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Take Extra Care with Hazardous Waste

BATON ROUGE, La. – If you are cleaning out your home and removing flood-damaged materials, be aware of potentially hazardous wastes and dispose of them properly.

Hazardous waste should always be separated from non-hazardous materials. Types of hazardous waste includes:

Cleaning products such as bleach, ammonia, and polishes
Pesticides and repellants
Automotive fluids
Paints, varnishes, and solvents
Batteries, fluorescent lightbulbs, and items containing mercury
Fire starters, accelerants, and other flammable items

Materials contaminated with flammable products should be separated from all other waste and stored in a well-ventilated area. If stored outdoors, flammable materials should be placed in a covered, fire-resistant container to prevent soil or groundwater contamination.

In the case of a chemical or oil spill, survivors are encouraged to call local authorities before contacting the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) at 1-888-763-5424.

Specific instructions for all waste removal, including hazardous waste removal, are available at the DEQ website at http://www.deq.louisiana.gov/portal.

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

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at SBA.gov/disaster Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

Original article –

Take Extra Care with Hazardous Waste

DRCs Open in East Baton Rouge, Tangipahoa and West Feliciana Parishes

BATON ROUGE, La. – Disaster recovery centers will open Sunday, August 21, in Tangipahoa and St. Helena parishes to help Louisiana flood survivors. The centers are open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day until further notice.

The centers are at the following addresses:

Former Parish Tourism Building

42271 S. Morrison Blvd.

Hammond, La. 70443

St. Helena Environmental Health Unit

53 N. 2^nd St.

Greensburg, La. 70441

Survivors may locate centers near them at fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. That information is also available on the FEMA mobile app. Survivors may register at any open DRC, even out of state.

To register, go online to DisasterAssistance.gov or call the FEMA helpline. Help is available in most languages and phone lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

Representatives from the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), volunteer groups and other agencies are at the centers to answer questions about disaster assistance and low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters and businesses. They can also help survivors apply for federal disaster assistance.

Disaster Survivor Assistance teams are canvassing many affected areas, and are able to register people for FEMA assistance if needed. Sometimes these teams will remain in certain locations convenient to the community, such as a library or mayor’s office. When residents require further assistance the teams may refer them to a disaster recovery center nearby.

It is not necessary to visit a center to register for and receive federal disaster assistance. If possible, survivors should register with FEMA before visiting a recovery center.

Disaster survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585 to register. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service or require accommodations while visiting a center may call 800-621-3362. All disaster recovery centers are accessible and equipped with tools to accommodate disaster survivors who need disability-related communication aids. Each disaster recovery center has assistive technologies for people with disabilities. To arrange to have an ASL interpreter at the DRC when you visit, call 225-382-1739.

Low-interest disaster loans from the SBA are available for businesses of all sizes and landlords, private nonprofits, homeowners and renters. Disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries.

For more information, applicants may contact the SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or visiting the SBA’s website at sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

For information call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 or go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or www.fema.gov/disaster/4263.

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We urge everyone to continue to use caution in areas where floodwaters remain. Monitor DOTD’s www.511la.org website for updated road closure information. Look for advisories from your local authorities and emergency managers. You can find the latest information on the state’s response at www.emergency.la.gov. GOHSEP also provides information on Facebook and Twitter. You can receive emergency alerts on most smartphones and tablets by downloading the new Alert FM App. It is free for basic service. You can also download the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find other information at www.getagameplan.org.

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.

The U.S. Small Business Administration is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at SBA.gov/disaster Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

Originally from:

DRCs Open in East Baton Rouge, Tangipahoa and West Feliciana Parishes

Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Two Parishes for Louisiana Survivors

The centers are at the following addresses:

Former Parish Tourism Building

42271 S. Morrison Blvd.

Hammond, La. 70443

St. Helena Environmental Health Unit

53 N. 2nd St.

Greensburg, La. 70441

To register, go online to DisasterAssistance.gov or call the FEMA helpline. Help is available in most languages and phone lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

It is not necessary to visit a center to register for and receive federal disaster assistance. If possible, survivors should register with FEMA before visiting a recovery center.

