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A Year After Hurricane Sandy, More Than $2.1 Billion In FEMA Public Assistance Grants In New York Helps Clear Debris, Reopen Public Facilities

NEW YORK – More than $2.1 billion in federal aid has been approved to reimburse state, local and tribal governments for Sandy-related response and recovery efforts in New York one year after the devastating storm.

Public Assistance grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency reimburse local, state and tribal governments and eligible private nonprofits for eligible costs of emergency response, debris removal and repairing or rebuilding damaged public facilities. In New York, more than 2,700 grants have been approved so far.

FEMA’s cost-share Public Assistance program reimburses 90 percent of eligible costs. The remaining 10 percent comes from nonfederal funds. The state forwards the federal reimbursement to the eligible local governments or organizations that incurred costs.

The largest single Public Assistance project to date is nearly $402 million to the New York City Department of Environmental Protection for the Rapid Repairs program that allowed survivors to remain in their storm-damaged homes while repairs were made. The work also included infrastructure repairs at the Rockaway, North River and other wastewater treatment plants, pump stations, drinking water facilities and sewers.

Other major Public Assistance obligations include:

Nearly $325 million to the Long Island Power Authority for repairs to overhead lines and emergency work;

Nearly $180 million to New York University Langone Medical Center for emergency work, including the evacuation of more than 250 patients, the restoration of critical services and facilities, the removal and disposal of asbestos-containing materials and wastewater, debris and mold, repairs, and replacement of its information technology network.
$130 million to the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation for emergency work, cleanup, temporary relocation, repairs and replacement of contents at various HHC facilities, including Coney Island Hospital;

Nearly $128 million to the New York City Police Department for evacuations, search-and-rescue operations, distribution of critical equipment, door-to-door checks, the removal of fallen trees, traffic regulation and monitoring of fuel rationing during the gas shortage caused by Sandy;

More than $119 million to the New York City Department of Sanitation for debris removal;

Nearly $115 million to Nassau County for debris removal throughout the county;

Nearly $58 million to the state of New York Department of Transportation for debris removal;

More than $31 million to Long Beach for emergency work and repairs to waste water pump stations and fire hydrants;

More than $31 million to the town of Hempstead for debris removal and emergency work;

More than $13 million to the New York City Fire Department for coordinating more than 500 swift-water boat rescues, conducting more than 1,000 evacuations, extinguishing fires, searching 3,100 homes and businesses during Hurricane Sandy’s immediate aftermath, and temporary generators for Manhattan fire stations;

Nearly $7 million to Long Beach Public Schools for emergency protective measures and repairs at school and administrative facilities;

More than $2.1 million to Long Beach Memorial Nursing Home for emergency protective measures, demolition, cleanup and flood-related repairs.

To learn more about FEMA Public Assistance in New York, visit: fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit and dhses.ny.gov/oem/recovery.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/sandyny, twitter.com/FEMASandy, facebook.com/FEMASandy and fema.gov/blog.

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A Year After Hurricane Sandy, More Than $2.1 Billion In FEMA Public Assistance Grants In New York Helps Clear Debris, Reopen Public Facilities

Two Disaster Recovery Centers Transition to Disaster Loan Outreach Centers

DENVER – Colorado’s recovery from severe weather continues with changes at three Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC).

The DRCs in Colorado Springs and Golden will close at 7 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 26 and both will transition on Monday, Oct. 28 to Disaster Loan Outreach Centers (DLOC).

DLOCs are operated by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). At each DLOC, SBA representatives will answer questions, explain the application process and help survivors apply for low-interest disaster loans.

Due to reduced numbers of survivors needing disaster assistance, the DRC in Fort Collins will close at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26.

DRCs are operated by the Colorado Office of Emergency Management (COEM) and FEMA in partnership with the SBA, county and local governments.

