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Bellaire, Texas Celebrates a Safer Community

DENTON, Texas – Residents, business and residential renters, and business owners in Bellaire, Texas can now enjoy a 5 to 15 percent reduction in flood insurance premiums because of the city’s active participation in the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS).

This means those policyholders who reside in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) will receive a 15 percent reduction on flood insurance premiums, and policyholders located outside the SFHA will enjoy a 5 percent discount.

In addition to lower premiums, the rating program helps to reduce the threat of damage from flooding, according to officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). “The flood insurance program rewards communities for implementing programs and policies that protect their residents from flooding,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “Bellaire’s higher regulatory standards, public education outreach, drainage system maintenance and effort at developing additional flood data, among other activities, have earned the city lower premiums as a CRS Class 7 Community.”

The reduction in flood insurance premiums represents an annual savings in premium costs for Bellaire policy holders and will take effect at the time a new policy is written or an effective policy is renewed. Those individuals and business owners with a Preferred Risk Policy will not receive premium rate credits under the CRS because it already has a lower premium than other policies.

The city’s participation in the program has been beneficial in many respects. In addition to the reduction in insurance premiums, local officials are more knowledgeable about floodplain management and residents are more knowledgeable about mitigation and flood insurance. The CRS program has helped make Bellaire a safer place to live, reduced the economic impact of flood hazards and saved their citizens money on flood policy premiums.

CRS is a voluntary program for National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)-participating communities. The intended goals of the CRS are to reduce flood losses; facilitate accurate insurance ratings; and to promote the awareness of flood insurance. For more information on the NFIP’s CRS program, visit http://www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program-community-rating-system.

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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. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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Bellaire, Texas Celebrates a Safer Community

Disaster Assistance Tops $110 Million One Year after Oklahoma May Tornadoes

OKLAHOMA CITY – One year after severe storms and tornadoes, including an EF-5 tornado, devastated the central region of Oklahoma, progress continues to be made for survivors and communities affected.

Millions of dollars in state and federal assistance has helped in repairing and rebuilding homes, businesses and schools damaged by the storms.

To date, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have awarded more than $15 million to eligible survivors in Canadian, Cleveland, Le Flore, Lincoln, McClain, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Oklahoma and Pottawatomie counties for rental assistance, repair or replacement of damaged homes and other disaster-related needs; the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved more than $50.9 million in low-interest disaster loans to 937 Oklahoma residents and businesses to help with their recovery; and more than $41 million in state and federal aid will pay for emergency protective measures, debris removal, and infrastructure repair and replacement in Atoka, Canadian, Cleveland, Coal, Craig, Haskell, Hughes, Latimer, Lincoln, McClain, McIntosh, Nowata, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Ottawa, Pittsburg, Pottawatomie, Pushmataha and Seminole counties.

Also, $3.5 million in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding has already been fast-tracked to support projects designed to help reduce damage in future disasters. This included residential safe room programs, warning systems and other projects.

“The spring of 2013 was a horrific time for Oklahomans, but the hard work and determination we’ve seen in only a year has been amazing,” said OEM Director Albert Ashwood. “We continue to work with FEMA, local emergency managers, other state, local and federal agencies, as well as voluntary organizations and private sector partners to help ensure the best possible recovery for these communities.”

“Oklahomans are a resilient people who come together to support one another when disaster strikes and stay together through both the short- and long-term recovery efforts,” said FEMA R6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “We were proud to work side by side with our local, state, federal, tribal, volunteer and private sector partners during this challenging time.”

The storms of May 18 to June 2, 2013 resulted in a federal disaster declaration on May 20 for Cleveland, Lincoln, McClain, Oklahoma and Pottawatomie counties, while other counties and more FEMA programs were added at later dates. Find more information on the disaster operations at www.oem.ok.gov or www.fema.gov/disaster/4117.

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The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) prepares for, responds to, recovers from and mitigates against emergencies and disasters. The department delivers service to Oklahoma cities, towns and counties through a network of more than 350 local emergency managers.

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 homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private nonprofit organizations 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.

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Disaster Assistance Tops $110 Million One Year after Oklahoma May Tornadoes

Local Emergency Managers Team Up to Get Ready Together for America’s PrepareAthon!

DENTON, Texas — Emergency managers in the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area teamed up today to get ready together in case tornadoes hit North Texas in the future.

FEMA Region 6 in Denton, the city of Denton and the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District (GCISD) conducted simultaneous tornado drills as part of a “National Day of Action” for a campaign called America’s PrepareAthon! The campaign encourages people to work collectively to be prepared personally and professionally by staying informed, creating a plan, building a kit and getting involved.

