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First $1 Million in Federal Assistance Provided to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for January Blizzard

BOURNE, MA – State and federal officials announce the first $1 million in federal assistance has been delivered to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to help cover the costs of the severe winter storm, snowstorm and flooding on January 26-28, 2015.

The major disaster declaration issued by the President for this severe winter storm provides federal disaster funding for certain costs associated with emergency services provided during the storm and repairing damage to buildings and other public infrastructure in Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk and Worcester Counties. Additionally, federal disaster funds are being made available in the same counties (with the exception of Nantucket County) to reimburse 75 percent of the eligible costs of plowing and clearing snow for a 48 hour period.

“With winter just around the corner, the delivery of federal aid for last season’s historic snowfall and freezing temperatures, will provide critical assistance for state agencies, public transit, non-profits and our cities and town,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “The diligent work of our emergency management officials in partnership with those impacted by this severe winter, will ensure relief as recovery, repair and future resiliency efforts continue.”

Under this disaster declaration, Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) public assistance programs will reimburse state and local governments, tribal, and eligible private non-profit organizations, in the designated counties, certain costs associated with emergency response, damage to buildings and infrastructure, and plowing and clearing of snow for a 48 hour period. Projections indicate eligible costs may exceed $150 million, of which FEMA will reimburse 75 percent of the approved cost.

“Due to the extraordinary nature of the winter storm and its costs, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) along with the FEMA are working tirelessly to maximize federal disaster assistance to eligible applicants,” said MEMA Director Kurt Schwartz.

“FEMA continues to support the Commonwealth to ensure that applicants receive all of the assistance for which they are eligible,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Mark Landry. “Funding for hazard mitigation efforts, statewide, is also available.” Hazard mitigation funding is for cost-effective measures that would prevent or reduce the threat of future damages.

The Commonwealth, which distributes the FEMA funds to local governments and qualified non-profits, must review public assistance projects, along with FEMA, to ensure compliance with regulations.

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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First $1 Million in Federal Assistance Provided to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for January Blizzard

Kentucky’s Leslie County Designated for Federal Assistance After July Storms

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency has amended a recent disaster declaration for severe storms in July in order to make survivors in Leslie County eligible for its Individual Assistance program.

Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in Leslie County can apply for assistance by registering online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362. Disaster assistance applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing should call 800-462-7585 (TTY); those who use 711 or Video Relay Service may call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time seven days a week until further notice.

Breathitt, Carter, Fleming, Johnson, Perry, Rowan and Trimble counties were previously designated for Individual Assistance.

Individual Assistance can include money for temporary housing and essential home repairs for primary homes, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

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Kentucky’s Leslie County Designated for Federal Assistance After July Storms

FEMA Extends Deadline to Request Hurricane Sandy Claims Review

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has extended the deadline for flood insurance policyholders to submit their Hurricane Sandy Claims for review. The last day to submit claims is now Oct. 15, 2015.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today that any additional flood insurance proceeds up to $20,000 will not be treated as duplicative. Federal agencies cannot provide disaster assistance for losses covered by insurance. HUD’s announcement stated that “this will eliminate the need for HUD grantees to reclaim assistance from these households or to repay those funds through non-federal sources. To date, three out of four National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claimants have received less than $20,000 in additional compensation from FEMA and will not face any possible repayment.”

Roy Wright, FEMA’s Deputy Associate Administrator for Insurance and Mitigation, encouraged policyholders to call FEMA and request a review if they believe their claims were underpaid for any reason. As of Sept.14, nearly 14,000 policyholders have requested reviews of their Sandy flood insurance claims.

“FEMA remains committed to making sure that every policyholder gets every dollar they are owed under their flood insurance policy. Already, thousands of policyholders have contacted us to have their claims reviewed and we have begun providing funds to those who were due additional payments on their claim,” Wright said.

“We are hopeful that HUD’s action to provide relief to the vast majority of those who are concerned about potential duplicative benefits will encourage even more policyholders who may have been initially reluctant to enter the process to do so,” Wright said. “In light of HUD’s decision to simplify this review and provide relief, we are extending the claims review deadline until October 15th. We hope by extending the deadline we are addressing any remaining concerns some may have about entering the claims review process. The review process we have established is designed to be simple, fair, and accessible without paid legal assistance. FEMA is dead set on restoring trust in this important program and no one should be discouraged from having their claim reviewed.”

Policyholders can call the NFIP’s Hurricane Sandy claims center at 866-337-4262 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), Monday through Friday to request a review. It is important to have your policy number and insurance company name when you call.

