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Identify, Enroll & Plan for Financial Security in Disasters

CHICAGO – Spring in the Midwest brings the potential for severe weather, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is encouraging everyone to take steps now to ensure your family is prepared. Don’t forget to consider the safety of your finances before a severe storm threatensyour area.

“Don’t hinder your recovery if disaster strikes. Take the time now to ensure criticaldocuments are safely stored, valuables are adequately insured, and potential spending needs are planned for,” said Andrew Velasquez III, regional administrator, FEMA Region V.

Rememberthese three steps: Identify, Enroll & Plan.

1. Identify your important documents and place them in a safe space: You can use FEMA’s Safeguarding Your Valuables activity and Emergency Financial First Aid Kit to help get you started.

• Scan important records such as medical records and financial documents, and save the files on disk or flash drives. Password-protect the data you have stored and keep the backup records in a safe deposit box or other off-site location.

• If you have no way to scan/copy records, store them in a flood and fireproof home safe or a safe deposit box. Avoid storing on the floor of a basement, especially if it is prone to flooding.

• Include any records that you may need immediately, such as medical records or medical contact information, in your disaster kit.

2. Enroll in online banking, direct deposit and/or Go Direct to minimize disruptions to receiving paychecks or any government benefits you may receive.

• Consider keeping a small amount of cash or traveler’s checks on hand in case ATMs or credit cards are not working.

3. Plan ahead of time to recover by considering your post-disaster needs and preparing for them now.

• Make a record of your personal property for insurance purposes, and if possible, take photos or a video of your home. Consider keeping a copy on a CD or flash drive in your disaster kit, so that you can provide it to your insurance company following a loss.

• Ensure you’re adequately insured. Contact your insurance agent to review your insurance coverage so your home is financially protected.

• Identify potential spending needs now, and plan for ways to meet those needs.

• Store contact information for all of your financial institutions; after a disaster contact your credit card company, your mortgage lender, and other creditors to let them know about your situation.

For valuable resources on financial readiness before a disaster, visit www.ready.gov/financialpreparedness. For even more readiness information follow FEMA Region V at twitter.com/femaregion5 and facebook.com/fema. Individuals can always find valuable severe weather preparedness information at www.ready.gov/severe-weatheror download the free FEMA app, available for Android, Apple or Blackberry devices.

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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Identify, Enroll & Plan for Financial Security in Disasters

Get Tech Ready

PHILADELPHIA – When most people prepare for an emergency, they assume they won’t be able to use technology as a resource; the power will probably be out, so technology won’t be able to help. With effective planning, it’s possible to take advantage of technology before, during and after a crisis to communicate with loved ones, manage your financial affairs, and get important information.

“Information and communication are two of the most important aspects of successfully getting through an emergency,” said Regional Administrator MaryAnn Tierney, “they can get you in touch with loved ones, alert you to where resources are, and let you know when it’s safe to be outside. By using technology as a resource, you can improve your ability to communicate and receive information.”

Getting tech ready means not only preparing your devices to be easy access resources for you and your family, but also planning for ways to keep your devices powered. Get a solar-powered or hand crank charger and a car charger for your phone to keep it powered throughout the emergency.

Follow important officials and organizations on social media channels, doing so will help you receive important information if you can’t access television or radio. By identifying these accounts now, you won’t have to search for them in the middle of an emergency or drain your battery during the search. Key accounts include emergency management agencies, Governors, local officials, and local media. Another good way to keep in touch with officials is to see if they offer text message updates; FEMA has a text message program which includes preparedness tips and other resources, get more information by texting INFO to 43362 (4FEMA) or visiting fema.gov/text-messages.

Synchronize your contacts across all your devices and all your channels so that way you have many ways to get ahold of people. By having access phone numbers, social media accounts, and email addresses, you can get in touch with your loved ones even if one system or channel is down. Often when phone calls are difficult to make, you can send text messages, social media messages, or emails to pass along important information.

Make sure you program “In Case of Emergency” (ICE) contacts into your cell phone so emergency personnel can contact those people for you if you’re unable to use your phone. Let your ICE contacts know that they’re programmed into your phone and inform them of any medical issues or other special needs you may have. If something should happen to you, that action will help you receive the care you need and let your loved ones know where you are.

Download resource apps for your smartphone, they often have important information like phone numbers, first aid tips, and other resources. The FEMA App contains disaster safety tips, an interactive emergency kit list, emergency meeting location information, and a map with open shelters and open FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs). There may be other apps available from your state or local emergency management agency, ask them to see what resources you can access.

While these are just a few examples of how you can turn technology into a valuable resource during an emergency, visit ready.gov/get-tech-ready to get more tips.

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 Region III’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts are available at fema.gov/medialibrary and youtube.com/fema. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion3.

Media Inquiries: FEMAR3NewsDesk@fema.dhs.gov or 215-931-5597

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Get Tech Ready

Federal Disaster Aid for Illinois Public Assistance at $1.5 Million

AURORA, Ill. – Federal assistance continues to flow to Illinois as the state recovers from storms and flooding that occurred April 16 through May 5. About $1.5 million has now been obligated to help state, local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations recover.

This federal assistance will reimburse for debris removal, and materials—including gravel and sandbags—equipment, and overtime used in responding to the spring’s severe weather event.

FEMA’s Public Assistance is a reimbursement program that helps communities deal with the financial burdens imposed by a disaster. Federal reimbursement is not less than 75 percent of the eligible cost for emergency measures and permanent restoration. Thus far, more than 631 requests for Public Assistance have been submitted.

