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More than $1.3 Million in Federal Assistance Approved for Mississippi Storm Survivors

PEARL, Miss. – Less than 10 days after severe storms, tornadoes and flooding swept across Mississippi, more than $1.3 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency grant assistance has been approved to help those affected by the storms.

More than 2,100 people have contacted FEMA for help or information regarding disaster assistance.

In addition to FEMA grants for individuals and families, other forms of disaster assistance are provided by partner agencies such as the U.S. Small Business Administration, the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. FEMA often refers survivors to those agencies. All businesses are also referred to the SBA. Other callers may be interested in other programs such as disaster unemployment assistance and disaster legal services.

The following is a snapshot of the disaster recovery effort as of May 7:

More than 200 households approved for FEMA grants for homeowners and renters, including:
- More than $978,000 approved for housing grants, including short-term rental assistance and home repair costs.
- Nearly $327,000 approved to cover other essential disaster-related needs such as medical and dental expenses and lost personal possessions.
428 home inspections completed.
891 visits to disaster recovery centers by people affected by the disaster.
5 disaster recovery centers currently open.

No matter the degree of loss or insurance coverage, survivors in the 12 disaster-designated Mississippi counties are urged to apply for help. Designated counties include Itawamba, Jones, Leake, Lee, Lowndes, Madison, Montgomery, Rankin, Simpson, Warren, Wayne and Winston. Survivors can use any of the following methods to register:

By phone, call 800-621-FEMA (3362) People who are deaf or hard of hearing and use a TTY should call 800-462-7585. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time. Assistance is available in most languages.
Online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
By tablet or smartphone, use the FEMA app or go to m.fema.gov.

Survivors who register with FEMA and are referred to SBA will be contacted with options on how to apply for a low-interest disaster loan. After being contacted by SBA, survivors should complete and submit an application even if they do not plan to accept a loan in order to continue the federal assistance process. It is part of the FEMA grant process and can pave the way for additional disaster assistance. SBA disaster loans are available with interest rates as low as 2.188 percent and terms up to 30 years.

Complete the SBA application online at https://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 sba.gov.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, click fema.gov/disaster/4175. Visit the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency website at msema.org or the Facebook page at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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

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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More than $1.3 Million in Federal Assistance Approved for Mississippi Storm Survivors

FEMA Awards $676,740 Grant to Saline County: Hazard mitigation funds will be used to acquire and demolish 9 flood prone structures

CHICAGO –The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released $676,740 in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds to Saline County,Ill., for the acquisition and demolition of eight residential structures and one commercial structure located in the floodplain. Following demolition, these properties will be maintained as permanent open space in the community.

“The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program enables communities to implement critical mitigation measures to reduce the risk of loss of life and property,” said FEMA Region V Administrator Andrew Velasquez III. “The acquisition and demolition of these structures permanently removes them from the floodplain and greatly reduces the financial impact on individuals and the community when future flooding occurs in this area.

“Approval of this grant is good news for residents who have been hit by flooding many times in the past,” said Jonathon Monken, director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. “The grant will enable them to move to higher ground and avoid future heartache and property losses.”

HMGP provides grants to state and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures. Through HMGP, FEMA will pay 75 percent of the $902,320eligible project cost. The remaining 25 percent of the funds, $225,580, will be provided by Saline County.

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.

Media Contact: Cassie Ringsdorf, (312) 408-4455

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FEMA Awards $676,740 Grant to Saline County: Hazard mitigation funds will be used to acquire and demolish 9 flood prone structures

Additional Disaster Recovery Centers Open Mississippi

PEARL, Miss. – Three additional disaster recovery centers are open in Itawamba, Lowndes and Rankin counties to assist Mississippi residents affected by the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding.

The disaster recovery centers will be open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and are located at:

Itawamba County

Mantachie Community Center

265 Tishtontee Drive

Mantachie, MS 38855

Lowndes County

New Hope Community Center

381 Stadium Road

Columbus, MS 39702

North of the high school, near the football field

Rankin County

Rankin County Extension

601 Marquette Road

Brandon, MS 39402

Specialists from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration will be on hand to answer questions. Survivors will be able to:

Discuss their individual disaster-related needs.
Submit any additional documentation needed, such as occupancy or ownership verification documents and letters from insurance companies.
Find out the status of an application.

