BATON ROUGE, La. – The U.S. Small Business Administration is opening a disaster loan outreach center on Thursday, Oct. 6, in St. Landry Parish to assist Louisiana flood survivors. The center will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, until further notice. 

St. Landry Parish
Location:  Word Ministries
                  1960 West Laurel Avenue
                  Eunice, LA 70535
Hours:      9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Monday through Friday)

The new disaster loan outreach center will be transitioning from the FEMA disaster recovery center at the same address that will cease operations at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 5.

With the community continuing to repair and rebuild, its need for the disaster recovery center has diminished and the facility will now become a disaster loan outreach center to serve individuals with SBA loans.

Survivors can still visit any other disaster recovery center and may locate other centers near them by going online to fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers, calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362, or downloading the FEMA mobile app.

At the disaster loan outreach center, representatives from the SBA will be available to meet with business owners and residents to answer questions, explain SBA’s disaster loan program, help complete loan applications and close their approved disaster loans. Business owners and residents can meet with SBA representatives on the days and times indicated. No appointment is necessary.

Low-interest disaster loans from the SBA are available for businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters.

Applicants for disaster loans may also apply online using the electronic loan application via SBA’s secure website at www.disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

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Disaster Recovery Center in St. Landry Parish Will Transition to Disaster Loan Outreach Center to Serve Louisiana Survivors

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Mitigation experts at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) say there is no better time than now for Missouri homeowners to start thinking about how to prepare for the next flood.

For the big jobs, homeowners will want to hire a reputable licensed contractor. FEMA mitigation officials suggest getting bids from two or three contractors. And ask for references. Minor repairs and renovations may be easy work for experienced do-it-yourselfers. However, tasks such as relocating basement appliances and electrical equipment may require the help of a professional.

Start with the main circuit breaker or fuse box. Move it up to at least 12 inches above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) for your home. Your insurance agent or local flood plain administrator will be able to tell you what that level is. Check with your local building department. If the electrical code allows, raise electrical outlets and switches above flood level.

If you need to replace a flood-damaged furnace, water heater or air conditioner, have the new one installed on a higher floor. If your air conditioner or heat pump is outdoors, install it on a raised platform. Place washers and dryers on blocks, making sure they will not vibrate off the blocks during use. A one- or two-foot-high waterproof floodwall around appliances will protect them from shallow flooding.

More do-it-yourself tips for repairing flood-damaged buildings:

  • Walls: If the wallboard and insulation were removed, wash and disinfect the exposed vertical wooden studs and the horizontal wooden sills at their base. If rebuilding, consider metal studs and sills, as they are less damaged by water than wooden ones.

  • Wallboard: If you install the wall board horizontally (four feet high), you’ll only have to replace half the wall if the next flood is less than four feet deep. Leave the wall open one inch above the sill. The baseboards will hide the gap, and all you have to do after the next flood is remove the baseboard and the wall cavity will drain freely and air will circulate better.

  • Floors: Particle board or plywood fall apart when wet for lengthy periods. Floor joists and some wood floors regain their shape when naturally dried. Use screws or screw nails on floors and stairs to minimize warping. Completely dry subflooring before laying new flooring or carpeting. Re-nail, then sand or place a new underlayment for a new floor.

  • Paints: Completely dry the surface before painting. This may take several weeks, but paint will peel if applied over a damp surface. Coat concrete surfaces with penetrating sealer for easier future cleanup.

  • Windows and Doors: When appropriate, replace flood damaged windows with vinyl or metal framed windows. Hollow core or polysty­rene foam filled metal doors are water resistant.

Despite all that you have done, natural disasters are unpredictable, and even the best preparations may not hold up in the next flood. So it’s strongly recommended that homeowners look into purchasing a National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policy, especially if your home or business is located in a flood plain or high-risk area.

NFIP insurance is available to homeowners, renters, condo owners/renters, and commercial owners/renters in communities that participate in the NFIP. Missouri communities in the program are listed here — http://www.fema.gov/cis/MO.html. Other communities can request to be added if they meet certain criteria. More than 75 private insurance agents or agencies in Missouri are certified to sell and service NFIP policies, including all of those listed on this link — http://www.fema.gov/wyo_company.

For more ideas on reducing flood loss, check out the FEMA booklet “Protecting Your Home and Property from Flood Damage” at https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/21471.

 

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For breaking news about flood recovery, follow FEMA Region 7 on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion7 and turn on mobile notifications or visit the FEMA webpages dedicated to this disaster at www.fema.gov/disaster/4250.

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).

