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President Declares Disaster for Connecticut

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to the State of Connecticut to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the area affected by a severe winter storm and snowstorm during the period of February 8 – 11, 2013.

The President’s action makes federal funding available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe winter storm and snowstorm in Fairfield, Hartford, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, New London, Tolland, and Windham counties and the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Tribal Nations located within New London County.

In addition, assistance is available to state, tribal and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis for snow assistance, for a continuous 48-hour period during or proximate to the incident period in Fairfield, Litchfield, Middlesex, New London, Tolland, and Windham counties and the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Tribal Nations located within New London County. This type of assistance is available in Hartford and New Haven counties for a 72- hour period.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for all counties and tribes within the state.

Albert Lewis has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Lewis said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

Follow FEMA online at 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.

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.

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President Declares Disaster for Connecticut

FEMA Releases Preliminary Flood Hazard Information for Vallejo Waterways

Latest study reveals increased flooding risk for some Bay Area Waterways

OAKLAND, Calif. – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is working with the city of Vallejo, Calif. to update flood hazard risk information. FEMA has released preliminary flood maps that will help community officials, local individuals and business owners identify known flood risks. When finalized, the maps will be used for flood insurance, land use and development decisions. The revised flood maps are digital, incorporating the latest available technology to identify flood risk based on detailed engineering models, decades of rainfall and storm gauge information, and current topographic data.

Flooding is the most common disaster in the United States, so individuals and business owners near Chabot Lake, Blue Rock Springs Creek, Lake Dalwigk, Lemon Street Canal, Magazine Street Canal, Miller Ditch, and Rindler Creek and tributaries are urged to look at the preliminary flood maps to become familiar with flood risks. These flood maps can help make informed decisions about flood insurance options and flood protection measures.

If individuals and business owners believe the preliminary flood maps contain errors, they may submit appeals by sharing scientific or technical information through their community officials for FEMA review. Once all appeals are resolved, FEMA will make any necessary updates and notify community officials of any further changes. Floodplain administrators in each community have copies of the maps available for public viewing.

For more information about flood insurance, premium estimates or to find a local agent, visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-379-9531.

For specific questions about flood maps and FEMA’s flood hazard mapping program, call 877-FEMA-MAP (877-336-6267), email FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com or visit http://msc.fema.gov.

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FEMA Releases Preliminary Flood Hazard Information for Vallejo Waterways

Severe Weather – Be a Force of Nature: Know Your Risk, Take Action, and Be an Example: NOAA, FEMA’s National Severe Weather Preparedness Week Begins…

CHICAGO – Sunday marked the start of National Severe Weather Preparedness Week. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are joining together to help save lives from severe weather by delivering the following important message to the public: be a Force of Nature by knowing your risk and taking proactive emergency preparedness measures as well as inspiring others to do the same.

“Severe weather is unpredictable, but you can prepare for it,” said Andrew Velasquez III, FEMA regional administrator. “Start by knowing your risk. Then, take action by making your emergency plans and once you are prepared, encourage friends and neighbors to be prepared too.”

NOAA and FEMA encourage citizens to prepare for extreme weather by following these guidelines:

Know your risk: The first step to becoming weather-ready is to understand the type of hazardous weather that can affect the area where you live and work, and how the weather could impact you and your family. Check the weather forecast regularly and sign up for alerts from your local emergency management officials. Severe weather comes in many forms, and your shelter planning should include all types of local hazards.
Take action: Develop an emergency plan based on your local weather hazards and practice how and where to take shelter before a severe weather event. Create or refresh an emergency kit with food, supplies and medication that will be needed by you and your family after a disaster. Post your plan in your home where family and visitors can see it. Learn community evacuation routes. Obtain a NOAA Weather Radio. Download FEMA’s mobile app so you can access important safety tips on what to do before and during severe weather. Understand the weather warning system and become a certified storm spotter through the National Weather Service.
Be an example: Once you have taken action, tell your family, friends, school staff and co-workers about how they can prepare. Share the resources and alert systems you discovered with your social media network. Studies show that individuals need to receive messages a number of ways before acting – be one of those sources. When you seek shelter after a warning, text, tweet or update your status so your friends and family will know you are safe. You might just save their lives by encouraging others to seek safety too. For more information on how you can prepare for severe weather, visit www.ready.gov/severe-weather.

