Understanding Your FEMA Letter and How to Appeal It

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – If you applied for FEMA help in the aftermath of the recent hurricanes and you disagree with the decision stated in the letter you received, a quick fix may be all that is needed to change it.　

It’s important that you read your letter carefully to understand FEMA’s decision so you will know exactly what you need to do. Many times applicants just have to submit extra documents for FEMA to process their application.

Examples of missing documentation may include an insurance settlement letter, proof of residence, proof of ownership of the damaged property, and proof that the damaged property was your primary residence at the time of the disaster.

If instructed and needed, you can simply submit missing documentation to FEMA online at www.disasterassistance.gov, by mail or fax, or by visiting a Disaster Recovery Center.

There may be more than one reason you disagree with FEMA’s decision. For example, if you feel the amount or type of assistance is incorrect, you may submit an appeal letter and any documents needed to support your claim, such as a contractor’s estimate for home repairs.

If you have insurance, FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments. However, if you’re under-insured you may receive further assistance for unmet needs after insurance claims have been settled.

How to Appeal a FEMA Decision

All appeals must be filed in writing to FEMA. You should explain why you think the decision is incorrect. When submitting your letter, please include:

  • Your full name
  • Date and place of birth
  • Address

In addition, your letter must be either notarized, include a copy of a state issued identification card, or include the following statement, “I hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.” You must sign the letter.

If someone other than you or the co-applicant is writing the letter, there must be a signed statement from you affirming that the person may act on your behalf. You should keep a copy of your appeal for your records.

To file an appeal, letters must be postmarked, received by fax, or personally submitted at a Disaster Recovery Center within 60 days of the date on the determination letter.

By mail:

FEMA – Individuals & Households Program
National Processing Service Center
P.O. Box 10055
Hyattsville, MD 20782-7055

By fax:
800-827-8112
Attention: FEMA – Individuals & Households Program

You should have received a booklet called “Help after a Disaster.“ It explains what you need to provide for your appeal. The booklet is available online at www.fema.gov/help-after-disaster.

If you have any questions about submitting insurance documents, proving occupancy or ownership, or anything else about your letter, you may call the FEMA helpline 800-621-3362 (voice/711/VRS-Video Relay Service) (TTY: 800-462-7585). Multilingual operators are available (for Spanish press 2). The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

For more information on Florida’s disaster recovery visit fema.gov/disaster/4280, 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 fema.gov/Hurricane-Matthew.

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Understanding Your FEMA Letter and How to Appeal It

Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Putnam County for Hurricane Matthew

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A Disaster Recovery Center has opened in Putnam County to help survivors affected by Hurricane Matthew. The center is located at:

                              Putnam County Fairgrounds

                              Building 1 – Expo Hall

                              118 Fairgrounds Rd.

                               East Palatka, FL 32131

                              Open Monday – Saturday

9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

                              Closed Sundays       

Disaster Recovery Centers serve as one-stop shops for eligible disaster survivors seeking

one-on-one help. Representatives from the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and various state agencies will be at the center to answer questions Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The center is closed on Sundays.

FDEM and FEMA officials continue to work closely with local officials in hard-hit areas to identify suitable sites for additional centers.

Downloading the FEMA App (available in English and Spanish) to their mobile device will allow survivors to:

  • Apply for disaster assistance
  • Get directions to the nearest Disaster Recovery Center by visiting DRC locator.
  • Get weather alerts
  • Subscribe to disaster safety tips

Many services available at disaster recovery centers are also available by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. Survivors with questions regarding the application or the appeals process, or who need to register for assistance, may visit online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone (voice, 711 or video relay service /VRS) at 800-621-3362. (TTY users should call 800-462-7585.) The toll-free lines are open

7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available (for Spanish press 2).

Survivors requiring a reasonable accommodation (ASL interpreting, Braille Large Print, etc.) while visiting a disaster recovery center may call the appropriate helpline number above to receive support.

FEMA encourages survivors to register as soon as possible.  Those who may have registered with their county emergency management office, the American Red Cross or other community organizations are reminded to also register with FEMA.

