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Two Steps To Disaster Assistance: FEMA And SBA

PURVIS, Miss. – The U.S. Small Business Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency work together in assisting disaster survivors. Registering for federal assistance and completing the SBA application are two steps toward one goal: to help those rebuilding their lives after a disaster.

FEMA grants may cover essential needs including personal items such as clothing and vehicles. These grants do not make disaster survivors whole again.

The SBA is a primary source of federal funds for recovery for both individuals and businesses; filling out the SBA loan application is necessary for most homeowners and renters to be considered for all forms of disaster assistance.

The SBA’s low-interest disaster loans of up to $200,000 can help qualified homeowners repair or replace damaged real estate. In addition, renters and homeowners may get up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged personal property. In both cases, these SBA loans are only for damages not covered by your insurance. Loans may be increased up to 20 percent of verified losses to cover the cost of measures to prevent possible damages from a future natural or man-made hazard.

Though FEMA and the SBA work hand in hand with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and local governments to help disaster survivors, many Mississippians affected by the recent tornadoes, storms and flooding who were sent an SBA application have not completed and returned them. The process begins with FEMA; it continues with the SBA.

The reasons Mississippi disaster survivors find for not applying for a low-interest disaster loan are the very reasons they should apply – on or before the April 15 deadline.

Oh I’m not eligible and I don’t own a business.

SBA disaster loans also go to individuals and families – as well as businesses. Interest rates may be as low as 1.688 percent with terms up to 30 years.

I don’t want a loan or can’t qualify for one.

Filing the loan application does not obligate you to accept the loan, but most individual and family applicants must still complete the SBA loan application before they can be considered for certain other FEMA grants and programs. That could include assistance for disaster-related medical and dental expenses, car repairs, clothing and household items. Completing the SBA application assures that the federal disaster recovery process continues and keeps your options open.

It’s just too much trouble to fill out an application.

It only takes about 30 minutes to fill out a loan application. You also can receive one-on-one assistance at a Disaster Recovery Center. A simple, fast, and very available way to complete the application is online, using the SBA’s electronic loan application. Go to https://DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ELA. Updates on loan application status are available by calling 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339.

But I’m a renter not a homeowner.

Renters can get help from the SBA. They may qualify for long-term, low-interest loans to repair or replace personal property items, such as clothing, furniture, cars, or appliances damaged or destroyed in the disaster.

I’m going to wait for my insurance settlement.

Don’t wait to settle with the insurance company. If you do not know how much of your loss will be covered by insurance or other sources, SBA will consider making a loan for the total loss up to its loan limits, provided you agree to use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay your SBA loan.

I own the property but it’s not my primary residence.

If your property is used as a normal part of a business, such as rental property, you may be eligible to apply as a business owner. Submit your application and let SBA determine your eligibility.

Our neighbors were turned down for an SBA loan and they make more than we do.

Don’t make the mistake of eliminating yourself. Everyone’s situation is unique and SBA will work with you if you feel you may have a problem qualifying for the loan. Remember, if a homeowner or renter cannot qualify for the SBA loan, they will be referred back to FEMA for additional grant consideration.

Eligibility for a loan depends on your ability to repay the loan, not on your income. If you qualify for a loan, the amount could be significantly higher than FEMA grants. If you do not qualify for a loan, you may be referred back to FEMA for additional grants.

If you have questions about the disaster assistance process, call the FEMA Helpline, 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. or, with a tablet or smartphone, or other web-enabled device, go to m.fema.gov.C-Spire Wireless customers can reach the helpline by dialing #362.

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.

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

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

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Two Steps To Disaster Assistance: FEMA And SBA

FEMA Team At Marvin’s With Tips On Smart Building

PURVIS Miss. – An outreach team from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be at Marvin’s in Hattiesburg this week to explain techniques that may reduce potential damage to homes, businesses and property from high-wind events. The team will also offer tips on rebuilding stronger and safer after the recent tornadoes, storms and flooding.

A FEMA advisory team is staffing a table at Marvin’s, a building materials and home center store, at 6888 U.S. Highway 49 in Hattiesburg, to provide free “how-to” information about wind-resistant building methods, and guidance to help prevent damage to a business or home in the face of another natural disaster. The team will be present from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, March 7 and continuing daily until further notice.