Obtain information about different types of state and federal assistance.
Get help from SBA specialists in completing low-interest disaster loan applications for homeowners, renters and business owners.
Receive referrals to the American Red Cross and other voluntary organizations to help with immediate disaster-related needs.

Before going to a center, if possible, survivors should register with FEMA. Apply for assistance by registering online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone at m.fema.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362. Survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability can call (TTY) 800-462-7585.

Disaster assistance may include money to help pay for temporary housing and essential home repairs. Low-interest SBA loans may also be available for losses not covered by insurance or other sources.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, click www.fema.gov/disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at www.msema.org/ or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/msemaorg.

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Additional Disaster Recovery Centers Open Mississippi

Alabama Storm Survivors Urged To Register For Disaster Assistance

CLANTON, Ala. – Homeowners, renters and business owners affected by the recent severe storms, tornadoes and flooding in Alabama are urged to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as they may be eligible for disaster assistance.

The presidential disaster declaration on May 2 makes federal assistance available to eligible survivors in Baldwin, Jefferson, Lee and Limestone counties.

Disaster survivors have several ways to apply:

Online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov any time day or night.
By phone at 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.
Via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov.

Assistance can include money for temporary housing and home repairs, and for other serious

disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses or funeral and burial costs. Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration may also be available to homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes to cover losses not fully compensated by insurance.

Alabama residents in Baldwin, Jefferson, Lee and Limestone counties should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but under-insured applicants may receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.

Registering with FEMA is required for federal aid, even if the person has registered with another disaster-relief organization. Applicants will be asked for the following information:

Social Security number
Address of the damaged home or apartment
Description of the damage
Information about insurance coverage
A current contact telephone number
An address where they can receive mail
Bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit of funds.

For more information on Alabama disaster recovery, click www.fema.gov/disaster/4176 or visit the Alabama Emergency Management Agency site at ema.alabama.gov/.

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Alabama Storm Survivors Urged To Register For Disaster Assistance

FEMA Offers Homebuilders Guide to Coastal Construction

LINCROFT, N.J. — The Federal Emergency Management Agency has produced materials to give technical guidance to home builders and property owners planning post-Sandy construction or repairs in coastal areas.

Investigations conducted by FEMA and other organizations have consistently shown that properly sited, well-designed and well-constructed coastal residential buildings generally perform well in coastal disasters.

For residential builders and do-it-yourselfers, FEMA offers a series of Fact Sheets (available free at Fema.gov) that provide technical guidance and recommendations concerning the construction of coastal residential buildings.

The Home Builders Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series is aimed at improving the stability of buildings in coastal environments that may be subject to flood and wind forces.

The 37 fact sheets are divided into 10 categories that cover various aspects of the construction process. Each fact sheet provides specific information on topics like National Flood Insurance Program regulatory requirements, the proper siting of coastal buildings and recommended design and construction practices.

Many of the fact sheets also include lists of FEMA and other resources that provide more information about the topics discussed. Where appropriate, resources are accompanied by active web links.

Updated in 2011, a Coastal Construction Manual – prepared with assistance from other agencies, organizations and professionals involved in coastal construction and regulation – is intended to help designers and contractors identify and evaluate practices that improve construction quality.

The two-volume publication provides a comprehensive approach to planning, siting, designing, constructing and maintaining homes in the coastal environment.

Volume I provides information on hazard identification, siting decisions, regulatory requirements, economic implications and risk management.

Volume II contains in-depth descriptions of design, construction and maintenance practices that, when followed, will increase the durability of residential buildings in the harsh coastal environment and reduce economic losses associated with coastal natural disasters.

The primary audience for Volume I includes design professionals, officials and those involved in the decision-making process. The primary audience for Volume II is the design professional who is familiar with building codes and standards and has a basic understanding of engineering projects.

The Coastal Construction Manual (FEMA publication P-55) and the Home Builders Guide to Coastal Construction Technical Fact Sheet Series (FEMA publication P-499) may be downloaded in Portable Document Format as PDF files or as plain text (.txt) files at fema.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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FEMA Offers Homebuilders Guide to Coastal Construction

Hurricane Sandy Recovery Resources For Homeowners

LINCROFT, N.J. — The impending arrival of spring will give homeowners with properties affected by Hurricane Sandy time and opportunity to make repairs and begin mitigation projects. The Federal Emergency Management Agency continues to offer assistance programs designed to provide information and financial help to homeowners and renters.

