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Disaster Federal Aid for Alabama Reaches More Than $38 Million

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Federal aid provided to Alabama residents affected by the April 28 through May 5 severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding has reached nearly $38 million.

The following numbers, compiled July 10, provide a snapshot of the Alabama/FEMA disaster recovery to date:

Funds approved:

$16.2 million for Housing Assistance grants to help with recovery rental expenses and home repair costs.
$3.9 million for Other Needs Assistance to cover essential disaster-related needs, such as medical expenses and lost personal possessions.
$14.8 million approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration for low-interest loans to eligible homeowners, renters and businesses.
$3 million for Public Assistance programs. Of that amount, $1.2 million has been allocated for debris removal. Another $481,300 will go toward storm response and $1.3 has been obligated for infrastructure repair and replacement.

Survivor Recovery

15,577 damaged homes and property have been inspected (99 percent of requests).
9 counties designated for Individual Assistance.
21 counties designated for Public Assistance.

FEMA works with many volunteer agencies and the private sector to speed the recovery effort. As of mid-May, 3,048 volunteers from numerous organizations throughout the country had donated nearly 22,000 hours to help survivors clean up debris, repair and rebuild their homes following the spring storms.

FEMA’s mitigation outreach program at nine Home Depot and Lowe’s home improvement stores provided 1,600 shoppers with information on rebuilding/repairing homes in a safer and resilient manner. Thank you letters are being presented to participating stores.

Alabama residents affected by the disaster now have just five days to register as the governor-requested extension ends Tuesday, July 15. That date also is the deadline to apply for a physical disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

No matter the degree of loss or insurance status, survivors are urged to apply for help.

By phone, call 800-621-3362 (FEMA) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., local time. Operators are multilingual. TTY 800-462-7585.
By computer, go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
By smartphone or tablet, use m.fema.gov.
For those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services, call 800-621-3362.

County-by-County approved breakdown of Individual Assistance:

County	Approved Registrations	Housing Assistance	Other Needs Assistance
Baldwin	2,009	$7,406,398.75	$1,357,551.62
Blount	27	156,231.00	13,080.03
DeKalb	25	71,001.00	20,674.77
Etowah	57	427,844.51	53,507.05
Jefferson	424	1,097,191.43	202,440.98
Lee	53	267,722.71	54,516.18
Limestone	296	982,860.99	509,923.83
Mobile	4,104	5,502,001.79	1,669,443.43
Tuscaloosa	60	288,302.14	69,360.60
Total:	7,055	$16,199,554.32	$3,950,488.49

Recovery officials urge all Alabama residents who have registered for assistance to stay in close contact with FEMA throughout the recovery process. This is especially true during the first weeks after registering when FEMA housing inspectors must contact applicants to view damages. Those with mobile phones should provide that number to FEMA during the registration.

Affected survivors and business owners in the nine designated counties may apply for assistance from FEMA and/or the SBA. Those counties are: Baldwin, Blount, DeKalb, Etowah, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone, Mobile and Tuscaloosa.

Disaster Loan Outreach Centers, operated by the SBA to assist survivors with questions about federal disaster loans, are located in Baldwin and Mobile counties. These offices are located at:

Elberta Town Hall, 10352 Main Street, Elberta, AL 36540.
Fairhope Civic Center (Delchamps Room), 161 North Section Street, Fairhope, AL 36532.
Old Navy/Marine Corps Reserve Center, 4851 Museum Drive, Mobile, AL 36608.

These facilities, which also are staffed with a FEMA specialist, are open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Tuesday, July 15.

For more information, call the SBA customer service center at 800-659-2955. If you use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS), call 800-877-8339.

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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.

