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FEMA Awards $2,999,810 Grant to the City of Des Plaines

CHICAGO – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released $2,999,810 in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds to the city of Des Plaines, Ill., for the acquisition and demolition of 13 residential structures in the Des Plaines River floodplain.

“The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides funding for mitigation activities that reduce disaster losses and protect life and property from future disasters,” said Andrew Velasquez III, regional administrator, FEMA Region V. “The acquisition and demolition of these homes permanently removes the structures from the floodplain and greatly reduces the financial impact on individuals and the community when future flooding occurs in this area.”

“This grant is great news for these Des Plaines residents who have been hit by flooding many times in the past,” said James K. Joseph, director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.” The residents can now move to higher ground and avoid future heartache and property losses, and local response agencies will no longer need to wage costly flood fights.”

HMGP provides grants to state and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures. Through HMGP, FEMA will pay $2,999,810 of the $4,380,100 eligible project cost, and the city of Des Plaines will contribute $1,380,290.

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 twitter.com/femaregion5, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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

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FEMA Awards $2,999,810 Grant to the City of Des Plaines

Inspectors Visiting Disaster-Damaged Properties

FRANKFORT, KY – Residents and business owners who applied for federal assistance resulting from the severe storms and flooding in April will hear soon from damage inspectors.

People who suffered losses in Bath, Bourbon, Carter, Elliott, Franklin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Madison, Rowan, and Scott counties may be eligible for assistance by registering with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Following registration, FEMA usually schedules inspections within seven (7) to 10 days. An inspector first examines structural damage to a house or business, then assesses damage to appliances, such as the washer, dryer, refrigerator, and stove. The inspector also gathers information about serious needs, such as lost or damaged clothing. Homeowners should identify all known damages and tell the inspector if they have a septic system or a well.

Property owners need to show proof of ownership and occupancy. Renters need to show proof of occupancy. If insurance papers are available, residents should show them to the inspector.

Inspectors will ask applicants to show identification. At the same time, applicants should ask for identification from everyone identifying themselves as damage inspectors. All inspectors carry official photo identification.

“If an inspector is not wearing an identification card or badge, please make sure you ask to see it,” said Joe M. Girot, FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer for Kentucky.

Girot said it is also important to keep in mind that official inspectors do not charge for this service.

Those who have suffered losses as a result of the April storms, but have not yet applied for assistance are encouraged to do so as soon as possible.

The fastest and easiest way to register for assistance is online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621- 3362 (FEMA) or by web-enabled mobile device at m.fema.gov. Disaster assistance applicants who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; those who use 711 or Video Relay Service may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. eastern, seven days a week until further notice.

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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.

For more information on Kentucky’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov or http://kyem.ky.gov. On Facebook, go to http://www.facebook.com/KYEmergencyManagement. To receive Twitter updates: http://twitter.com/kyempio or www.twitter.com/femaregion4.

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Inspectors Visiting Disaster-Damaged Properties

Callaway Energy Center Exercise Process to be Discussed at Public Meeting

Kansas City, Mo. –The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Region VII office announced today the state of Missouri, along with the counties of Callaway, Gasconade, Osage, and Montgomery, will participate in a one-day exercise on May 5, 2015, in support of the Callaway Energy Center located near Reform, Missouri. The routine exercise will test the abilities of the state of Missouri, the utility, and the participating counties to protect the health and safety of the public living and working in the vicinity of the Callaway Energy Center.

The exercise is a biennial requirement to determine the adequacy of the state and local radiological emergency preparedness and response plans. It will require the activation of emergency facilities by the participating state and local officials. The activities of the state, county and local units of government will be observed and evaluated by the FEMA Region VII Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) Program. Callaway Energy Center on-site performance will be observed and evaluated by officials from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

On Thursday, May 7, 2015, a public meeting will be held to describe and explain the full-scale response exercise process. Since the process of evaluating the full-scale response exercise will take months, the preliminary findings are very limited in scope.

Members of the public and the media are invited to attend this meeting beginning at 10:00 a.m. (CDT) in the Auditorium of the State Emergency Management Agency, located at 2302 Militia Drive, Jefferson City, Mo.

Representatives from FEMA Region VII will chair the meeting and explain the exercise process. A representative from the NRC Region IV office, located in Arlington, Texas, will discuss activities conducted on-site at the power plant during the exercise.