Disaster assistance may include grants to help homeowners and renters pay for temporary housing, essential home repairs, personal property replacement, and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

SBA offers low-interest disaster loans for businesses of all sizes, homeowners, renters, and private

non-profit organizations. SBA disaster loans may cover repairs, rebuilding, as well as the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged real estate and personal property.

For more information about SBA loans, call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at

800-659-2955, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit http://www.sba.gov/disaster.  TTY users may call 800-877-8339. Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

For more information on Florida’s disaster recovery, visit https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4283,

twitter.com/FEMAregion4, facebook.com/FEMA, and fema.gov/blog.

Source article – 

Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Putnam County for Hurricane Matthew

Free Legal Services Available To Disaster Survivors

BATON ROUGE, La. – Free disaster-related legal advice is available to low-income Louisiana flood survivors through a partnership among the Louisiana State Bar Association, the Louisiana Civil Justice Center, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Low-income survivors facing legal issues may call the Legal Services hotline, 800-310-7029, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Voice mail is available 24/7 and messages are generally returned the next business day. Examples of legal assistance available include:

  • Assistance with securing FEMA and other benefits available to disaster survivors;
  • Assistance with life, medical and property insurance claims;
  • Help with home repair contracts and contractors;
  • Replacement of wills and other important legal documents that were destroyed;
  • Assisting in consumer protection matters, remedies and procedures;
  • Counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems; and
  • Counseling on landlord/tenant problems.

Survivors should be aware that there are some limitations. For example, assistance is not available for cases where fees could be paid as part of a court settlement. Those cases will be referred to a lawyer-referral service.

To register with FEMA, go online to DisasterAssistance.gov, call the FEMA helpline, 800-621-3362 or download the FEMA mobile app. Help is available in most languages and phone lines are open 6 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 may 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. Each Disaster Recovery Center has assistive technologies for people with disabilities. To arrange to have an American Sign Language interpreter at the Disaster Recovery Center when you visit, call 225-382-1739.

For information call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 or go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or www.fema.gov/disaster/4277.

Download the FEMA mobile app for disaster resources, weather alerts, and safety tips. The app provides a customizable checklist of emergency supplies, maps of open shelters and weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations across the Nation. The latest feature of the app allows you to send notifications to your device to remind you to take important steps to prepare your home and family for disasters. Go to Ready.gov for more details.

See original article here: 

Free Legal Services Available To Disaster Survivors

Partnerships and progress: West Virginia severe storms, flooding, mudslides and landslides 60 days later

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia is taking significant steps toward recovery following the severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides that occurred June 22-29, 2016.

Recovery takes the Whole Community. Affected communities and disaster survivors are repairing and rebuilding better, stronger and safer with the help of neighbors, friends, family members, voluntary groups, faith- and community-based organizations and local, county, state and federal governments.

The following highlights recovery progress made in the 60 days since the June 25 presidential disaster declaration and how disaster survivors and affected communities are overcoming challenges:

Initially three counties were designated as eligible for federal assistance. Since then, the presidential disaster declaration has been amended six times, making survivors in 12 counties eligible to apply for help under FEMA’s Individual Assistance (IA) program.

The deadline for survivors to register for federal aid under the IA program is Wednesday,     Sept. 7, 2016.

In addition, local, county and state government infrastructure and certain private nonprofit organizations in 18 counties became eligible to receive funding through FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program to repair and rebuild certain eligible disaster-damaged facilities. Local, county and state government expenses related to debris removal, saving lives, providing security, and managing the immediate response also became eligible for reimbursement.

The PA program benefits everyone in the affected communities because essential services like roads, utilities, schools and hospitals are often restored stronger than they were before the disaster. FEMA relieves burdens of local and county governments and the state by paying 75 percent of the eligible costs.

So far, more than 8,732 West Virginia households have contacted FEMA for IA help.

To date, survivors have received more than $111 million in federal disaster assistance for a variety of recovery purposes.

  • More than $32.7 million in grants has been approved for a place to stay for homeowners and renters whose residences were uninhabitable and to make essential repairs for homes to be safe, secure and functional.

  • More than $6.2 million in grants has gone to homeowners and renters to repair and replace certain household items and for disaster-related burial, medical and dental expenses.

  • Homeowners, renters and businesses have received more than $44.2 million in low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to repair, rebuild and replace damaged property and contents. Disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other sources.

