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Disaster Recovery Centers in South Carolina Open in Florence and Kershaw Counties

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Two disaster recovery centers are open in Florence and Kershaw counties to help South Carolina flood survivors. The centers are open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week.

Representatives from the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Small Business Administration and other agencies will be at the centers to explain disaster assistance programs and help survivors apply for aid.

The disaster recovery centers are located at the following addresses:

Florence County
Holiness Conference Center (Evans Dining Hall)
620 Ron McNair Blvd.
Lake City, SC 29560

Kershaw County
Blaney Fire Department
2344 Highway 1 South
Elgin, SC 29045

If possible, before going to a disaster recovery center, people with flooding losses should register with FEMA. They can go online to DisasterAssistance.gov or call 800-621-3362. Help is available in most languages, and lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week until further notice.

Disaster survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585. If survivors use 711 or VRS (Video Relay Service) or require accommodations while visiting a center, call 800-621- 3362.

All disaster recovery centers are accessible and equipped with tools to accommodate disaster survivors who need disability related communication aids.

Federal disaster assistance for individuals and families can include money for temporary rental assistance and essential home repairs for primary residences not covered by insurance.

Low-interest disaster loans from the Small Business Administration are also available to help with business, homeowner and renter uninsured losses.

Survivors and businesses should first register with FEMA and may obtain information on SBA disaster loan applications by calling 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for people who are deaf or hard of hearing) or online. They may also apply online.

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.

All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).

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

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Disaster Recovery Centers in South Carolina Open in Florence and Kershaw Counties

Disaster Recovery Center in Nueces County Texas Transitioning to SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center August 28

AUSTIN, Texas – To meet the needs of Texans affected by the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding from May 4 to June 22, a State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center in Nueces County will transition to a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan Outreach Center on Friday, Aug. 28.

Thursday, Aug. 27, is the final day for survivors to register for FEMA recovery assistance or to apply for a loan from SBA.

The Disaster Recovery Center at Richard M. Borchard Regional Fairgrounds Conference Center- Meeting Room A, B & C, 1213 Terry Shamsie Blvd., Robstown, TX 78380, will close on Aug. 27, at 6 p.m. On Friday, Aug. 28, an SBA center will open at the Richard M. Borchard Regional Fairgrounds Conference Center- Business Office Conference Room at 9 a.m. Hours of operation will be Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until further notice.

Representatives from the SBA will be available at the center to meet individually with residents and business owners to answer their questions, explain SBA’s disaster loan program, help them complete their applications and close their approved disaster loans. Assistance will be available in English and Spanish.

SBA low-interest disaster assistance loans of 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 from SBA to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.

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 making improvements that protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.

Applying for an SBA low-interest disaster loan is part of federal disaster assistance. Many people who apply to FEMA are automatically referred for a low-interest disaster assistance loan. Survivors should complete SBA loan applications so they can be considered for all available disaster assistance.

SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money to fund long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit 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 uninsured and uncompensated losses and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

Survivors with questions regarding their FEMA applications or the appeals process after the DRC transitions to a Disaster Loan Outreach Center have several ways to obtain information:

Go online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
Call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. People who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) can call 800-621-3362. Multilingual operators are available.

Visit the Texas Disaster Recovery website http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4223.

Contact U.S. Small Business Administration’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit SBA’s website at sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

For more information on Texas recovery, go to Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the Texas Division of Emergency Management website, www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem/.

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The 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 website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

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.

Visit Texas Disaster Mitigation | FEMA.gov for publications and reference material on rebuilding and repairing safer and stronger.

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Disaster Recovery Center in Nueces County Texas Transitioning to SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center August 28

Disaster Aid Meetings Set For Additional Colorado Counties

DENVER – State and federal officials have scheduled meetings with local governments and other entities in Adams, Boulder, Park and Denver Counties to help them apply for federal assistance for this spring’s storms.

The Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) in cooperation with FEMA has scheduled Applicants’ Briefings August 25 to August 27 to help local governments, state agencies, and certain private non-profit organizations navigate the federal Public Assistance application process relative to this spring’s declared disaster.

On August 12, Adams, Boulder, Park and Denver Counties were added to 11 other Colorado counties that had already been declared eligible for damage reimbursement as a result of the severe storms, tornadoes, flooding, landslides, and mudslides that occurred between May 4 and June 16, 2015.