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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. 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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Callaway Energy Center Exercise Process to be Discussed at Public Meeting

Federal Aid Programs for the Commonwealth of Kentucky Declaration

Main Content

Release date:

April 30, 2015

Release Number:

HQ-15-021-FactSheet

Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Obama’s disaster declaration issued for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Assistance for the Commonwealth and Affected Local Governments Can Include as Required:

Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for emergency protective measures taken to save lives and protect property and public health. Emergency protective measures assistance is available to state and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis. (Source: FEMA funded, commonwealth administered.)
Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for repairing or replacing damaged public facilities, such as roads, bridges, utilities, buildings, schools, recreational areas and similar publicly owned property, as well as certain private non-profit organizations engaged in community service activities. (Source: FEMA funded, commonwealth administered.)
Payment of not less than 75 percent for snow assistance, for a specific period of time during or proximate to the incident period. Snow Assistance may include snow removal, de-icing, salting, snow dumps, and sanding of roads. (Source: FEMA funded, commonwealth administered.)
Payment of not more than 75 percent of the approved costs for hazard mitigation projects undertaken by state and local governments to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural or technological disasters. (Source: FEMA funded, commonwealth administered.)

How to Apply for Assistance:

Application procedures for commonwealth and local governments will be explained at a series of federal/commonwealth applicant briefings with locations to be announced in the affected area by recovery officials. Approved public repair projects are paid through the commonwealth from funding provided by FEMA and other participating federal agencies.

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

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

Last Updated:

April 30, 2015 – 20:53

State/Tribal Government or Region:

Kentucky

Related Disaster:

Kentucky Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

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Federal Aid Programs for the Commonwealth of Kentucky Declaration

President Declares Disaster for Commonwealth of Kentucky

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 Commonwealth of Kentucky to supplement commonwealth and local recovery efforts in the area affected by the severe winter storms, snowstorms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides during the period of February 15-22, 2015.

The President’s action makes federal funding available to commonwealth 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 severe winter storms, snowstorms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides in Boyd, Boyle, Caldwell, Clark, Estill, Floyd, Harlan, Jackson, Jessamine, Knott, Knox, Lawrence, Lee, Letcher, Lyon, Marshall, Menifee, Metcalfe, Morgan, Pendleton, Perry, Pike, Powell, Simpson, Taylor, Washington, and Wolfe counties.

In addition, federal funding is available to commonwealth and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis for snow assistance for a continuous 48 hour period during or proximate to the incident period in the counties of Boyd, Boyle, Caldwell, Estill, Floyd, Jackson, Jessamine, Knott, Lawrence, Lee, Lyon, Menifee, Morgan, Pike, Powell, Simpson, Taylor, Washington, and Wolfe.

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

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

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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President Declares Disaster for Commonwealth of Kentucky

60% of Americans Not Practicing for Disaster: FEMA urges everyone to prepare by participating in National PrepareAthon! Day on April 30

WASHINGTON – A recent Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) survey found that nearly 60 percent of American adults have not practiced what to do in a disaster by participating in a disaster drill or preparedness exercise at work, school, or home in the past year. Further, only 39 percent of respondents have developed an emergency plan and discussed it with their household. This is despite the fact that 80 percent of Americans live in counties that have been hit with a weather-related disaster since 2007, as reported by the Washington Post. With the number and severity of weather-related disasters on the rise, the America’s PrepareAthon! is an opportunity for individuals, organizations, and communities to take action to prepare for specific hazards through group discussions, drills, and exercises.

“When it comes to preparedness, practice makes perfect,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “America’s PrepareAthon! is about taking action now to better prepare yourself, your family, and your community to be ready to respond to these events before they occur.”

America’s PrepareAthon! is a national community-based campaign that provides free, easy-to-use guides, checklists, and resources to get more people to take action to prepare every day. On April 30, individuals, families, workplaces, schools and organizations will come together to practice simple actions to stay safe before, during, and after emergencies relevant to their area. Examples include:

Sign up for local text alerts and warnings and download weather apps to your smartphone.
Develop an emergency communication plan for your family. This will help you be in touch if a disaster strikes and family members are in different locations.
Collect important documents and keep them in a safe place. This will help you evacuate without delay and get back on track after the disaster passes.
Gather emergency supplies. Pack a “go bag” to evacuate quickly and have supplies in the home to be safe without water or power.