 

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News You Can Use: Make your home more flood resistant

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — It’s been a race against time to get essential disaster assistance to survivors of Alaska’s devastating spring floods. Now, with temperatures dipping below freezing and snow beginning to fall in the remote Alaskan Bush, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, its State of Alaska partner and several voluntary organizations are working feverishly to get as many families as possible back into their homes.

Of the eight largely Alaska Native communities most affected by the May and June floods, the small city of Galena took the hardest hit. Submerged under as much as 9 ½ feet of water and rammed by massive boulders of ice that jumped the riverbank, most of Galena came to a standstill.

With just 470 residents, 97 percent of Galena’s homes were affected by the disaster, as were roads, power and water supplies, a health clinic, an assisted living center for the community’s elders and other facilities. The result is that 201 of the 372 households that registered with FEMA for disaster assistance are in Galena.

To make matters worse, Galena’s tragedy affected as many as 10 surrounding villages, as it’s a hub for employment, transportation and health care, while its boarding school makes it a significant provider of youth education in the region.

What’s more, like several of the other flood-soaked communities stretching from the Canadian border to the Bering Sea, Galena has not a single road connecting it to the outside world. Of the other disaster-affected communities — Alakanuk, Circle, Eagle, Emmonak, Fort Yukon, Hughes and Tok — only Circle and Tok have overland routes open year round.

In the three months since President Obama’s June 25 disaster declaration for Alaska, more than $10 million in state and federal assistance has been approved for survivors and their communities. The total includes more than $3 million in awards to individuals and families for home repairs and for other essential needs, including the replacement of life-sustaining tools, boats, all-terrain vehicles, and hunting and fishing equipment lost in the floods.

In addition, the U.S. Small Business Administration has approved nearly $3.8 million in low-interest disaster loans for the repair of homes and businesses in the disaster area. Also included in the $10 million total is $3.2 million in obligations to the state and local communities to help pay for debris cleanup, repairs to damaged facilities and infrastructure, and for costs incurred in protecting lives and property during the floods.

“Ten million is a good start toward recovery, but FEMA understands that assistance dollars to these isolated communities are little more than paper without the means to put the money to work,” said Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO) Dolph Diemont. “For that reason, we’ve worked closely with the State and our voluntary agency partners to offer creative solutions to the challenges people are facing.”

With five of the communities accessible only by air and boat — and barge the only way to bring in large quantities of building supplies — FEMA is providing assistance with shipping costs of building materials for eligible applicants.

FEMA so far has received nearly 90 requests from households for assistance with shipment of materials, and has shipped more than 363,000 pounds of building materials, sheltering supplies and donated items. The barges not only deliver critical care packages for those affected by the floods, they provide the material resources survivors need to rebuild their homes and their lives.

Human resources — the skilled, extra hands to help with the work — are also desperately needed in the damaged communities, where subsistence hunting, fishing and wood-gathering is occupying many residents ahead of winter. Although limited in number by conditions on the ground in rural communities, voluntary and service organizations have provided essential recovery services to survivors in Galena, Alakanuk, Circle, Emmonak, Fort Yukon and Hughes.

Recognizing the travel distances and the scarcity of housing for volunteers from the lower 48 states, FEMA is covering the travel costs for a variety of volunteer workers, while the State of Alaska has stood up a winterized, 40-bed responder support camp in Galena, ensuring most of the beds go to volunteers.

AmeriCorps, United Methodist Volunteers in Mission, Disciples of Christ, Mennonite Disaster Services, World Renew and Arizona Southern Baptists have been working steadily with survivors, mucking out and gutting flood-soaked homes or performing repairs and rebuilds. In addition, Galena Baptist Church members and other local volunteers are helping their neighbors. Thanks to these efforts, most survivors will be back home before winter.

There is still much work to do, however. The extent of the destruction means not everyone’s home will be restored in the few weeks remaining to ship supplies by barge before water levels drop, the rivers freeze up and the building season comes to an end. That doesn’t mean the effort is slowing down.

“Our goal has always been to get survivors back to their communities and back into their homes to the greatest extent possible before winter,” said State Coordinating Officer Bryan Fisher of the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. “While some homes will require more work next spring, the coordination taking place now will ensure that every survivor has a safe, dry and warm place to stay, and that their needs are met for winter.”

State and federal recovery specialists continue to contact flood survivors, going door to door in some cases, to identify any remaining needs that can still be met before winter. In some cases, a home may lack plumbing fixtures, an electrical or water hookup, or another essential service to make it functional — and the goal is to get that work done.