Applicants’ Briefing Schedule:

Park County: August 25, 1:00 p.m., Park County Emergency Operations Center, 911 Clark Street, Fairplay, CO 80440

Adams County: August 27, 8:30 a.m., Adams County Government Center, Conference Center – Platte D, 4330 S Adams County Pkwy, Brighton, CO 80603

Boulder County/statewide: August 27, 1:00 p.m., Colorado State Emergency Operations Center, 9195 E Mineral Ave., Centennial, CO 80112

Denver County: TBD

The briefings are the next step in FEMA’s Public Assistance Program and will provide information on the application process as well as deadlines for submission of necessary documents.

The Applicants’ Briefing may be followed by face-to-face meetings in local communities between FEMA/DHSEM officials and eligible applicants.

The disaster declaration issued by President Obama on July 16, 2015 for Baca, Elbert, El Paso, Fremont, Logan, Morgan, Pueblo, Saguache, Sedgwick, Washington, and Yuma counties made state, county, and local governments, as well as certain non-profit organizations, eligible to receive reimbursement for repairing infrastructure damage caused by the storms, as well as the cost of responding to them.

Qualified organizations in these counties and the four newly declared ones will receive no less than 75 percent of their eligible costs incurred as a result of the disaster.

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Colorado DHSEM’s mission is to provide leadership and support to Colorado communities to prevent, protect, mitigate, respond and recover from all-hazard events including acts of terrorism.

Disaster Aid Meetings Set For Additional Colorado Counties

State/FEMA Recovery Centers to Close in Carter, McCurtain and Pontotoc Counties

OKLAHOMA CITY – Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in Carter, McCurtain and Pontotoc Counties set up to help people in Oklahoma affected by the severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding and tornadoes will close on Friday, August 14.

The locations are listed below:

Carter County
Convention Center (Conference Rooms 3 & 4)
2401 N. Rockford Road
Ardmore, OK 73401
Hours: Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closes on Friday, August 14 at 7 p.m.

McCurtain County
Bypass Church of Christ
120 West Lincoln Road
Idabel, OK 74745
Hours: Tuesday to Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closes on Friday, August 14 at 1 p.m.

Pontotoc County
Evergreen Building
221 North Rennie
Ada, OK 74820
Hours: Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closes on Friday, August 14 at Noon.

DRCs are one-stop shops where survivors can get information and guidance about what disaster assistance may be available. Information from the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Small Business Administration and other federal agencies and volunteer organizations is available at the recovery centers.

After the DRCs close, survivors may still register for assistance or ask questions about the registration process or any disaster-related issues by calling the FEMA Help Line at 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-75585.

State and federal officials urge everyone who has registered for assistance to stay in touch throughout the entire recovery process. Using any computer, smartphone, or tablet, survivors can log onto www.DisasterAssistance.gov. Registrants can update their current address and phone number, initiate appeals, reschedule inspection appointments, notify FEMA about insurance settlements, or ask any disaster-related questions. Telephone operators are on duty from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week and the website can be accessed anytime.

For more information on Oklahoma disaster recovery, click http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4222 or visit OEM at www.oem.ok.gov.

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State/FEMA Recovery Centers to Close in Carter, McCurtain and Pontotoc Counties

State/FEMA Recovery Center to Open in Pontotoc County

OKLAHOMA CITY – A Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will open in Pontotoc County to help people in Oklahoma who were affected by the severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding and tornadoes occurring May 5 through June 22.

The DRC officially opens on Tuesday, August 4, at:

Pontotoc County
Evergreen Building
221 North Rennie
Ada, OK 74820
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

As previously announced, DRCs will also open in Carter, Okfuskee and Okmulgee counties during the week of August 3 in:

Carter County on Tuesday, August 4, at:
Ardmore Convention Center
(Conference Rooms 3 & 4)
2401 N. Rockford Road
Ardmore, OK 73401
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Okfuskee County on Tuesday, August 4, at:
Okfuskee Fair Grounds
(Administrative Building)
1202 E. Columbia
Okemah, OK 74589
Hours: Tuesday and Wednesday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
(This mobile DRC closes on Wednesday, August 5 at Noon.)