For information call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 or go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or www.fema.gov/disaster/4263.

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We urge everyone to continue to use caution in areas where floodwaters remain. Monitor DOTD’s www.511la.org website for updated road closure information. Look for advisories from your local authorities and emergency managers. You can find the latest information on the state’s response at www.emergency.la.gov. GOHSEP also provides information on Facebook and Twitter. You can receive emergency alerts on most smartphones and tablets by downloading the new Alert FM App. It is free for basic service. You can also download the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find other information at www.getagameplan.org.

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Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Two Parishes for Louisiana Survivors

Efforts from Federal Partners Continue to Support Survivors in Louisiana

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is leading the federal government’s effort to provide assistance and support to Louisiana, in response to recent flooding.

Providing survivors with housing solutions remains a top priority and FEMA is collaborating with states and federal partners to coordinate strategies and programs to help find suitable housing for Louisiana residents displaced by flooding. Already, more than 98,000 Louisianans have registered for FEMA assistance and more than $20 million has been approved to help survivors with temporary rental assistance, essential home repairs and other serious disaster-related needs. To begin the process, FEMA continues to advise residents and business owners who sustained disaster-related losses to apply for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY). 711 relay or Video Relay Service (VRS) are available by calling 800-621-3362 directly. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (Central Time) seven days a week until further notice.

FEMA is also supporting Louisiana’s Disaster Housing Task Force to help Louisiana residents displaced by the flooding find access to housing. FEMA activated its Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program, at the request of the state of Louisiana, to make participating hotels or motels available for eligible disaster survivors who are unable to return to their homes for an extended period of time. This program is intended to provide short-term lodging for eligible survivors who are currently residing in a personal vehicle, hotel or motel, shelter, or place of employment.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is re-allocating existing federal resources such as Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME programs to give the state and communities the flexibility to redirect millions of dollars of funding to address critical needs, including housing and services for disaster survivors toward disaster relief.

Additionally, as of today, more than 24,000 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholders have submitted claims for flood loss. FEMA authorized and issued more than $4 million in advance payments to NFIP policyholders in Louisiana who sustained flood-related damages to provide expedited relief to disaster survivors. FEMA continues advising those who would like to file a claim should call their individual insurance carrier, or go to Floodsmart.gov and review the “File Your Claim” section.

Below is a summary of additional federal actions underway to support ongoing response and recovery efforts:

FEMA has more than 1,100 personnel on the ground, including six Incident Management Assistance Teams, one Urban Search and Rescue team and Mobile Emergency Response Support personnel. Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams are visiting shelters in affected areas to assist with on-site registration for survivors, provide applicant status checks, provide on-the-spot needs assessments, and identify any unmet needs. FEMA also provided the state more than 408,000 liters of water and more than 252,000 meals to distribute. FEMA and the state are conducting joint federal/state preliminary damage assessments in Assumption and St. Charles parishes over the next several days.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) opened a Business Recovery Center in Walker, Louisiana and it is opening one in Tangipahoa Parish Saturday and one in Baton Rouge on Monday. As of today, SBA issued more than 57,000 applications to homeowners and businesses.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is expediting federal assistance to provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes. HUD granted a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures and forbearance of Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured home mortgages.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services deployed two National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) Disaster Medical Assistance Teams consisting of approximately 80 NDMS members to Baton Rouge. In addition, U.S. Public Health Service commissioned corps officers and a 30-person command and control unit. They are among 200 staff deployed to support the response effort. HHS is operating a Federal Medical Station capable of housing 250 patients on the Louisiana State University campus and is providing care for 200 patients.

The U.S. Department of Transportation made $2 million in emergency relief funds immediately available through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to help repair roads and bridges in the affected areas. The funds will also help stabilize structures to prevent further damage and set up detours until permanent repairs are completed.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) deployed team leaders and subject matter expert personnel to assist the state and local government with debris removal and flood response operations. USACE also provided St. John Parish with HESCO Barriers. The state provided sand and coordinated with the National Guard for installation.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing support to the state through nutrition, farmer and rancher assistance. USDA Food and Nutrition Service approved the state’s hot foods waiver request. The waiver allows Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) recipients to purchase hot foods at authorized SNAP retailers statewide with their benefits. USDA encourages farmers, ranchers, producers, landowners and rural communities to contact their local Louisiana USDA Service Center to report damages to crops or livestock loss.