While sheltering operations have scaled down considerably in Galena, the Mass Care team continues to provide shelter, now mainly in the 12-room Birchwood Hall, to residents who are completing home repairs or who must be in Galena for work or other needs. In Fairbanks, State and FEMA recovery specialists also are helping a small number of remaining evacuees transition from a temporary shelter to more practical winter housing.

Meanwhile, FEMA is providing rental assistance to eligible survivors, while the State is offering rental assistance outside of Galena to those who are ineligible for or cannot make use of FEMA assistance. The State and FEMA continue to work with survivors whose Galena homes aren’t quite ready, but who wish to stay at home through the winter using wraparound support services such as showers, toilets, and laundry and food services. In addition to many other duties in support of survivors, FEMA Corps members are managing a drop-off laundry service.

After preparing and serving more than 17,600 meals at a Bureau of Land Management facility — much of the food donated by the Alaska Food Bank and the Alaska Department of Education — the feeding mission has entered its winter phase. Hot meals are now prepared in The Salvation Army’s central kitchen in Anchorage and shipped frozen by air to Galena. Survivors can pick up the meals, heat them in microwaves at the community center and take them home to eat as a family. Self-serve breakfasts are also provided at the community center. Food service will continue in Galena for as long as the need remains.

For some residents, there still are housing decisions to be made, and caseworkers continue to work with applicants to provide information on programs and policy, and to outline options, especially for Galena’s riverside neighborhood of Old Town, which took the brunt of the spring flooding.

“We especially wanted to provide options to Old Town residents, since our studies indicate it remains at serious risk of life-threatening flooding,” said FCO Diemont. “While FEMA cannot legally and in good conscience promote permanent occupancy of Old Town with taxpayer dollars, we are working with the State to provide opportunities for residents to move to safety.”

For example, the State has announced that several million dollars in additional funds to be provided to Alaska under the FEMA-funded Hazard Mitigation Grant Program will be earmarked for property acquisitions in Old Town, as well as for property elevations in the New Town neighborhood farther away from the river. Since participation in the program is voluntary, community leaders are discussing options with homeowners so applications can go forward over the winter.

State and FEMA Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation specialists also are exploring strategies and funding opportunities to help Galena and the other disaster-affected communities rebuild stronger and more disaster-resilient. Projects identified to date include elevation of a health clinic in Circle  and construction of a new Louden Tribal Council Community Hall in New Town Galena, to replace the council’s disaster-destroyed Old Town hall.

While great progress has been made since the floods, there is much work to do before temperatures begin plummeting toward 50 below zero and lower in the coming weeks — and much work remains over the long, dark winter. FEMA and the State pledge to remain focused on this mission until full recovery is assured.

While barge shipments will soon stop until spring, critical food and supplies will continue to arrive by air, interior construction will continue and all other possible means of driving recovery forward will be delivered.

In addition, FEMA and State long-term recovery specialists will set to work with the community of Galena to develop a strategy for building a stronger, safer, more energy-efficient city for the future, using the community’s existing development plans as a guide. Meanwhile, coordination will continue through the winter in an effort to ensure that plans, supplies and volunteers are in place to pick up the rebuilding effort at first thaw.

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Three Months After Disaster Declaration: Alaska’s Flooded Communities Ready for Winter with Help from Recovery Partners

Kansas City, Mo –The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers safety tips to residents returning to check on flood damaged property and encourages them to file flood insurance claims.

Potential health/safety hazards after a disaster include carbon monoxide poisoning from generators used to power homes or clean-up equipment; electrocution from stepping into water charged by live electric wires; infections to cuts or scrapes that come into contact with surfaces contaminated by floodwater; chemical hazards from spills or storage tank breaks, respiratory and heat-related illnesses; and the worsening of chronic illness from overexertion.

For some, flooding continues to be a concern, if a flood is likely in your area, you should:

  • Listen to your radio or television for information.
  • Be aware that flash flooding can occur. If there is any possibility of a flash flood that could affect you, move immediately to higher ground. Do not wait for instructions to move. If in your vehicle, Turn Around, Don’t Drown.
  • Be aware of streams, drainage channels, canyons, and other areas known to flood suddenly. Flash floods can occur in these areas with or without such typical warnings as rain clouds or heavy rain.
  • United Way’s 2-1-1 is a helpful resource before, during and after disasters. Keeping this number and an up-to-date family communication plan handy is a must-do when preparing for emergencies (see below).

BEWARE OF Hazards

  • First, check for damage. Check for structural damage before re-entering your home. Contact professionals immediately if you suspect damage to water, gas, electric or sewer lines.
  • Throw away food that has come in contact with floodwaters.
  • Boil water until authorities declare the water supply safe to drink.