The city of Denton held a tornado drill at the main City Hall building.

“Tornados are one of our primary severe weather threats. The city of Denton was pleased to participate with FEMA Region 6 in a National Day of Action to test our tornado shelter plans. We encourage all residents to visit www.KnowWhat2do.com and learn how to be prepared for severe storms and other types of potential emergencies we are susceptible to in north central Texas,” stated Michael Penaluna, emergency management coordinator.

Grapevine-Colleyville ISD held its tornado drill at Cross Timbers Middle School.

“As a school district, we have students in our care for eight hours a day, on average, every school day. A lot can happen in that time, particularly with the weather, and we have to be ready to move entire schools or groups of schools into secure positions at a moment’s notice,” said Michele Linn, GCISD’s emergency management coordinator and director of risk management. “Practice is the key to swift action and we run drills such as these throughout the year to train students and staff on safety procedures. Having the opportunity to partner with our city emergency operations, first responders and regional experts from FEMA on today’s drill further strengthens our ties as a community and reinforces our common goal to provide safe and secure learning environments for our students and staff.”

FEMA Region 6 held its tornado drills at its campuses in Texas and Louisiana and at its disaster field offices in Oklahoma and New Mexico.

“Everyone should have a plan of action individually, for their families and their communities before a disaster strikes,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “Practicing plans like we are today makes us safer and practicing, and preparing, together – as a team – just makes good sense.”

Visit www.ready.gov/prepare for more information on America’s PrepareAthon! You can find tools to stage your own emergency preparedness drills, as well as register any preparedness activities for you or your community.

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Local Emergency Managers Team Up to Get Ready Together for America’s PrepareAthon!

FEMA Awards more than $1.2 Million for Community Safe Room in Little Elm, Texas

DENTON, Texas — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded more than $1.2 million to the state of Texas for construction of a community safe room in the city of Little Elm in Denton County, Texas.

The concrete safe room, which will also serve as a community center, will be 6,442 square feet with interior usable space of 5,025 square feet, and should provide protection from storms and tornadoes for the people of Little Elm.

FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) will pay 75 percent of the more than $1.6 million total cost for the project.

HMGP provides grants to states, and tribal and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures that reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters.

The grants also enable mitigation measures to be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster. Learn more about this assistance program online at http://go.usa.gov/D6D.

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Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/femaregion6, the R6 Preparedness website at www.fema.gov/about/regions/regionvi/updates.shtm and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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FEMA Awards more than $1.2 Million for Community Safe Room in Little Elm, Texas

FEMA Awards More Than $1.8 Million for Community Safe Rooms in Hardeman County, Texas

DENTON, Texas — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded more than $1.8 million to the state of Texas for the construction of two community safe rooms in the city of Quanah in Hardeman County, Texas.

The concrete safe rooms will also serve as community centers; they will both be 6,442 square feet in size with interior usable space of 5,025 square feet. The safe rooms will provide protection from storms and tornadoes for the people of Quanah.

FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) will pay 75 percent of the more than $2.5 million total costs for the projects.

HMGP provides grants to states, and tribal and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures that reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters.

The grants also enable mitigation measures to be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster. Learn more about this assistance program online at http://go.usa.gov/D6D.

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Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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FEMA Awards More Than $1.8 Million for Community Safe Rooms in Hardeman County, Texas

FEMA supports recovery efforts in Evans

DENVER – Since the September 2013 floods, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has provided nearly $6.6 million in Individual Assistance to Evans residents and obligated more than $1.4 million in Public Assistance to the City of Evans. At the same time, the U.S. Small Business Administration has provided more than $3.6 million in low-interest loans to 46 Evans homeowners and nine business owners.

As a part of its outreach to the citizens of Evans, FEMA Individual Assistance has provided:

Transitional Sheltering Assistance for 65 households
More than $1 million in Other Needs Assistance for nearly 200 households
Nearly $4.9 million in repair and replacement money for 248 households
More than $634,000 in rental assistance for 336 households
Manufactured housing units for 25 households
Maximum grants of $31,900 to 133 households

FEMA Public Assistance has obligated $1,437,928 for seven projects in Evans, including major road repairs and emergency measures to protect lives and property. The state and local share is $479,309, bringing the total of $1,917,237.