Okmulgee County on Friday, August 7, at:
Green Country Technological School
1100 N. Loop 56
Okmulgee, OK 74447
Hours: Friday, Saturday, Monday and Tuesday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
(This mobile DRC closes on Tuesday, August 11, at 7 p.m.)

Survivors may apply for state and federal assistance online with any computer, smartphone, or tablet at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services can call 800-621-3362 to register. Hours to register: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. local time, seven days a week.

For more information on Oklahoma disaster recovery, click http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4222 or visit OEM at www.oem.ok.gov.

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State/FEMA Recovery Center to Open in Pontotoc County

Florida Mass Care Specialist Recognized For Excellence

Michael Whitehead wins Craig Irwin Memorial Award

ATLANTA – Florida mass care coordinator Michael Whitehead of Tallahassee won the Craig Irwin Memorial Award this week at the FEMA Region IV annual Individual Assistance Conference in Atlanta.

The Craig Irwin Memorial Award recognizes excellence in service and support with the individual assistance network.

“I’m honored to receive such an award,” Whitehead said. “I want to thank FEMA and all the state officers for giving me such a tremendous honor. I promise to continue working to increase our nation’s mass care capabilities.”

Following a disaster, individual assistance and/or mass care programs coordinate with federal, state, local, and voluntary/non-profit entities to provide recovery assistance to survivors.

Whitehead serves as the mass care coordinator as part of Florida’s State Emergency Response Team and is an employee of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation where he has worked for more than 25 years.

In addition to working disaster events in Florida, Whitehead has also assisted other states including Mississippi during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Louisiana during Hurricane Gustav in 2008, New Jersey during Hurricane Irene in 2011 and Maryland during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Following his work in Maryland, Whitehead took two weeks of vacation time to volunteer with the American Red Cross in New York City to assist with additional Sandy response and recovery efforts.

The Craig Irwin Memorial Award is named for the long-time individual assistance and mass care officer for the state of Tennessee. Irwin, a Fairview, Tenn. native, died at the age of 60 in January 2009.

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Florida Mass Care Specialist Recognized For Excellence

FEMA Announces Memorandum of Agreement with the NAACP

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) President and CEO Benjamin Jealous signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) at the NAACP’s 104th Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida.

The Agreement will expand outreach to traditionally underserved communities through the NAACP network of more than 200,000 members. Through the MOA, FEMA and the NAACP have joined forces to ensure the needs of underrepresented communities are more fully incorporated into disaster preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation-related activities. The two agencies also will share information such as lessons learned, best practices and training resources, to improve community resilience.

“As a nation, our resiliency depends on our ability to work together to empower communities as part of the emergency management team before, during and after a disaster,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “Today’s agreement builds on a long-standing partnership between FEMA and the NAACP, and leverages both institutions’ resources and networks to improve the ‘Whole Community’s’ disaster preparedness, response and recovery.”

“We are pleased to expand our partnership with FEMA to ensure all communities are prepared when confronted with an emergency,” stated NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous. “This is a critical step toward providing underrepresented communities the tools and training they need to respond and recover after disasters.”

“From the Deepwater Horizon Incident, to the 2011 Tornadoes in Alabama, to Superstorm Sandy, we have seen the worst and best of disproportionate impact of disaster on marginalized communities and inspiring community resilience. Communities have been devastated by loss of life, property, culture and more,” said Jealous. “While at the same time there have been awesome examples of communities coming together to build stronger neighborhoods with cooperation between community members and equity and justice based allocation of resources. With this partnership we will work together to improve the ability of emergency management systems to serve people on the margins as well as strengthen community resilience,” said Jealous.

The NAACP has been an active member of the emergency management team through collaborative efforts including: NAACP senior leadership participation on FEMA’s National Advisory Council, hosting emergency preparedness engagement activities at the NAACP Annual Convention, and NAACP staff training on emergency management and community preparedness. The Agreement strengthens the “whole community” approach to emergency management and will greatly improve communities’ access to information to help individuals, families and communities stay safe before, during and after an emergency or disaster.

More information and resources for helping communities prepare for a disaster are available at www.CitizenCorps.gov.

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FEMA Announces Memorandum of Agreement with the NAACP

Disaster Recovery Centers Change Hours for Holidays

TRENTON, N.J. – New Jersey disaster recovery centers will continue to provide assistance for Hurricane Sandy survivors during the holiday season.