  • NFIP policyholders have received more than $20 million in claims to repair and rebuild flood-damaged property.

  • The total Public Assistance Grants obligated as of Aug. 23 is more than $7.8 million

The SBA may call you after you register with FEMA. If they do, advise SBA on how you want to apply and submit your disaster low-interest loan application.  As a business, homeowner or renter, you can submit your SBA disaster loan application in one of three ways: 

FEMA and SBA encourage homeowners, renters and business owners to submit your SBA loan application to help fund recovery and to ensure the federal disaster recovery process continues.

If your SBA loan application is approved, you may be eligible to borrow additional funds to cover the cost of improvements that will protect your property against future damage. Examples

include elevating utilities, water heaters and furnaces, and installing retaining walls and sump pumps. Applicants may be eligible for an SBA loan increase, for mitigation purposes, of up to 20 percent of their physical damage.

If SBA determines you aren’t eligible for a home loan, they will refer you back to FEMA. This could make you eligible for FEMA aid.

Disaster recovery officials are still on the ground in West Virginia and interacting with survivors in a variety of ways to help them recover:

  • FEMA specialists have attended more than 30 community organization events in West Virginia to discuss and answer questions about federal disaster assistance.

  • More than 9,100 survivors have visited 15 Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs). The first centers opened three days after the presidential disaster declaration.

  • More than 7,100 FEMA housing inspections have been completed.

  • FEMA disaster survivor assistance specialists canvassed the affected communities to encourage survivors to register for help, provide recovery information and listen to their concerns.

  • Free consultations on building hazard-resistant homes have been given to more than 2,800 survivors at DRCs and more than 5,300 at West Virginia home improvement stores.

The West Virginia Chief Recovery Officer, Maj. Gen. James Hoyer of the National Guard; the West Virginia State Disaster Recovery Officer, Keith Burdette, who is Secretary of Commerce for the State of West Virginia; and Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator Kevin Snyder are coordinating a team of state and federal disaster recovery specialists to restore, redevelop, revitalize and better prepare affected communities.

Recovery has significantly progressed because of voluntary, faith and community-based groups that are donating their time and skills to help survivors muck out, repair and rebuild their homes. These groups are always the first and last presence to help disaster survivors recover.

Whole community partners continue to collaborate to find solutions to enable West Virginia’s recovery and will be here as long as it takes.

Registering with FEMA is the first step in qualifying for assistance. Sept. 7 is the last day for survivors to file an application. FEMA encourages all survivors who sustained disaster-related damage or losses to apply by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362 (TTY users should call 800-462-7585) or online at DisasterAssistance.gov. The toll-free lines are open         7 a.m. to 10 p.m. EDT seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

Additional information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery can be found by calling the FEMA Helpline 800-621-3362 or visiting: www.DisasterAssistance.gov; www.WVflood.com; fema.gov/disaster/4273; twitter.com/femaregion3; and fema.gov/blog.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia is taking significant steps toward recovery following the severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides that occurred June 22-29, 2016.

Recovery takes the Whole Community. Affected communities and disaster survivors are repairing and rebuilding better, stronger and safer with the help of neighbors, friends, family members, voluntary groups, faith- and community-based organizations and local, county, state and federal governments.

The following highlights recovery progress made in the 60 days since the June 25 presidential disaster declaration and how disaster survivors and affected communities are overcoming challenges:

Initially three counties were designated as eligible for federal assistance. Since then, the presidential disaster declaration has been amended six times, making survivors in 12 counties eligible to apply for help under FEMA’s Individual Assistance (IA) program.

The deadline for survivors to register for federal aid under the IA program is Wednesday,     Sept. 7, 2016.

In addition, local, county and state government infrastructure and certain private nonprofit organizations in 18 counties became eligible to receive funding through FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program to repair and rebuild certain eligible disaster-damaged facilities. Local, county and state government expenses related to debris removal, saving lives, providing security, and managing the immediate response also became eligible for reimbursement.

The PA program benefits everyone in the affected communities because essential services like roads, utilities, schools and hospitals are often restored stronger than they were before the disaster. FEMA relieves burdens of local and county governments and the state by paying 75 percent of the eligible costs.