Projects that have been obligated include:

Repairs to sections of Brantner Road, Industrial Parkway, 40th Street, 49th Street, Trinidad Street, Salida Court, and several other roads
Overtime pay for city workers during the flooding, and salaries and lodging for a city-hired team of disaster response experts

Six additional City of Evans project worksheets are in process for a total of $2,967,313. (Federal share: $2,223,579) This includes

Repairing extensive damage to the Wastewater Treatment Plant, and at least $1 million for debris removal and repairs to Riverside Park

Funding for repairs to the Riverside Park athletic fields, playground equipment, walking trail, parking area and other facilities

In addition to the monetary assistance offered to the City of Evans:

FEMA Public Assistance meets weekly with Evans Public Works employees and has set up an office in the Evans City Hall.
FEMA National Flood Insurance Program specialists as well as the state NFIP coordinator and state mapping coordinator met with the City of Evans to discuss floodplain management and the city’s recent adoption of the Weld County Preliminary Maps. The State and FEMA will continue to work with city officials by providing additional training and technical assistance to support their floodplain management program.
FEMA Voluntary Agency Liaisons are working with Recovery Groups such as Weld Recovers to address the unmet needs of not only the citizens of Evans, but Weld County as well.
FEMA senior leadership held meetings with the City of Evans to discuss the Riverside Recreation area, a landfill discovered in the Riverside area, and two mobile home parks within the city.

Although not all of the city’s needs can be addressed by FEMA programs, Tom McCool, FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer, said in a letter addressed to Evans City Manager Aden Hogan, “I regret I do not have the authority to support all of Evans’ needs, but that does not mean every member of the FEMA team here in Colorado is not fully invested in bringing every resource the Stafford Act authorizes to bear in support of Evans.”

FEMA and the SBA have also provided assistance to the rest of Weld County. Including the assistance to Evans, Weld County has received:

More than $10 million in Individual Assistance, including nearly $7.5 million for repair and replacement money for 757 households
Maximum grants of $31,900 to 146 households in Weld County.
Transitional Sheltering Assistance for 106 households
Manufactured housing units for 30 households
More than $1.1 million in rental assistance for 636 households
Nearly $1.5 million in Other Needs Assistance for 342 households
Nearly $10 million from the SBA including more than $8.7 million in low-interest home loans and nearly $1.2 million in business loans in Weld County
Nearly $4.5 million in obligations from FEMA Public Assistance, including:
- More than $3.2 million in road and bridge repairs
- More than $900,000 in protective measures
- More than $240,000 in public utility repairs
- More than $22,000 in debris removal

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FEMA supports recovery efforts in Evans

Six Months After Deadly Tornadoes, Winter Weather Preparedness Day Reminds Oklahomans to Stay Ready for Severe Weather

OKLAHOMA CITY – Nearly six months after the start of deadly tornadoes that struck the state, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) and FEMA urge Oklahomans to continue to stay prepared for severe weather.

During this time of year, that means being ready for hazardous winter weather conditions. Wednesday, Nov. 13 is Winter Weather Preparedness Day in Oklahoma. As we near the winter weather season, this is a time for Oklahomans to become prepared for freezing temperatures and the snow and ice that may accompany them.

Travel

Before traveling, prepare your vehicle:

• Pack blankets, emergency food and water, flashlights, a radio and a cell phone with extra batteries in case you and your family become stranded due to weather.
• Make sure you have plenty of fuel; a good rule of thumb is to keep your fuel tank at least half full.
• Check antifreeze, washer blades and tire pressure.

Always heed the warnings of law enforcement and transportation officials regarding road conditions and refrain from traveling when possible.

If you must travel during a snow or ice event, allow extra time to reach your destination, and make sure you have plenty of fuel.

Be particularly cautious on bridges and overpasses as they will be the first to freeze. Stay back at least 200 feet behind salt and sand equipment in order to stay safe.

Always wear your seat belt.

Bring a cell phone with an emergency roadside assistance number. (In case of emergency, you can call the Oklahoma Highway Patrol at *55 or 911.)

If you must go out during a winter storm, let someone know your destination, as well as your route and when you expect to arrive.

If you get stranded, stay with your vehicle. After snowfall has stopped, hang a brightly-colored cloth on the radio antenna and raise the hood.

Carry extra clothing, blankets and high energy snacks, such as cereal or candy bars in your car for protection if car stalls.

Pack a kit that includes:

• A cell phone with extra batteries or two-way radio
• A windshield scraper, a shovel and small broom for ice and snow removal
• Blankets or sleeping bags
• Rain gear and extra sets of dry clothing, mittens, socks and a cap
• Water and non-perishable, high-energy foods
• A small sack of sand or kitty litter for generating traction under wheels and a set of tire chains or traction mats
• Jumper cables
• A first aid kit
• A flashlight with extra batteries
• A brightly-colored cloth to tie to the antenna if you get stranded.