File your Flood Insurance Claim

  • Call your insurance agent who handles your flood insurance to file a claim. Have the following information with you when you place your call: (1) the name of your insurance company (your agent may write policies for more than one company); (2) your policy number; and (3) a telephone number/e-mail address where you can be reached. 
  • Take photos of any water in the house and damaged personal property. If necessary, place these items outside the home. Your adjuster will need evidence of the damage and damaged items (e.g., cut swatches from carpeting) to prepare your repair estimate.
  • List damaged or lost items and include their age and value where possible. If possible, supply receipts for those lost items to the adjuster. Officials may require disposal of damaged items. If so, try to keep a swatch or other sample of the items for the adjuster.

 Clean Up

  • Remove wet contents immediately to prevent mold. Wet carpeting, furniture, bedding and other items holding moisture can develop mold within 24 to 48 hours. During the first 48 hours, you can help control mold growth by cleaning with non-ammonia detergents, soap, or commercial cleaner and disinfecting with a 10 percent bleach solution (1-1/2 cups of bleach in a gallon of water). Then dry and monitor for several days. If any mold develops, throw the item away.
  • Thoroughly dry out the building’s interior. Portable dehumidifiers are useful, and rental costs may be covered under your flood policy. An air conditioner can also be used to start the drying-out process.
  • Help damaged walls dry out. If the walls are damaged, take photographs of the baseboard. Then remove the baseboard.  Knock small holes at floor level in the drywall, between the wall studs. This will let moisture trapped behind the drywall seep out.
  • Have your furnace checked for damage. Your water heater may work, but if the floodwater covered part of, or the entire tank, the insulation between the walls may be damaged. Obtain an estimate to replace the damaged furnace and water heater.

Flooding Resources for Missourians include:

  • http://www.fema.gov/hazard/flood/fl_after.shtm – is a link to FEMA-recommended steps that should be taken immediately after a flood.
  • http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/floods/after.asp#cleanup – is a site maintained by the Center for Disease Control with helpful information on health/safety concerns that can result following a flood.
  • http://www.211helps.org/ – United Way’s 2-1-1 is a helpful resource before, during and after disasters. Keeping this number and an up-to-date family communication plan handy is a must-do when preparing for emergencies. Information about local services, by zip code, is available online. Where 2-1-1 phone service is not available, dial 1-800-427-4626, or TTY 866-385-6525.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

  • Contact your local building inspections or planning office or county clerk’s office to get more information on local building requirements before repairing your structure. If you can’t find a local contact, call your state NFIP coordinator. Contact information can be found at www.floods.org/statepocs/stcoor.asp.

BE FLOODSMART: More severe weather could be on the way, so prepare today!

  • Stay informed. Monitor local weather forecasts, watches, and warnings.
  • Don’t drive through floodwater. Most deaths in floods occur when people try to drive through flooded roadways. Turn around, don’t drown!
  • Install straps or additional clips to securely fasten your roof to the frame structure. This will reduce roof damage.
  • Be sure trees and shrubs around your home are well trimmed.
  • Clear loose and clogged rain gutters and downspouts.
  • Determine how and where to secure your boat.

To file a flood insurance claim or learn more about purchasing flood insurance to protect your property, visit FloodSmart.gov, or call 1-800-427-2419

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Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.  Find regional updates from FEMA Region VII at www.twitter.com/femaregion7. 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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Missouri Residents Urged to Use Caution When Returning to Flood Damanged Homes and Businesses

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 Vermont to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms and flooding during the period of May 22-26, 2013.

The President’s action makes federal funding available to state 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 storms and flooding in Chittenden, Essex, and Lamoille counties.

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

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

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Follow FEMA online at blog.fema.gov, 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 Vermont

PURVIS, Miss. – As Mississippians clean up from the recent storms, tornadoes, and flooding, some will have to deal with mold before returning home. Mold can be a health hazard; it can also cause structural damage.

It’s important to recognize mold and to remove it safely before moving back into or repairing a residence.

Mold needs three things to spread: a food source (paper, wood, leaves etc.), moisture, and a place to grow. People can have severe reactions to mold. Those with asthma, allergies and other breathing conditions may be more sensitive to mold. People with compromised immune systems are more vulnerable to infections caused by mold.

Mold also can cause structural damage. When wood gets wet and moldy and then dries, it can warp. Walls can crack and the building can weaken.