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

For more information on Alabama’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov or http://www.ema.alabama.gov/. For the joint Facebook page, go to www.facebook.com/AlabamaEMA. To receive Twitter updates: http://twitter.com/AlabamaEMA or www.twitter.com/femaregion4

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Disaster Federal Aid for Alabama Reaches More Than $38 Million

Portland Disaster Relief Trials Pedal for Earthquake Preparedness

Portland, Ore. – Gear up for the third annual Portland Disaster Relief Trials (DRT), taking place this upcoming Saturday, July 19. This 30-mile earthquake preparedness exercise is designed to highlight how cargo bikes can be used in disaster supply runs, helping mitigate some of the fuel and transportation problems that typically affect cars and other vehicles after major earthquakes.

The scenario for the DRT is to focus on day four after a major earthquake. Cyclists, without cell phones, must navigate their own route between checkpoints while picking up 100 pounds of supplies and completing disaster-related activities. This makeshift course consists of an off-pavement portion, a one-meter obstacle, and at least one shallow water crossing. Not to mention, bikes will be carrying varied types of supplies that range in size and weight. Finding the most efficient way to fasten and carry the cargo “is a hallmark of the Disaster Relief Trials.”

This year, seeing the cargo bikes race is not the only reason to go. There will be a huge cargo bike fair, complete with family-friendly activities and events that will be going on throughout the day. The event’s host, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), has partnered with another major Portland biking event, Fiets of Parenthood, to create a fun family bicycle obstacle course.

A proud supporter of the Disaster Relief Trials, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Region X staff and FEMA Corps team will be supporting the event, providing earthquake preparedness information, interactive activities, and full-size earthquake hazard map.

Portland DRT will be this Saturday, July 19, 2014 at the OMSI building from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Follow @femaregion10 on Twitter as they live tweet from the event. For more information about the 2014 Disaster Relief Trials, go to http://drtpdx.org/.

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Portland Disaster Relief Trials Pedal for Earthquake Preparedness

Federal funds authorized to help fight Moccasin Hill Fire

Seattle, WA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Moccasin Hill Fire, burning in Klamath County, Oregon.

FEMA Region X Regional Administrator, Kenneth D. Murphy determined that the Moccasin Hill Fire threatened such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. Murphy approved the state’s request for federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) on July 14, 2014 at 11:16 a.m. PDT.

On July 13, 2014, the State of Oregon submitted a request for a fire management assistance declaration for the Moccasin Hill Fire burning in Klamath County. At the time of the request, the fire had burned six homes and was threatening 125 homes in and around the subdivision of Moccasin Hill north of the Town of Sprague River. Approximately 100 people had evacuated the area. The fire started on July 13, 2014, and has burned approximately 2,900 acres of private land. Firefighting resources on scene include: approximately 200 personnel, five air platforms, five helicopters, 10 engines, water tenders and a Type 2 Incident Management Team. There are two other large fires burning uncontrolled within the State. The Federal Principal Advisor confirmed the threat to homes. The fire is at approximately zero percent containment.

The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of Oregon 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.

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Federal funds authorized to help fight Moccasin Hill Fire

Farmers and Gardeners: Prepare Now to Weather the Whims of Mother Nature

EATONTOWN, N.J. — New Jersey comes by its nickname, “The Garden State,” honestly, as the agricultural industry brings more than $987 million into the state’s economy. The state is among the top ten producers of cranberries, peaches, spinach, bell peppers, blueberries, cucumbers, squash and tomatoes in the United States, according to the New Jersey Farm Service Agency.

Commercial farms and home gardens alike present similar challenges when natural disasters are a threat. The flat, open land that crops grow in and animals graze on has few natural defenses against flooding, and any tall buildings on farmland, such as barns and silos, can be vulnerable to lightning strikes.

While the average home garden doesn’t have the same scope of a large farm, owners of both can use similar methods to protect their crops, livestock and property from the impact of a natural disaster.

Take a full inventory of everything: livestock, equipment, pesticides, fertilizers, other chemicals and fuel. Animals should be tagged so they can be returned if they get lost or hurt during an incident. Have sandbags and plastic sheeting on hand to cover and protect crops and garden plots in case of flooding. Use wire and rope to secure objects, and lumber and plywood to protect windows. Put a fire extinguisher in every building and vehicle on your property.