The American Red Cross (ARC) operational priorities continue to focus on providing food, shelter and relief supplies to survivors and working closely with local authorities to assess what and where the current needs are. Nearly 4,000 people remain housed in 28 ARC community shelters. Since the flooding began last week, ARC has provided more than 32,000 overnight stays in shelters and served more than 158,000 meals and snacks with feeding partners. The Red Cross Shelter Finder app displays open Red Cross shelters and their locations on an easy to use map interface. Survivors can also find the location of the nearest shelter by texting SHELTER and their Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA). The American Red Cross activated its Safe and Well program to allow survivors to let family members know they are safe and for family members to search for loved ones.

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) activated its Unaccompanied Minors Registry (UMR). Family members can go to http://umr.missingkids.org or call 1-800-THE-LOST to find unaccompanied children who may have been separated from parents or caregivers because of the floods, by entering basic information and/or a photo.

The U.S. Northern Command activated Defense Coordinating Element to support FEMA’s Regional Response Coordination Center in Denton, Texas with Department of Defense resources. The personnel are heavily involved in assisting relief efforts on the ground.

The U.S. Coast Guard continues to support Louisiana with air and surface rescue operations.

The Louisiana National Guard has more than 3,800 Guardsmen assisting with emergency flood operations. They have rescued more than 19,000 citizens and over 2,600 pets, and have conducted operations including evacuations, search and rescue, engineering missions, aerial sling-load drops, distribution and supply of water, meals, cots, tarps, sandbags, and security and shelter support.

The Corporation for National Community Service deployed more than 330 AmeriCorps members, including FEMA Corps and AmeriCorps Disaster Response Teams, to support shelter operations, survivor call centers and disaster survivor assistance teams.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is in daily contact with local cooperators, the National Weather Service and River Forecast Centers to give status updates on streamgages and coordinate flood response efforts.

The Federal Communications Commission continues to monitor communication outages and is working closely with affected carriers to ensure services are restored.

The U.S. Department of Justice deployed personnel to assist in evacuation, deconstruction and debris removal operations in the affected areas.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency deployed specialist personnel to monitor and assess the impacts of the flood. They are maintaining close communication with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.

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Efforts from Federal Partners Continue to Support Survivors in Louisiana

Federal Partners Continue to Support Survivors in Louisiana

WASHINGTON – At the direction of President Barack Obama, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is leading the federal government’s effort to provide assistance and support to Louisiana, in response to recent flooding.

President Obama received updates throughout the day from his team on current response and recovery efforts underway in close coordination with state, local, and tribal officials. Today, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and FEMA Deputy Administrator Joseph Nimmich are visiting the impacted region to meet with local officials and review the ongoing response efforts.

President Barack Obama declared a major disaster for Louisiana on August 14, making federal resources available to assist with home repairs, temporary housing, low-cost recovery loans for uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover. Federal assistance is also available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations to protect lives and property and remove debris.

Residents and business owners who sustained disaster-related losses can apply for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY). If you use 711 relay or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362 directly. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (Central Time) seven days a week until further notice. More than 80,000 Louisianans have registered for FEMA assistance and more than $3.7 million has been approved.

More than 17,000 National Flood Insurance policyholders have submitted claims for flood loss. Those who would like to file a claim should call their individual insurance carrier, go to Floodsmart.gov and review the “File Your Claim” section.

Below is a summary of federal actions underway to support ongoing response and recovery efforts:

To date, FEMA deployed more than 1,100 personnel on the ground, including six Incident Management Assistance Teams and one Urban Search and Rescue team in Louisiana. FEMA also deployed Mobile Emergency Response Support personnel and equipment in Louisiana to support the state with voice, video and information services to support emergency response communications needs.

The U.S. Department of Defense and FEMA provided to the state of Louisiana more than 650,000 liters of water and more than 812,000 meals for distribution to disaster survivors and pre-positioned supplies including cots and blankets.