More information on ways to protect your home from future disasters is available at www.fema.gov/safer-stronger-protected-homes-communities.

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FEMA Team At Marvin’s With Tips On Smart Building

Last Chance to Visit Disaster Recovery Center in Petal – Others Remain Open

PURVIS, Miss. – The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency remind those who want to meet with disaster recovery specialists that Saturday, March 9 will be the last day to visit the Disaster Recovery Center in Petal. Two other centers will remain open.

The disaster recovery center in Petal at the Petal Civic Center, 712 S. Main St. will serve visitors from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Saturday, its last day.

Survivors can still meet with disaster-recovery specialists at two centers Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at:

Ben McNair Recreation Center, 300 North 12th Ave., Hattiesburg
Lamar Park, 226 Pinewood Drive, Hattiesburg

Individuals can register for assistance online at www.disasterassistance.gov or by smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov or other web-enabled mobile devices.

Applicants also may call 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services can call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week until further notice. C-Spire wireless customers can register by calling #362.

Federal disaster assistance for individuals and families can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property loss and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

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Last Chance to Visit Disaster Recovery Center in Petal – Others Remain Open

More than $3.5 Million Awarded to Kentucky to Reduce Future Flood Damage: FEMA Grants will Fund Projects in Kenton and Jefferson Counties

ATLANTA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved two grants which will help communities in Kentucky take steps to reduce future flood damage.

The first grant of more than $1.6 million will be used to remove 24 residential properties from flood-prone areas along the Banklick Creek in Kenton County, Ky. The properties are located in high-risk areas of flooding, causing them to be vulnerable to dangerous and costly flood damage. After the properties are acquired, they will be demolished and the land will be returned to a natural state to function as a floodplain for Banklick Creek. The land will have a conservation easement and will be transferred to Kenton County. The total project cost is nearly $2.2 million, which includes the federal share and the remainder will come from non-federal sources.

The second grant of more than $1.8 million will be used to eliminate existing flooding and loss of service to Jewish Hospital and St. Mary’s Healthcare System (JHSMH) in Jefferson County, Ky. The project includes elevating portions of the parking lot so that it will no longer be flood-prone and to make channel improvements adjacent to the hospital. The total project cost is nearly $2.5 million, which includes the federal share and the remainder will come from non-federal sources.

The grants are awarded through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), which provides funding to communities to implement long-term mitigation measures to reduce loss of life and property as a result of natural disasters. FEMA will obligate funding for these projects directly to the Commonwealth for it to manage and disburse to the communities.

“This funding reflects all levels of emergency management working together so that people and structures are better protected from dangerous and costly flood damage.” said FEMA Southeast Regional Administrator Phil May.

HMGP funds are made available following a major disaster declaration, such as the one for Kentucky after the August 2009 severe storms and flooding. The HMGP is authorized under Section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.

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More than $3.5 Million Awarded to Kentucky to Reduce Future Flood Damage: FEMA Grants will Fund Projects in Kenton and Jefferson Counties

Severe Weather – Be a Force of Nature: Know Your Risk, Take Action, and Be an Example: NOAA, FEMA’s National Severe Weather Preparedness Week Begins…

CHICAGO – Sunday marked the start of National Severe Weather Preparedness Week. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are joining together to help save lives from severe weather by delivering the following important message to the public: be a Force of Nature by knowing your risk and taking proactive emergency preparedness measures as well as inspiring others to do the same.

“Severe weather is unpredictable, but you can prepare for it,” said Andrew Velasquez III, FEMA regional administrator. “Start by knowing your risk. Then, take action by making your emergency plans and once you are prepared, encourage friends and neighbors to be prepared too.”

