DENTON, Texas– After working together for months to create new preliminary flood maps, officials from Travis County, six cities, one village and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) want to hear from the public about the preliminary flood maps.
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Public Invited to Comment on Travis County, Texas Preliminary Flood Maps
ANCHORAGE, AK – The final six repairs to homes in Circle damaged as a result of last year’s spring breakup flooding along the Yukon River have been completed thanks to a united effort that included faith-based skilled volunteers, the State of Alaska and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
For more than six weeks, 27 Mennonite Disaster Service volunteers worked nearly 3,000 hours to complete the final repairs. Last summer, 27 Mennonite volunteers, three of whom returned to Circle this year, completed work on eight homes in the Interior Alaska community.
“I think the fact that MDS had been there in 2013 helped pave the way for us,” said Mennonite Disaster Service team leader Harold Miller. “We were not new to the community and the quality of our work had been established, so we just really only finished what had already been started.”
Circle’s First Chief Jessica Boyle and Second Chief Tanya Carrol welcomed the rebuilding help.
“I think the Mennonites are the best thing that’s happened to this community since the flood,” Boyle said. “I don’t think a lot of people’s homes would have gotten repaired if they were not involved. They are master carpenters. These guys are craftsmen and they did more than I ever expected.”
According to Miller, the MDS mission is to restore hope. Miller said it took volunteers along with FEMA and the State of Alaska to make it happen in Circle.
Unlike other communities affected by the 2013 floods which are only accessible by air or barge, a 160-mile-long road connects Circle with Fairbanks. This allowed FEMA to transport construction supplies, equipment and other materials directly to the area. The state and FEMA also arranged for local lodging and in-state air travel for the volunteers.
“It was a real pleasure working with FEMA and the State of Alaska to get the needed materials and having them arrive in a timely manner,” Miller said. “I sincerely hope that any future disasters bring together the same partnerships to provide healing to those families whose homes have been damaged.”
In addition to leaving behind habitable homes for survivors, the Mennonites also left behind a reminder of the friendships made and the mission that brought them to the small, self-reliant community of about 90 people, primarily Athabascan Natives. The Mennonites presented homeowners and the community with a collection of handmade quilts symbolizing the unity of effort that came together in Circle.
Photos from Circle are available on the FEMA Multimedia Library at http://www.fema.gov/media-library. A video by FEMA videographer Adam DuBrowa on Mennonite Disaster Service volunteers in Circle is available on the FEMA Multimedia Library or link to the following for this news release: https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/97269
For more information on the Mennonite Disaster Service, please visit http://www.mds.mennonite.net/home/.
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WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced $120 million in federal funding to assist organizations dedicated to feeding, sheltering and providing critical resources to our nation’s hungry and homeless.
Funding was made available by Congress for the national board of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) for fiscal year 2014 to support social service agencies in cities and counties across the country.
“The Emergency Food and Shelter Program supports communities across the nation and some of their most vulnerable residents,” FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate said. “The program enables our nonprofit partners to ensure that the most basic needs of these citizens are met.”
The national board governs the EFSP. It is chaired by DHS/FEMA and has representatives from the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities USA, the Jewish Federations of North America, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, the Salvation Army and United Way Worldwide. The national board has selected United Way Worldwide to serve as secretariat and fiscal agent to the national board.
EFSP funding is allocated to qualifying jurisdictions based on thresholds involving population, unemployment and poverty levels both nationally and locally. Grants are then awarded to nonprofit community and government organizations that are chosen by local boards in the qualifying jurisdictions. This year’s award to the National Board brings the total aid disbursed in the EFSP’s 32-year history to more than $4.0 billion.
A state-by-state list of the eligible jurisdictions and award amounts is available at www.efsp.unitedway.org.
Congress placed the EFSP under FEMA in 1983 to underscore the emergency nature of the funding in getting assistance to those most vulnerable with food and shelter needs.
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FEMA Announces Emergency Food and Shelter Program Awards for 2014
ATLANTA—Ten years ago, Hurricane Charley’s arrival on the Florida shore kicked off an unusual string of four devastating hurricanes that hit the state within seven weeks. Florida was the first state to be struck by four hurricanes in one season since Texas in 1886.