Choose a safe, flood-proof location to store extra fuel for tractors and vehicles, food and water for livestock, and a gas-powered generator in case of power failure. Make sure that electrical power to flood-prone machines and structures can be easily turned off. Have hand tools accessible to assist in preparation and recovery.

If you are in a particularly flood-prone area, figure out escape routes for livestock to get to higher ground. Also, keep them out of barns that may flood, as their natural instinct is to seek shelter in a barn during an emergency.

In the aftermath of a disaster, report leaks of any hazardous materials (pesticides, fuel, fertilizer and other chemicals) to authorities. Check your utilities for signs of damage, and contact your utility company before turning anything back on. Spray surviving livestock with insect repellent to protect against mosquitoes, and have all animals checked for infectious diseases such as pneumonia or foot rot.

Test the soil, especially in smaller gardens and flower beds. It is recommended that flooded areas not be planted again for at least 30 to 60 days. Before replanting, make sure the soil is dry and has been reworked. Salt water can get washed up by waves and storm surge and get into the soil and on plants and trees, causing leaves to brown and damaging roots and buds. The damage salt spray can do to plants can last for several years.

Dispose of any leafy green vegetables and any other crops with edible parts that were touched by flood water. Affected root vegetables can be sanitized for consumption by rinsing them and soaking them in a bleach/water solution.

Once a disaster happens, the Farm Service Agency offers loans to farm owners to cover repairs/replacements and working capital. Contact the local Disaster Recovery Center after an incident for information, or visit a local FSA office. Farmers can also contact the Department of Agriculture’s Extension Service for more information and materials on how they can protect themselves from disasters.

The FSA has several financial programs to help farmers in the event of a disaster.

The Emergency Conservation Program provides emergency funding for farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate farmland damaged by wind erosion, floods, or other disasters.

The Emergency Haying and Grazing Assistance Program coordinates emergency hay placement and grazing of certain Conservation Reserve Program acreage in areas suffering from weather-related disasters at the discretion of either the state or national FSA.

The Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program covers non-insurable crop losses caused by low yields, inventory loss or inability to plant crops due to a disaster.

The Emergency Loan Assistance Program provides emergency loans to help livestock producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought, floods, other natural disasters, or quarantine. Contact your local Farm Service Agency for more information about these programs.

The Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) Cooperative Extension Service has information on home gardening and commercial agriculture, and has offices in every county in New Jersey. For general advice on preparedness, visit www.ready.gov.

http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4086/updates/sandy-one-year-later

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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Farmers and Gardeners: Prepare Now to Weather the Whims of Mother Nature

5 Days Left to Register with FEMA in Alabama

Tuesday, July 15 is the deadline to register with FEMA and to return an application for physical damage to the SBA.

There are four ways to register with FEMA:

Go online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
Visit m.fema.gov from a Smartphone,
Dial 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585,
For those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services, call 800-621-3362.

The toll-free numbers are operated from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Centers remain open in Baldwin and Mobile counties 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays through Tuesday, July 15. These disaster centers are located in:

Baldwin County

Elberta Town Hall,10352 Main St., Elberta, AL 36530

Fairhope Civic Center (Delchamps Room), 161 North Section St., Fairhope, AL 36532

Mobile County

Old Navy/Marine Corps Reserve Center, 4851 Museum Dr., Mobile, AL 36608

Specialists from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the SBA will be on hand to answer questions.

Survivors also can reach the SBA:

To complete an online application at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
Call the SBA customer service center with questions at 800-659-2955.
People who are deaf or hard of hearing and use a TTY can call 800-877-8339.
For more information, visit www.sba.gov.

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5 Days Left to Register with FEMA in Alabama

Being Prepared for Disasters Doesn’t Have To Be Expensive

Here in Alabama, residents are no strangers to natural disasters. Civic histories of many cities and towns throughout the state include references to natural disasters such as fires, tornadoes and hurricanes.

Alabamians know they must be prepared. Every home should have a smoke alarm; every home should have an emergency supply kit packed and ready.