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) includes Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) Coverage, which will pay for flood proofing (commercial or historical properties), relocation, elevation, demolition or a combination of those mentioned. If a homeowner has a NFIP insurance policy and the home is in a designated Special Flood Hazard Area, the community has declared the home substantially damaged, or a repetitive loss provision is in their locally adopted flood plain ordinance, the ICC will pay up to $30,000 but will not exceed the federal cap of the NFIP policy. Additionally, a homeowner should consult with the local Floodplain Manager to see if the locally adopted ordinance includes cumulative improvements and/or cumulative loss provisions.

FEMA also has Hazard Mitigation Assistance Programs to reduce future damages. They are:

The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) is available after a federal disaster declaration has been made. This program is designed to mitigate future damages caused by natural disasters affecting communities, people and property.
The Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program provides funds to governmental entities for hazard mitigation planning and projects prior to a disaster event to reduce reliance on funding from actual disaster declarations. PDM grants are to be awarded on a competitive basis.
The Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program is designed to reduce or eliminate claims under the NFIP.

Homeowners do not apply directly for this aid; that is handled by the municipalities, who apply through the HMGP, FMA and PDM programs.

Survivors receiving rental assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development can call 732-345-3771. Homeowners with Federal Housing Administration mortgages can call 800-CALL-FHA (225-5342) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The New Jersey Housing Resource Center also offers information on accessible and affordable housing. Visit www.nj.gov/njhrc or call 1-877-428-8844.

For help finding additional financial assistance, homeowners can contact the FEMA Region II Office at 26 Federal Plaza, Suite 1337, New York, NY, 10278-0002; or by calling 212-680-3600.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is the state coordinator for NFIP, and the Historic Preservation Office of the DEP runs the State Hazard Mitigation Office. Contact both at 401 East State Street, P.O. Box 419, Trenton, NJ, 08625; call 609-984-0859; fax 609-984-1908; or visit the NJDEP website at http://www.state.nj.us/dep/.

Homeowners performing renovations, reconstructions or elevations and seeking technical assistance can call the FEMA Building Science Helpline at 866-927-2104 or email FEMA-buildingsciencehelp@dhs.gov.

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

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

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Hurricane Sandy Recovery Resources For Homeowners

FEMA Corps Teaches Students Emergency Preparedness at Long Branch High School and Old Bridge Township’s Cooper Elementary

LINCROFT, N.J — After two weeks of hard work at the Sandy Recovery Field Office, members of FEMA –Corps’ Fox Four team debuted their emergency preparedness presentation at Long Branch High School on Monday, April 7.

Formerly known as FEMA Connect, the program presented by FEMA Corps recently was renamed, “Ready, Steady, Strong” to more clearly communicate its focus on emergency preparedness.

FEMA Corps is a branch of the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps program (NCCC) created in 2012 when the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) formed a partnership.

FEMA Corps members participate in a 10 month program in which members travel the country in teams, usually composed of a diverse group of 8-10 young adults, who work with FEMA on projects related to disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

Presently stationed at the NJ Sandy Recovery Office in Lincroft, NJ, FEMA Corps’ Fox Four team specializes in Disaster Survivor Assistance. FEMA Corps’ Fox Four is currently visiting schools throughout New Jersey in order to educate students on the importance of disaster preparedness using the FEMA Connect and FEMA for Kids programs.

During their presentation at Long Branch High, the team focused on informing students about emergency alert systems, discussing where to go in an emergency, creating contact cards, preparing emergency supply bags, creating household emergency plans, and encouraging students to get involved in their communities with programs such as Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), Americorps and FEMA Corps.

“The program is unique,” said Fox Four team leader Thomas Trapane. “We’re testing it out, so we get to utilize our skills and we have that freedom to adapt and do things the way we want…we get to go out and help students prepare for disasters. It’s enjoyable.”

All of the preparation team members did before their first presentation paid off as well. “[The team has] exceeded my expectation and we’ve exceeded the program’s expectations,” Trapane said. “We’re the first team to go out and present. They’re doing awesome at it… it’s been really good so far.”

Team member Samantha Masters was impressed by how well the students responded to the FEMA Connect presentation. “The students were very engaged. They enjoyed the activities, they participated, they asked questions, and they actually got involved making the disaster kit, and writing things down. They seemed like they enjoyed it.”