So far, more than 8,732 West Virginia households have contacted FEMA for IA help.

To date, survivors have received more than $111 million in federal disaster assistance for a variety of recovery purposes.

  • More than $32.7 million in grants has been approved for a place to stay for homeowners and renters whose residences were uninhabitable and to make essential repairs for homes to be safe, secure and functional.

  • More than $6.2 million in grants has gone to homeowners and renters to repair and replace certain household items and for disaster-related burial, medical and dental expenses.

  • Homeowners, renters and businesses have received more than $44.2 million in low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to repair, rebuild and replace damaged property and contents. Disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other sources.

  • NFIP policyholders have received more than $20 million in claims to repair and rebuild flood-damaged property.

  • The total Public Assistance Grants obligated as of Aug. 23 is more than $7.8 million

The SBA may call you after you register with FEMA. If they do, advise SBA on how you want to apply and submit your disaster low-interest loan application.  As a business, homeowner or renter, you can submit your SBA disaster loan application in one of three ways: 

FEMA and SBA encourage homeowners, renters and business owners to submit your SBA loan application to help fund recovery and to ensure the federal disaster recovery process continues.

If your SBA loan application is approved, you may be eligible to borrow additional funds to cover the cost of improvements that will protect your property against future damage. Examples

include elevating utilities, water heaters and furnaces, and installing retaining walls and sump pumps. Applicants may be eligible for an SBA loan increase, for mitigation purposes, of up to 20 percent of their physical damage.

If SBA determines you aren’t eligible for a home loan, they will refer you back to FEMA. This could make you eligible for FEMA aid.

Disaster recovery officials are still on the ground in West Virginia and interacting with survivors in a variety of ways to help them recover:

  • FEMA specialists have attended more than 30 community organization events in West Virginia to discuss and answer questions about federal disaster assistance.

  • More than 9,100 survivors have visited 15 Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs). The first centers opened three days after the presidential disaster declaration.

  • More than 7,100 FEMA housing inspections have been completed.

  • FEMA disaster survivor assistance specialists canvassed the affected communities to encourage survivors to register for help, provide recovery information and listen to their concerns.

  • Free consultations on building hazard-resistant homes have been given to more than 2,800 survivors at DRCs and more than 5,300 at West Virginia home improvement stores.

The West Virginia Chief Recovery Officer, Maj. Gen. James Hoyer of the National Guard; the West Virginia State Disaster Recovery Officer, Keith Burdette, who is Secretary of Commerce for the State of West Virginia; and Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator Kevin Snyder are coordinating a team of state and federal disaster recovery specialists to restore, redevelop, revitalize and better prepare affected communities.

Recovery has significantly progressed because of voluntary, faith and community-based groups that are donating their time and skills to help survivors muck out, repair and rebuild their homes. These groups are always the first and last presence to help disaster survivors recover.

Whole community partners continue to collaborate to find solutions to enable West Virginia’s recovery and will be here as long as it takes.

Registering with FEMA is the first step in qualifying for assistance. Sept. 7 is the last day for survivors to file an application. FEMA encourages all survivors who sustained disaster-related damage or losses to apply by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362 (TTY users should call 800-462-7585) or online at DisasterAssistance.gov. The toll-free lines are open         7 a.m. to 10 p.m. EDT seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

Additional information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery can be found by calling the FEMA Helpline 800-621-3362 or visiting: www.DisasterAssistance.gov; www.WVflood.com; fema.gov/disaster/4273; twitter.com/femaregion3; and fema.gov/blog.

Continue reading: 

Partnerships and progress: West Virginia severe storms, flooding, mudslides and landslides 60 days later

Roane County Gets Disaster Recovery Center

CHARLESTON, W Va.—A new Disaster Recovery Center has opened in Roane County to help survivors affected by the severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides that began June 22.

Disaster Recovery Centers are one-stop shops for eligible storm survivors seeking one-on-one help. Representatives from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and various state agencies are at the centers to answer questions. Weather permitting, centers are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. All centers will be open July 4.