NOAA and FEMA encourage citizens to prepare for extreme weather by following these guidelines:

Know your risk: The first step to becoming weather-ready is to understand the type of hazardous weather that can affect the area where you live and work, and how the weather could impact you and your family. Check the weather forecast regularly and sign up for alerts from your local emergency management officials. Severe weather comes in many forms, and your shelter planning should include all types of local hazards.
Take action: Develop an emergency plan based on your local weather hazards and practice how and where to take shelter before a severe weather event. Create or refresh an emergency kit with food, supplies and medication that will be needed by you and your family after a disaster. Post your plan in your home where family and visitors can see it. Learn community evacuation routes. Obtain a NOAA Weather Radio. Download FEMA’s mobile app so you can access important safety tips on what to do before and during severe weather. Understand the weather warning system and become a certified storm spotter through the National Weather Service.
Be an example: Once you have taken action, tell your family, friends, school staff and co-workers about how they can prepare. Share the resources and alert systems you discovered with your social media network. Studies show that individuals need to receive messages a number of ways before acting – be one of those sources. When you seek shelter after a warning, text, tweet or update your status so your friends and family will know you are safe. You might just save their lives by encouraging others to seek safety too. For more information on how you can prepare for severe weather, visit www.ready.gov/severe-weather.

“By taking these easy steps, you will be prepared for any type of disaster,” said Velasquez.

About NOAA

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Join us on Facebook , Twitter and our other social media channels.

About FEMA

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

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Media Contact: Cassie Ringsdorf (312) 408-4455

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Severe Weather – Be a Force of Nature: Know Your Risk, Take Action, and Be an Example: NOAA, FEMA’s National Severe Weather Preparedness Week Begins…

FEMA Offers Free Coastal Construction Guides for Home Builders and Do-It-Yourselfers

WINDSOR, Conn. – Connecticut home builders and skilled do-it-yourselfers undertaking repair and rebuilding projects in the wake of Hurricane Sandy can get detailed guidance from free, comprehensive publications offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

FEMA’s Coastal Construction Manual outlines best practices for planning, siting, designing, constructing and maintaining homes in coastal environments.

Volume I provides information about hazard identification, siting decisions, regulatory requirements, economic implications and risk management. Volume I is primarily intended for design professionals, local officials and those involved in the project decision-making process.
Volume II contains in-depth descriptions of design, construction and maintenance practices to increase the durability of residential buildings in the coastal environment and reduce economic losses associated with coastal natural disasters like Sandy. Volume II is aimed at design professionals who are familiar with building codes and standards and have a basic understanding of engineering principles.

The Coastal Construction Manual is available to download for free from FEMA’s online publication library at http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?fromSearch=fromsearch&id=1671.

Also available is the Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction – Technical Fact Sheet Series, which can be downloaded at http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=2138.

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FEMA Offers Free Coastal Construction Guides for Home Builders and Do-It-Yourselfers

President Declares Major Disaster for the Navajo Nation

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for the Navajo Nation and ordered federal aid to supplement the Tribe’s efforts in the area affected by a severe freeze during the period of December 15, 2012 to January 21, 2013.

Federal funding is available to the Navajo Nation and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe freeze.

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

Mark A. Neveau has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area. Neveau said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the Tribe and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

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

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President Declares Major Disaster for the Navajo Nation

FEMA Team At Lowe’s In Petal With Tips On Smart Building

PURVIS Miss. – An outreach team from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be at Lowe’s home improvement store in Petal this week to explain techniques that may reduce potential damage to homes, businesses and property from high-wind events. The team will also offer tips on rebuilding stronger and safer after the recent tornadoes, storms and flooding.

A FEMA advisory team is staffing a table at Lowe’s, 400 Tyner, Rd., in Petal to provide free “how-to” information about wind-resistant building methods, and guidance to help prevent damage to a business or home in the face of another natural disaster. The team will be present from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 6 and continuing daily.

More information on ways to protect your home from future disasters is available at www.fema.gov/safer-stronger-protected-homes-communities.

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FEMA Team At Lowe’s In Petal With Tips On Smart Building

FTA, FEMA Sign Agreement Outlining Roles For Addressing Public Transit Needs Following Hurricane Sandy, Future Major Disasters

WASHINGTON – The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that outlines the roles and responsibilities of both agencies in providing federal assistance to repair and restore public transportation systems in areas the President has declared a major disaster or emergency. FTA’s newly authorized Public Transportation Emergency Relief Program was established by the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21^st Century Act (MAP-21) and the MOA is required to establish the relief program.

