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After 100 days, New York Communities on Road to Recovery from Sandy

NEW YORK – Most of the debris is gone. Communities are making plans for the future and survivors of Hurricane Sandy are receiving financial assistance for storm-related losses.

In New York, the recovery process is well under way 100 days after the storm made landfall Oct. 29, 2012. The whole community is involved in the recovery effort, including federal, state, tribal and local agencies, the private sector and voluntary and faith-based organizations.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved $888.5 million for individuals and households in New York to help eligible survivors with temporary rental costs and other uninsured losses resulting from the hurricane.

Many people have taken advantage of low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration. SBA has approved disaster loans for 12,991 homeowners, renters and businesses totaling $892.2 million.

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid claims totaling $1.9 billion to 56,000 policy holders.

After a devastating storm, one of the priorities is to clean up the debris so neighborhoods can begin rebuilding. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and local and state agencies have removed 5.2 million of the estimated 5.6 million cubic yards of debris. The Corps also drained 270 million gallons of water from subways, tunnels and underpasses within two weeks of the storm.

To ensure that everyone receives information about assistance, FEMA is providing information in 25 languages.

The private sector is playing a key role in spreading information about the kinds of assistance available. The business community has displayed the message on video screens in Times Square, Madison Square Garden and Lincoln Center, among other places. The Metropolitan Transit Authority placed posters at bus stops and subway entrances and on the Staten Island Ferry. The NYC Taxi Commission put the message on video screens in taxi cabs.

FEMA’s Public Assistance program so far has approved $606 million for the repair or replacement of public facilities, debris removal and emergency costs resulting from the disaster, among other expenses. These grants included $106 million to NYPD for personnel costs during the emergency, $46 million to

the New York Department of Sanitation for labor and equipment expenditures and $24 million to the City of Long Beach for debris removal.

More than 500 national, state and local voluntary and faith-based organizations are helping people in need. They are providing donations, volunteer management, home repair, child care, counseling services and removal of muck and mold from homes.

Mitigation specialists are counseling property owners on ways to rebuild structures so they are more resilient to future storm damage. So far, 21,000 have been provided information.

Because of a shortage of available rental units after the storm, FEMA temporarily housed 5,917 individuals and families in hotels and motels through its Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program. This is a short-term option for eligible survivors while they work on longer-term housing arrangements.

In the weeks after the storm, federal agencies deployed more than 5,000 personnel to New York. Many of those specialists are still on the job and FEMA has hired more than 500 local residents to help with disaster recovery operations. Storm survivors are still receiving face-to-face help in the recovery process at disaster recovery centers. So far, New Yorkers have visited the centers 151,116 times.

The federal disaster recovery coordinator for New York is working with public and private partners at federal, state and local levels to identify unmet needs and traditional and innovative resources that can be used to support rebuilding. These efforts will result in a strategy that will be used to guide development for years to come.

People who had losses resulting from the storm are urged to register with FEMA by Feb. 27. They can register with FEMA online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov. They may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) can call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers are available from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. EST, seven days a week.

For more on Hurricane Sandy recovery in New York, visit www.FEMA.gov/SandyNY.

Note: Photos of Hurricane Sandy and the recovery operation can be found at:

http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4085/updates/100-days-after-hurricane-sandy-new-york-look-back-photos

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. Recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

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After 100 days, New York Communities on Road to Recovery from Sandy

FEMA and SBA Registration Deadline is Feb. 12

WINDSOR, Conn. — Homeowners, renters, nonprofits and businesses of all sizes have until Tuesday, Feb. 12 to register for FEMA disaster assistance or apply for disaster loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced today.

Residents of Fairfield, Middlesex, New Haven and New London counties, as well as the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Tribal Nations within New London County, are eligible to apply for assistance with Hurricane Sandy-related losses.

Survivors can register online anytime day or night at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or with a smartphone or other Web-enabled device at m.fema.gov. Survivors can also register, check status of applications or receive other assistance by calling FEMA at 800-621-3362, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern, seven days a week. The TTY number is 800-462-7585. Multilingual operators are available.

Registering for disaster assistance with other agencies or organizations does not register survivors for FEMA disaster assistance. Having FEMA flood insurance does not register policyholders for FEMA disaster assistance, nor does it disqualify anyone from applying for assistance. Flood insurance claims are handled separately.

More SBA disaster loan information may be obtained by calling SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (TTY users, call 800-877-8339) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern, and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Apply online at SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/. For more information about the SBA disaster loan program, visit the SBA website at www.sba.gov/sandy.

So far, more than 12,000 Connecticut residents have registered for state and federal assistance and assistance approved is more than $41.5 million. Of that total is nearly $30 million in low-interest disaster loans through the SBA.