The centers will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Christmas Eve. The Hoboken center will be closed all day on Christmas Eve. All centers will be closed Christmas Day. Normal hours will resume Wednesday, Dec. 26.

The centers will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. They will be closed New Year’s Day. Normal hours will resume Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013.

Survivors can visit any of the centers to meet with Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster specialists, receive assistance about low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration and find information about other disaster assistance programs.

Non-holiday hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The centers are currently located at:

Bergen County

Bergen County Plaza

1 Bergen Plaza

4th Floor

Hackensack, NJ 07652

Essex County

Willing Heart Community Care Center

555 Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd.

Newark, NJ 07103

Hudson County

City Hall

94 Washington St.

Hoboken, NJ 07030

Bayonne City Museum

229 Broadway

Bayonne, NJ 07002

Jersey City Museum

350 Montgomery St.

Jersey City, NJ 07302

Middlesex County

Sayreville Senior Center

423 Main St.

Sayreville, NJ 08872

Woodbridge Health Center

2 George Frederick Plaza

Woodbridge, NJ 07095

Monmouth County

Belmar Municipal Building

601 Main St.

Belmar, NJ 07719

Henry Hudson Trail Activity Center

945 Highway 36

Leonardo, NJ 07737

Long Branch Fire Station No. 4

199-205 Union Ave.

Long Branch, NJ 07740

Union Beach Municipal Building

650 Poole Ave.

Union Beach, NJ 07735

Ocean County

Bay Head Fire Station No. 1

81 Bridge Ave.

Bay Head, NJ 08742

Dec. 24 hours are 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The center’s regular hours of 8 a.m.to 5 p.m. will change to 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Dec. 26

Bell Crest Plaza Store Front 4C

953 Fischer Blvd.

Toms River, NJ 08753

Brick Township Civic Center

270 Chambers Bridge Road

Brick, NJ 08723

Harvey Cedars Bible Conference Center

12 Cedars Ave.

Harvey Cedars, NJ 08008

Little Egg Harbor Senior Center

641 Radio Road

Little Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08087

Old Township Building

775 East Bay Ave.

Stafford, NJ 08050

Passaic County

Passaic County Department of Health

317 Pennsylvania Ave.

Paterson, NJ 07503

Union County

Gregorio Recreation Center

330 Helen St.

Linden, NJ 07036

Plainfield Senior Citizen’s Service Center

400 East Front St.

Plainfield, NJ 07060

To find the nearest recovery 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, visit the disaster recovery center locator at www.FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers.

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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Disaster Recovery Centers Change Hours for Holidays

Readout of FEMA Administrator Fugate Remarks at the National Hurricane Conference

Release Date: March 27, 2012
Release Number: HQ-12-026

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Craig Fugate, Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today delivered remarks at the National Hurricane Conference in Orlando in preparation of the upcoming hurricane season. In his address, Fugate encouraged the emergency management team to work inclusively with all partners to meet the needs of the whole community when responding to and recovering from disasters. As he discussed the work that federal, state, local and tribal governments, and voluntary organizations do on a regular basis in preparation each year, Administrator Fugate also focused his remarks at this year’s conference about the importance of engaging the private sector early and often.

“We need to give the private sector a seat at the table,” said Fugate. “When we look at the disasters last year, the unreported story was how the private sector was a part of the recovery team. The sooner we can get private businesses — and government-backed infrastructure — up and running, the sooner communities will recover.”

Administrator Fugate also took the opportunity to remind this year’s participants to never lose sight of the fact that the impacts of hurricanes are wide-ranging. “Last year proved that the effects of hurricanes can impact areas beyond just the coast,” said Fugate. “As we look to 2012 we need to work together as a team, with all our partners, the private sector and the public to ensure that communities are prepared no matter where tropical storms impact.”

In wrapping up his remarks at the conference, Fugate encouraged those in attendance to plan beyond hurricane season. “We have to stop planning for the past storm,” said Fugate. “We have to be look forward and plan for all-hazards — understanding the current threats before us and what vulnerabilities we have.”

Following his remarks, Fugate participated in a panel discussion with National Hurricane Center Director Bill Read, Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Bryan Koon, and Walgreens Security Operations Center’s Jim Williams.

