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Calling All Mayors: Reduce Your Town’s Flood Risk, Insurance Costs through FEMA’s Community Rating System

EATONTOWN, NJ — Nearly two years after Hurricane Sandy, communities around New Jersey are still recovering from the damages inflicted by that historic storm.

The cost of cleaning up debris, clearing waterways and roads, repairing damaged sewer systems and other critical infrastructure, and rebuilding homes and businesses assaulted by wind and water is well into the tens of billions of dollars.

The idea that a storm like Sandy could happen again isn’t one we want to contemplate. But the fact is, not only could it happen again, chances are good that it will.

It’s just a matter of time.

The good news is that it’s possible to take steps now to reduce your community’s vulnerability to flooding and strengthen its resilience before another Sandy comes to town.

One way to accomplish that is to participate in the Community Rating System, a hazard mitigation program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The goals of the CRS program are to reduce losses caused by flooding, facilitate accurate insurance ratings and promote awareness about flood insurance.

Residents of towns that participate in CRS pay reduced flood insurance premiums. The premiums are discounted in five percent increments based on the level of flood protection each community has achieved.

Communities raise their CRS rating via their achievements in four categories: Information, Mapping and Regulations, Flood Damage Reduction, and Flood Preparedness.

Sixty-one communities and the Meadowlands area in New Jersey are presently enrolled in the CRS program, saving more than $17 million combined on their flood insurance premiums.

Joining the CRS program is free, but it does require the commitment of the community. Mayors of towns that want to participate must send a letter of interest to the regional office of FEMA, which for New Jersey is:

Federal Emergency Management Agency
Region II office
26 Federal Plaza, 13^th Floor
New York, N.Y.10278
(212) 680-8594

FEMA representatives will then arrange a visit to review the community’s floodplain management status and ensure that it meets federal regulations.

Once the community is granted a “letter of good standing,” it receives a verification visit from the Insurance Services Office, a FEMA contract agency, to verify the community’s eligibility for the program and to determine its rating.

Once accepted into the program, towns must file annual reports showing the measures they have taken to reduce their flood risks. Every five years, each town must undergo a complete audit to ensure that they remain in compliance with the CRS program.

Most communities enter the CRS at Level 9, which immediately entitles residents to a five percent reduction in their flood insurance bills. Communities achieve the maximum premium discount of 45 percent when they reach level one.

More importantly, they will have strengthened their ability to withstand the whims of Mother Nature when storm clouds gather and waters rise.

As of May 1, 2014, 11 communities in New Jersey had achieved a Level 5 in the CRS, earning property owners a 25 percent reduction in their flood insurance premiums. Those communities are: Avalon, Beach Haven, Long Beach Township, Longport, Mantoloking, Margate, Pompton Lakes, Sea Isle City, Stafford Township, Stone Harbor and Surf City.

With another hurricane season on the horizon, now is the perfect time to increase your town’s ability to weather a future storm. Learn more about NFIP’s CRS program online at http://www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program-community-rating-system

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.twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/fema, www.fema.gov/blog, 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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Calling All Mayors: Reduce Your Town’s Flood Risk, Insurance Costs through FEMA’s Community Rating System

Know Your Neighbors, Get Involved In Community Preparedness

EATONTOWN, N.J. – Whether you just moved into your neighborhood a week ago or you’ve lived there for 25 years, getting to know your neighbors has always been an important part of a functioning society. It can also be helpful in a crisis, because after a disaster occurs, the people in closest proximity to you – and the people who will be able to help you most immediately – are your neighbors.

They may need your help as well. Research reported by FEMA says that people often are not as prepared for disasters as they think they are. Forty percent of survey respondents said they did not have household plans in the event of an emergency, and nearly 60 percent did not know their community’s evacuation routes. Almost 20 percent of responders said they had a functional disability that would affect their ability to respond during a disaster, but only 25 percent of those people have made arrangements to or alerted others to their disability in case of an event. In a different survey, 46 percent of people said they expect to rely on people in their neighborhood for assistance in the first 72 hours after a disaster.

There are several ways to find out what you can do to help. If you live in an area that is known for disaster events or has had them recently, it can be as simple as asking them how they dealt with any previous incidents. Their feedback can teach you what precautions are the most effective for the situation.

You can also organize your neighbors with the help of local service groups such as Citizen Corps Councils, Neighborhood Watch teams, Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), as well as local fire and police departments and emergency management agencies. Their input can help you figure out your neighborhood’s biggest needs.

FEMA also recommends hosting meetings with family, friends and neighbors to plan service projects, set service goals, and learn about existing local emergency response plans. Community-based organizations often lack the capacity to manage large numbers of volunteers, so they need individuals to organize themselves and work alongside them.