Visit the America’s PrepareAthon! website, ready.gov/prepare to take action, be counted and spread the word.

America’s PrepareAthon! was established to provide a comprehensive campaign to build and sustain national preparedness as directed by Presidential Policy Directive-8. The campaign is coordinated by FEMA in collaboration with federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations.

60% of Americans Not Practicing for Disaster: FEMA urges everyone to prepare by participating in National PrepareAthon! Day on April 30

Sixty Percent of Americans Not Practicing for Disaster: FEMA urges everyone to prepare by participating in National PrepareAthon! Day on April 30

Sign up for local text alerts and warnings and download weather apps to your smartphone.
Develop an emergency communication plan for your family. This will help you be in touch if a disaster strikes and family members are in different locations.
Collect important documents and keep them in a safe place. This will help you evacuate without delay and get back on track after the disaster passes.
Gather emergency supplies. Pack a “go bag” to evacuate quickly and have supplies in the home to be safe without water or power.

Visit the America’s PrepareAthon! website, ready.gov/prepare to take action, be counted and spread the word.

Source:

Sixty Percent of Americans Not Practicing for Disaster: FEMA urges everyone to prepare by participating in National PrepareAthon! Day on April 30

Hardin County Added to Federal Disaster Declaration

ATLANTA – Federal disaster assistance is now available to eligible government entities and certain private non-profits in Hardin County, Tenn., for eligible damages from the severe winter storm of Feb. 15 -22.

Hardin County joins the list of 35 other counties already receiving assistance as a result of the presidential disaster declaration signed April 2, 2015.

The county was added to the declaration following new damage assessments requested by the state, and conducted by local officials, representatives of Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Previously declared counties include: Anderson, Bedford, Bledsoe, Blount, Campbell, Clay, Coffee, Cumberland, Fentress, Giles, Grainger, Grundy, Hamblen, Hancock, Hardeman, Jefferson, Knox, Lawrence, Loudon, Marshall, McMinn, McNairy, Meigs, Monroe, Moore, Morgan, Obion, Overton, Putnam, Roane, Scott, Sevier, Van Buren, Warren and White.

The federal assistance will allow eligible government entities and certain private non-profits in the declared counties to apply for reimbursement of specific expenses related to disaster response and recovery under the FEMA’s Public Assistance Program.

The Public Assistance Program provides a 75 percent funding reimbursement for costs related to debris removal, emergency protective measures, and rebuilding and repairing roads, bridges, water control facilities, buildings, utilities and recreational facilities.

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Excerpt from:

Hardin County Added to Federal Disaster Declaration

FEMA Launches New Feature to Mobile App Empowering Users to Follow Weather Alerts Across the Country

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) launched a new feature to its free app that will enable users to receive weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations across the nation. This new feature allows users to receive alerts on severe weather happening anywhere they select in the country, even if the phone is not located in the area, making it easy to follow severe weather that may be threatening family and friends.

“Emergency responders and disaster survivors are increasingly turning to mobile devices to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters,” said Craig Fugate, FEMA administrator. “This new feature empowers individuals to assist and support family and friends before, during, and after a severe weather event.”

“Every minute counts when severe weather threatens and mobile apps are an essential way to immediately receive the life-saving warnings provided by NOAA’s National Weather Service,” said Kathryn Sullivan, Ph.D., NOAA administrator. “These alerts are another tool in our toolbox as we work to build a ‘Weather Ready Nation’ – a nation that’s ready, responsive, and resilient to extreme weather events.”

According to a recent survey by Pew Research, 40 percent of Americans have used their smartphone to look up government services or information. Additionally, a majority of smartphone owners use their devices to keep up to date with breaking news, and to be informed about what is happening in their community.

The new weather alert feature adds to the app’s existing features to help Americans through emergencies. In addition to this upgrade, the app also provides a customizable checklist of emergency supplies, maps of open shelters and Disaster Recovery Centers, and tips on how to survive natural and manmade disasters. The FEMA app also offers a “Disaster Reporter” feature, where users can upload and share photos of disaster damage.