What not everyone realizes, however, is that being prepared doesn’t have to cost a lot of money.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster preparedness website, www.ready.gov is a destination site for information about getting your family prepared for a disaster.

“FEMA urges residents of every community in every state to Be Informed, Have a Plan and Prepare a Kit,” said Albie Lewis, federal coordinating officer for the Alabama recovery. “Each of these may be critical in a family’s ability to recover from disaster. A family preparedness kit, particularly, is one of the most important tools at your disposal to keep your family safe in a disaster.”

Commercially available disaster kits can range from $75 to $300 and up, but most of the pieces of a disaster kit already may be in the home and just need to be gathered together and stored in one place.

“The rule of thumb for residents who are survivors of a disaster is that they should be prepared to take care of their family’s needs for the first 72 hours after a disaster strikes,” says Art Faulkner, director of Alabama’s Emergency Management Agency. “It may take that long for responders to get to you.”

FEMA recommends that an emergency preparedness kit include food and water for each member of the family for three days, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, flashlight, spare batteries, first aid kit, non-electric can opener, local maps and personal sanitation items such as hand sanitizer, moist towelettes, toilet paper, garbage bags and plastic ties.

Water supplies should be sufficient to meet both health and sanitation needs.

Family emergency kits also should include important family documents such as wills or property deeds, personal identification and any prescription medicines a family member may be taking.

Other items to consider include sleeping bags or blankets, paper towels, books, puzzles and games for children, pet food and medications for family pets.

It’s helpful to have cash in case banks are closed and there is no power for ATMs.

The emergency supplies can be stored in an easy-to-carry plastic storage container or duffel bag, making them easy to grab and go when an emergency forces people to leave their home.

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Being Prepared for Disasters Doesn’t Have To Be Expensive

Mississippi Storm Recovery on Target at Two Months

RIDGELAND, Miss. — After a disaster, it takes many partners working together to rebuild communities. Two months after tornadoes and storms swept across the state on April 28, public, private and nonprofit organizations have made significant progress in responding to the needs of communities created by the disaster.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Individual Assistance section has reached out a second time to the more than 5,000 people who registered with FEMA for help. The outreach, dubbed “100 percent touch,” is making sure registrants understand the application process, submit timely documentation and works to find solutions to unmet needs.

To date, nearly $19 million in total federal assistance has been approved for Mississippi disaster survivors. This includes more than $5.3 million for temporary housing and home repairs and other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses or funeral costs. And the U.S. Small Business Administration has approved just over $13.6 million in low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private nonprofit organizations.

During the 60-day registration period that ended June 30, FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance crews visited more than 12,000 homes and interacted with more than 9,000 disaster survivors, helping them register with FEMA and making referrals to other agencies and organizations for specific needs outside of FEMA.

More than 4,000 disaster survivors made one or more visits to the 10 disaster recovery centers established in the disaster areas. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency/FEMA centers in Brandon, Canton, Columbus, Laurel, Louisville, Mantachie, Tupelo and Waynesboro offered face-to-face contact with program representatives knowledgeable about disaster assistance and rebuilding.

FEMA mitigation representatives at the recovery centers and at home improvement stores in the disaster areas have met with more than 8,000 people, providing advice on how to rebuild stronger. Three teams will be at locations in or near the disaster area until mid-July.

MEMA and FEMA created a joint housing task force to address the complex housing needs of the 767 households left homeless in the aftermath of the tornadoes. Survivors have received rental assistance grants and FEMA’s direct housing mission has completed placement of nearly two dozen manufactured homes for the residents of Winston County. Temporary housing is installed in commercial parks for survivor use or on an individual homeowner’s property for use while the primary residence is being repaired or rebuilt.

Projects to repair public infrastructure damaged in the storm are being developed. FEMA reimburses 75 percent of eligible disaster-related repairs through its Public Assistance program administered by the state. At the June 30 deadline for receipt of the official notice to FEMA requesting participation, 53 eligible governments and certain private nonprofits such as utilities had signed up for the program. Applicants will work with MEMA and FEMA to be reimbursed for emergency protective measures, debris removal and permanent work such as road and building repairs.