The U.S. Small Business Administration opened a Business Recovery Center in Walker, Louisiana today to provide a wide range of services to businesses impacted by the severe storms and flooding that began last week. As of today, SBA has issued more than 57,000 applications to homeowners and businesses.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services deployed two National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) Disaster Medical Assistance Teams consisting of approximately 80 NDMS members to Baton Rouge. In addition, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps officers and a 30-person command and control personnel are among about 200 staff HHS has deployed to support the response effort. HHS is operating a Federal Medical Station capable of housing 250 patients on the Louisiana State University campus. At last report, HHS has provided care for 200 patients.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers deployed subject matter expert personnel to assist the state and local government with debris removal in affected areas.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is providing support to the state through nutrition, farmer and rancher assistance. Thus far, USDA approved 4,877 authorized Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program retailers to assist those in need of nutrition assistance services.

The American Red Cross opened shelters throughout the community. The Red Cross Shelter Finder app displays open Red Cross shelters and their locations on an easy to use map interface. Survivors can also find the location of the nearest shelter by texting SHELTER and their Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA). The American Red Cross activated its Safe and Well program to allow survivors to let family members know they are safe and for family members to search for loved ones.

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC): NCMEC activated its Unaccompanied Minors Registry (UMR). Family members can go to http://umr.missingkids.org or call 1-800-THE-LOST to find an unaccompanied child who may have been separated from their parents or caregivers because of the floods by entering basic information and/or a photo.

The U.S. Northern Command activated a Defense Coordinating Element to support FEMA’s Regional Response Coordination Center in Denton, Texas with Department of Defense resources and requirement validation.

The U.S. Coast Guard is conducting air and surface rescue operations. Thus far the Coast Guard rescue teams have assisted more than 3,000 people, saved 243 lives, and 71 pets and continue to actively support ground operations.

The National Guard deployed over 3,650 Louisiana guard members operating under state authority that are performing numerous relief missions including evacuations, search and rescue, security and engineering missions in support of the flood response efforts.

The Corporation for National Community Service deployed 114 AmeriCorp members to support sheltering, disaster assessment, feeding, and other tasks in conjunction with the Red Cross.

The Federal Communications Commission continues to monitor communication outages and is working closely with affected carriers to ensure services are restore.

The Department of Justice deployed personnel to assist in evacuation, deconstruction, and debris removal operations in the affected areas.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency deployed specialist personnel to monitor and assess the impacts of the flooding rains in Louisiana and maintaining close communication with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.

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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.

Federal Partners Continue to Support Survivors in Louisiana

Partnerships and Progress: Louisiana Flooding and Severe Storms 30 Days Later

BATON ROUGE, La. – More than 30 days ago, many witnessed Louisiana residents and emergency responders from all levels of government join forces with voluntary groups, faith and community-based organizations, and neighbors helping neighbors to face the unprecedented challenges brought on by historic flooding and severe storms that began March 8 in the Pelican State.

The Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) coordinated life-saving emergency management activities with almost a dozen state agencies at the beginning of the severe storms and flooding. These agencies included the Louisiana National Guard, which performed sandbagging and rescue operations, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, which oversaw waterway security, and the Louisiana State Police, which managed traffic in affected areas, just to name a few.

Disaster survivors addressed immediate needs, took care of families and loved ones, obtained life-saving information from parish officials, assessed damage, contacted and filed claims with their insurance companies and began cleaning up.

The impacted parishes conducted damage assessments, established emergency protective measures, provided essential services and relayed critical information to survivors as part of response efforts, which also included, distributing sandbags, establishing curfews, evacuating residents, managing dislodged caskets, responding to power outages, setting up points of distribution for resources and cleaning out debris.

In addition to FEMA, nearly a dozen federal agencies supported response and recovery to the Louisiana floods. These agencies include the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Forest Service, again just a sample of the federal family support.

On March 13, Bel Edwards, governor of Louisiana, requested a major disaster declaration. Within a few hours, President Barack Obama declared a major disaster in Louisiana. After initially designating seven parishes, the presidential disaster declaration has been amended five times to increase the total number of designated parishes to 36.

