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Communities Urged to Apply for Aid to Rebuild Disaster-Resistant Infrastructure

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – Federal assistance is being offered to help Arkansas communities rebuild infrastructure to higher, more disaster-resistant standards and state officials are encouraging local governments to take advantage of that funding.

The assistance to communities is part of the aid that became available following the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding Dec. 26, 2015 to Jan. 22, 2016.

“Generally, the federal Public Assistance program restores disaster damaged infrastructure to pre-disaster conditions,” said John Long, federal coordinating officer for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “But when cost effective and technically feasible, it makes sense to rebuild to higher standards that can prevent future loss. FEMA makes available the funds to do so.”

FEMA’s Public Assistance program provides federal funds to reimburse a minimum of 75 percent of the costs for removing debris, conducting emergency protective measures and repairing levees, roads, bridges, public utilities, water control facilities, public buildings and parks. Mitigation funding may be considered in each project category.

Eligible applicants may include:

state agencies
local and county governments
private nonprofit organizations that own or operate facilities that provide essential government-type services

“Studies show that every $1 paid toward mitigation saves an average of $4 in future disaster-related costs,” said State Coordinating Officer Scott Bass of the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management Agency. “By adding mitigation money to repair costs, our goal is to reduce or eliminate damages from future disasters.”

As part of the process for applying for federal assistance, experts from ADEM and FEMA help identify projects that will qualify for the special mitigation program. Officials urge applicants to take advantage of the funds.

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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.

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Communities Urged to Apply for Aid to Rebuild Disaster-Resistant Infrastructure

Free Legal Aid Offered to Arkansas Storm Survivors

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas residents who need legal advice as a result of the severe storms in late December – January can get free help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and its local partners.

Free legal assistance on topics related to the storm recovery is provided by the Arkansas Bar and the Young Lawyers’ Section, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, the Arkansas Emergency Management Agency, the Center for Arkansas Legal Services, and Legal Aid of Arkansas.

The service is available to individuals affected by the storms in Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Faulkner, Jackson, Jefferson, Lee, Little River, Perry, Sebastian and Sevier counties.

The toll-free number for the Young Lawyers’ Disaster Legal Services in Arkansas is 800-609-5668. Legal aid providers and pro bono attorneys are available to assist with almost any legal issue that arises from a presidentially-declared disaster including:

Help with disaster-related health, property, life insurance claims, etc.;
Replacement of wills and other important legal documents lost or destroyed in the disaster;
Help with home repair contracts and contractors;
Counseling on mortgage and foreclosure problems;
Consumer protections for issues like price gouging and avoiding contractor scams in the rebuilding process;
Assistance securing FEMA benefit claims;
Employment law; and
Civil Rights.

Additional information is available by calling Disaster Legal Services Helpline at 800-609-5668.

FEMA’s Disaster Legal Services (DLS) program provides free legal assistance to low-income individuals who, prior to or because of the disaster, are unable to secure legal services adequate to meet their disaster-related needs. DLS is provided only to survivors of presidentially declared major disasters and is limited to cases that will not produce a fee. All information is confidential.

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Free Legal Aid Offered to Arkansas Storm Survivors

Multiagency Team Addresses Post-Wildfire Dangers in Eastern Washington

DUPONT, Wash. – Washington suffered its worst wildfire season in state history in 2015. Raging fires burned more than one million acres of public and private lands. After two straight years of record-breaking wildfires, vast areas of the state face a much greater risk of flash flooding, debris flow and mudslides. But a team effort by all levels of government aims to reduce those threats to public safety.

The team—called the Erosion Threat Assessment/Reduction Team (ETART)—was formed by the Washington Military Department’s Emergency Management Division (EMD) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after the Carlton Complex Fire of 2014. A new ETART was formed in October 2015 following the federal disaster declaration for the 2015 wildfires.

ETART participants include EMD, FEMA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the National Weather Service, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, the Washington State Conservation Commission, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, the Spokane, Okanagan and Whatcom conservation districts, and many others.

Led by the Okanogan Conservation District, ETART members measured soil quality, assessed watershed changes, identified downstream risks and developed recommendations to treat burned state, tribal and private lands.

“Without vegetation to soak up rainwater on charred mountainsides, flash floods and debris flows may occur after a drizzle or a downpour,” said Anna Daggett, FEMA’s ETART coordinator. “ETART brings together partners to collaborate on ways to reduce the vulnerability of those downstream homes, businesses and communities.”

Besides seeding, erosion control measures may include debris racks, temporary berms, low-water crossings and sediment retention basins. Other suggestions may include bigger culverts, more rain gauges and warning signs, and improved road drainage systems.

While public health and safety remains the top priority, other values at risk include property, natural resources, fish and wildlife habitats, as well as cultural and heritage sites.