Quick action can minimize health risks and damage caused by mold – and stop its spread:

  • Open windows and doors and use fans to dry out the building.  If possible, use wet vacuums to remove water and use dehumidifiers in closed spaces.
  • Remove baseboards and soaked drywall to a foot above the watermark and discard. Drain walls by drilling holes or pulling non-porous paneling away from the studs. Check the inside of wallsfor mold.
  • Wash hard, non-absorbent surfaces (metal, glass, solid wood, plastic) with non-ammonia detergent and hot water. Scrub rough surfaces such as concrete. Disinfect all cleaned surfaces with a solution of water and bleach; rinse with water after 10 minutes.
  • Remove absorbent materials that have been wet for more than 48 hours and cannot be thoroughly cleaned and dried. That includes carpets and padding, upholstery, wallpaper, drywall, floor and ceiling tiles, insulation, leather, wood, paper, food and clothing.
  • When in doubt throw it out!

If the area to be cleaned is larger than 10 square feet or if assistance is required to complete cleanup, consult a professional contractor.

The basic rule is: if you can see or smell mold, eliminate the excess moisture then, cleanup and remove the mold.

Be safe during cleanup:

  • Never mix bleach with ammonia; the fumes are toxic.
  • Wear eye protection and rubber gloves.
  • Air out the working area by opening doors and windows and using fans.
  • Protect your lungs. Use an N-95 respiratory mask that can be purchased at most hardware stores for about $10.

For more information, see:

Mississippi Department of Health: http://www.msdh.state.ms.us/msdhsite/_static/43,0,230,331.html

Centers for Disease Control: http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/mold/

Environmental Protection Agency: www.epa.gov/mold/cleanupguidelines.html

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.

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 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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Seek and Destroy Mold – The Spoiler – Fast

FUNDING APPROVED FOR BRATTLEBORO HOUSING AUTHORITY WORK

ESSEX JUNCTION, Vt. –  A public housing project in Brattleboro that was damaged during Tropical Storm Irene will receive federal funding for subsequent clean up and repairs as well as steps to flood proof the structures for the short term.

The Brattleboro Housing Authority’s Melrose Terrace facility will receive $290,000 through the federal Public Assistance program for the recovery work and steps to make any future flooding less costly for residents there.

“Planning is underway to find new locations for these affordable homes and move them out of harm’s way,” said Jennifer Hollar, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Economic, Housing and Community Development. “The state is grateful for FEMA’s assistance and BHA’s efforts to ensure the buildings are made as safe as possible in the interim.”

Melrose Terrace, built in 1965, is located in the floodplain of nearby Whetstone Brook, which spilled its banks during Irene and inundated the 17 buildings that make up the complex. No one was injured because the Brattleboro Housing Authority (BHA) had evacuated the residents as a precaution the previous day.

While FEMA typically does not invest in repairing or flood-proofing buildings that are as flood-prone as Melrose Terrace, FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer for Vermont Mark Landry said that officials at FEMA’s Region I office in Boston agreed to the plan because not only did BHA have an evacuation plan in place, but it committed to finding a new location for these vulnerable populations as soon as possible.

“We are pleased that we are able to help the residents of Melrose Terrace, many of whom are seniors or people with disabilities, while the Brattleboro Housing Authority seeks a long-term housing solution for these residents,” said Landry.

While BHA’s insurance paid most of the roughly $1 million costs of the repairs, FEMA agreed to contribute $90,000 in uninsured costs through its Public Assistance (PA) program, which provides funding to state, municipalities, and certain non-profits to repair roads and bridges, hospitals and schools, and other infrastructure damaged in disasters.

In addition, FEMA agreed to use its Mitigation program funding, which pays to help make future disasters less costly, to flood-proof the most vulnerable buildings by providing approximately $200,000 for:

  • Installing aluminum flood shields in the doorways and around exterior electric panels;
  • Replacing baseboard electric heaters with elevated electric heaters;
  • Raising both the kitchen stove outlets and electric water heaters a foot above the 100-year flood elevation.

“FEMA recognizes that these are temporary measures, and that relocating these people safely outside the floodplain is the preferred solution,” Landry said. “But until that is accomplished, these steps, coupled with BHA’s evacuation plan, will allow the residents to continue to live in Melrose Place and to avoid the kind of costly property damages if another flood occurs similar in magnitude to Irene.”

So far FEMA has obligated, or paid to the state, approximately $129 million in reimbursement for Public Assistance projects related to Tropical Storm Irene, as well as $23 million in Individual Assistance to individuals and families for losses.

To learn more visit: http://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit.

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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.

From:  

Funding Approved For Brattleboro Housing Authority Work