centers or at public meetings.

As FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams canvass neighborhoods in designated parishes, they take special note of language needs and work with non-English speaking survivors to help them register.

When a Louisiana resident desires to register for FEMA assistance by phoning 800-621-3362, they can speak with a FEMA employee fluent in their language. However, it is helpful if someone who speaks English can assist the disaster survivor when placing the FEMA call.

American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting services also are available for disaster survivors who are Deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use TTY to call 800-462-7585 to register. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service or require accommodations while visiting a Disaster Recovery Center may call 800-621-3362. All disaster recovery centers are accessible and equipped with tools to accommodate disaster survivors who need disability-related communication aids.

ASL interpreters are available at Disaster Recovery Centers open in many places throughout Louisiana; they also are on hand at public meetings where FEMA speakers appear.

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We urge everyone to continue to use caution in areas where floodwaters remain. Monitor DOTD’s www.511la.org website for updated road closure information. Look for advisories from your local authorities and emergency managers. You can find the latest information on the state’s response at www.emergency.la.gov. GOHSEP also provides information on Facebook and Twitter. You can receive emergency alerts on most smartphones and tablets by downloading the new Alert FM App. It is free for basic service. You can also download the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find other information at www.getagameplan.org.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800)877-8339.

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Speaking the Language of Louisiana Flood Survivors

Four Weeks Left to Apply for Disaster Assistance

Saipan – Only one month remains for Saipan homeowners, renters, and business owners who suffered damages from Typhoon Soudelor to register. Commonwealth and federal officials are urging anyone who still needs to register to do so before the registration deadline of October 5^th.

“The deadline is only a month away and we don’t want anyone with disaster damages to miss this opportunity for assistance,” said Commonwealth Governor Eloy Inos, “Register, get into the FEMA system and let’s find out what you are eligible for.”

Individuals and households on Saipan can register with FEMA by calling 1-800-621-3362; those 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 (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.

Multilingual interpreters are available at the FEMA registration number, including Chinese, Tagalog, Japanese, and Korean.

Survivors can also apply online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.

Survivors should have the following information when they register:

· Address with zip code

· Directions to property

· Condition of your damaged home

· Insurance information, if available

· Phone number where you can be contacted

· Address where you can get mail

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

“The October 5 deadline is coming up quickly,” Federal Coordinating Officer Stephen M. DeBlasio Sr., said. “If you know someone who was affected by Typhoon Soudelor, please encourage them to take a few minutes to register with FEMA and learn how we can help them.”

Disaster assistance may include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repair and other serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance or other sources.

US Small Business Administration:

Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. SBA can also lend additional funds to businesses and homeowners to help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available to businesses regardless of any property damage.

Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.

Interest rates can be as low as 4 percent for businesses, 2.625 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 1.875 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

For information about SBA programs, applicants may call 1-800-659-2955 (TTY 1-800-877-8339).

For the latest information on CNMI’s recovery from Typhoon Soudelor, visit FEMA.gov/Disaster/4235

Original post:

Four Weeks Left to Apply for Disaster Assistance

FEMA Specialists Offer Registration Assistance in Many Languages

AURORA, Ill. – Illinois residents affected by the severe storms and flooding can get help to register for federal disaster assistance in their native language.

Bilingual and multilingual specialists with the FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams (DSATs) began canvassing neighborhoods shortly after the presidential disaster declaration to help American Sign Language (ASL) and non-English speakers understand the registration process.

Fourteen languages, other than English, are being used to communicate assistance information to those who had damages from the severe storms and flooding between April 16 and May 5: Arabic, Chinese, German, Greek, Hindi, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Tagalog, Urdu and Vietnamese. More languages will be added as the need arises. FEMA also has specialists who are fluent in ASL.

FEMA has a “Help After a Disaster” guide available in many languages and alternative formats, including large print and Braille. The brochure, which can be accessed at www.fema.gov/help-after-disaster, explains the FEMA Individual and Households Program and provides guidance on applying for assistance.

FEMA specialists provide information to multilingual media outlets and community groups across the affected areas to get the word out to residents whose primary language is not English.

“One of the main goals during a disaster recovery effort is to get the message out to everyone about the many ways FEMA can help eligible survivors,” said Federal Coordinating Officer W. Michael Moore. “That means bridging all possible communication barriers.”

Multilingual phone operators are available to help non-English speaking survivors register for disaster aid and to answer questions. After dialing the FEMA helpline, 800-621-3362, or (TTY) 800-462-7585, callers should choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) can call 800-621-3362.

Follow FEMA online at twitter.com/femaregion5, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

Media Contact: 571-408-1835

FEMA Specialists Offer Registration Assistance in Many Languages

FEMA Breaks Down Communication Barriers On The Road To Sandy Recovery

TRENTON, N.J. — Hurricane Sandy survivors in New Jersey live in one of the most culturally diverse states in the country and communicate in numerous languages. The Federal Emergency Management Agency works to reach all of them.

People with disabilities and/or access and functional needs are now the focus of the first full-scale operation by FEMA to offer ready access to valuable disaster assistance and recovery information in all disaster recovery centers.

Survivors can visit any disaster recovery center to connect with American Sign Language or Signed English interpreters either face to face by requesting it ahead of time, or in real time using Video Relay Services or Video Remote Interpreters.

Assistive listening devices, amplified phones and caption phones for survivors who are deaf or hard of hearing are available in the centers, as well as magnifying devices and printed information in Braille and large print for people who are blind or have low vision.

Teams of FEMA Community Relations specialists – armed with publications in English, Spanish, Chinese, Italian, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Urdu, French and Braille – canvassed communities affected by Hurricane Sandy. The teams are going door to door to deliver valuable recovery information and to encourage residents with damaged property to register for assistance.

To date, FEMA has translated more than a dozen disaster assistance fliers, brochures and pamphlets into 23 different languages.

Since the major disaster declaration for Hurricane Sandy, more than 650 Community Relations specialists have been in New Jersey, including more than 220 FEMA Corps members. Four dozen of these specialists were bilingual or multilingual, speaking a combined total of 24 languages including American Sign Language.

Multilingual specialists also maintain contact with media outlets whose audience consists mainly of non-English-speaking readers, listeners, or viewers. Spanish-speaking public information officers from FEMA have given dozens of interviews to Spanish-language media, appeared on radio talk shows and spoken with community groups across the affected area.

Hurricane Sandy recovery updates are available in English and Spanish on the agency’s website, which is also designed for use by people with sensory disabilities. Spanish-speaking survivors can choose to follow FEMAespanol on Twitter to receive recovery updates.

Groups, associations and businesses that have non-English-speaking members who sustained damage as a result of Hurricane Sandy and who want to know more about federal and state disaster assistance can contact FEMA’s Speakers Bureau for presentations in 13 languages, if needed. Sign language interpreters are also available.

Multilingual telephone operators are available to help non-English-speaking survivors register for disaster aid and to get their questions answered. After dialing FEMA’s helpline at 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585, callers can choose Option 3 for other languages. FEMA can provide interpretation services in 250 languages. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services can call 800-621-3362.

FEMA’s multilingual webpage at www.fema.gov/all-languages offers a wealth of disaster assistance information and Ready.gov can be viewed in 12 languages.

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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FEMA Breaks Down Communication Barriers On The Road To Sandy Recovery