Policyholders also can go online to www.fema.gov/hurricane-sandy-nfip-claims to download a form requesting a review. The downloaded form can be filled out and emailed to FEMA-sandyclaimsreview@fema.dhs.gov or faxed to 202-646-7970 to begin the review process. For individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and use 711 or VRS, please call 866-337-4262. For individuals using a TTY, please call 800-462-7585 to begin the review process.

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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

FEMA provides federal funds to help fight the Dry Gulch Fire

SEATTLE – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Dry Gulch Fire in Baker County, Oregon.

FEMA Region X Regional Administrator Kenneth D. Murphy determined that the fire threatened such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. Murphy approved the state of Oregon’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) on Sept. 13, 2015 at 11:23 p.m. PDT. There have been six FMAGs approved in Oregon since July 2015.

Two New Mexico firefighters walk up a hill to continue battling smoldering forest fires. Fire Management Assistance Grants can provide federal funds to support costs like firefighting tools and equipment, overtime compensation, mobilization and travel costs, meals, health and safety items.

Through Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAGs), federal funds are available to support firefighters battling wildfires if needed. Original photo by Andrea Booher/FEMA News Photo. Los Alamos, N.M., May 4, 2000 – “Hot Shot” members from Zuni, NM, continue their fight with smoldering forest fires.

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The fire started on September 13, 2015 and had burned in excess of 18,000 acres of federal, state and private lands. At the time of the request, was threatening 403 primary homes in and around the communities of Halfway and New Bridge. Evacuation orders were issued and approximately 300 people have evacuated the area. The fire was also threatening a major distribution line, cell towers and wildlife habitat in the area.

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

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

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FEMA provides federal funds to help fight the Dry Gulch Fire

Next Meeting of the FEMA National Advisory Council

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be holding the next FEMA National Advisory Council (NAC) public meeting in Washington, D.C., from September 16-18, 2015.

WHAT: NAC Meeting

WHERE: Gallaudet University
Kellogg Conference Center
800 Florida Ave NE
Washington, DC 20002

WHEN: September 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (EDT)
September 17, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (EDT)
September 18, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (EDT)

During the meeting, the NAC will meet with FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, Deputy Administrator Joe Nimmich, and senior agency leadership to receive program briefings, and discuss the progress and potential recommendations of its three subcommittees: Preparedness and Protection, Response and Recovery, and Federal Insurance and Mitigation. The full agenda can be found on the FEMA NAC website at www.fema.gov/national-advisory-council.

There will also be remarks from Dr. Carol Erting, Provost of Gallaudet University, and Chris Geldart, Director of the District of Columbia’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (DC HSEMA).

Members of the public are invited to provide public comments after the subcommittee report- outs between 3:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. EDT on Thursday, September 17, 2015. Directions on how to submit public comments can be found on the NAC webpage.

The NAC was established to ensure effective and ongoing coordination of federal preparedness, protection, response, recovery, mitigation for natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters. The NAC advises the FEMA Administrator on all aspects of emergency management, and incorporates federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, and non-profit and private sector partners’ input into the development and revision of FEMA plans and strategies.

For those planning to attend in person and for additional information on facilities or services for individuals with disabilities, or to request special assistance at the meeting, please contact the Office of the NAC by email at FEMA-NAC@fema.dhs.gov.

More information on the NAC is available at www.fema.gov/national-advisory-council.

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Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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Next Meeting of the FEMA National Advisory Council

Preliminary Flood Maps in Willacy County and Cameron County in Texas Ready for Public View

DENTON, Texas – Homeowners, renters and business owners in Willacy County and Cameron County in Texas are encouraged to look over newly-released preliminary flood maps in order to determine their flood risks and make informed decisions.

Local officials and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are presenting the revised preliminary maps to communities in order to help leaders and residents identify known flood risks in their area. Residents and business owners can use this information to make decisions about buying flood insurance and other building decisions. Community leaders can use this information to identify how the community should move forward with any development.

“We have worked with our state and local partners to bring this critical information to the county and hope that everyone reviews the maps to understand what flood risks are involved,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “It is very important to have the community as an active partner in the flood mapping process.”

To view the revised flood maps, please contact your local floodplain administrator who may be located at City Hall or the local county government building. You can also visit http://msc.fema.gov/portal or http://maps.riskmap6.com. To contact a FEMA Map Specialist, call 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or send an email to FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com.

Once a flood risk is identified, the next step is to consider the purchase of a flood policy from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-379-9531 to locate an agent in your area.