EL PASO COUNTY

Colorado Springs Fire Training Center

375 Printers Parkway

Colorado Springs, CO 80910

Converting to DLOC on Monday, Oct. 28

Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., MDT, Monday through Friday

JEFFERSON COUNTY

Jefferson County Courthouse

100 Jefferson County Parkway

Golden, CO 80401

Converting to DLOC on Monday, Oct. 28

Hours: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., MDT, Monday through Friday

LARIMER COUNTY

Foothills Mall

215 East Foothills Parkway

Fort Collins, CO 80525

Closing at 7 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 26

At the seven other DRCs, survivors can continue to receive in-person assistance from representatives of FEMA, COEM and the SBA. A variety of specialists are available to explain programs and help survivors apply for disaster aid. Recovery specialists also help disaster survivors get in touch with volunteer and other programs.

To find the DRC closest to you, go to fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers.

Survivors with losses from the storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides will save time by registering for help from FEMA before going to the DRCs.

Register with FEMA by phone, 800-621-3362, from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., MDT, seven days a week. Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA Helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages. People who have a speech disability or are deaf or hard of hearing may call (TTY) 800-462-7585; users of 711 or Video Relay Service can call 800-621-3362.

Register online: DisasterAssistance.gov or by Web-enabled device, tablet or smartphone: type m.fema.gov in the browser.

For individuals who have hearing and visual disabilities or are deaf, Disaster Recovery Centers can provide accommodations such as:

• Captioned telephones, which transcribe spoken words into text
• The booklet “Help After a Disaster” in large print and Braille
• American Sign Language interpreters available upon request
• Magnifiers and assistive listening devices
• 711-Relay or Video Relay Services

For more information on the Colorado disaster operation, visit fema.gov/disaster/4145.

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Two Disaster Recovery Centers Transition to Disaster Loan Outreach Centers

FEMA Corps Members Training in Vermont

WILLISTON, Vt. – A team of young Americans who have volunteered to serve their country during disasters is in Vermont learning more about the science of disaster response and recovery from observing Vermont’s recovery from flooding earlier this year as well as Tropical Storm Irene.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency welcomed a team of FEMA Corps members to the Joint Field Office in Williston for a two-week stint of education, which will be highlighted by actual site visits, as part of their nine-month assignment to FEMA’s Region I office in Boston.

“These young people embody the true spirit of FEMA,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Mark Landry, the head of FEMA’s operations in Vermont. “They have volunteered to help their country, and through their service our nation will be better prepared for disasters in the future.”

The seven FEMA Corps members – who range in age from 18 to 24 and hail from seven different states – have met with and gained valuable insights from state and local officials as well as veteran FEMA personnel.

FEMA and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCC) launched FEMA Corps in 2012 to strengthen the nation’s ability to respond to and recover from disasters while expanding career opportunities for young people.

FEMA Corps is a new unit of AmeriCorps’ National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) whose members will be devoted solely to FEMA disaster response and recovery efforts. The five-year agreement provides for a full service corps of 1,600 members annually who will be an additional workforce in support of FEMA’s current disaster reservist workforce.

Once trained by FEMA and CNCS, members will provide support in areas ranging from working directly with disaster survivors to supporting disaster recovering centers to sharing valuable disaster preparedness and mitigation information with the public.

FEMA Corps members will serve for a 10 month term with an option to extend for a second year. The program will prepare thousands of young people for careers in emergency management and related fields. During their service, they will gain significant training and experience in disaster services and will provide important support to disaster survivors.

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FEMA Corps Members Training in Vermont

FEMA and National Public Radio Work Together to Increase Emergency Alert Preparedness for People Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing

WASHINGTON —The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’s) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced a cooperative pilot project with National Public Radio’s (NPR’s) technology research and development group, NPR Labs, to demonstrate the delivery of the first-ever, real-time emergency alert messages to people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing in five Gulf states.

Twenty-five NPR-affiliated public radio stations throughout Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas agreed to participate in the pilot project to transmit emergency alert messages, such as weather alerts, to 475 individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing in the stations’ listening areas to determine how effectively the messages are being sent and received. The Gulf State region was selected for the demonstration because it is often subjected to extreme weather conditions. Individuals participating in the project will receive alert and warning messages through specially designed receivers capable of displaying the text messages.