Hurricane Charley, first of the four in 2004, is remembered for its wind speed and force. Hurricanes Frances, Ivan and Jeanne bore their own distinct characteristics: Jeanne rambled across the state causing near-record flooding; Ivan was the most powerful; and Frances caused the most widespread destruction because of the 23 tornadoes it spawned.
Tropical Storm Bonnie struck south of Apalachicola hours before Charley made landfall, the first time a state had been directly affected by two tropical cyclones on the same day.
Fast-moving Charley landed on Florida’s west coast and hit Punta Gorda on Friday, the 13th. Charley had peak winds of 150 mph as it came ashore, and sped through Orlando and across the state with wind gusts in excess of 106 mph.
Power outages lasted days, and in some cases, weeks. Many Floridians lost the roofs of their homes due to Charley’s powerful winds.
At the time, Charley was the strongest storm to strike Florida since Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and it left behind an estimated $15 billion in damage.
In the immediate aftermath of Charley, the American Red Cross sheltered 100,000 survivors. Some 3,800 patients received treatment from FEMA Disaster Medical Assistance Teams—rapid response teams of professional and para-professional medical personnel.
Following Hurricane Charley, FEMA provided:
The U.S. Small Business Administration provided:
Hurricane Charley brought long term power outages and wind damage. Take time now, before the next storm, to check your roof for any necessary repairs and have emergency tarps to cover roof damage or to protect personal belongings. FEMA has developed a series of publications to help you protect your property from high winds. You can find them here. Batteries and other emergency lighting supplies belong in everyone’s emergency kit. You can also find a useful guide to preparing for hurricanes at FEMA’s America’s PrepareAthon!
“Each storm teaches a lesson,” said FEMA Region IV Acting Regional Administrator Andrew Velasquez III. “When the people who live and work in hurricane-prone areas apply those lessons to prepare for future storms, they strengthen their resiliency.”
After you’ve taken steps to prepare your home, inspire others: share your plan and how you prepared with a friend or neighbor.
Visit www.ready.gov or www.listo.gov for more information about how you and your family can be better prepared for the next disaster.
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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Federal Grant Provides Upgraded Gear to Irvington Township
New York, NY, July 31, 2014 – Irvington Township will receive 28 self-contained breathing apparatuses to replace outdated equipment that no longer meets National Fire Protection Association standards, and for which maintenance and upkeep costs have been estimated as high as $40,000 annually.
The preponderance of the funding for the new equipment will come from the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG), a unit of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. AFG will contribute $157,878, while the local share amounts to $17,542.
The announcement was made here today by Dale McShine, Grants Director for FEMA, Region II.
“Our training dictates that we must preserve all that is valuable in this community, which means ensuring that we can trust our equipment,” says Deputy Fire Chief Randy Wuest. He went on to say that “between 2010 and 2012 the department worked an average of 250 structural fires a year – almost three fires every four days, and we depend on this equipment in every one of these incidents.”
Among other features, the new breathing equipment will enable individual Township firefighters to read displays of remaining breathing air, explains Chief Wuest. He points out also that the new equipment will save the department a considerable amount in maintenance costs.
Serving some 54,000 residents, the Irvington Township Fire Department currently employs 114 full-time career firefighters who work 24-hours on, 72-hours off shifts. The department has three stations and staffs four engine companies and two ladder companies at all times.
“We are very appreciative of the grant provided to the Township of Irvington by the AFG,” said Mayor Tony Vauss. “The safety of our firefighters and our citizens is of the utmost importance to us. These funds will go a long way in promoting this goal.”
FEMA’s AFG program has been aiding firefighters and other first responders since 2001. “The program provides critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources needed to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards, said Tania Hedlund, FEMA’s Grants Branch Chief. In 2012, the AFG provided funding of $25,340,000 for FEMA’s Region II (New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands).
For further information, please contact William H. Douglass at FEMA: 212-680-3665 or 917-561-3223.