Like FEMA Connect, FEMA Corps’ FEMA for Kids program aims to teach pre-school through elementary school students how to prepare for household emergencies and potential disasters. It enforces the idea of being “ready” and encourages kids to be “prepared not scared.”
“[FEMA for Kids] was really interesting because it was little kids and it’s harder to keep them engaged, you could lose their attention quickly, but it was fun. We had a good time doing it” said Trapane.

The program employs creative and interactive activities to inform children of how to react in emergency situations and teaches them healthy habits including everything from personal hygiene to coping mechanisms. The team members debuted their FEMA for Kids program Friday April 11, at Cooper Elementary in Old Bridge.

“It went well. The children were energetic and ready to learn, which was good. I’m pretty sure they’ll take home to their parents the information we presented to them, and hopefully something good will come out of it – whether it’s building a disaster preparedness kit or just knowing where to go if there’s an emergency” reflects team member, Bakari Jones.

“I think that if we teach students about disaster preparedness, then they know more for the next disaster and we’re cutting down on all the possible injuries and things that could go wrong in the next disaster by preparing them ahead of time “ added team member Hanna Reynolds.

For many members of the team, this is their first time in New Jersey, and for some, it’s their first time in the Northeast United States. One of the best aspects of the FEMA Corps experience, team members said, is the chance to learn about, observe and experience a wide array of different communities and cultures with the opportunity to make a positive impact.

Joining FEMA Corps is a time consuming process filled with detailed applications, paperwork and interviews. Those who make it through the process are generally a diverse group demographically. However, they consistently have several particular characteristics in common: dedication, passion, and a strong will to help others and make a difference in communities throughout their country.

When asked about their overall experience in FEMA Corps, team leader Trapane said, “I think the idea of being able to meet a bunch of strangers essentially, and travel the country and help communities out is awesome. So far I have no complaints.” And team member Bakari Jones responded, “It’s been everything I expected it to be, if not more, [if not] better.”

If you are interested in having FEMA Connect or FEMA for Kids come to your school call (555)555-5555.

For more information on FEMA Corps call (800) 942-2677 or go to Nationalservice.gov.
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http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4086/updates/sandy-one-year-later

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

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FEMA Corps Teaches Students Emergency Preparedness at Long Branch High School and Old Bridge Township’s Cooper Elementary

College Students Helping Sandy-Damaged Communities Recover

LINCROFT, N.J. — Communities recovering from Hurricane Sandy are getting some extra help with their recovery projects from students at colleges and universities throughout New Jersey.
Graduate and undergraduate students from Richard Stockton State College, Rowan University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Monmouth University and Rutgers University are volunteering with projects that include grant writing, landscaping, dune maintenance and debris cleanup.

On Thursday and Friday, April 3 and 4, students from NJIT in Newark visited Highlands and Sea Bright to help these two hard-hit towns take a few more steps forward on the long road to recovery.

Their presence in Highlands and Sea Bright came about as a result of recovery initiatives being undertaken by the FEMA Federal Disaster Recovery Coordination Group. FDRC is working with the state Office of Emergency Management, the League of Municipalities, two nonprofit organizations: Sustainable Jersey and New Jersey Future to match college volunteers with the recovery needs of some of the state’s hardest hit communities.

In southern New Jersey, the communities of Tuckerton and Little Egg Harbor had a lot of projects on the drawing board but lacked the manpower to move forward with their plans.

“They were very understaffed and swamped,” said FDRC University Coordinator Mark Strohoefer. “We contacted Stockton College and they were able to immediately place a graduate student in Tuckerton to assist with grant-writing. We were later able to place business school students who assisted with economic development, marketing and branding plans. We were then able to include Little Egg Harbor in some of those areas.”

Unlike many volunteer projects, Strohoefer noted, this effort is aimed at providing “targeted assistance that is one hundred percent useful and beneficial to the towns.”

One example he cited is a team of students from Rowan University’s engineering school, who volunteered their skills in hard-hit Cumberland County. “They’re working on wastewater management and a potable water project.”

Students from NJIT will be working on developing a plan for Highlands to address a sloping issue on the hillsides, assist with a direct piping plan for storm water runoff from high-lying Route 36 and help to educate the public about the ongoing efforts to mitigate flood risks in Highlands.

At Monmouth University in West Long Branch, FDRC is partnering with classes from the Urban Coast Institute, Dept. of Criminal Justice, Rapid Response Institute and the Polling Institute on a number of recovery initiatives.
“We’ve just sent them about three projects from Sea Bright and Highlands to see if they would like to engage on them,” Strohoefer said.