“FEMA is committed to providing equal access to effective communication for people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing as information must be accessible to be actionable,” said Damon Penn, Assistant Administrator for FEMA’s National Continuity Programs Directorate. “FEMA has been working with NPR’s technology research and development group to identify key resources and radio stations to demonstrate whether special receivers made exclusively for people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing will help them receive emergency alerts. We hope the data and experiences gained from the demonstration will be used to help improve this specialized technology.”

The public radio stations participating in the pilot will receive emergency alert messages from FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), where the network operations center of the Public Radio Satellite System (PRSS) will uplink the warnings to the participating stations. The stations will then broadcast the emergency alerts to specially designed FM Radio Data System (RDS) radio receivers that alert the participants with a flashing indicator. The receivers can display the alert message through the receiver’s display, and the participants can connect a strobe light or bed-shaker alerting device to the receiver, helping ensure alerts are noticed day and night.

“This demonstration project is a crucial first step in improving the technology for people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing during emergencies,” said Mike Starling, Executive Director, NPR Labs. “I want to sincerely thank the 25 stations for agreeing to participate in this demonstration project that is working to test the latest technology to ensure that all individuals, including those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, can be informed of emergencies when electricity, the Internet and other communications channels are unavailable.”

FEMA, designated by DHS to implement a U.S. public alert and warning system, established the IPAWS system to provide the President with a way to address the American people during a national emergency. FEMA has been working with numerous public and private industry stakeholders to ensure that emergency alerts can be delivered simultaneously through multiple communications pathways. The National Weather Service uses IPAWS to send Wireless Emergency Alerts to participating cell phone carriers, who sends the alerts to cell phones.

NPR manages the Public Radio Satellite System (PRSS), which is the distribution network that delivers news, music, and specialized programming to public radio stations throughout the United States reaching 27 million listeners each week. The initiative is a joint effort with NPR Labs under a contract with DHS’s Science and Technology Directorate and FEMA’s National Continuity Programs. NPR Labs’ mission is to identify, evaluate, and advance the application of innovative technologies in support of the public service mission of NPR and its 900 member stations. NPR Labs was established in 2005 and is located at NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C.

FM participating stations: Alabama:WUAL, Tuscaloosa; WBHM, Birmingham; WLRH, Huntsville; WJAB, Huntsville; Florida: WUSF, Tampa; WLRN, Miami; WPBI, West Palm Beach; WUFT, Gainesville; WMFE, Orlando; WFSU, Tallahassee; WGCU, Fort Meyers; WJCT, Jacksonville; WQCS, Fort Pierce; Louisiana: KDAQ, Shreveport; WWNO, New Orleans; WRKF, Baton Rouge; KRVS, Lafayette; in Mississippi: WMPN, Jackson; and in Texas: KERA, Dallas; KUHF, Houston; KETR, Commerce; KUT, Austin; KMBH, Harlingen; KEDT, Corpus Christi and KVLU, Beaumont.

For more information on FEMA programs, go to www.fema.gov/ipaws

FEMA does not endorse any non-government entities, organizations, or services. 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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FEMA and National Public Radio Work Together to Increase Emergency Alert Preparedness for People Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing

Added Counties Now Eligible for FEMA Individual and Public Assistance

DENVER – Residents of Fremont and Morgan counties whose homes were damaged in the September floods are now eligible for Individual Assistance from FEMA.

Also, eight additional counties are now eligible for FEMA Public Assistance: Arapahoe, Crowley, Denver, Fremont, Gilpin, Lake, Lincoln and Sedgwick. The eight new counties receive public assistance in all categories A-G.

Individual Assistance

Individual Assistance was extended to Fremont and Morgan counties after damage assessments were completed by officials from the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and FEMA.

Homeowners, renters and business owners in the designated counties who sustained damage as a result of the severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides that began on Sept. 11, 2013, may apply for federal disaster assistance.

The two additional counties bring the number of Colorado counties eligible for individual assistance to 11. The nine previously-designated counties are Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Clear Creek, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, Logan and Weld.

Public Assistance

The eight added counties are now eligible for all seven categories of Public Assistance.