Counties designated for public assistance are: Adams, Brown, Bureau, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Clark, Crawford, DuPage, Fulton, Green, Grundy, Hancock, Henderson, Kendall, Knox, Lake, LaSalle, Lawrence, Livingston, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, Mercer, Monroe, Morgan, Ogle, Peoria, Pike, Putnam, Rock Island, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, Stark, Tazewell, Warren, Will, and Woodford.

Registration has ended for FEMA Individual Assistance with 97, 286 registrations. To date, $155 million has been disbursed to individuals and families for their recovery. The Small Business Administration has approved $62.9 in disaster loans.

Media Contact: 571-408-1835

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Federal Disaster Aid for Illinois Public Assistance at $1.5 Million

Federal Disaster Aid to Illinois Residents Tops $148 Million

AURORA, Ill. – Federal assistance continues to flow to Illinois as the state recovers from storms and flooding that occurred April 16 through May 5. More than $148 million has now been distributed among more than 83,000 individuals and households.

The latest summary of federal assistance includes:

More than $148 million in FEMA grants approved for individuals and households;
Of that amount, more than $128 million has been approved for housing assistance, including temporary rental assistance and home repair costs;
More than $20 million has been approved to cover other essential disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses and damaged personal possessions;
More than 89,000 home inspections have been completed to confirm disaster damage;
More than $54 million in loans to homeowners, renters or business owners has been approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

FEMA has extended the registration deadline by 15 days to August 8, 2013. Affected residents of 35 counties covered in the Illinois disaster declaration for severe storms and flooding are encouraged to register with FEMA.

Counties designated for individual assistance for this disaster declaration are: Brown, Bureau, Calhoun, Clark, Cook, Crawford, DeKalb, Douglas, DuPage, Fulton, Grundy, Henderson, Henry, Kane, Kendall, Knox, Lake, LaSalle, Livingston, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, Peoria, Pike, Putnam, Rock Island, Schuyler, Stark, Tazewell, Warren, Whiteside, Will, Winnebago, and Woodford.

Federal assistance is only available for individuals who incurred damage in a designated county as a result of storms and flooding that occurred April 16 to May 5. Registering for assistance for damages sustained as a result of a storm in any other period could be considered fraudulent and claimants could face recoupment of grant money received and/or fraud charges.

To register or to ask questions about your claim, call 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585. Residents can also register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362. All phone lines are open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Multi-lingual phone operators are available on the FEMA helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages. Those with storm damage who do not register are disqualifying themselves from any possible assistance if their insurance settlement is not enough.

In addition to assisting individuals and families, FEMA is helping state, local governments, and certain types of private nonprofit organizations recover from the flooding event. This arm of FEMA assistance, Public Assistance (PA), is a reimbursement program that helps communities deal with the financial burdens imposed by a disaster. The federal share of PA is not less than 75 percent of the eligible cost for emergency measures and permanent restoration. Thus far, more than 600 requests for Public Assistance have been submitted.

Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/femaregion5, 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.

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Media Contact: 571-408-1835

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Federal Disaster Aid to Illinois Residents Tops $148 Million

FEMA Awards $1,093,748 Grant to City of Wood Dale: Hazard mitigation funds will be used to acquire and demolish five flood prone structures

CHICAGO — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released $1,093,748 in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds to the City of Wood Dale, Ill., for the acquisition and demolition of five residential structures located in the floodplain of Salt Creek. These structures have been damaged multiple times from past flooding and rain events.

“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 of these homes permanently removes the structures from the floodplain and greatly reduces the financial impact on individuals and the community when future flooding occurs in this area.”

HMGP provides grants to state and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures. Through HMGP, FEMA will pay 75 percent of the $1,458,330 eligible project cost. The remaining 25 percent of the funds, $364,582 will be provided by Wood Dale.

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

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

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FEMA Awards $1,093,748 Grant to City of Wood Dale: Hazard mitigation funds will be used to acquire and demolish five flood prone structures

Plaquemines Parish Disaster Recovery Centers Close Saturday

BATON ROUGE, La. — Time is running out for Hurricane Isaac survivors in Plaquemines Parish to visit the State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers in Belle Chasse, Port Sulphur and Braithwaite, as they close permanently at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Although the centers will close, Hurricane Isaac survivors can still contact FEMA online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

Survivors may also contact the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) after the center closes at 1-800-659-2955 or www.sba.gov.

The centers are located at:

Belle Chasse Auditorium

8398 Hwy. 23

Belle Chasse, LA 70037

Hours for Belle Chasse: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through Friday; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17.

28028 Hwy. 23

Port Sulphur, LA 70083

111 Bethleham Lane

Braithwaite, LA 70040

Hours for Port Sulphur and Braithwaite: 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. through Friday; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17.

To continue serving Hurricane Isaac survivors, SBA will open a Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) at the Seedco Financial Service Building, 8018 Hwy 23 in Belle Chasse at 9 a.m. Monday, Nov. 19.

SBA representatives at the DLOC will answer questions, explain the application process and help survivors apply for low-interest disaster loans.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, visit online at www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. You can follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.

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

SBA is the federal government’s primary source of funding for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts, and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover uninsured and uncompensated losses and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For information about SBA programs, applicants may call 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339).

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Plaquemines Parish Disaster Recovery Centers Close Saturday

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