The centers currently open are:

Roane County

Geary Elementary School

9538 Clay Rd.

Left Hand, WV 25251

 

Greenbrier County

Mobile Disaster Recovery Center

Southeastern Labor Council, AFL-CIO

65 West Main St.

White Sulphur Springs, WV 24986

 

Town Hall

201 Kanawha Ave.

Rainelle, WV 25962

 

Kanawha County

Kanawha County School Operations Center

3300 Pennsylvania Ave.

Charleston, WV 25302

 

Nicholas County

City of Richwood City Hall
6 White Ave.

Richwood, WV 26261

 

Summers County

Summers County Memorial Building Gym

451 1st Ave.

Hinton, WV 25951

 

State and FEMA officials continue to work closely with local officials in hard-hit areas to identify suitable sites for additional centers. Survivors can locate the center closest to them, by visiting http://go.usa.gov/x3NnJ or downloading the FEMA App to their mobile device to:

  • Apply for disaster assistance
  • Get directions to the nearest Disaster Recovery Center
  • Find shelter locations
  • Get weather alerts
  • Subscribe to disaster safety tips

Survivors do not have to visit a Disaster Recovery Center to register with FEMA.

Those who have not yet registered can do so by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov. Survivors may also register by calling toll-free 800-621-3362.  For those who use 711 or the Visual Relay Service, call 800-462-7585. FEMA encourages survivors to register as soon as possible.

Disaster assistance may include grants to help homeowners and renters pay for temporary housing, essential home repairs, personal property replacement, and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

SBA offers low-interest disaster loans for businesses of all sizes, homeowners, renters, and private non-profit organizations. SBA disaster loans may cover repairs, rebuilding, as well as the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged real estate and personal property.

For more information about SBA loans, call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit http://www.sba.gov/disaster.  TTY users may call 800-877-8339. Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

For more information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4273, twitter.com/FEMA, facebook.com/FEMA, and fema.gov/blog.

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Roane County Gets Disaster Recovery Center

Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Summers County

CHARLESTON, WV—A Disaster Recovery Center has opened in Summers County to help survivors affected by the severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides that began June 22.

Disaster Recovery Centers serve as one-stop shops for eligible storm survivors seeking one-on-one help. Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and various state agencies are at the centers to answer questions. Centers are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. All centers will be open July 4.

The centers currently open are:

Greenbrier County

Mobile Disaster Recovery Center

Southeastern Labor Council, AFL-CIO

65 West Main St.

White Sulphur Springs, WV 24986

 

Town Hall

201 Kanawha Ave.

Rainelle, WV 25962

 

Kanawha County

Kanawha County School Operations Center

3300 Pennsylvania Ave.

Charleston, WV 25302

 

Nicholas County

City of Richwood City Hall
6 White Ave.

Richwood, WV 26261

 

Summers County

Summers County Memorial Building gym

451 1st Ave.

Hinton, WV 25951

State and FEMA officials continue to work closely with local officials in hard-hit areas to identify suitable sites for additional centers. Survivors can locate the center closest to them, by visiting http://go.usa.gov/x3NnJ or downloading the FEMA App to their mobile device to:

  • Apply for disaster assistance
  • Get directions to the nearest Disaster Recovery Center
  • Find shelter locations
  • Get weather alerts
  • Subscribe to disaster safety tips

Survivors do not have to visit a Disaster Recovery Center to register with FEMA.

Those who have not yet registered can do so by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov. Survivors may also register by calling toll-free 800-621-3362.  For those who use 711 or the Visual Relay Service, call 800-462-7585. FEMA encourages survivors to register as soon as possible.

Disaster assistance may include grants to help homeowners and renters pay for temporary housing, essential home repairs, personal property replacement, and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

SBA offers low-interest disaster loans for businesses of all sizes, homeowners, renters, and private non-profit organizations. SBA disaster loans may cover repairs, rebuilding, as well as the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged real estate and personal property.

For more information about SBA loans, call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit http://www.sba.gov/disaster.  TTY users may call 800-877-8339. Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

For more information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4273, twitter.com/FEMA, facebook.com/FEMA, and fema.gov/blog.