The National Hurricane Conference seeks to improve hurricane preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation in an effort to protect lives and property in the United States and the tropical islands of the Caribbean and Pacific. In addition, the conference serves as a national forum for federal, state and local officials to exchange ideas and recommend new policies to improve emergency management.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 27-Mar-2012 14:05:03

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Readout of FEMA Administrator Fugate Remarks at the National Hurricane Conference

Vermont In Spotlight At National Hurricane Conference

Release Date: March 26, 2012
Release Number: 4022-075

» More Information on Vermont Tropical Storm Irene

» 2012 Region I News Releases

ESSEX JUNCTION, Vt. – When it comes to hurricanes, many people think Vermont is not in danger. But last August, as Hurricane Irene downgraded to tropical storm status, Vermont suffered a major blow that severely tested the state’s resources.

At the 2012 National Hurricane Conference in Orlando from March 26 – 29, Vermont will be in the spotlight for its response to Tropical Storm Irene and the state’s focus on meeting the needs of residents with disabilities and those with access or functional needs who took refuge in shelters.

Presenters will be Robert Schell, Chief of Field Operations for Vermont Emergency Management and Kate McCarthy-Barnett, Disability Integration Specialist for the Boston office of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The American Red Cross will also be featured in the presentation.

To help entire communities recover from Tropical Storm Irene, FEMA and VEM began working together to ensure that people with disabilities and those with access or functional needs were able to fully participate in disaster recovery programs.

Within two days of the storm, the Vermont Interagency Emergency Response Committee was formed and included representatives from FEMA, VEM and the Red Cross along with over 40 disability organizations and agencies. The committee members joined daily conference calls and collaborated on the needs of the community and shared local resources.

Tropical Storm Irene was the first large©scale disaster in Vermont since the development of the Functional Needs Support Services (FNSS) guidance. It provided an opportunity to implement FNSS in a real-world response and recovery situation for individuals with disabilities. A Sheltering Team integrated partners and other specialized community leaders in planning to accommodate individuals with access and functional needs in general population shelters.

Pre©event planning and creative modifications allowed for integration in specialized shelters where disabled populations are often isolated. The team worked directly with people with functional and access needs within the shelters, ensuring they had a voice in identifying appropriate services and information formats.

“Vermont made great progress in inclusive planning for people with access and functional needs in shelters set up in affected communities,” said Vermont Emergency Management Director Joe Flynn. “We are honored to bring Vermont’s story to this national workshop.”

To make sure the whole community is engaged, FEMA’s McCarthy-Barnett has been in Vermont since the storm to not only advise FEMA and state leadership on the issues, but also to engage local and state community leadership as partners. She was the keynote speaker and a participant in Vermont’s annual Disabilities Awareness Day activities on March 21.

“The collaborations that took place after Irene between state, federal and the disability community enhanced the delivery of services to individuals with disabilities and those with access and functional needs,” said McCarthy-Barnett. “That has continued into the long-term recovery phase.”

Considerations in reaching the target population include:

Physical needs: Shelters, meetings, disaster recovery centers and other physical locations must be accessible.
Communication needs: Materials should be available in plain language and in alternative formats such as large print, Braille, sign language interpreters, and by TTY.
Programmatic needs: The approach is holistic to ensure that all programs, policies, services, and messages are accessible. When not possible, alternatives are offered. For example, if a meeting is advertised, a phone contact or e-mail address should be included for people to request reasonable accommodation to their specific needs.

The community has been engaged in a number of other ways including facilitating a series of presentations and meetings to get the word out about disability integration in emergency management, building capacity for response efforts, and enhancing community networks.

“FEMA is committed to ensuring that key aspects of recovery are available equally to all residents of Vermont or any other state where a disaster is declared,” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer James N. (Nick) Russo. “We need to provide accurate and accessible information to everyone who needs it.”

The National Hurricane Conference is a nationwide forum for education and professional training in hurricane-related topics. Participants include law enforcement, amateur radio, hospital and nursing home officials, transportation interests, engineers, insurance company representatives, armed forces disaster preparedness officials, fire and emergency services personnel and emergency managers.

More information on the National Hurricane Conference may be found at http://www.hurricanemeeting.com/.

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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders and 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.

Last Modified: Monday, 26-Mar-2012 11:48:11

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Vermont In Spotlight At National Hurricane Conference