The Community Preparedness Toolkit, available at www.ready.gov, offers specific steps and links to resources to help you take a proactive role in making your neighborhood safer, more resilient and better prepared.

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

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Know Your Neighbors, Get Involved In Community Preparedness

Volunteer Fire Company in Rural NJ To Get New Turnout Gear

25 Firefighters on Duty 24/7 Year-Round in 50-Square-Mile District

New York, NY — “Eighty-four percent of our members have gear that is ten years old and the other 16 percent have no gear at all and are unable to receive training,” is the way Joseph Sterling, Captain of the Leesburg Volunteer Fire Company, described the condition of his department’s personal protective equipment.

An Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) to the fire company, however, reversed all that, providing the company with 25 sets of what is also called turnout gear, along with 25 face masks. Also president of the Board of Fire Commissioners, Captain Sterling said, “We’re excited, and relieved, with this grant. It saves the taxpayers money and takes a lot of pressure off the commissioners.” The federal share of the grant amounts to $75,644; the local share is $3,981.

The announcement of the grant was made here today by Dale McShine, Director of Grants for Region II of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which administers the AFG program. “FEMA offers these grants to fire companies large and small throughout our region,” she said. “We are keenly aware of how important safety is to all firefighters, and we are very pleased to take part in this program.”

The grant covers 25 complete sets of coats, pants, helmets, gloves, boots, and vests. It also includes funding for the same number of face masks, the current shortage of which produces additional safety problems. “The only masks we now have,” the captain explained, “are not assigned to individuals and are on our truck for anyone to grab. This causes dangerous confusion on the job as members scramble to find the right size mask. This AFG funding will allow each of our members to be properly outfitted with the appropriate mask size, which is a big safety plus,” he added.

“Our fire district is pretty large, covering 50 square miles in Maurice River Township New Jersey,” Captain Sterling pointed out. We’ve got a permanent population of some 4,725 residents, which swells by literally thousands of travelers headed for Cape May, Stone Harbor, Wildwood, and Ocean City during the summer.” The district also covers two Corrections Department facilities, a food market and fueling station, three boat yards, a refrigeration repair business, a municipal building, a senior-citizen complex, an Office of Emergency Management, and a post office.

Captain Sterling was very pleased with the role FEMA played in the grant application phase. “FEMA was a major help,” he recalled, saying that FEMA personnel “walked us through the entire paperwork procedure. We really appreciated that.”

FEMA’s AFG program has been aiding firefighters and other first responders since 2001. “The program provides critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources needed to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards,” said Tania Hedlund, FEMA’s Grants Branch Chief. In 2012, the AFG provided funding of $25,340,000 for FEMA’s Region II (New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands).

For further information, please contact William H. Douglass at FEMA: 212-680-3665 or 917-561-3223.

Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/fema, www.fema.gov/blog,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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Volunteer Fire Company in Rural NJ To Get New Turnout Gear

Grant to Secaucus, NJ Provides Town’s Firefighters with Modern, Compliant Equipment

Federal Funding Also Offers Upgrades in Training

New York, NY — An award from the federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program will outfit 46 volunteer firefighters in Secaucus, New Jersey with personal protective equipment, in addition to funding advanced firefighter training.

The new equipment, which includes coats, pants, boots, gloves, suspenders, helmets, hoods, and facial shields, will replace 10- to 14-year old gear that has become too worn or damaged to offer the required level of safety for the town’s 90 volunteer first responders. The new gear complies with the standards of both the National Fire Protection Association and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The federal grant will also fund training for 55 volunteers to achieve Firefighter II status, through a course providing them with sufficient knowledge and skill to function in an emergency without direct supervision and to be capable of making on-duty decisions.

The federal grant comes to $132,027, with the applicant’s share amounting to $6,948.

The announcement was made here today by Ms. Dale McShine, Director of Grants for Region II of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which administers the AFG program.

“This grant is truly a lifesaver,” said Michael Gonnelli, the mayor of Secaucus, who is also the town’s former fire chief and serves with the department’s volunteers. “Secaucus is one of the last fully volunteer fire departments in Hudson County,” he added, emphasizing that “firefighter safety is our primary aim. The additional training covered in this grant follows the same path.”

The Town of Secaucus, with a population of roughly 18,500 – which grows by some 100,000 during work hours – responds annually to an average of 700 incidents, ranging from those taking place in 25-story structures, 300,000 square-foot warehouses, and marsh fires to single family homes. These responses include fire suppression, hazardous materials, extrications, technical rescue, structure-collapse rescue, natural disasters, and emergency medical service.

The Bergen County Fire Academy, adjacent to Hudson County, will offer the Firefighter II course, which, in addition to practical exercises, features lectures, overheads, audiovisual presentations, and a final practical evaluation. The course involves 37 three-hour courses.