Continue reading here – 

Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Summers County

Disaster Recovery Center Opens

CHARLESTON, W.v. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced today a Disaster Recovery Center will be opening to assist survivors affected by the West Virginia Flooding. Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) are one-stop shops for eligible storm survivors to provide one- on-one, face-to-face help. The location is:

Kanawha County

Kanawha County Crede Warehouse

3300 Pennsylvania Ave

Charleston, WV 25302

Opening today at 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Tuesday (6/28/2016) 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., (open seven days a week)

Individuals do not have to visit a Disaster Recovery Center to register with FEMA. FEMA urges those who have not yet registered to do so as soon as possible by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov. FEMA also accepts registrations through your smartphone at m.fema.gov. For those without access to the internet, FEMA has a toll-free number at 1-800- 621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585 for the deaf or hard of hearing.

To learn more about Disaster Recovery Centers, go to FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers. Federal disaster assistance for individuals and families can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property loss and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

For more information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4273,  twitter.com/FEMA, facebook.com/FEMA and fema.gov/blog.

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.

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Disaster Recovery Center Opens

Mobile Disaster Recovery Center Opens

CHARLESTON, W.v. ­­­­– The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced today a Mobile Disaster Recovery Center will be opening to assist survivors affected by the West Virginia Flooding. Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) are one-stop shops for eligible storm survivors to provide one-on-one, face-to-face help. The location is:

Greenbrier County

Emmanuel United Methodist Church

31 Tressel St

White Sulphur Springs, WV 24986

Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, 6/28/16

             7 a.m. to 7 p.m.  Wednesday, 6/29/16

             7 a.m. to 7 p.m.  Thursday, 6/30/16          

Individuals do not have to visit a Disaster Recovery Center to register with FEMA.

FEMA urges those who have not yet registered to do so as soon as possible by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov. FEMA also accepts registrations through your smartphone at m.fema.gov. For those without access to the internet, FEMA has a toll-free number at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585 for the deaf or hard of hearing.

To learn more about Disaster Recovery Centers, go to FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers.

Federal disaster assistance for individuals and families can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property loss and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

For more information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4273, twitter.com/FEMA, facebook.com/FEMA and fema.gov/blog.

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.

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Mobile Disaster Recovery Center Opens

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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This article is from – 

Speaking the Language of Louisiana Flood Survivors

Rebuild with floods and fires in mind

Images shows house that had a ceramic roof when built saved the home from the Valley fires.

Ceramic tile roofing is a best practice to mitigate embers from igniting the roof structure when considering living with the threat of wildfires. When one home with a shake shingle roof is destroyed, another homeowner with a ceramic tile roof mitigated the penetrating flames and saved the structure and all personal belongings. Adam Dubrowa/ FEMA

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Decisions made now in rebuilding homes destroyed or damaged in the September wildfires can pay big dividends by minimizing future fire and flood damage.

Free publications from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will explain how. They are available at the Disaster Recovery Centers, at FEMA display locations listed below and online by searching for the titles at FEMA.gov.

Flood after Fire Risks – FloodSmart.gov describes the importance of buying flood insurance. The insurance is available to both homeowners and renters. Standard homeowner and rental insurance may not cover flood damage. Charred, barren ground increases the risk of flash flooding because it is less able to absorb rainfall. Forecasters are predicting above average rainfall this coming rainy season because of an El Niño weather pattern.

Rebuilding After a Wildfire Fact Sheet presents many ways to rebuild safer, stronger and more resilient to wildfires.

FEMA displays are at the following locations:

Sender’s Market
8111 Garabaldi St.
Mountain Ranch, CA 95246

Mendo Mill & Lumber Co.
5255 Old Hwy. 53
Clearlake, CA 95422

Four Corners Builders Supply
14918 Olympic Dr.
Clearlake, CA 95422

Ace Hardware
155 S. Main St.
Angels Camp, CA 95221

These sites have all the information that is provided at the Disaster Recovery Centers about rebuilding and protecting your property and also information about flood insurance. To locate the nearest Disaster Recovery Center, go to www.fema.gov/DRC. The publications listed above also are available online for download at www.fema.gov. Click on Search and type in the full title shown above.

Survivors can register for FEMA assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362; TTY 800-462-7585; 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362. The deadline to register is Nov. 23, 2015.

For more information on California’s wildfire recovery, visit: caloes.ca.gov or fema.gov/disaster/4240 and follow us on Twitter @femaregion9

and at Facebook.com/FEMA.

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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Rebuild with floods and fires in mind

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