Many flood survivors are now in the midst of repairing and rebuilding their flood-damaged homes. So far, more than 34,000 Louisiana survivors have contacted FEMA for help.

To date, survivors have received approximately $159 million in federal disaster assistance.

Nearly $55 million in grants were approved for a place to stay for homeowners and renters whose residences were uninhabitable and to make essential repairs for homes to be safe, sanitary and functional.
Approximately $15 million in grants went to homeowners and renters to repair and replace certain household items and for burial, medical and dental expenses.
Homeowners, renters and businesses have received $36 million in low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration to repair, rebuild and replace damaged property and contents. Disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other sources.
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders have received more than $53 million in claims to repair and rebuild flood-damaged property and contents.

Survivors who still need additional help cleaning up or with other recovery needs can turn to many voluntary, faith and community-based groups that are donating their time and skills in Louisiana. These groups are always the first and last presence to help disaster survivors recover. Since the flooding and severe storms began, organizations have assisted state and federal recovery partners in:

Mobilizing nearly 7,800 volunteers.
Completing nearly 1,300 muck outs.
Continuing to provide casework to address unmet recovery needs.

Visit www.louisiana211.org to locate voluntary, faith and community-based organizations that may be able to help. Those who want to donate their time and skills should visit www.volunteerlouisiana.gov.

Disaster recovery officials are still on the ground in Louisiana and interacting with survivors in a variety of ways to help them recover:

Disaster Recovery Centers: more than 8,000 survivors have visited 36 disaster recovery centers. These are facilities where survivors can meet face to face to discuss their cases with federal, state, local and volunteer representatives. The first centers opened less than a week after the presidential disaster declaration. Visit FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers to find locations.
Housing Inspections: over 28,000 FEMA housing inspections have been completed. Flooding has prevented inspections in parts of Louisiana, but FEMA will remain as long as it takes to inspect homes of all who register.
Disaster Survivor Assistance Specialists: approximately 32,000 survivors have spoken with FEMA disaster survivor assistance specialists. These are FEMA staff who canvass affected communities to encourage survivors to register for help, provide recovery information and listen to their concerns.
Mitigation Specialists: free consultations are available at DRCs and certain Louisiana home improvement stores where survivors can get tips and techniques on building hazard-resistant homes.

Those affected by the flooding who still haven’t registered can still do so by going online to DisasterAssistance.gov or calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. Help is available in most languages and phone lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. Those who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585 to register. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service may call 800-621-3362.

For information call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 or go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or www.fema.gov/disaster/4263.

We urge everyone to continue to use caution in areas where floodwaters remain. Monitor DOTD’s www.511la.org website for updated road closure information. Look for advisories from your local authorities and emergency managers. You can find the latest information on the state’s response at www.emergency.la.gov. GOHSEP also provides information on Facebook and Twitter. You can receive emergency alerts on most smartphones and tablets by downloading the new Alert FM App. It is free for basic service. You can also download the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find other information at www.getagameplan.org.

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 https://twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800)877-8339.

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Partnerships and Progress: Louisiana Flooding and Severe Storms 30 Days Later

FEMA Grant to Fund Seawall Project in Sea Bright and Monmouth Beach

Eatontown, N.J. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently obligated $28,358,886.60 in additional grant funding for the repair of the Hurricane Sandy-damaged seawall in Sea Bright and Monmouth Beach, bringing the total FEMA funding obligated for the project to date to $31,344,834.00

That amount represents 90 percent of the total project cost of $34,827,594.00. The State of New Jersey will fund the remaining 10 percent.

Storm damage atop Sea Bright seawall in 2012.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection will perform the work.

The grant represents the latest major multi-million dollar project along the coast of New Jersey to receive FEMA funding for Hurricane Sandy-related repairs.

Sea Bright and Monmouth Beach were heavily damaged by Hurricane Sandy after the historic storm made landfall in Brigantine, New Jersey on October 29, 2012. The National Weather Service reported storm surge of up to 11 feet along the New Jersey Shore with wave heights in excess of 14 feet.

In Sea Bright and Monmouth Beach, raging storm tides destroyed beach clubs along the shore, and displaced and eroded portions of the seawall. In areas where there was a break in the seawall, the surging flood tides inundated the low-lying communities, causing extensive damage.