“We are very pleased to have been involved in this grant,” FEMA’s Ms. McShine noted. “Our foremost goal of first-responder safety coincides precisely with Mayor Gonnelli’s.”

For further information, please contact William H. Douglass at FEMA: 212-680-3665 or 917-561-3223.

Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/fema, www.fema.gov/blog,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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Grant to Secaucus, NJ Provides Town’s Firefighters with Modern, Compliant Equipment

FEMA Mitigation Experts Continue Outreach in Moses Lake and Yakima

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Federal Emergency Management Agency mitigation experts will be available this week at home improvement stores in Moses Lake and next week in Yakima to provide information about ways to rebuild or remodel that can reduce the risk of damages from wildfire, flooding, flash flooding, and other disasters.

They will also be there to answer questions about FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program.

Rebuilding or repairing a home after a disaster can be a daunting task – but, with the right information, homeowners can build back safer, smarter and stronger.

Homeowners and contractors can learn more at the following locations in Moses Lake from Tuesday, Sept. 16 through Sunday, Sept. 21. They will be at these locations from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.:

Home Depot, 980 W. Central Drive, Moses Lake, WA 98837
Lowe’s, 1400 E. Yonezawa Blvd., Moses Lake, WA 98837

Next week, FEMA mitigation experts will be in Yakima from Tuesday, Sept. 23 through Sunday, Sept. 28. They will be at these locations from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.:

Home Depot, 2115 S. First St., Yakima, WA 98903
Lowe’s, 2235 Longfibre Ave., Yakima, WA 98903

Online help is also available at the following websites:

www.floodsmart.gov

The official site of the National Flood Insurance Program.

www.fema.gov/rebuild/recover/build_safer.shtm

For low-cost measures to reduce risk from natural disasters, building and retrofitting tips.

The Washington Military Department’s Emergency Management Division is responsible for administering federal disaster recovery programs on behalf of the state. The Department’s mission is to minimize the impact of emergencies and disasters on people, property, environment, and the economy of Washington State; provide trained and ready forces for state and federal missions; and provide structured alternative education opportunities for at-risk youth.

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FEMA Mitigation Experts Continue Outreach in Moses Lake and Yakima

Federal Assistance Expanded in Washington State to Kittitas County

OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency today announced it is expanding disaster assistance to Kittitas County.

The disaster aid helps the county pay for repair, restoration, reconstruction or replacement of public facilities, roads and bridges, water facilities and other infrastructure damaged or destroyed by wildfires that occurred between July 9 and Aug. 5.

Kittitas County has been added to the major disaster declaration of Aug. 11, which provided assistance to Okanogan County and the Confederated Tribes of Colville Reservation.

Under FEMA’s Public Assistance program, state, tribal, eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations in a designated county are eligible to apply for federal funds to pay 75 percent of the approved cost of debris removal, emergency services related to the disaster, and repairing or replacing damaged public facilities, such as roads, buildings and utilities.

A briefing for local officials will be held where procedures for requesting federal assistance will be explained by FEMA and state officials.

Excerpt from –

Federal Assistance Expanded in Washington State to Kittitas County

FEMA Mitigation Experts Offer Free Advice in Omak at Home Depot and Big-R Store

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Federal Emergency Management Agency mitigation experts are on hand this week at Home Depot and the Big-R store in Omak to provide information about ways to rebuild or remodel that can reduce the risk of damages from wildfire, flooding, flash flooding, and other disasters.

They also will be there to answer questions about FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program.

Rebuilding or repairing a home after a disaster can be a daunting task – but, with the right information, homeowners can build back safer, smarter and stronger.

Homeowners and contractors can learn more at the following locations in Okanogan County from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. through Sunday, Sept. 7 at:

Home Depot, 920 Engh Road, Omak, WA 98841
Big-R of Omak, 1227 Koala, Omak, WA 98841

Next week, FEMA mitigation experts will be in Wenatchee from Tuesday, Sept. 9, through Sunday, Sept. 14. They will be at the following locations from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.:

Home Depot, 1405 Maiden Lane, Wenatchee, WA 98801
Lowe’s, 1200 Walla Walla Ave., Wenatchee, WA 98801

Online help is also available at the following websites:

www.floodsmart.gov

The official site of the National Flood Insurance Program.

www.fema.gov/rebuild/recover/build_safer.shtm

Low-cost measures to reduce risk from natural disasters, building and retrofitting tips.

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FEMA Mitigation Experts Offer Free Advice in Omak at Home Depot and Big-R Store

Stay Prepared: Hurricane Season Doesn’t End with Summer

Eatontown, N.J. — Hurricane season officially begins each year on June 1, but unlike firemen’s fairs, cookouts and fun at the beach, the season for hurricanes doesn’t end along with the summer.