“ETART addresses post-fire dangers and promotes collective action,” said Gary Urbas, EMD’s ETART coordinator. “With experienced partners at the table, we can assess and prioritize projects, then identify potential funding streams to fit each project based on scale, location and other criteria, which may lead to a faster and more cost-effective solution.”

Since the major disaster declaration resulting from wildfire and mudslide damages that occurred Aug. 9 to Sept. 10, 2015, FEMA has obligated more than $2.9 million in Public Assistance grants to

Washington. Those funds reimburse eligible applicants in Chelan, Ferry, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Whatcom and Yakima counties, as well as the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, for at least 75 percent of the costs for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair or restoration of disaster-damaged infrastructure.

After the 2014 Carlton Complex Fire, FEMA provided $2.4 million in Public Assistance grants specifically for ETART-identified projects. Those grants funded erosion control measures that reduced the effects of the 2015 wildfires—such as installing straw wattles, clearing culverts and ditches of debris, shoring up breached pond dams, and seeding and mulching burned lands.

FEMA also offers fire suppression grants, firefighter assistance grants, Hazard Mitigation Grants and National Fire Academy Educational Programs.

Affected jurisdictions, landowners and business owners continue to submit requests for grants, disaster loans, goods, services and technical assistance from local, state and federal sources to recover from the wildfires, protect the watersheds or reduce the risks associated with flooding and other natural hazards.

ETART recently issued its final report, which details its methodology, assessments, debris-flow model maps, activities and recommendations. Completed activities include:

Compiled and shared multi-agency risk assessments across jurisdictions through a public file-sharing site.
Developed and disseminated an interagency program guide to assist jurisdictions seeking assistance.
Transitioned ETART to a long-term standing committee to address threats, improve planning, and resolve policy and coordination issues that may thwart successful response and recovery efforts related to past fires and potential future events.

The “2015 Washington Wildfires Erosion Threat Assessment/Reduction Team Final Report” is available at https://data.femadata.com/Region10/Disasters/DR4243/ETART/Reports/. Visitors to this site may also access “Before, During and After a Wildfire Coordination Guide” developed by ETART.

More information about the PA program is available at www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit and on the Washington EMD website at http://mil.wa.gov/emergency-management-division/disaster-assistance/public-assistance.

Additional information regarding the federal response to the 2015 wildfire disaster, including funds obligated, is available at www.fema.gov/disaster/4243.

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Multiagency Team Addresses Post-Wildfire Dangers in Eastern Washington

Free FEMA advice available at more south central Missouri area stores

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Two more home improvement stores— in Laclede and Pulaski counties — are teaming up with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide local residents with free information, tips, flyers and brochures to prevent and lessen damage from disasters.

FEMA mitigation specialists will be available over the next six days to answer questions and offer home improvement tips on making homes stronger and safer against disasters. Most of the information is geared toward do-it-yourself work and general contractors.

Advisers will be available March 10 – 15 at the following locations . . .

Laclede County:

Lowe’s, 190 E. Highway 32, Lebanon, MO 65536

Pulaski County:

Lowe’s, 120 Carson Blvd., St. Robert, MO 65584

Hours for all Lowe’s and Home Depot locations:

Thursday-Saturday and Monday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Mitigation teams will also have free reference booklets on protecting your home from flood damage. More information about strengthening property can be found at www.fema.gov/what-mitigation.

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For breaking news about flood recovery, follow FEMA Region 7 on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion7 and turn on mobile notifications or visit the FEMA webpages dedicated to this disaster at www.fema.gov/disaster/4250.

All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).

The 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 www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

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Free FEMA advice available at more south central Missouri area stores

Los expertos de FEMA brindan ideas para reducir el impacto de los daños provocados por desastres

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – Los equipos de especialistas de la Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias (FEMA, por sus siglas en inglés) brindarán consejos y técnicas para reducir el impacto de los daños a la propiedad relacionados con desastres en el futuro en tres tiendas de insumos para la construcción de Arkansas desde el 3 al 8 de marzo del 2016.

A continuación se incluyen las tiendas donde estarán los equipos.

Surplus Warehouse: 401 S. Michigan St., Pine Bluff
Home Depot: 500 Elsinger Blvd., Conway
Home Depot: 1701 S. 46^th St., Rogers

El horario de atención en Surplus Warehouse es de 8.30am a 5.30pm, y los sábados de 8.30am a 3.00pm. Los equipos no estarán disponibles los miércoles ni los domingos.

El horario de atención en ambas tiendas Home Depot es de 8.00am a 4.30pm, de jueves a martes, excepto los domingos. Los domingos los equipos estarán disponibles de 8.00am a 1.30pm.