Be Aware

Know what winter storm and blizzard watches and warnings mean:

• A National Weather Service winter storm watch is a message indicating that conditions are favorable for a winter storm.
• A National Weather Service warning indicates that a winter storm is occurring or is imminent.
• A blizzard warning means sustained winds or frequent gusts up to 35 mph or greater and considerable falling or blowing snow are expected to prevail for a period of three hours or longer.

Understand the hazards of wind chill. A strong wind combined with a temperature of just below freezing can have the same effect as a still air temperature of 35 degrees or colder.

Check for weather-related road conditions through the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety at dps.state.ok.us or by calling toll free, (888) 425-2385 or (405) 425-2385.

At Home

Check on friends, relatives and neighbors who live alone, especially seniors and those with disabilities.

Develop a family disaster plan for winter storms. Discuss with your family what to do if a winter storm watch or warning is issued. Everyone should know what to do in case all family members are not together when a winter storm hits.

Make sure pets have food and water and a place to seek shelter.

While indoors, try to keep at least one room heated to 70 degrees to prevent hypothermia. This is especially important for seniors and children.

Stay warm at night with extra blankets, a warm cap, socks and layered clothing.

To keep pipes from freezing, wrap them in insulation or layers of old newspapers. Cover the newspapers with plastic to keep out moisture. Let faucets drip a little to avoid freezing. Know how to shut off water valves if necessary.

Keep safe emergency-heating equipment, such as a fireplace with wood. Always be cautious in using a portable space heater and never leave the heater on when you are not in the room or when you go to bed.

Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning:

• Do not use an unvented gas or kerosene heater in closed spaces, especially sleeping areas.
• Do not use gas appliances such as an oven, grill, range or clothes dryer to heat your home.
• Do not burn charcoal inside a house, garage, vehicle or tent for heating or cooking, even in a fireplace.
• Look for carbon monoxide exposure symptoms including headache, dizziness, weakness, sleepiness, nausea and vomiting that can progress to disorientation, coma, convulsions and death.
• If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, open doors and windows, turn off gas appliances, and go outside for fresh air. Call 9-1-1 emergency medical services in severe cases.
• Install and check/replace batteries in carbon monoxide and smoke detectors.

Stay informed:

Find a full list of winter weather preparedness tips or sign up now to receive weather alerts on your cell phone or other email address at ok.gov/OEM/.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides additional information online about winter weather watches, warnings and advisories: srh.noaa.gov/ama/?n=wwad.

For more information on Oklahoma disaster recovery, visit the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management site at oem.ok.gov or fema.gov/disaster/4117.

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Six Months After Deadly Tornadoes, Winter Weather Preparedness Day Reminds Oklahomans to Stay Ready for Severe Weather

Latest Approved Funding for Debris Removal Brings Total for Oklahoma Recovery to Nearly $75 Million

OKLAHOMA CITY – An additional $4.6 million has been approved in federal funding for debris clearance in Oklahoma following the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding that occurred from May 18 – June 2, 2013. This figure, along with additional amounts from Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), brings State and federal assistance for Oklahoma to nearly $75 million.

The latest amount covers eligible debris removal costs under a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance Alternative Procedures Pilot Program. The accelerated debris removal program was initiated in Oklahoma following the devastating spring storms. The program funds expenses such as debris removal and debris recycling from public property and right-of-ways.

“Clearing debris is the first step in long-term recovery. This pilot program is assisting Oklahoma communities as they continue the rebuilding process,” said State Coordinating Officer and Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management Deputy Director Michelann Ooten.

A fundamental element of the pilot program is the provision of financial incentives for applicants for accomplishing timely removal of debris and for developing a pre-incident debris management plan.

“Not only is the pilot program helping with debris clearance, but it is also offering financial incentives that are helping with the recovery process. That’s a win-win for all,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Sandy Coachman.

Meanwhile, more than $14.4 million in disaster assistance for housing and disaster-related expenses has been approved for qualified homeowners and renters. This includes more than $9.8 million in rental costs and house repairs, and more than $4.5 million for medical expenses, replacement clothing, vehicle repairs, funeral and burial costs, and other needs generated by the storms.

As of September 18, more than one million cubic yards of disaster debris had been cleared in Oklahoma, roughly 96 percent of the estimated total of 1,242,890 cubic yards generated by the storms.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved more than $45.4 million in low-interest disaster loans for qualified homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations in Oklahoma.