As a new school year begins, now may be a good time to check your stock of batteries, bottled water and other emergency supplies that may be needed should New Jersey experience an autumn hurricane.

While storm frequency tends to peak in August and September, hurricane season in the United States extends to November 30, and while the risk of a Thanksgiving storm may seem remote, it could happen.

In 2012, Superstorm Sandy only missed it by a few weeks.

Sandy made landfall in New Jersey as a tropical cyclone on October 29, flooding coastal communities, taking down trees, tearing up infrastructure and demolishing homes and businesses throughout the state. Forty New Jersey residents lost their lives.

Two years later, the ongoing expenses of repair, rebuilding and recovery from Sandy have made it the second costliest storm in United States history after Katrina, an August 29 storm that devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in 2005.

Like Sandy, many of the most destructive storms in United States history have occurred after Labor Day, causing massive loss of life and property damage in the billions.

On September 8, 1900, a category 4 hurricane engulfed Galveston Island, Texas. Storm tides as high as 15 feet swept away homes and businesses, killing an estimated 8,000 people.

On September 18, 1920, a category 4 hurricane bearing the highest sustained winds ever recorded at that time slammed into Miami Beach and downtown Miami. Believing the storm was over, thousands of people emerged from their homes during a half-hour lull at the eye of the storm and were trapped without shelter as it regained its ferocity. Every building in downtown Miami was either damaged or destroyed and hundreds of people were killed. The storm then crossed into the Gulf of Mexico, where it destroyed virtually every pier, vessel and warehouse on the Pensacola coast.

In the end, more than 800 people were reported missing after the storm and though records are incomplete, the Red Cross recorded 373 deaths and 6,381 injuries as a result of the hurricane.

On September 20 and 21, 1938, a fast-moving hurricane struck the Mid-Atlantic and New England with such force that thousands of people were taken by surprise. On Long Island, some 20 people watching an afternoon movie at a local cinema were swept out to sea and drowned. One of the victims was the theater’s projectionist. In downtown Providence, Rhode Island, flood waters rapidly flooded streets, submerging automobiles and street cars as their occupants fled to the high floors of office buildings to escape drowning. The record-breaking storm was responsible for 600 deaths, causing $308 million in damage in the midst of the Great Depression.

On October 14, 1954, Hurricane Hazel made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane near Calabash, North Carolina, inundating the coastline with an 18-foot storm surge on a lunar high tide. When the storm passed, only 5 of 357 buildings in Long Beach, North Carolina were still standing. The Raleigh, North Carolina Weather reported that “all traces of civilization on the immediate waterfront between the state line and Cape Fear were practically annihilated.” Nineteen people were killed in North Carolina, with several hundred more injured; 15,000 homes were destroyed and another 39,000 were damaged.

On September 11, 1960, Hurricane Donna barreled across Florida, then traveled east through North Carolina, the Mid-Atlantic states and New England, causing $387 million in damage in the United States and $13 million elsewhere along its path.

Accounts like the ones above illustrate the importance of making a plan to protect your family and property from the potentially devastating effects of a hurricane or tropical storm.

With that in mind, why not take a minute to inventory your emergency supplies and schedule a trip to the store to stock up on items that you may need in an emergency.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s website, www.ready.gov, has as wealth of information on how to plan, prepare and protect your family should another disaster like Sandy occur in the coming months.

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

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Stay Prepared: Hurricane Season Doesn’t End with Summer

Federal Aid Programs for the Territory of Guam Declaration

Main Content

Release date:

September 11, 2014

Release Number:

HQ-14-073-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 Territory of Guam.

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

Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for debris removal and emergency protective measures taken to save lives and protect property and public health. Emergency protective measures assistance is available to territory and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis. (Source: FEMA funded, territory 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, territory administered.)
Payment of not more than 75 percent of the approved costs for hazard mitigation projects undertaken by territory and local governments to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural or technological disasters. (Source: FEMA funded, territory administered.)

How to Apply for Assistance:

Application procedures for territory and local governments will be explained at a series of federal/territory applicant briefings with locations to be announced in the affected area by recovery officials. Approved public repair projects are paid through the territory 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/medialibrary and www.youtube.com/fema; follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fema and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fema.

Last Updated:

September 11, 2014 – 16:52

State/Tribal Government or Region:

Guam

Related Disaster:

Guam Tropical Storm Halong

Source:

Federal Aid Programs for the Territory of Guam Declaration

President Declares Disaster for Guam

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 Territory of Guam to supplement territory and local recovery efforts in the area affected by Tropical Storm Halong during the period of July 28 – 31, 2014.

The President’s action makes federal funding available to territory 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 Tropical Storm Halong.

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

Kenneth K. Suiso has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Suiso said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the territory 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 Guam

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