“By taking these easy steps, you will be prepared for any type of disaster,” said Velasquez.

About NOAA

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Join us on Facebook , Twitter and our other social media channels.

About FEMA

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.

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Media Contact: Cassie Ringsdorf (312) 408-4455

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Severe Weather – Be a Force of Nature: Know Your Risk, Take Action, and Be an Example: NOAA, FEMA’s National Severe Weather Preparedness Week Begins…

Federal Aid Programs for the Navajo Nation

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for the Navajo Nation and ordered federal aid to supplement the Tribe’s efforts in the area affected by a severe freeze during the period of December 15, 2012 to January 21, 2013.

Federal funding is available to the Navajo Nation and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe freeze.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for the Tribe.

Mark A. Neveau has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area. Neveau said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the Tribe and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

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Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts available at www.fema.gov/medialibrary and www.youtube.com/fema ; follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fema and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fema.

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Federal Aid Programs for the Navajo Nation

Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge Receives $1 Million to Rebuild Research Complex

NEW ORLEANS – The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently announced more than $1 million in recovery aid to build a new Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge Fish Lab and Fish Lab Complex, which were destroyed during Hurricane Rita.

The Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge encompasses more than 76,000 acres in Cameron and Vermilion parishes and is noted as one of the most biologically diverse wildlife areas in the nation. The Refuge was also home to a biological research complex, where staff and biologists studied the American alligator, fish, plants and waterfowl populations.

“The Grand Chenier complex plays an integral role in the pioneering research performed at Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge,” said FEMA’s Louisiana Recovery Office Deputy Director of Programs Andre Cadogan. “Through FEMA’s assistance, the state will be able to reverse the damage done by Hurricane Rita and build back this complex in a more resourceful manner.”

Hurricane Rita’s storm surge, high winds and flooding destroyed the Refuge’s Grand Chenier biological research complex of buildings, owned by Louisiana Facility Planning and Control and operated by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Rather than rebuild each facility back to its pre-disaster condition, the state decided to pursue a more efficient design, consolidating the buildings and moving them northwest of the original location.

Six of the buildings destroyed by Rita—a fish lab, fish lab boat shed, chemical storage building, alligator incubator shed, alligator storage shed and freezer storage shed—will be consolidated into three new buildings. The final blueprint calls for a 5,460-square-foot fish lab and an alligator incubator shed, both elevated on pilings 13 feet above base flood elevation, as well as a boat shed. Funding for the consolidated structures also comes from an alligator pump house, trappers camp and airstrip, all of which will not be rebuilt.

To date, FEMA has obligated approximately $18.8 million in public assistance funding for Hurricane Rita-related recovery work at Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge. This figure includes the recent $1 million in funding.

Editors: For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/latro.

Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/femalro, blog.fema.gov, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

When FEMA approves projects through its supplemental Public Assistance grant, the funds are made available to the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness, who disburses them to the applicant for eligible work completed.

The Public Assistance program works with state and local officials to fund recovery measures and the rebuilding of government and certain private nonprofit organizations’ buildings, as well as roads, bridges and water and sewer plants. In order for the process to be successful, federal, state and local partners coordinate to draw up project plans, fund these projects and oversee their completion.

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Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge Receives $1 Million to Rebuild Research Complex

President Declares Major Disaster for Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and ordered federal aid to supplement the Tribe’s efforts in the area affected by severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides during the period of January 14-17, 2013.

Federal funding is available to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for the Tribe.