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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New Jersey Fire Department to Replace 10-Year Old Breathing Mechanisms
Today, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate appointed twelve new members and reappointed two current members to FEMA’s National Advisory Council (NAC).
The NAC is an advisory committee established by federal law to ensure effective and ongoing coordination of federal emergency management activities. Members represent the whole community and include representatives from a wide array of backgrounds and communities involved or affected by the emergency management profession. The NAC consists of up to 35 members.
“FEMA is just one part of our nation’s emergency management team,” FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate said. “The National Advisory Council serves a vital role in guiding our plans and strategies by ensuring we remain informed by diverse viewpoints and experiences from every sector of society. I value the expertise and input of each of these members, and appreciate their dedication and commitment to ensuring effective emergency management.”
The NAC provides recommendations to the FEMA Administrator on a variety of issues within emergency management. For example, the NAC recently made recommendations regarding regional response and recovery capabilities as well as regarding mutual aid agreements among different units of government.
FEMA received over 200 applications for the open positions. All applicants were carefully considered through an intensive review process, which included an interagency membership recommendation panel of senior government officials. Most appointments are for three-year terms.
The twelve new NAC members include:
Emergency Management
Samantha Phillips, Director of Emergency Management, City of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Non-Elected Local Government Officials
W. Scott Field, Director, Denver Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (Denver, Colo.)
Standards Setting and Accrediting
Fritz Wilson, Executive Director, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (Cumming, Ga.)
Health Scientists
Gerald Parker, Jr., Vice President of Public Health Preparedness and Response, Texas A&M Health Science Center (Bryan, Texas)
Disabilities
Christopher Littlewood, Project Coordinator, Center for Public Safety Innovation, St. Petersburg College (Seminole, Fla)
Non-Elected Tribal Government Officials
Jeffrey Hansen, Emergency Manager, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (Durant, Okla.)
Elected Tribal Government Officials
James Akerelrea, Tribal Council Member, Scammon Bay Traditional Council and Store Manager, Scammon Bay Askinuk Store (Scammon Bay, Alaska)
Emergency Response Providers
Gerard Dio, Fire Chief, City of Worcester (Worcester, Mass.)
Communications
Christopher Smith, Homeland Security Advisor to the Governor and Emergency Management Director, State of Nevada (Sparks, Nev.)
Infrastructure Protection
Daniel Zarrilli, Director of Resiliency and Acting Director for Long-term planning and sustainability, Office of the Mayor, City of New York (New York, N.Y.)
Administrator Selection
Jeanne-Aimee De Marrais, Senior Director for U.S Emergencies, Save the Children (Westport, Conn.)
Administrator Selection
Meloyde Batten-Mickens, Executive Director of, Facilities, Gallaudet University (Washington, D.C.)
The two reappointed members include:
Administrator Selections
Lee Feldman, City Manager, City of Fort Lauderdale (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Administrator Selection
Felix (Phil) Zarlengo, Chairman, AARP Board of Directors (Jamestown, R.I.)
In addition, Jerry Demings, Sheriff, Orange County Sheriff’s Office (Orlando, Fla.) was appointed on July 1, 2014 to fill a vacancy in the Elected Local Government Officials position.
Additional information on the National Advisory Council, including a full list of members, is available at www.fema.gov/national-advisory-council.
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FEMA Administrator Appoints National Advisory Council Members
August 2, 2014
News Release
Federal funds authorized to help fight Oregon Gulch Fire
Seattle, WA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Oregon Gulch Fire, burning in Jackson and Klamath Counties, Oregon.
FEMA Region X Regional Administrator, Kenneth D. Murphy determined that the Oregon Gulch Fire threatened such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. Murphy approved the state’s request for federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) on August 1, 2014 at 6:43 p.m. PDT.
On August 1, 2014, the State of Oregon submitted a request for a fire management assistance declaration for the Oregon Gulch Fire, burning in Jackson and Klamath Counties. At the time of the request, 123 homes were threatened and about 40 people had evacuated the area. Two major power transmission lines from a hydroelectric facility had been destroyed and a third transmission line was threatened. The fire was also threatening the municipal watershed area, the Pinehurst municipal airport and an elementary school. The fire started on July 31, 2014, and has fire has burned approximately 11,000 acres of Federal and private land. The Firefighting resources committed to the incident include fire crews, structural engines, helicopters, air tankers, dozers and two teams of National Guard forces. Federal Principal Advisor confirmed the threat to homes and power transmission lines. The fire is at zero percent containment.