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 800-621-3362. 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 homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private, nonprofit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and covers 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.

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FEMA and SBA Registration Deadline is Feb. 12

FEMA Awards Nearly $1.3 Million to Plaquemines Parish to Repair Levee Road Damaged by Hurricane Isaac

BATON ROUGE, La. – Plaquemines Parish will receive a nearly $1.3 million federal grant to reimburse the cost of repairing a roadway damaged by Hurricane Isaac, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said Monday.

Between Aug. 26 and Sept. 10, Hurricane Isaac produced high winds, rain and flooding throughout the state, hitting Plaquemines Parish particularly hard. The elevated roadway on the parish’s secondary levee required repairs after the water receded, and the FEMA Public Assistance grant, totaling $1,280,209, helps reimburse those repair costs.

“Severe, slow-moving storms like Hurricane Isaac not only can cause tremendous damage to people’s homes and businesses, they can affect the infrastructure people depend on every day,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Gerard M. Stolar of FEMA. “Reimbursing the repair of the levee road puts the parish one step closer to normalcy after Hurricane Isaac.”

The newly awarded funds are a portion of the $195.5 million in total Public Assistance recovery dollars approved for the state since the Aug. 29, 2012, disaster declaration.

Once FEMA reimburses the state of Louisiana it is the state’s responsibility to manage the funds, which includes making disbursements to local jurisdictions and organizations that incurred costs.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, click www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. You can follow FEMA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.

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FEMA Awards Nearly $1.3 Million to Plaquemines Parish to Repair Levee Road Damaged by Hurricane Isaac

FEMA Awards Nearly $3.2 Million to East Baton Rouge for Hurricane Isaac Recovery

BATON ROUGE, La. – East Baton Rouge Parish will receive a nearly $3.2 million federal grant to reimburse the parish for removing and disposing of debris resulting from Hurricane Isaac, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said Friday.

The FEMA Public Assistance grant, totaling $3,189,504, will help the parish pay for removing more than 355,800 cubic yards of debris from three public rights of way. A cubic yard of debris is about the size of a residential washing machine.

“Removing debris after a storm protects public health and safety,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Gerard M. Stolar. “These funds support East Baton Rouge’s efforts to eliminate hazardous debris and help return the parish to normal.”

The grant covers the federal share of the parish’s eligible costs for the work. Under a cost-sharing formula, FEMA reimburses the state for 75 percent of the total costs, while the state and/or applicant pay the remaining 25 percent.

The newly awarded funds are a portion of the $195.5 million in total Public Assistance recovery dollars approved for the state since the Aug. 29, 2012, disaster declaration.

Once FEMA reimburses the state of Louisiana it is the state’s responsibility to manage the funds, which includes making disbursements to local jurisdictions and organizations that incurred costs.

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FEMA Awards Nearly $3.2 Million to East Baton Rouge for Hurricane Isaac Recovery

More than $1.7 billion provided by FEMA, SBA to New York Sandy survivors

NEW YORK — Federal disaster assistance to New York survivors of Hurricane Sandy totals more than $1.7 billion.

FEMA continues to reach out to all 13 counties designated for Individual Assistance, focusing on the hardest-hit areas. Assistance to residents in affected counties includes:

Bronx $2.5 million
Kings $194.8 million
Nassau $284.4 million
New York $13.2 million
Queens $224.3 million
Richmond $90.5 million
Suffolk $66 million

FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration have approved more than $1.7 billion for Hurricane Sandy survivors in New York. FEMA has approved nearly $881 million for individuals and households, including more than $770 million for housing assistance and nearly $111 million in assistance for other needs.

SBA has approved more than $772 million in disaster loans to homeowners and renters and more than $53 million in disaster businesses loans. The SBA has staff members at every FEMA/State Disaster Recovery Center and 17 Business Recovery Centers in the New York area to provide one-on-one help to business owners seeking disaster assistance.

More than 266,000 New Yorkers have contacted FEMA for information or registered for assistance, including nearly 144,000 who have applied through the online application site at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or on their smartphone at m.fema.gov.

17 Disaster Recovery Centers are open in the affected areas. These include mobile sites as well as fixed sites. To date, more than 147,000 survivors have been assisted at Disaster Recovery Centers in New York.

55 inspectors are currently in the field. To date, 176,448 home inspections have been completed, making a 99.5 percent completion rate.

13 New York counties are designated for both Individual Assistance and Public Assistance. These are Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester. Greene County has been designated for Public Assistance only.

Nearly $1.9 billion has been paid to National Flood Insurance Program policy holders in New York for losses resulting from Sandy. The National Flood Insurance Program, administered by FEMA, offers flood insurance to all homeowners, renters and business owners if their community participates in the NFIP.