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Preliminary Flood Maps in Willacy County and Cameron County in Texas Ready for Public View

FEMA Seeks Local Help to Assist in Disaster Recovery Through Job Fair

Saipan, CNMI – FEMA has joined forces with the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands’ Department of Labor (DOL) to recruit individuals to work in temporary, full-time positions available locally with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The DOL, in conjunction with the FEMA local hire program, will host a job fair at the Northern Marianas College on Sept. 14-17 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in room A8. The purpose of this fair is to give local residents who have no Internet connectivity the opportunity to apply for the temporary jobs with FEMA.

The CNMI Transit Authority will provide free transportation to and from the Northern Marianas College during the event. Staff from the DOL will be on hand to assist with resume writing, along with a FEMA representative to help make sure resumes are routed to the correct location. Transportation pick-up locations will be:

• In the As Matuis/San Roque area, Welcome Market

• In the Tanapag area, IMart

• In the Garapan area, Paseo de Marianas

• In the Capitol Hill area, Sarah Market

• In all three Kagman areas, Kagman Market

• In the San Antonio area, Basketball Court

• In the Koblerville area, Basketball Court

• In the Dandan area, Dandan Middle School

FEMA routinely offers employment to residents in disaster areas to support the local economy and provide jobs to those who may have lost employment due to the disaster.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens, 18 years of age or older. Individuals will be required to pass a background investigation that includes finger printing and a credit check.

Job descriptions are available at http://www.wia.gov.mp/ and at http://www.marianaslabor.net/. CNMI residents may apply by e-mail: fema-dr-4235-mp-hire-me@fema.dhs.gov.

FEMA is committed to employing a highly qualified workforce that reflects the diversity of our nation. All applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, political affiliation, non-disqualifying physical handicap, sexual orientation, and any other non-merit factor. The federal government is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

For the latest information on CNMI’s recovery from Typhoon Soudelor, visit FEMA.gov/Disaster/4235.

Originally posted here:

FEMA Seeks Local Help to Assist in Disaster Recovery Through Job Fair

One Month After the Typhoon

SAIPAN – The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) was deployed to Saipan days prior to Typhoon Soudelor making landfall.

After Typhoon Soudelor impacted Saipan, President Obama issued a major disaster declaration on August 5, 2015 for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, making federal assistance available to aid individuals and communities in the recovery efforts for damages that occurred August 1-3, 2015 and appointed a Federal Coordinating Officer to lead the Federal team.

FEMA immediately started to mobilize its federal partners in support of recovery efforts.

Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) personnel and equipment supported the Commonwealth with secure and non-secure voice, video and information services to support emergency response communications needs.

Representatives from the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Preparedness, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) assessed public health needs and were prepared to support if necessary.

The US Coast Guard was on the ground in the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) to perform port condition assessments. The Ports in CNMI are open to commercial vessel traffic and cargo operations.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was tasked with the assessment of water systems (potable, non-potable and wastewater) for protection of public health, preparation of a debris monitoring plan, and addressing non-industrial hazardous waste issues. At the request of FEMA and CNMI, EPA has collected over 350 damaged transformers for eventual recycling. EPA has set up a household hazardous waste drop off station and will be hosting weekend residential drop offs for household hazardous waste and white goods in upcoming weeks.

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) was mission assigned to deploy the following ESF#3 cells: the Temporary Power Planning and Response Team (PRT) and Advanced Contracting Initiative (ACI), the 249^th Prime Power Alpha Company, the 249^th Delta Company and USACE debris subject matter experts (SMEs) to conduct rapid assessments of critical infrastructure for temporary power requirements and assist FEMA with debris management technical support.

In just one month 7,934 homeowners and renters have been registered for assistance and over $12 million approved in individual aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) since Typhoon Soudelor impacted the small island of Saipan.

The Disaster Recovery Center located at the Pedro P Tenorio Multi-purpose Center in Susupe has received over 3,500 visitors seeking assistance with their FEMA and Small Business
Administration (SBA) applications.

FEMA continues to provide resources through air and sea transportation including, commodities and power restoration needs such as generators and power poles. To date: 99,359 liters of water, 71,136 meals, 396 cots, and 1,734 tarps of FEMA commodities have been distributed to the
CNMI government and survivors.

Commonwealth Utility Corporation (CUC) power restoration crews, USACE 249^th Prime Power Battalion Delta Company Team, CNMI and Guam Power Authority are working diligently to restore power everywhere throughout the island.

The Saipan International Airport and the seaport have both resumed 24/7 operations.

65 wells are currently operable with 5.3 million gallons of potable water being pumped into the system daily brining the distribution system to 51% capacity. Intermittent water distribution is now available to 80% of the population.