Design specifications for the repair and mitigation project include the construction of 3,188 lineal feet of new sea wall in accordance with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers design protocols. The new segments of seawall will connect with the existing seawall, providing a strong barrier that will protect vulnerable areas of both towns should a similar storm strike in the future.

The existing seawall extends 4.7 miles, from Valentine Street in Monmouth Beach to the Highlands Bridge in North Sea Bright. In mid-November, U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Bob Menendez and Rep. Frank Pallone (NJ-06) hailed the funding of the project, with Menendez noting that “The seawall in Sea Bright and Monmouth Beach is the first line of defense against Mother Nature for these communities, protecting them from potential devastation caused by severe flooding. This federal funding will help ensure the seawall is rebuilt to safeguard residents and property from more prevalent and powerful Nor-easters and Atlantic storms threatening the Jersey Shore.”

Work on the project is expected to get under way early in 2016.

For more information on New Jersey’s disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/SandyNJ.

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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FEMA Grant to Fund Seawall Project in Sea Bright and Monmouth Beach

Leading Cancer Center Weathers Storms in Multiple Ways

FEMA and the state of Texas are highlighting Texas communities that have taken steps to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property.

HOUSTON – For the last 25 years, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston has consistently ranked among the top two cancer care hospitals in the nation, according to a survey published by U.S. News & World Report. The hospital’s staff of more than 19,000 treat an average of 114,000 patients each year from around the world.

The center’s ranking reflects the expertise and accomplishments of the physicians, researchers, nurses, staff and volunteers in treating patients. Safeguarding staff, patients and property is essential and the reason for multiple disaster mitigation and notification initiatives at the facility.

“It’s important that we be here for the patients. We don’t want to close. If there is a significant event, we want to be up and running as soon as possible to minimize down time,” said MD Anderson Executive Director of Environmental Health and Safety Matthew Berkheiser. “Patients wanting their treatment are literally knocking on our door as soon as the storm is over. If you have a broken leg, you could probably wait a few days to get it checked. Our patients are very serious and committed to getting in here.”

In 2001, Tropical Storm Allison caused catastrophic damage to the center. They undertook a major mitigation project to protect the center from another flood. “We came up with a list of things that we felt we could do better. Money was made available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to enhance mitigation already in place.

“We used the funds to enhance our floodgate system,” said Director of Environmental Health and Safety Devina Patel. “Now we have 70-80 floodgates, a combination of different kinds of gates as well as submarine doors.”

FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program helped to fund the flood mitigation project. The work consisted of building interior and exterior flood walls and relocating critical mechanical and electrical life-saving equipment above the 50-year floodplain – floods that have a two percent probability (1 in 50) of being equaled or exceeded in any year. A concrete wall was constructed around the entire facility.

The project also called for the installation of 25 floodgates (located at entrances and drives), submarine doors, and a series of valves and lift stations to isolate the sanitary and storm systems.

“We have annual unannounced drills to test the flood gate system as well as the competency of the people who are installing the gates,” said Patel.

“A lesson learned from Tropical Storm Allison was that we needed a stationary command center,” said Patel. “Depending on who was in charge, the command center kept moving making communication an issue. Now we have one that’s stationary and fully staffed.”

To learn more about how cities and towns across Texas are building stronger, safer communities visit Best Practice Stories | FEMA.gov.

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Leading Cancer Center Weathers Storms in Multiple Ways

Drop Off Location for Household Hazardous Waste and Large Appliances from Typhoon Soudelor Cleanup

Drop Off Location for Household Hazardous Waste and Large

Appliances from Typhoon Soudelor Cleanup

Beginning September 11, 2015, on Fridays and Saturdays at old Kobler Air Field

SAIPAN, CNMI – A new drop-off location for household hazardous waste, large appliances (white goods) and electronics, run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in cooperation with CNMI Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality, will begin on Friday, September 11. Residents can bring their household hazardous waste, white goods and electronics damaged as a result of Typhoon Soudelor to the old Kobler Air Field (near As Gono green waste drop off station) on Fridays and Saturdays in September, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. EPA will also continue to collect household hazardous waste at the Lower Base Transfer Station, Monday to Saturday, 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Once the EPA collection operations are complete, normal disposal activities will resume and residents will be responsible for the disposal of these white goods and electronics.