Since Hurricane Sandy made landfall, FEMA has provided more than $604 million in Public Assistance grants in New York State. The FEMA Public Assistance program reimburses state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations 75 percent of costs for disaster-related expenses associated with emergency protective measures, debris removal, and the repair and restoration of damaged infrastructure. In order to qualify, damage must be a direct result of Hurricane Sandy.

Individuals can register with FEMA online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585.

Applicants who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) can call 800-621-3362.

The toll-free telephone numbers operate 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. EST, seven days a week.

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

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More than $1.7 billion provided by FEMA, SBA to New York Sandy survivors

FEMA Souris Valley Housing Mission Continues Progress

MINOT, N.D. – Just one month into 2013, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that the number of temporary housing units (THU) still occupied in Ward County has fallen to 476. The drop is another sign that recovery efforts continue, even in the chilly winter months.

There are only 79 FEMA THUs still on private property in the Souris Valley, down from a high of nearly 1100. In addition 25 units are still occupied at DeSour Valley Heights in Burlington and 298 are occupied at Virgil Workman Village just east of Minot. The remaining 74 occupied units are at four manufactured home parks in the area.

FEMA is also proceeding with the sale of THUs to current residents. As of Jan. 31, a total of 50 sales have been finalized. Purchasing the unit they are living in is one of several options that displaced residents have in securing permanent housing. FEMA continues to meet with residents on a monthly basis to assist them with developing a long-term housing plan, and those meetings will continue until FEMA’s housing mission concludes in June 2013.

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FEMA Souris Valley Housing Mission Continues Progress

FEMA OKs Nearly $3 Million to Rebuild Irene-Destroyed SEPTA Embankment

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Nearly $3 million in federal funding has been approved for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) to reconstruct a critical stretch of rail line in Delaware County, according to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today.

The funds covered reconstruction that was completed on a 40-foot-tall embankment that supported the Norristown High Speed Line between Roberts and Conestoga roads in Radnor Township. The 150-foot-long stretch of SEPTA train track was destroyed by heavy rains, including Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee floodwaters, during the period from Sept. 3 through Oct. 15.

So much soil was washed away that the slope of land shifted out and down approximately 16 inches. Additionally, the shift caused the inbound set of tracks to drop approximately 12 inches.

A technique known as “soil nailing” was utilized to rebuild the slope. Soil nailing is a construction technique in which metal anchors, called “soil nails,” are either driven or drilled into rock or stable material to secure an unstable area. Grout is then pumped into and around the nails to permanently hold them. After the grout cures, a metal mesh fabric is affixed to the heads of the nails.

Because the collapse of the embankment was a direct result of Hurricane Irene, the project to replace it qualifies for Public Assistance in Category G, which covers permanent repair or replacement of eligible damaged rail facilities. For a detailed description of Public Assistance categories see http://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-eligible-work.

FEMA has obligated $2,943,479 for the embankment to be restored to its pre-disaster condition.

This amount comprises the 75 percent federal cost-share of the reconstruction project, which is estimated to cost a total of $3,924,639. The remaining 25 percent non-federal share will be paid by the Commonwealth.

FEMA manages the Public Assistance program, approves grants and provides technical assistance to the Commonwealth and applicants. The Commonwealth educates potential applicants, works with FEMA to manage the program and is responsible for implementing and monitoring the grants awarded under the program. Local officials are responsible for identifying damage, providing information necessary for FEMA to approve grants and managing each project funded under the program.

For a list of frequently asked questions about the federal Public Assistance process see http://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-frequently-asked-questions.

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. FEMA Region III’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts are available at http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary and www.youtube.com/fema. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion3.

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FEMA OKs Nearly $3 Million to Rebuild Irene-Destroyed SEPTA Embankment

FEMA, partners provide help for critical needs

NEW YORK – After a disaster, there are many sources of support for survivors as they begin their recovery. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is only one part of a team that includes federal, state, tribal and local government agencies, voluntary organizations, the private sector and faith-based organizations.

FEMA helps survivors of a disaster with critical expenses that cannot be covered in any other way. This grant assistance may be used to help cover items or services that prevent or overcome a hardship due to a disaster. Such items or services include temporary housing, essential home repairs, personal property losses and other disaster-related needs not covered by insurance. Survivors registered with FEMA may be eligible for up to $31,900, the maximum grant.

The assistance FEMA provides may not restore damaged property to its condition before the disaster and may not cover all losses from property damage. Money to repair a home is limited to making it safe, sanitary and functional.

One of the most significant sources of long-term recovery is the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which offers low-interest disaster loans for homeowners and renters. Homeowners may be eligible for loans up to $200,000 to repair or replace their storm-damaged home. Homeowners and renters may be eligible for up to $40,000 for replacement of personal property.