Some other key features of the app include:

Safety Tips: Tips on how to stay safe before, during, and after over 20 types of hazards, including floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes
Disaster Reporter: Users can upload and share photos of damage and recovery efforts
Maps of Disaster Resources: Users can locate and receive driving directions to open shelters and disaster recovery centers
Apply for Assistance: The app provides easy access to apply for federal disaster assistance
Information in Spanish: The app defaults to Spanish-language content for smartphones that have Spanish set as their default language

The latest version of the FEMA app is available for free in the App Store for Apple devices and Google Play for Android devices. Users who already have the app downloaded on their device should download the latest update for the weather alerts feature to take effect. The new weather alerts feature in the FEMA app does not replace Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) function available on many new smartphones. WEAs have a special tone and vibration and are sent for emergencies such as extreme weather, AMBER alerts, or Presidential Alerts.

To learn more about the FEMA app, visit: The FEMA App: Helping Your Family Weather the Storm.

Graphic with a brief summary of a few features in the FEMA app. A brief summary of a few features in the FEMA app.

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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.

Source:

FEMA Launches New Feature to Mobile App Empowering Users to Follow Weather Alerts Across the Country

In Anticipation of Severe Weather, FEMA Monitors and Encourages Residents to Prepare Now

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – With the potential for severe weather across the plains and several Midwestern states this week, staff at the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Region VII office are coordinating with state and local officials in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska and urge the public to be prepared and stay informed.

“As the threat of severe weather develops, we urge residents to listen to NOAA Weather Radio and local newscasts, monitor digital media feeds for updates and follow the instructions provided by local emergency officials,” said FEMA Region VII Administrator Beth Freeman. “This severe weather threat is a reminder that everyone needs a family emergency plan as we can’t always anticipate when or where a disaster might strike.”

For more information on creating your family’s emergency plan, visit http://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan.

Preparing for Severe Weather Now

To prepare for power outages and the disruption of essential services, FEMA urges families to prepare an emergency supply kit for their homes and cars. For more information, visit http://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit. When preparing a kit, remember water, medications, and items needed for the well-being of your pets.

Staying informed is equally important when preparing for any emergency, particularly severe weather threats. In addition to monitoring the guidance and reports of local emergency and weather officials, monitor social media before, during and after emergencies. Consider following the Facebook, Twitter or Instagram handles of your local emergency management office as well as hospitals, schools and voluntary organizations that serve your community. More information on building your own preparedness list is available from @FEMARegion7 on Twitter, using the hashtag #preplist, or by visiting www.twitter.com/femaregion7/lists.

Responding to Severe Weather

If you have severe weather in your area, keep in mind these safety tips:

Become familiar with the terms used to identify a severe weather hazard and discuss with your family what to do if a watch or warning is issued. Terms used to describe weather hazards include the following:

Watch: Meteorologists are monitoring an area or region for the formation of a specific type of threat (e.g. flooding, severe thunderstorms, or tornados).

Warning: Specific life and property threatening conditions are occurring and imminent. Take appropriate safety precautions.

Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection from tornadoes and should be abandoned. A mobile home can overturn very easily even if precautions have been taken to tie down the unit. Residents of mobile homes must plan in advance and identify safe shelter in a nearby building.

While community safe rooms offer significant reassurance and protection during a severe weather event, always make the safe and certain choice about where to seek shelter – particularly if there is little time to travel to the location of the community safe room. It is always best to seek shelter in your basement or in the lowest possible structure in your residence if time and warning are limited when severe weather hits.

Know your surroundings and your structures if you’re planning to attend an event, take vacation, visit family, or if you are staying in a location other than your home like a hotel, campground or cabin. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the facility’s emergency plans including sirens and warnings, how to shelter in place, and steps to be taken in the event of an evacuation.

Do not touch downed power lines or objects in contact with downed lines. Report downed power lines and electrical hazards to the police and the utility company.

After a disaster, be aware of possible structural, electrical or gas-leak hazards in your home. Contact your local city or county building inspectors for information on structural safety codes and standards and before going back to a property with downed power lines, or the possibility of a gas leak. They may also offer suggestions on finding a qualified contractor to do work for you.

Injury may occur when people walk amid disaster debris and enter damaged buildings. Wear sturdy shoes or boots, long sleeves and gloves when handling or walking on or near debris.

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In Anticipation of Severe Weather, FEMA Monitors and Encourages Residents to Prepare Now

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