Over 12,273 cubic yards of debris has been cleared from public right-of-ways.

Nine of the 14 Private Sector drinking water/bottling companies are producing over 75,000 gallons of drinking water per day, and that number continues to increase as additional Private
Sector companies get back on line.

USACE has installed 68 generators and is continuing additional assessments, installations, and de-installations as power is restored. USACE has power experts from the 249^th Prime Power
Battalion and Delta Team supporting critical infrastructure power requirements.

FEMA and CNMI are working closely together forming a unified effort in support of the citizens of Saipan.

SBA offers low-interest disaster loans to businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters. To date the SBA has approved 24 loans totaling over $1.6 million dollars.

“Without the full cooperation of all our federal, commonwealth, private sector partners and the volunteer agencies, we could never accomplished as much as we have in this short period of time.” Federal Coordinating Officer Stephen M. DeBlasio Sr. stated, “We will continue to work together as a team helping the residents of Saipan recover from the effects of Typhoon Soudelor.”

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One Month After the Typhoon

DRC Hours for Labor Day, Monday, September 7

SAIPAN, CNMI – The Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Susupe will have shortened hours on Labor Day, Monday, September 7^th.

The DRC will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday September 7^th. The toll-free Helpline, 1-800-621-3362, is still available 24 hours, seven days a week.The Disaster Recovery Center will resume normal operation hours on Tuesday, September 8, 2015.Normal hours of operation are Monday-Saturdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sundays 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

The DRC provides face-to-face assistance to survivors whose homes or businesses were affected by Typhoon Soudelor, during the period of August 1^st through August 3^rd.

Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are at the DRC to explain disaster assistance programs and help survivors apply for aid. FEMA Hazard Mitigation specialists are also on hand at the DRC to provide information and answer questions about cost-effective rebuilding and repair techniques to reduce property damage in future disasters and information on the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

The center is located at the Pedro P Tenorio Multi-purpose Center in Susupe.

Individuals and families, who suffered losses as a result of the late spring storms, have until Aug. 25, 2015 to register for disaster assistance and can do so online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621- 3362 (FEMA). Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362. Multilingual operators are available.

Link –

DRC Hours for Labor Day, Monday, September 7

FEMA Honors Two Louisiana Groups’ Achievements in Community Emergency Preparedness

DENTON, Texas – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has recognized two Louisiana groups for accomplishments in working to prepare their communities for emergencies. New Orleans Medical Reserve Corps won the award for Outstanding Citizen Corps Partner Program in the 2015 FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness Awards. The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana received an honorable mention in the category of Technological Innovations.

The New Orleans Medical Reserve Corps (NOMRC) was honored for its emergency preparedness outreach and education to vulnerable populations in the city by working with the whole community. NOMRC coordinated with emergency preparedness agencies in the city to plan for the 2014 hurricane season. Working with agencies and health care providers that serve at-risk groups, NOMRC developed easy-to-understand hurricane preparedness messages and materials targeted to the elderly, mobility-impaired, non-English speakers and other vulnerable populations. Innovative partnerships with many local organizations and meeting people where they are in the community are hallmarks of NOMRC’s success. Some of their accomplishments include:

Providing presentations on mandatory evacuations, sheltering in place and preparing disaster supplies at community events, health fairs, in senior citizen living facilities, and through door-to-door campaigns.
Hosting 10 training sessions on emergency preparedness and resiliency for agencies serving at-risk groups.
Using Medicare data to locate individuals on oxygen or dialysis for targeted outreach.
Using New Orleans Regional Transit Authority data to survey people with limited mobility.
Discussing hurricane preparedness with elementary school children at a hurricane hunter aircraft site.

The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana worked with a number of community partners to design a Flood Risk and Resilience Viewer. The web-based tool displays flood risk data in an easy-to-understand format for a specific location. It helps individuals and communities understand their current and future flood risks, shows probable land loss and climate changes in the future, and how flood depths could impact the community and its infrastructure.

Each year, FEMA’s Individual and Community Preparedness Division recognizes the preparedness efforts of organizations around the country. This year 138 organizations applied for recognition. There were 11 award winners and 37 honorable mentions. The 11 FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness Award recipients were recognized on Sept. 8, 2015, in Washington, D.C. During the recognition ceremony, recipients shared their experiences, success stories, and lessons learned with fellow emergency management leaders.

Visit www.ready.gov/citizen-corps/citizen-corps-awards for more information on this year’s award recipients and honorable mentions.

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

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FEMA Honors Two Louisiana Groups’ Achievements in Community Emergency Preparedness

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