The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of Oregon State’s eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires. These grants provide reimbursement for firefighting and life-saving efforts. They do not provide assistance to individuals, homeowners or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.
Fire Management Assistance Grants are provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies.
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
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FEMA Public Affairs (626) 431-3843
OAKLAND, Calif. — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to assist the state of California combat the Bald Fire currently burning in Lassen County.
On August 02, 2014, the State of California submitted a request for a fire management assistance declaration for the Bald Fire. The authorization makes FEMA funding available to reimburse up to 75 percent of the eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling the fire.
At the time of the request, the fire was threatening 1,170 primary homes in and around the communities of Hat Creek with a population of 1,905, Little Valley with a population of 197, and Burney California with a population of 3,154. Mandatory and voluntary evacuations are taking place for approximately 2000 people. The fires started on July 30, 2014, and has burned in excess of 13,000 total acres of Federal, State, and private land.
The Disaster Relief Fund provides funding for federal fire management grants (FMAG’s) through FEMA to assist in fighting fires which threaten to cause major disasters. Eligible costs covered by FMAG’s can include expenses for field camps; equipment use; repair and replacement; tools; materials; and supplies and mobilization and demobilization activities.
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
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FEMA Provides Federal Funding to Combat Bald Fire in Lassen County, California
FEMA Public Affairs (626) 431-3843
OAKLAND, Calif. — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to assist the state of California combat the Oregon Gulch Fire currently burning in Siskiyou County.
On August 02, 2014, the State of California submitted a request for a fire management assistance declaration for the Oregon Gulch Fire. The authorization makes FEMA funding available to reimburse up to 75 percent of the eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling the fire.
At the time of the request, the fire was threatening 92 primary homes in and around the community of Copco Lake, CA which has a combined population of 203. Mandatory and voluntary evacuations are taking place for approximately 203 people. The fires started in the State of Oregon (FEMA Region X) on July 31, 2014, and has burned into the State of California (Region IX) in excess of 21,000 total acres, 4,500 within the State of California, of Federal, State, and private land.
The Disaster Relief Fund provides funding for federal fire management grants (FMAG’s) through FEMA to assist in fighting fires which threaten to cause major disasters. Eligible costs covered by FMAG’s can include expenses for field camps; equipment use; repair and replacement; tools; materials; and supplies and mobilization and demobilization activities.
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
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FEMA Provides Federal Funding to Combat Oregon Gulch Fire in Siskiyou County, California
FEMA Public Affairs (626) 431-3843
OAKLAND, Calif. — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to assist the state of California combat the Eiler Fire currently burning in Shasta County.
On August 02, 2014, the State of California submitted a request for a fire management assistance declaration for the Eiler Fire. The authorization makes FEMA funding available to reimburse up to 75 percent of the eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling the fire.
“FEMA Region IX remains in constant contact with the California Emergency Management Agency to identify needs and, where appropriate, will provide support as requested,” said FEMA Region IX Acting Administrator, Karen Armes.
At the time of the request, the fire was threatening 705 primary homes in and around the community of Hat Creek which has a combined population of 1,905. Mandatory and voluntary evacuations are taking place for approximately 600 people. The fire started on July 31, 2014 and has burned in excess of 7000 acres of Federal, State, and private land.
The Disaster Relief Fund provides funding for federal fire management grants (FMAG’s) through FEMA to assist in fighting fires which threaten to cause major disasters. Eligible costs covered by FMAG’s can include expenses for field camps; equipment use; repair and replacement; tools; materials; and supplies and mobilization and demobilization activities.
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
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FEMA Provides Federal Funding to Combat Eiler Fire in Shasta County, California
Federal Contractor Registry performs CCR registration/renewals and ORCA certifications on behalf of small to large businesses, non-profit organizations, and state/county/city/local government agencies.