Categories A and B cover debris removal and emergency protective measures while categories C through G include more permanent work on infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, public buildings and contents, as well as water facilities, public utilities and parks.

Public Assistance provides cost sharing grants with FEMA paying 75 percent of repair costs.

The eight additional counties bring the number of Colorado counties eligible for Public Assistance to 18. The 10 previously-designated counties are Adams, Boulder, Clear Creek, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, Logan, Morgan, Washington and Weld.

To Register:

For any questions, contact FEMA by phone, 800-621-3362, from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., MDT, seven days a week. Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA Helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages. People who have a speech disability or are deaf or hard of hearing may call (TTY) 800-462-7585; users of 711 or Video Relay Service can call 800-621-3362.

Register online: DisasterAssistance.gov or by Web-enabled device, tablet or smartphone: type m.fema.gov in the browser.

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Added Counties Now Eligible for FEMA Individual and Public Assistance

Weld County Disaster Recovery Center in Greely Closes Temporarily

DENVER – The FEMA/State Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Greeley will temporarily close at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, October 23 and will resume normal business hours at 9 a.m. on Monday, October 28.

WELD COUNTY

Island Grove Exhibition Hall

527 N. 15th Ave.

Greeley, CO 80631

Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., MDT.

During the four days the DRC will be closed, applicants seeking help can continue to call the FEMA helpline 1-800-621-3362 to register, update their information or find out the status of their application. Help from representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Colorado Office of Emergency Management and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will also continue to be available at other 10 DRCs during this time.

To find another DRC close to you, go to fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers.

Once the DRC reopens, survivors will continue to receive in-person assistance from a variety of specialists available to explain assistance programs and help survivors apply for disaster aid. Recovery specialists also help disaster survivors get in touch with volunteer and other programs that may be able to help.

Survivors with losses from the storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides will save time by registering for help from FEMA before going to the DRCs.

Register online: DisasterAssistance.gov or by Web-enabled device, tablet or smartphone: type m.fema.gov in the browser.

For individuals visiting a DRC, who have hearing and visual disabilities or are deaf, disaster recovery centers can provide accommodations such as:

For more information on the Colorado disaster operation, visit fema.gov/disaster/4145.

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Weld County Disaster Recovery Center in Greely Closes Temporarily

Federal Disaster Assistance Tops $16 Million in West, Texas

DENTON, Texas – Nearly six months after the April 17 fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas, local, state and federal personnel are working together to move the recovery efforts forward.

To date, federal disaster assistance for eligible survivors has topped $16 million. This includes more than $9 million in federal disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA); nearly $840,000 in Individual Assistance grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); and more than $6.2 million in FEMA Public Assistance funding.

“We continue to support our local and state partners as they assist survivors with rebuilding their communities and lives,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Kevin L. Hannes. “We also encourage anyone who registered for disaster assistance but didn’t complete the process to contact us and get in the necessary paperwork. You may still be eligible to receive help.”

Applicants who registered before the June 18 deadline and have since settled with their insurance company should contact FEMA to determine if additional assistance is available. Applicants also can appeal any decision made by FEMA within 60 days of receipt of their notification letter.

Survivors with questions can contact FEMA at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. They may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Survivors who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers are available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

The West Long-Term Recovery Committee also has numerous resources available to survivors. Visit www.westltr.org or call (254) 826-7550 for more information.

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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 mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

SBA is the federal government’s primary source of funding for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts, and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover uninsured and uncompensated losses and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For information about SBA programs, applicants may call 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339).

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Federal Disaster Assistance Tops $16 Million in West, Texas

FEMA Urges Gulf Coast Residents to Prepare for Tropical Storm Karen

FEMA also Monitoring Potential Severe Weather in the Central U.S.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through its national response coordination center in Washington, DC and its regional offices in Atlanta, Ga., Chicago, Ill., Denton, Texas and Kansas City, Mo., is monitoring the conditions of Tropical Storm Karen, and the potential for severe weather in the Central U.S., including severe thunderstorms, damaging winds and hail.

“Residents in areas forecasted for potential severe weather are encouraged to monitor local conditions, review their family emergency plans, and follow the direction of local officials,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “FEMA is staying in close contact with states and local partners and is poised to provide support, if needed.”