Additionally, more than 500 national, state and local community and faith-based organizations are involved in helping Sandy survivors with their recovery. They are providing a range of services including home repair, child care, counseling services, muck-outs and mold suppression in disaster-damaged homes.

People who sustained losses due to Hurricane Sandy have until Wednesday, Feb. 27, to register with FEMA for potential grant assistance. They should register even if they have insurance. Applying by the deadline may help survivors avoid a funding shortfall if they later find that they are underinsured or have additional damages.

Counties in New York designated for individual assistance include: Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.

Eligible applicants may register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov. People can also call the FEMA helpline 800-621-3362 (711 Relay or Video Relay Services are available) or TTY 800-462-7585. Helpline call centers are available 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. EST, seven days a week.

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

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.

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FEMA, partners provide help for critical needs

FEMA Urges Southeast and Mid-Atlantic Residents to Monitor Conditions and Be Prepared for Severe Weather

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency, through its regional offices in Chicago, Atlanta, Denton, Texas; Philadelphia, New York, and Boston, is closely monitoring the storm system that is forecast to affect the upper Ohio Valley southward to the central Gulf Coast and eastward to the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast coast.

FEMA has been in touch with its state counterparts, and also is in close contact with federal partners at the National Weather Service. The severe weather is forecast to include the threat of widespread damaging winds, along with the possibility of tornadoes, through the evening and overnight hours.

Although there have been no requests for federal assistance at this time, FEMA encourages all individuals in areas where severe weather is expected to monitor NOAA Weather Radio, and local news for severe weather updates and warnings and to always follow the direction provided by local officials. When natural disasters like severe weather and tornadoes strike, the first responders are local emergency and public works personnel, volunteers, humanitarian organizations, and numerous private interest groups who provide emergency assistance required to protect the public’s health and safety and to meet immediate human needs.

Everyone should become familiar with the terms used to identify a severe weather hazard and discuss with your family what to do if a watch or warning is issued. Some of the more common terms used to describe severe weather and tornado hazards include the following:

Severe Thunderstorm Watch – Tells you when and where severe thunderstorms are likely to occur. Watch the sky and stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio or television for information.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning – Issued when severe weather has been reported by spotters or indicated by radar. Warnings indicate imminent danger to life and property to those in the path of the storm.

Tornado Watch – Tornadoes are possible. Remain alert for approaching storms. Watch the sky and stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio or television for information.

Tornado Warning – A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Take shelter immediately.

For a complete listing of weather-related forecasts in your area, visit www.weather.gov

If you are in an area that is in the track of the storm system but has not yet been affected by the severe weather, it’s never too early to prepare:

Keep up to date with local conditions – Follow TV and radio reports from your area, or visit www.weather.gov (http://mobile.weather.gov on your phone) for the latest forecast.
Check your family’s emergency supply kit – Make sure you have food, water, medications, and other necessities to sustain you and your family for at least 72 hours. This includes a battery-powered radio, flashlight, extra batteries, cell phone charger, medicines, non-perishable food, and first aid supplies.
Listen to the instructions of local officials. Local officials make decisions on sheltering in place or going to your pre-designated safe meeting location.

For more information on severe weather and tornado preparedness tips, visit www.ready.gov or www.listo.gov to find out how you can protect your family during emergencies.

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 Southeast and Mid-Atlantic Residents to Monitor Conditions and Be Prepared for Severe Weather

Statement by FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate on Sandy Recovery Improvement Act of 2013

WASHINGTON – Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate released the below statement following the President’s signing of the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act of 2013, which includes a provision to amend the Stafford Act allowing Tribes direct access to federal disaster relief.

“FEMA has strong, long-standing relationships with Tribal governments, and they are essential members of the emergency management team. We commend the efforts of Members of Congress, Tribal leadership and their organizations, the Department of Homeland Security, and the President who have made this change a reality. This legislative change to the Stafford Act will provide federally recognized Tribal governments the option to choose whether to make a request directly to the President for an emergency or major disaster declaration, or to receive assistance, as they do presently, through a declaration for a State. This amendment to the Stafford Act follows on the President’s commitments to Indian Country, strengthens the government to government relationship between FEMA and federally recognized Tribes, and will enhance the way FEMA supports Tribal communities before, during, and after disasters.”

Fully implementing this historic provision will require consultation with Tribes and other stakeholders, particularly as FEMA develops the administrative and programmatic requirements and procedures necessary to execute the law. FEMA will provide interim guidance in the coming weeks explaining how and when Tribal governments may seek declarations, while more comprehensive consultations and administrative procedures are undertaken.

Statement by FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate on Sandy Recovery Improvement Act of 2013

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