Among the applicants are the City of Louisville, which seeks to rebuild a building leased to a wood products company and the Winston County Medical Foundation, which lost its Winston Medical Center, nursing home and outpatient clinic to the EF-4 tornado that struck the area. The hospital is operating temporarily out of the National Mobile Disaster Hospital, a FEMA-owned facility composed of 27 modular units that arrived in Louisville May 3.

Through its virtual Business Emergency Operations Center, MEMA is working with employers to stabilize jobs affected in the tornado; partners in recovery have donated equipment and materials for the volunteers to use in cleanup and rebuilding.

When the disaster struck April 28, the American Red Cross opened shelters that eventually provided 678 overnight stays and more than 47,000 meals or snacks. The Salvation Army opened eight mobile kitchens and three fixed feeding sites, serving more than 17,500 meals or snacks. Since then, many other volunteers have stepped up both from the local area and outside the region to clean up debris and begin rebuilding.

MEMA and FEMA Voluntary Agency Liaisons have helped connect unaffiliated spontaneous volunteers with affiliated groups and identify and organize groups that are not part of the Mississippi Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. VALs have also assisted in making referrals to appropriate agencies and helped establish the NE Mississippi Community Based Recovery Committee to address unmet needs of survivors in Lee and Itawamba counties.

Disaster survivors in Itawamba, Jones, Leake, Lee, Lowndes, Madison, Montgomery, Rankin, Simpson, Warren, Wayne and Winston counties who registered for assistance may check the status of their applications, update contact information or ask questions via the FEMA helpline, 800-621-3362. The TTY number for those who are deaf or hard of hearing is 800-462-7585.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, go to FEMA.gov/Disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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). If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

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 to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

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Mississippi Storm Recovery on Target at Two Months

NFIP Extends Flood Claim Period by 30 Days

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The National Flood Insurance Program has extended the time period for filing flood claims for policyholders who experienced flooding during the April 28 through May 5 severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding.

The NFIP normally requires flood claims to be filed within 60 days of the date of loss. However, NFIP is waiving this requirement and extending the deadline by 30 days for the 2014 mid-spring storms that began on April 28. This extension includes policyholders in Alabama.

The waiver applies to Standard Flood Insurance Policies issued directly by the Federal Emergency Management Agency or by private insurance companies participating in the NFIP’s Write Your Own Program.

A policyholder with a flood loss that occurred on April 28, 2014 now has until July 27, 2014 to file a claim.

Please note — the extended deadline to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for assistance and the U.S. Small Business Administration for low-interest loans remains the same – Tuesday, July 15.

Flood insurance policyholders should contact their agents or insurance companies to file a claim. An adjuster from the insurance company should contact you within a few days of filing a claim. If you do not hear from an adjuster, call your insurance agent or company again.

When calling, make sure to have the following information at hand:

The name of your insurance company.
Your policy number.
A telephone and/or email address where you can be reached at all times.

Remember, a flood insurance policy is usually separate from your homeowner’s policy, which in most cases does not pay for flood claims.

Your adjuster will need to see evidence of the damage to your home and possessions to prepare your repair estimate.

Take photographs of all damaged property, including discarded objects, structural damage and standing floodwater levels.
Make a list of damaged or lost items and include their date of purchase, value and receipts, if possible.
Officials may require disposal of damaged items, so if possible, place flooded items outside of the home.

Finally, your adjuster will provide you with a Proof of Loss form for your official claims for damages. This document substantiates the insurance claim and is required before the National Flood Insurance Program or insurance company can make a payment.

You will receive your claim payment after you and the insurer agree on the amount of damages and the insurer has your complete, accurate and signed Proof of Loss form. If major catastrophic flooding occurs, it may take longer to process claims and make payments due to the sheer number of claims submitted.

For general flood insurance questions, call the National Flood Insurance Call Center at 800-427-4661 directly, or through 711 Relay, or contact your insurance company or agent.