Rutgers University School of Landscape Architecture is already engaged with Sea Bright as the seaside community contemplates landscape enhancements at three gateways to town: from the Oceanic Bridge in Rumson, Monmouth Beach to the south and from the Azzolina Bridge in Highlands to North Sea Bright.

“What we would like to get done is to look at all the public space in town and essentially develop a master plan,” said Frank Lawrence, volunteer coordinator for the Borough of Sea Bright.
“If you have a plan in place, it allows us to talk to grant-funders like America the Beautiful. If you have a plan with a vision, it makes it more convincing to go to a landscaper and say, ‘Give me a price.’’’

The community is also appreciative of the work done recently by students from NJIT, who cleaned public sidewalks and picked up sand and debris that has accumulated during the harsh winter. The students filled two dumpsters with trash collected in the downtown area, leaving sidewalks freshly swept.

“It makes the town look a little nicer and it makes people feel better,” Lawrence said. “It’s the type of thing that’s hard to get done in a small town. In the aftermath of a disaster like Sandy, public works departments are already stretched very thin and marshalling enough manpower to get things done can be a difficult challenge.

“You don’t recover from an event this large that quickly,” Lawrence said. “It takes a lot of time. It’s never quite as fast as you would like.

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

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

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College Students Helping Sandy-Damaged Communities Recover

Arkansans: Things to Know About Debris Removal

Little Rock, Ark. – For many Arkansans in Faulkner County affected by the April 27 tornadoes, cleanup is well underway. That means residents may have questions regarding the types of debris that can be left at the curb for collection and how to handle debris when a homeowner hires a contractor.

DEBRIS PLACED ON RIGHT OF WAY

Tornado-related debris is eligible for pickup and disposal by the county or municipality if residents place the following types of debris on the public right-of-way in front of their property for pick-up. When placing debris at the roadside, residents should be careful not to cover or impede access to utility meters or mailboxes.

Residents opting for curbside pick-up must separate debris into six (6) categories:

Vegetative debris (tree limbs, shrubs, etc.)
Construction/Demolition debris
White goods (appliances, etc.)
E-goods (TV’s, electronics)
Household hazardous (cleaning solutions, automotive chemicals, etc.)
Normal household garbage

DEBRIS HANDLED BY CONTRACTORS

Some homeowner’s insurance policies may cover debris removal. Residents are reminded that if they choose to hire their own contractor, they should not place that debris on the right-of-way. The cost of debris disposal is typically included in the contractor’s estimates. Homeowners should review their insurance policies to determine if their policy covers debris removal.

Under no circumstances will reconstruction debris or demolition debris created by the property owner or the private contractor be pushed to the curb. The property owner, insurance company or contractor is responsible for removing and transporting all demolition and/or reconstruction debris to an approved designated landfill.

Reconstruction debris includes any construction material that must be removed from the damaged structure (shingles, portions of roofs, etc.) to bring it back to pre-disaster function.
Demolition debris includes construction material created by the physical deconstruction of the remaining portions of a disaster-damaged structure (walls, roof, flooring, slabs, outbuildings, etc.) in preparation for the construction of a new building.

OTHER THINGS TO BE AWARE OF WHEN HIRING CONTRACTORS

Watch out for:
- Phone or door-to-door solicitors who promise to speed up the insurance, disaster assistance or building-permit process.
- People who ask for large cash deposits or advance payments in full.
- Promises of large amounts of money for disaster victims.
-  FEMA/State disaster assistance funds are sent to applicants by electronic funds transfer (EFT) or through the U.S. mail ONLY!
- People going door-to-door to damaged homes or phoning survivors and claiming to be building contractors or soliciting personal information such as Social Security or bank account numbers; they could be frauds.

Those who suspect anyone of engaging in fraudulent activities should call the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline at 1-866-720-5721. Complaints may also be made to local law enforcement agencies and through the Arkansas Attorney General Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-482-8982.

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Arkansans: Things to Know About Debris Removal

President Declares Disaster for Alabama

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 State of Alabama and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding on April 28, 2014 and continuing.

The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Baldwin, Jefferson, Lee, and Limestone counties.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding is also available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for debris removal and emergency work for damage from the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding in Baldwin, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone and Mobile counties.

Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Albert Lewis has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Lewis said that damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed.

Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated area can begin applying for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or by web enabled mobile device at m.fema.gov. Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

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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President Declares Disaster for Alabama

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