Los especialistas de FEMA brindan información práctica sobre cómo reacondicionar las construcciones para que sean más resistentes frente a los daños provocados por el clima y sobre las formas de elevar los servicios públicos para protegerlos de las inundaciones. Además, ofrecen consejos sobre cómo limpiar y ayudar a prevenir el moho y los hongos.

Muchos de los consejos y las técnicas están específicamente adaptados para las personas que les gusta hacer las cosas por sí mismas y los contratistas de obras. Si tiene una discapacidad o necesita servicios especiales para acceder a los materiales, como Braille, letra grande o intérpretes de Lenguaje de Señas Estadounidense (ASL, por sus siglas en inglés), informe esto a nuestros representantes.

FEMA ofrece numerosos recursos en línea gratuitos para los propietarios. Para comenzar, visite

www.fema.gov/safer-stronger-protected-homes-communities o http://www.fema.gov/arkansas-disaster-mitigation.

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La misión de FEMA es apoyar a los ciudadanos y a las agencias de primera respuesta para garantizar que, como país, trabajemos juntos para desarrollar, mantener y mejorar nuestra capacidad de prepararnos, protegernos y recuperarnos de los peligros, responder ante ellos y mitigarlos.

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Los expertos de FEMA brindan ideas para reducir el impacto de los daños provocados por desastres

President Declares Disaster for the Commonwealth of Virginia

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to the Commonwealth of Virginia to supplement commonwealth, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the area affected by a severe winter storm and snowstorm during the period of January 22-23, 2016.

The President’s action makes federal funding available to commonwealth, tribal, local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe winter storm and snowstorm in Albemarle, Arlington, Caroline, Clarke, Culpeper, Fairfax, Fauquier, Frederick, Highland, King George, Loudoun, Louisa, Madison, Page, Patrick, Prince William, Rappahannock, Spotsylvania, Stafford, and Warren counties, and the independent cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Manassas, Manassas Park, and Winchester.

Federal funding is available to the commonwealth, tribal, and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis for snow assistance for a continuous 48 hour period during or proximate to the incident period in Albemarle, Arlington, Caroline, Clarke, Culpeper, Fairfax, Fauquier, Frederick, Highland, King George, Loudoun, Louisa, Madison, Page, Patrick, Prince William, Rappahannock, Spotsylvania, Stafford, and Warren counties, and the independent cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Manassas, Manassas Park, and Winchester.

Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Donald L. Keldsen has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Keldsen said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the Commonwealth and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

Follow FEMA online at http://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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President Declares Disaster for the Commonwealth of Virginia

St. Louis-area hardware stores offer free FEMA rebuilding advice

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and several local home improvement store are teaming up to provide St. Louis, Jefferson and Franklin county residents with free information, tips and literature to prevent and lessen damage from disasters.

FEMA mitigation specialists will be available between Thursday, March 3 and Tuesday, March 8 to answer questions and offer home improvement tips on making homes stronger and safer. Most of the information is geared toward do-it-yourself work and general contractors.

Locations:

Lowe’s at 1212 South Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood, MO 63122 (St. Louis County)
Lowe’s at 2300 Maplewood Commons Drive, Maplewood, MO 63143 (St. Louis County)
Home Depot at 13929 Manchester Road, Ballwin, MO 63011 (St. Louis County)
Home Depot at 13915 New Halls Ferry Road, Florissant, MO 63033 (St. Louis County)
Lowe’s at 1111 Bradley St., Festus, MO 63028 (Jefferson County)
Home Depot at 3865 Vogel Road, Arnold, MO 63010 (Jefferson County)

Times:

Thursday to Saturday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Monday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Tuesday 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Advisers will also be available at:

Ace Hardware at 845 N. Commerce Ave., St. Clair, MO 63077 (Franklin County)
- Times:
Thursday to Friday and Monday, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Ace Hardware at1520 Jeffco Blvd., Arnold, MO 63010 (Jefferson County)
- Times:
Thursday to Friday and Monday, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Mitigation teams will have free reference booklets on protecting your home from flood damage. More information about strengthening property can be found at www.fema.gov/what-mitigation.

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St. Louis-area hardware stores offer free FEMA rebuilding advice

FEMA Awards $1.4 Million to Chelan County Public Utility District for Wildfire Assistance

DUPONT, Wash. – More than $1.4 million has been awarded to the Chelan County Public Utility District No. 1 to help reimburse the utility for costs to restore power to thousands of residents during the summer 2015 wildfires, according to officials from the Washington Military Department’s Emergency Management Division (EMD) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The utility district will receive $1,459,947 from FEMA for reimbursement of expenses to restore power to 9,000 customers. The grant helps cover costs for replacing burned poles, damaged transformers, utility lines and miles of fiber optic line. The money will also help pay the cost of overtime for employees who worked around the clock to restore service.