Based on applicable legal requirements and consistent with its contingency plan, FEMA has begun to recall currently furloughed employees necessary to serve functions of the agency that protect life and property as they prepare for potential landfall of Tropical Storm Karen and the severe weather in the Central U.S., including parts of Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota and Wisconsin. More than 100 FEMA employees have been recalled from furlough to support response efforts.

FEMA has recalled from furlough and today deployed three incident management assistance teams (IMAT) to potentially affected states. Each IMAT is supported by its defense coordinating element staffed by the Department of Defense. Liaison officers have also been recalled and are currently positioned in emergency operations centers in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi to assist with the coordination of planning and response operations. Regional response coordination centers in Atlanta, Ga. and Denton, Texas are also activated and those in Chicago, Ill. and Kansas City, Mo., are at an enhanced watch. Additional teams are on standby and available for deployment as needed and requested.

At all times, FEMA maintains commodities, including millions of liters of water, millions of meals and hundreds of thousands of blankets, strategically located at distribution centers throughout the United States, including in the Gulf Coast region, that are available to state and local partners if needed and requested. FEMA has recalled staff from furlough to activate our distribution center in Atlanta, Ga.

According to the National Weather Service, a hurricane watch is in effect for Grand Isle, La. to west of Destin, Fla. A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within in the watch area, generally within 48 hours.

A tropical storm warning is in effect from Morgan City, La. to the mouth of the Pearl River. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within 36 hours. Tropical storm watches are in effect for metropolitan New Orleans, Lake Maurepas, Lake Pontchartrain and from Destin to Indian Pass, Fla. A tropical storm watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible, generally within 48 hours.

Residents in potentially affected areas are encouraged to:

Follow the instructions of local officials. Local officials make decisions on evacuations, shelter openings or sheltering in place.
Have important supplies ready to sustain you and your family, if needed. This includes water, a battery-powered radio, flashlight, extra batteries, cell phone charger, medicines, non-perishable food, and first aid supplies.
Stay up-to-date with the latest forecast – Monitor local radio and TV reports, as well as forecasts from the National Hurricane Center and National Weather Service.

For more information on preparing for hurricanes and other natural disasters, and what you can do to protect yourself and your family, visit www.Ready.gov or www.listo.gov. Information regarding emergency preparedness and what to do before and after a disaster can also be found at m.fema.gov or by downloading the FEMA app from your smartphone’s app store.

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.

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FEMA Urges Gulf Coast Residents to Prepare for Tropical Storm Karen

Volunteer Labor Helps Spring Flood Survivors Return Home

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Many survivors affected by the spring floods are now back in warm, safe and familiar surroundings thanks to the many volunteer groups who contributed their time and skills to help survivors return home.

Much of the 13,000 volunteer hours—the equivalent of more than six average work years—has been to repair and rebuild homes so that survivors can move back in. These hours are the result of volunteer groups traveling to Alaska from around the country after ice jams this spring damaged homes in the Alaskan bush communities of Alakanuk, Circle, Eagle, Emmonak, Fort Yukon, Galena, Hughes and Tok.

More than 100 home repairs or rebuilds have been completed in affected communities. Of the repairs, 56 were completed in the hardest hit community of Galena. Volunteers groups have contributed to the bulk of this effort since arriving in early August. The repairs have made damaged homes habitable again for survivors so they can sustain the winter in communities where temperatures can get as low as 50 degrees below zero.

“It would have been impossible to have gotten this many home repairs completed in this amount of time were it not for the volunteers,” said State Coordinating Officer Bryan Fisher. “They selflessly spent long periods far away from their families and put in extraordinary hours to help total strangers. Volunteers are a huge reason why many spring flood survivors can be back in their own home and that means a lot to Alaska.”

More than 120 volunteers from United Methodists Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM), Disciples of Christ, Mennonite Disaster Services, World Renew and Arizona Southern Baptists have helped repair, rebuild, muck out and gut homes in Circle, Fort Yukon, Galena and Hughes. Their contributions included repairing and constructing homes as well as skilled labor such as plumbing and electrical work. The Galena Bible Church also contributed by providing shelter to volunteers who came to its hard hit community.