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NFIP Extends Flood Claim Period by 30 Days

Disaster Federal Aid for Alabama Reaches $34.5 Million

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Federal aid provided to Alabama residents affected by the April 28 through May 5 severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding has reached $34.5 million.

The following numbers, compiled July 3, provide a snapshot of the Alabama/FEMA disaster recovery to date:

Funds approved

$15.8 million for Housing Assistance grants to help with recovery rental expenses and home repair costs.
$3.7 million for Other Needs Assistance to cover essential disaster-related needs, such as medical expenses and lost personal possessions.
$13.4 million approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration for low-interest loans to eligible homeowners, renters or business owners.
$1.5 million for Public Assistance programs. Of that amount, $576,528 has been allocated for debris removal. Another $363,310 will go toward storm response and $401,142 has been obligated for infrastructure repair and replacement.

Survivor Recovery

15,368 damaged homes and property have been inspected (99 percent of requests).
9 counties designated for Individual Assistance.
21 counties designated for Public Assistance.

FEMA works with many volunteer agencies and the private sector to speed the recovery effort. As of mid-May, 3,048 volunteers from numerous organizations throughout the country had donated nearly 22,000 hours to help survivors clean up debris, repair and rebuild their homes following the spring storms.

Alabama residents affected by the disaster now have 11 days to register as the governor-requested extension ends Tuesday, July 15.

County-by-County approved breakdown of Individual Assistance:

County	Approved Registrations	Housing Assistance	Other Needs Assistance
Baldwin	1,975	$7,310,860.69	$1,289,955.57
Blount	26	150,296.00	13,080.03
DeKalb	25	71,001.00	20,674.77
Etowah	57	427,634.13	53,507.05
Jefferson	421	1,082,025.85	202,440.98
Lee	52	267,722.71	54,150.10
Limestone	295	946,749.48	501,038.04
Mobile	3,988	5,294,375.11	1,551,068.46
Tuscaloosa	60	274,814.67	66,951.64
Total:	6,899	$15,825,479.64	$3,752,866.64

No matter the degree of loss or insurance status, survivors are urged to apply for help. They can use the following methods:

By phone, call 800-621-3362 (FEMA) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., local time. Operators are multilingual. TTY 800-462-7585.
By computer, go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
By smartphone or tablet, use m.fema.gov.

Affected survivors and business owners in the nine designated counties may apply for assistance from FEMA and/or the SBA. Those counties are Baldwin, Blount, DeKalb, Etowah, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone, Mobile and Tuscaloosa.

Disaster Loan Outreach Centers, operated by the SBA to assist survivors with questions about federal loans, are located in Baldwin and Mobile counties. These offices are located at:

Elberta Town Hall, 10352 Main Street, Elberta, AL 36540.
Fairhope Civic Center (Delchamps Room), 161 North Section Street, Fairhope, AL 36532.
Old Navy/Marine Corps Reserve Center, 4851 Museum Drive, Mobile, AL 36608.

These facilities, which also are staffed with a FEMA specialist, are open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Tuesday, July 15. Outreach centers will be closed Friday, July 4.

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Disaster Federal Aid for Alabama Reaches $34.5 Million

FEMA: Preparedness for Hurricane Arthur Still Essential along Northeast Coast Residents and Visitors Should Follow Direction of Local Officials

WASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its federal partners continue to monitor Hurricane Arthur’s impact and northward track. The agency encourages those in Arthur’s path to listen to their local officials, monitor storm conditions and take steps to be prepared.

“Residents are urged to continue to listen to the instructions of your local officials,” said Craig Fugate, FEMA Administrator. “As the storm continues to move along the east coast, there are a number of areas that can be affected by strong winds, storm surge, inland flooding and tornadoes. If you evacuated and are considering returning home, make sure local officials have deemed the area safe to return.”

Through regional offices in Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York and Boston, FEMA remains in close contact with emergency management partners in North Carolina and potentially affected states and has a liaison in the emergency operations center in Massachusetts. FEMA is also working in coordination with the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center.