“The utility district worked tirelessly to meet the needs of its customers during the wildfires,” said State Coordinating Officer Kurt Hardin of EMD. “This federal grant will help the district recover some of the enormous costs it incurred in doing so.”

The grant comes from FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program, which reimburse the state and state agencies, local and tribal governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations for their eligible expenses for disaster-related response and recovery.

Although funds go to government entities and nonprofits, the PA program is intended to benefit everyone — communities, cities and states. PA dollars help pay for efforts to keep residents and property safe during an event and clean up communities of disaster-related debris. They also help put utilities, roads and bridges, public parks and other infrastructure back in order after the disaster.

The disaster declaration for the Aug. 9 to Sept. 10, 2015, wildfires makes PA grants available to eligible applicants in Chelan, Ferry, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Whatcom and Yakima counties and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.

“FEMA has been working closely with EMD since the wildfire outbreak this summer, and our commitment to Washington’s recovery remains strong,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Thomas Dargan of FEMA. “These Public Assistance funds are a demonstration of that commitment.”

Under the PA program, FEMA reimburses applicants for 75 percent of eligible expenses, while the other 25 percent is the nonfederal share. The federal portion is paid directly to the state, which then makes disbursements to the local and tribal jurisdictions and organizations that incurred costs.

Information regarding the federal response to the summer wildfires, including funds obligated, is available at www.fema.gov/disaster/4243.

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FEMA Awards $1.4 Million to Chelan County Public Utility District for Wildfire Assistance

Disaster Recovery Center Open in Jackson County

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – A joint federal/state disaster recovery center is open in Jackson County to help those whose homes or businesses were affected by the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding Dec. 26, 2015 – Jan. 22, 2016.

Representatives from the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Small Business Administration and other agencies are at the center to explain disaster assistance programs and help survivors apply for aid.

The center is located at the Newport Fire Department Training Center, 1206 Hwy. 367 N., Newport.

Hours are from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sundays until further notice.

Those seeking disaster assistance should register with FEMA before going to a recovery center. To do so:

Call 1-800-621-3362 (FEMA). If you are deaf, hard-of-hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585. If you use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.
Go to www.disasterassistance.gov.

The toll free lines operate from 7 a.m.to 10 p.m. local time, seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

Each disaster recovery center has assistive technologies for people with disabilities. ASL interpreters are available at the DRCs by calling 800-621-3362.

Disaster aid 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.

Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are available to help with residential and business losses not covered by insurance. The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the 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. Applying for these loans is also a way to qualify for other avenues of assistance.

For more information on SBA programs, 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 www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

Federal disaster assistance is available to eligible residents of Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Faulkner, Jackson, Jefferson, Lee, Little River, Perry, Sebastian and Sevier counties. Residents of those counties may visit any DRC.

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Disaster Recovery Center Open in Jackson County

Federal Assistance Tops $1 Million for Arkansas Recovery

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – More than $1 million in aid to date is helping the residents of 11 Arkansas counties recover from the severe storms, Dec. 26 – Jan. 22, 2016.

Aid is still available to residents of Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Faulkner, Jackson, Jefferson, Lee, Little River, Perry, Sebastian and Sevier counties who suffered disaster-related damage. They are encouraged to register for assistance with FEMA before the April 5, 2016 deadline.

According to FEMA and the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, 171 persons have been approved for disaster assistance as of close of business Feb. 29, 2016.

That assistance includes $922,237 in housing aid to help homeowners and renters:

Rent temporary housing for a limited period of time;
Repair damage from the disaster to a homeowner’s primary residence that is not covered by insurance; and
Help replace homes destroyed in the disaster.

The assistance also includes $77,839 to help pay for:

Disaster-related medical and dental costs;
Disaster-related funeral and burial costs;
Clothing, household items, tools required for work and necessary educational materials;
Clean-up items;
Disaster-damaged vehicles;
Moving and storage expenses related to the disaster; and
Other necessary expenses or serious needs as determined by FEMA.

Also, $431,200 in low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters, businesses and private nonprofit organizations has been approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

To register for assistance:

Call 1-800-621-3362 (FEMA). If you are deaf, hard-of-hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585. If you use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.
Go to www.disasterassistance.gov.

The toll free lines operate from 7 a.m.to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are available to help with residential and business losses not covered by insurance. 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. Applying for these loans is also a way to qualify for other avenues of assistance.

For more information on SBA programs, 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 www.sba.gov/disaster. Persons with speech disability, are deaf or hard-of-hearing may call TTY (800) 877-8339.

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Federal Assistance Tops $1 Million for Arkansas Recovery

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