“After disasters hit, our federal, state and local partners must be able to move quickly and make the necessary repairs to our nation’s transit systems, roads, rails and bridges,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Today’s announcement makes it easier for them to get to work, and DOT will continue to work closely with FEMA and our partners to ensure that emergency relief funds are available as quickly as possible to rebuild from Hurricane Sandy.”

The MOA is a key requirement that must be in place before the bulk of the FTA’s disaster relief funds for Hurricane Sandy aid can be released, as prescribed by the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.

“We can only be successful in responding and recovering from disasters if we work as a team,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “That means bringing together government at the federal, state, tribal and local levels, along with our partners outside of government. This partnership with FTA builds on an already strong relationship to ensure that our transit nationwide is more resilient.”

“More than one-third of our nation’s transit riders were directly affected by Hurricane Sandy—triggering the worst transit disaster in history,” said FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff. “FTA and FEMA worked quickly to get this agreement in place in order to bring much needed relief to transit agencies that were hit hardest by the storm, to ensure that transit riders have the reliable service they need, and so that agencies have better resources to plan for and mitigate the impact of such disasters in the future.”

FEMA will continue to have primary federal responsibility for emergency preparedness, response and recovery in major disasters and emergencies. The new emergency relief authority provides FTA with primary responsibility for reimbursing emergency response and recovery costs after an emergency or disaster that affects public transportation systems and for helping to mitigate the impact of future disasters.

FTA continues to work collaboratively with FEMA to conduct damage assessments and cost-validation work in the hardest-hit parts of New York and New Jersey, as well as other regions where transit was impacted.

The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013, which President Obama signed into law on January 29, required the FTA to make available no more than $2 billion in disaster funds within 60 days of enactment of the disaster relief appropriation, which the agency is currently doing. The remaining funds required a MOA between FEMA and FTA and the establishment of emergency relief program regulations by FTA.

With the MOA complete, the remaining disaster relief funds will be made available after FTA issues interim regulations, which is expected to occur in April.

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FTA, FEMA Sign Agreement Outlining Roles For Addressing Public Transit Needs Following Hurricane Sandy, Future Major Disasters

Don’t Miss Out on FEMA Help

PURVIS, Miss. – Homeowners, renters and businesses in Forrest, Jefferson Davis, Lamar, Marion and Wayne are eligible for federal disaster assistance. But not everyone affected by the storm’s destruction has registered for FEMA aid.

“There are many misconceptions about getting help,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating OfficerTerry Quarles. “Often people who would qualify for assistance miss out because they don’t understand how the process works.”

Some people believe that since they have already cleaned up and made whatever repairs were needed that they can’t apply for assistance. Some are worried that accepting money from FEMA might have an impact on their Social Security checks or would be taxed as income by the IRS. Others might feel hesitant in accepting FEMA money because “my neighbor needs it more than I do.”

A few disaster survivors think that when they collect their insurance claims, even if the amount they receive falls short of covering repair or replacement costs, they aren’t qualified to get any federal help.

The most common reason that people don’t register for assistance is the idea that having alerted local, county or state officials – or even such organizations as the American Red Cross – about the damages and other losses they suffered that they automatically get registered with FEMA.

But these assumptions are not based on fact.

“It’s perfectly logical to think that once you talk to any emergency official, the process has started,” said Mississippi Emergency Management Agency Director Robert Latham. “But that is not correct. The thing to do is call the FEMA registration line at 800-621-3362 and let them decide if you qualify for help.”

FEMA registration is simple and can be completed several ways:

Online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov any time day or night.
By phone or video relay at 800-621-3362 daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time. Help is available in many languages.
By TTY at 800-462-7585.
C-Spire Wireless customers can register by calling #362.
By web-enabled mobile devices at m.fema.gov. Select “Disaster Survivor” then “Apply Online for FEMA Assistance.”

“FEMA is here to support the state of Mississippi’s efforts to come to the aid of area residents,” Quarles said. “We want to make sure everybody who is eligible for assistance gets the help he or she needs and deserves.”

Mississippians have until April 15 to apply for assistance, but FEMA urges anyone affected by the storm to register right away.

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Don’t Miss Out on FEMA Help

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