In advance of the storm, FEMA had liaisons in the emergency operation centers in North Carolina and South Carolina and an Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) in North Carolina to coordinate with state, tribal and local officials should support be requested or needed. Additional teams from around the country are ready to deploy to impacted states and tribes as necessary.

According to the National Weather Service, Tropical Storm Warnings remain in effect for portions of the east coast as Hurricane Arthur moves northward. The latest storm tracks, local forecasts and warnings are available at hurricanes.gov and weather.gov.

As the first hurricane of the Atlantic hurricane season, Hurricane Arthur serves as a reminder for residents in areas prone to tropical storms and hurricanes to refresh their emergency kits and review family emergency plans. Those who do not have an emergency kit or family plan can learn about steps to take now to prepare for severe weather at ready.gov.

The FEMA smartphone app provides safety tips and displays open shelter information at www.fema.gov/smartphone-app. Information on Red Cross shelters is available by downloading the Red Cross Hurricane app or by visiting redcross.org.

Safety and Preparedness Tips

Residents and visitors in potentially affected areas should be familiar with evacuation routes, have a communications plan, keep a battery-powered radio handy and have a plan for their pets. Individuals should visit ready.gov or listo.gov to learn these and other preparedness tips for tropical storms.
Know your evacuation zone and be sure to follow the direction of state, tribal and local officials if an evacuation is ordered for your area.
Storm surge is often the greatest threat to life and property from a hurricane. It poses a significant threat for drowning and can occur before, during, or after the center of a storm passes through an area. Storm surge can sometimes cut off evacuation routes, so do not delay leaving if an evacuation is ordered for your area.
If you encounter flood waters, remember – turn around, don’t drown.
Driving through a flooded area can be extremely hazardous and almost half of all flash flood deaths happen in vehicles. When in your car, look out for flooding in low lying areas, at bridges and at highway dips. As little as six inches of water may cause you to lose control of your vehicle.
If your home has flood water inside or around it, don’t walk or wade in it. The water may be contaminated by oil, gasoline or raw sewage.
Hurricanes have the potential for tornado formation. If you are under a tornado warning, seek shelter immediately in the center of a small interior room (closet, interior hallway) on the lowest level of a sturdy building. Put as many walls as possible between you and the outside.
Stay off the roads in impacted areas. Emergency workers may be assisting people in flooded areas or cleaning up debris. You can help them by staying off the roads and out of the way.
If your power is out, safely use a generator or candles.
- Never use a generator inside a home, basement, shed or garage even if doors and windows are open.
- Keep generators outside and far away from windows, doors and vents. Read both the label on your generator and the owner’s manual and follow the instructions.
- If using candles, please use caution. If possible, use flashlights instead.
Avoid downed power or utility lines; they may be live with deadly voltage. Stay away and report them immediately to your power or utility company.
When the power comes back on, wait a few minutes before turning on major appliances, to help eliminate problems that could occur if there’s a sharp increase in demand. If you think electric power has been restored to your area but your home is still without power, call your local power company.
Get to know the terms that are used to identify severe weather and discuss with your family what to do if a watch or warning is issued.

For a Tropical Storm:

A Tropical Storm Watch is issued when tropical cyclone containing winds of at least 39 MPH or higher poses a possible threat, generally within 48 hours.
A Tropical Storm Warning is issued when sustained winds of 39 MPH or higher associated with a tropical cyclone are expected in 36 hours or less.

For coastal flooding:

A Coastal Flood Advisory is issued when minor or nuisance coastal flooding is occurring or imminent.
A Coastal Flood Watch is issued when moderate to major coastal flooding is possible.
A Coastal Flood Warning is issued when moderate to major coastal flooding is occurring or imminent.

More safety tips on hurricanes and tropical storms can be found at ready.gov/hurricanes.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

This article:

FEMA: Preparedness for Hurricane Arthur Still Essential along Northeast Coast Residents and Visitors Should Follow Direction of Local Officials

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