FEMA and CNMI have called on the EPA to implement a program to collect and properly manage household hazardous chemicals and materials. This program is intended to collect materials damaged as a result of Typhoon Soudelor. Household hazardous waste includes cleaners, pesticides, lawn and garden products, workshop and paint supplies, automotive supplies, batteries, solvents, thermometers, fluorescent lights, and flammable products such as oil, gas and propane. Another way to identify household hazardous waste is from labels that say things like: Caution, Warning, Danger, Poison, Toxic, Flammable, or Corrosive. Improper disposal of these materials increases the risk of contaminating air, water and soil. For example, materials placed in drains flow directly to septic tanks or sewage treatment plants or directly into the ocean, polluting the ocean and potentially harming sensitive coral reefs.

The collection area will also be accepting white goods and electronic wastes. White goods include refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, stoves, ovens, microwave ovens, water heaters, washers and dryers. Televisions, computers and other electronics can also be dropped off. Residents may call CNMI BECQ at 670-664-8500 with drop-off questions.

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Drop Off Location for Household Hazardous Waste and Large Appliances from Typhoon Soudelor Cleanup

FEMA Helps Mississippi Preserve Important Architectural Properties

BILOXI, Miss. — As part of an innovative agreement between federal, state, local and tribal officials, 29 historic properties lost during Katrina have been commemorated with cast aluminum markers.

“We thought it especially important to have sketches of the destroyed buildings on the markers,” said Kenneth P’Pool, deputy state historic preservation officer of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. “It gives people an appreciation of what was lost. Some of these illustrations are the last examples of architectural styles on the Coast.”

The wooden Church of the Redeemer was a prime example of the Carpenter Gothic style. The engraving of a bell tower in front of it depicts one from a newer church built in 1891. The bell tower was the only part of that structure to survive Hurricane Camille in 1969.

It is a challenge for communities to protect historic properties during and after a disaster. They need to protect the health and safety of citizens – for example, by removing large amounts of disaster debris in a timely manner – while preserving the integrity of a historic site.

The National Historic Preservation Act requires federal agencies to consider the effects their projects may have on historic properties. The agencies must review background information and consult with the State Historic Preservation Officer, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer and other knowledgeable sources. In many cases, further surveys and studies are needed to make a final determination on how or if to proceed. The review process can take several weeks—even months, which may not be in the interest of public safety.

To expedite removal of massive amounts of debris after Hurricane Katrina for public health and safety, FEMA entered into an agreement with several agencies to streamline the process. Partners included the Mississippi State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO); Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI); Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) and Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).

Using GPS data, FEMA’s Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation program surveyed historic districts, properties and archaeological sites in the lower Mississippi counties most affected by Katrina and created a database that will help emergency management officials in future disasters.

They also updated listings for the National Register of Historic Places, and found 58 archaeological sites that had not previously been identified.

“So much damage was done by Katrina that there was a great need to clean up the debris, but little time to enter into the proper consultation required by the National Historic Preservation Act,” said P’Pool.

“We now have a much better handle on the numbers, locations and types of historic properties and

where they’re distributed around the Gulf Coast. Having that knowledge provides us with an opportunity to make a much more rapid response in assessing damage to specific historic properties in the future.”

“It’s very rewarding to be part of an agreement that can be used as a model for other states,” said Cyril Baxter Mann, deputy environmental liaison officer for FEMA’s Historic Preservation program.

For its work after Katrina, FEMA received the Chairman’s Award for Federal Achievement from the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, in coordination with SHPO and other partners, for its innovative effort in creating the digitized database of historic properties.

In addition, for the Katrina recovery, FEMA’s EHP program reviewed more than 17,000 recovery projects for potential environmental and historic preservation issues. It also reviewed more than 13,000 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program applications for placement of in-ground shelters.

For more information on this agreement and FEMA archaeological specialists at work: view this video.

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FEMA Helps Mississippi Preserve Important Architectural Properties

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