For more information on Oklahoma disaster recovery, click fema.gov/disaster/4117 or visit the OEM site at oem.ok.gov.

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

SBA is the federal government’s primary source of funding for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts, and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover uninsured and uncompensated losses and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For information about SBA programs, applicants may call 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339).

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 http://twitter.com/#!/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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Latest Approved Funding for Debris Removal Brings Total for Oklahoma Recovery to Nearly $75 Million

Region VII to Host LIVE Twitter Chat with the Public, Businesses and Partner Organizations About Disaster Preparedness for Traditionally Underserved…

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—No matter who you are, your decisions today will impact whether you’ll be ready to be a hero tomorrow—so the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Region VII, is opening up a live, interactive social media discussion with the public about disaster preparedness that leaves no one out!

On Sept. 24, 2013, at 12 noon CDT, FEMA’s Region VII office will host its first-ever LIVE interactive Twitter chat using the hashtag #ALLReadyChat to discuss disaster preparedness for everyone, including older Americans, people with or without disabilities and individuals with access and functional needs, as well as those with service animals or pets. The event is part of activities planned this month for National Preparedness Month (NPM).

“This is a chance for the public to interact with disaster experts in FEMA Region VII, but also with other agencies and organizations who will participate,” said Regional Administrator Beth Freeman. “Social media gives us a great ‘space’ to get to know one another better—it’s about give and take, not just us providing information, but everyone engaging to support community resilience.”

Superheroes capitalize on their strengths to excel. This sometimes means giving to others and other times it means asking for or accepting help. Superman is no exception! His vice is Kryptonite and there are times he needs and has received help from others to survive when it has weakened him. This empowers him and gives him an opportunity to rise up and help millions of other people. Every one of us has a superhero inside waiting for an opportunity to “save the day,” in one way or another!

Even superhero emergency responders cannot be everywhere at once. It can take minutes, hours or days to get help during a disaster. This makes disaster preparedness especially important for people with disabilities and individuals with access and functional needs, including those with temporary situations—for example, those recovering from surgery, or those who have difficulties moving around for a variety of reasons.

When planning for emergencies, think about things you will need that may be difficult to get during a disaster– like batteries for adaptive medical equipment, medications and or assistance with transportation or moving around. Then plan with friends and family so you’re able to meet all your personal needs for at least three to five days. Share your stories on Twitter about preparedness using #ALLReadyChat and get good tips all week this week and then during the live chat!

The chat will last 30 minutes. The first twenty minutes will include a discussion about “myths versus facts” related to disaster preparedness and the last 10 minutes will be left open for the public and other organizations to ask FEMA questions about disaster preparedness.

Leading up to the live chat, this week, the hashtag #ALLReadyChat is already being used to provide important tips to fuel a conversation around preparedness for everyone, but especially individuals who are members of normally underserved groups. Individuals and organizations are encouraged to follow the #ALLReadyChat conversation on Twitter (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23allreadychat&src=typd). Anyone can follow the discussion by using this link. Twitter members can sign into Twitter to interact with the discussion. The discussion is being hosted by Region VII’s Twitter account.

Learn about other NPM events and activities Region VII and others are involved with and then plan and post your own disaster preparedness activity on the region’s website.

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Visit FEMA Region VII’s website and follow us on social media, at www.twitter.com/femaregion7, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate on Twitter. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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Region VII to Host LIVE Twitter Chat with the Public, Businesses and Partner Organizations About Disaster Preparedness for Traditionally Underserved…

FEMA authorizes funding to help fight Government Flats Fire Complex

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Government Flats Fire Complex, burning in Wasco County, Oregon.

FEMA Region X Administrator Kenneth D. Murphy approved the state’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) on August 18, 2013 at 9:17 PM EDT.

The fire started on August 16, 2013 and has burned approximately 1,500 acres of federal, state and private land. At the time of the request, the fire was burning south of the City of The Dalles, Oregon. The fire is burning within the municipal watershed area and is threatening the municipal water treatment plant and major power transmission lines. The fire is also burning in critical habitat for several threatened species. Firefighting resources including 4 air tankers, 3 helicopters, 11 hand crews, 30 engines and 6 dozers are committed to this fire suppression activity. There are several other large fires burning uncontrolled within the state.

The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of Oregon eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires. These grants provide reimbursement for firefighting and life-saving efforts. They do not provide assistance to individuals, homeowners or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.

Fire Management Assistance Grants are provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies.

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FEMA authorizes funding to help fight Government Flats Fire Complex

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