Michael Bolch has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area. Bolch said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the Tribe and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

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President Declares Major Disaster for Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

FEMA Awards $3 Million to Louisiana Department of Transportation for Hurricane Isaac Recovery

BATON ROUGE, La. – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development will receive a $3 million federal grant to reimburse the costs it incurred clearing debris, including boats, from public roads after Hurricane Isaac, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said Thursday.

The $3,085,418 grant covers the removal and disposal of debris, including:

77,400 cubic yards of vegetative debris (a cubic yard is about the size of a washing machine)
37,200 cubic yards of construction and demolition debris
55,200 cubic yards of marsh grass
7,000 cubic yards of hazardous household waste
35,000 cubic yards of sediment
47 boats deposited in state roadways

“Debris removal is an essential step in disaster recovery,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Gerard M. Stolar. “By restoring access to schools, businesses and recreation, this work provided Louisianians with an important step in their journey back to normal.”

Between Aug. 26 and Sept. 10, Hurricane Isaac produced high winds, rain and flooding throughout the state. The FEMA Public Assistance grant, totaling $3,085,418, helps reimburse the department during the Hurricane Isaac response and recovery.

The newly obligated funds are a portion of the $222.9 million in total Public Assistance recovery dollars approved for the state since the Aug. 29, 2012, disaster declaration.

Once FEMA reimburses the state of Louisiana it is the state’s responsibility to manage the funds, which includes making disbursements to local jurisdictions and organizations that incurred costs.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, click www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. You can follow FEMA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.

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FEMA Awards $3 Million to Louisiana Department of Transportation for Hurricane Isaac Recovery

New Flood Maps Show Updated Flood Risks Throughout Upper Chattahoochee River Region

ATLANTA – New flood insurance rate maps will soon go into effect in metro Atlanta for communities in the Upper Chattahoochee River Region, specifically in Cobb, Douglas, Forsyth, Gwinnett, DeKalb and Fulton counties.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources have been working with county and municipal governments over the last several years to incorporate the best available data into these flood maps. The ultimate goal of the maps is to protect property owners and communities by showing the extent of flood risk in their areas. Flood maps also help to determine flood insurance rating and building requirements.

Flood maps for Cobb, Douglas, Forsyth and Gwinnett counties will be effective on March 4, 2013; maps for DeKalb County will be effective in May, and maps for Fulton County will be effective in September. Coweta County’s flood maps were effective earlier this month. If you live in an area with a new map, visit www.GeorgiaDFIRM.com to find your flood risk online. You can also contact your local floodplain manager with questions about the new maps, and to learn more about flood risks in your community.

These updated maps are more precise than older maps because better flood hazard and risk data has been incorporated, and the latest science has been used to make them more accurate. Flood risks change over time due to construction, development, environmental changes, floodplain widening or shifting, and other factors. These changes send water flowing in new directions, creating flood risks that didn’t exist previously—precisely why flood maps must be updated periodically.

The historic September 2009 flooding in North Georgia is a reminder of how devastating disasters can be. We may not know when the next one will strike, but we can protect ourselves by knowing what risks exist in our communities, and to prepare for them.

By law, federally regulated or insured mortgage lenders require flood insurance on properties that are located in areas at high risk of flooding. Even people living in lower risk areas can experience flooding, which is the most common and costly natural disaster in the U.S. In fact, about 25 percent of flood insurance claims occur in lower risk flood zones.

Regardless of flood zone, everyone should take steps to financially protect themselves from a flood disaster which affects far too many communities each year. The primary way to do this is by purchasing flood insurance. Since standard homeowner’s, business owner’s, and renter’s insurance doesn’t cover flood damage, flood insurance is an important consideration for everyone.

Flood insurance is available through the National Flood Insurance Program, a voluntary program administered by the FEMA. You can purchase flood insurance policies from state-licensed property and casualty insurance agents who you deal with for other property insurance needs, or visit www.floodsmart.gov to locate an agent.