Voluntary agency liaisons with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) worked with UMVIM and other participating groups to coordinate and fund their travel to affected communities that needed help. FEMA also paid for building materials. Additionally, the State of Alaska assembled responder camps in Galena to house volunteers.

“FEMA and our state partner play important roles in disaster recovery, but the volunteers make a big difference, too,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Dolph Diemont. “Nearly all the damaged homes that were repaired or rebuilt are because of them. The safety of survivors is our priority whenever responding to a disaster and all the volunteer groups helped us immensely in that mission by getting them back home for the winter.”

Volunteers will continue repair and rebuild work on homes in the spring.

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Volunteer Labor Helps Spring Flood Survivors Return Home

United Efforts Bring Successful Recovery to Circle

CIRCLE, Alaska – Four months ago, this small native village in northeastern Alaska was left devastated by some of the worst Yukon River flooding seen here in years. Floodwaters had inundated many homes, while mammoth missiles of river ice, known in Alaska as “ballistic ice,” had driven others hundreds of feet from their foundations. Debris and enormous chunks of ice littered the streets.

Today, Circle is steadily working its way back to normalcy, thanks in large part to a united effort among the local villagers, Mennonite Disaster Service volunteers from across the United States, the State of Alaska and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Circle is a small community of about 90 people, predominantly Athabascan Natives. Employment for residents is provided primarily by the tribe, health clinic, Circle School and a few local businesses, including a telephone service and a general store. With a limited cash economy and the high cost of imported food, subsistence hunting, fishing and gathering is a way of life, a tradition for Athabascans dating back thousands of years.

Like other remote Alaskan communities, Circle is very close-knit and self-reliant. However, First Chief Jessica Boyle welcomed the faith-based group’s aid with rebuilding, opening the door for acceptance of volunteers from the Mennonite Disaster Service into the community.

Over six weeks in August and September, the volunteers lived in the village, repairing and rebuilding flood-damaged homes by day and sleeping on cots in the local community hall by night. Known for their skilled carpentry and meticulous workmanship, the Mennonites often worked nine-hour days, six days a week ― and sometimes well into the evening ― to accomplish their goal of completing work on eight homes before winter.

“It was unique that we were right in the center of the community, and we’d stop to talk and visit,” said Mennonite Disaster Service Project Director Wilbur Litwiller. “They either lived next door or nearby, and we learned to know the people we worked with.”

As a result of a major disaster declaration on June 25, FEMA is aiding the community in its recovery, including shipment of building materials to Circle and funds to cover the cost of transportation and meals for the 27 Mennonite volunteers who worked in Circle.

In addition, FEMA has awarded over $265,000 to eligible residents to help pay for the home repairs as well as other disaster-related needs, while FEMA’s Public Assistance program has obligated $520,000 toward repair of the tribal center, campground, youth camp, medical clinic and the establishment of a temporary clinic. Also underway are $151,000 in hazard mitigation projects designed to prevent future flood damage in the village, including elevation of eight buildings.

“As the federal partner in this effort, it’s extremely satisfying to see the progress that has been made in Circle.” said Federal Coordinating Officer Dolph Diemont of FEMA. “Perhaps more significantly, the Mennonites built relationships with the community that will last well beyond this recovery mission.”

Logistically, recovery in Circle ran smoothly. A two-lane, partially gravel road that connects Circle to Fairbanks, 160 miles south of the village, allowed supplies to be brought in more readily and dependably than other flood-impacted communities that lack roads to the outside.

As the work was wrapping up the last week in September, the Circle community hosted a ceremony, known as a potlatch, to dedicate the rebuilt homes and celebrate the new friendships created as a result of the cooperative effort. The festivities included performances of traditional dances by school children in Athabascan attire and the sharing of customary Native dishes, such as moose stew.

“The community gave us the potlatch in appreciation for what we did, which was very special and the best thank you I’ve received in quite some time,” Litwiller said.

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United Efforts Bring Successful Recovery to Circle

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