New Flood Maps Show Updated Flood Risks Throughout Upper Chattahoochee River Region

FEMA Public Assistance in New York: By the Numbers

NEW YORK CITY — Since Hurricane Sandy struck New York, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved nearly $669 million in Public Assistance (PA) grants to reimburse state, tribal, local governments and eligible private nonprofits for some of the costs of emergency response, debris removal and repairing or rebuilding damaged public facilities. More than 180 grants have been approved so far. Here are some of the reimbursements:

Emergency work expenses

$114 million to the New York University Langone Medical Center for patient evacuation, repairs and emergency restoration of critical services and facilities

$106 million to NYPD for personnel overtime and materials used for emergency protective measures

$103 million to the New York Health and Hospitals Corporation for emergency cleanup, temporary utilities repairs and temporary provision of emergency room services

$14 million to Nassau County Waste Water for taking immediate protective measures to continue operations of the water treatment system

$1,600 to the Mattituck Park District for material to prevent further erosion to a sidewalk

Permanent work expenses

$263,000 to the State University of New York (SUNY) for repairs, such as replacing concrete drainages and restoring campus lawns

$39,000 to the Richmond Fire Department to replace equipment that was damaged during emergency protective measures

$27,000 to Suffolk County Community College to repair or replace various damaged school buildings and grounds features

Debris removal

$34 million to Nassau County Public Works

$24 million to the City of Long Beach

$223,000 to the Hudson River Park Trust for the cleanup of an oil spill and debris

$197,000 to the Town of Lewisboro

$112,000 to the Town of Shelter Island

FEMA’s Public Assistance program reimburses state, tribal, local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations 75 percent of eligible costs of emergency and permanent work. The remaining 25 percent is provided by non-federal funds. The state forwards the federal funds to the eligible local governments or organizations that incurred costs.

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

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

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FEMA Public Assistance in New York: By the Numbers

FEMA Awards $1.1 Million Grant to the City of Madison: Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds will be used to construct a Tornado Safe Room

CHICAGO – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released $1,176,158 in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds to the city of Madison, Wis., for the construction of a safe room at the Highland Manor Mobile Home Park.

“The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program enables communities to implement critical mitigation measures to reduce the risk of loss of life and property,” said Andrew Velasquez III, regional administrator, FEMA Region V. “The construction of this safe room will protect the lives of vulnerable citizens by providing a secure location to seek shelter from tornados and other high wind events.”

The Highland Manor Mobile Home Park has experienced numerous powerful storms in recent years. This safe room will provide a shelter for 806 residents during a severe weather event. The structure has been designed to accommodate the special needs of the residents, providing space for five wheelchair occupants. The shelter will have the capability to be unlocked for use by the either the onsite manager or remotely by the City of Madison Parks Division. To assure maximum use of the safe room, the Madison Fire Department will conduct an education campaign, including emergency drills, within the mobile home park.

“This is an important project that we believe can help save lives during severe weather,” said Brian Satula, administrator of Wisconsin Emergency Management. “This is the second safe room at a mobile home park in Dane County for which we have provided hazard mitigation funding.”

HMGP provides grants to state and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures. Through HMGP, FEMA will pay $1,176,158 or 75 percent of the project’s total cost. Wisconsin Emergency Management and the city of Madison will both contribute 12.5 percent of the funds, or $196,026 each.

“This has been a successful collaboration between the City of Madison, the property owners, the State of Wisconsin and the federal government,” said Madison Mayor Paul Soglin. “The safety of our residents is a number one concern, and this building will provide a safe shelter during Wisconsin storms.”

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Follow FEMA online at twitter.com/fema, 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.

FEMA Contact: Cassie Ringsdorf, (312) 408-4455

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FEMA Awards $1.1 Million Grant to the City of Madison: Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds will be used to construct a Tornado Safe Room

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