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Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Pasco County for Hurricane Hermine

TALLAHASSEE—A Disaster Recovery Center has opened in Pasco County to help survivors affected by Hurricane Hermine’s severe storms and flooding that severely impacted the state between Aug. 31 and Sept. 11, 2016.

The center is located at:

Mike Fasano Shelter Area

11611 Denton Ave

Hudson, FL 34667

Open Monday – Saturday

9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Closed Sundays

Disaster Recovery Centers serve as one-stop shops for eligible storm survivors seeking one-on-one help. Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and various state agencies will be at the center to answer questions Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The center is closed on Sundays.

FDEM and FEMA officials continue to work closely with local officials in hard-hit areas to identify suitable sites for additional centers. Survivors can also locate the center by visiting the DRC locator.

Downloading the FEMA App (available in English and Spanish) to their mobile device will allow survivors to:

Apply for disaster assistance
Get directions to the nearest Disaster Recovery Center
Get weather alerts
Subscribe to disaster safety tips

Many services available at disaster recovery centers are also available by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. Survivors with questions regarding the application or the appeals process, or who need to register for assistance, may visit online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. (TTY users should call 800-462-7585.) The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

Survivors requiring a reasonable accommodation (ASL interpreting, Braille Large Print, etc.) while visiting a disaster recovery center may call the appropriate Helpline number above to receive support.

FEMA encourages survivors to register as soon as possible. Those who may have registered with their county emergency management office, the American Red Cross or other community organizations are reminded to also register with FEMA.

Disaster assistance may include grants to help homeowners and renters pay for temporary housing, essential home repairs, personal property replacement, and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

SBA offers low-interest disaster loans for businesses of all sizes, homeowners, renters, and private non-profit organizations. SBA disaster loans may cover repairs, rebuilding, as well as the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged real estate and personal property.

For more information about SBA loans, call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit http://www.sba.gov/disaster. TTY users may call 800-877-8339. Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

For more information on Florida’s disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4280, twitter.com/FEMAregion4, facebook.com/FEMA, and fema.gov/blog. For imagery, video, graphics and releases, see www.fema.gov/hurricane-Matthew.

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Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Pasco County for Hurricane Hermine

Tips for Cleaning Your Home after Hurricane Matthew

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida residents returning to or repairing homes damaged by Hurricane Matthew should keep in mind that safety should always be their first consideration when inspecting and cleaning up buildings damaged by flood waters.

Below are a few simple guidelines to follow that will make the clean-up and salvage process safer and easier:

Always wear protective clothing including long-sleeved shirts, long pants, rubber or plastic gloves and waterproof boots or shoes.
Before entering your home, look outside for damaged power lines, gas lines and other exterior damage.
Take photos of your damage before you begin clean up and save repair receipts.
Your home may be contaminated with mold, which raises the health risk for those with asthma, allergies and breathing conditions. Refer to the Center for Disease Control for more info on mold: www.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/pdf/flyer-get-rid-of-mold.pdf.
Open doors and windows so your house can air out before spending any length of time inside.
Turn off main electrical power and water systems and don’t use gas appliances until a professional can ensure they are safe.
Check all ceilings and floors for signs of sagging or other potentially dangerous structural damage.
Throw out all foods, beverages and medicines exposed to flood waters or mud including canned goods and containers with food or liquid.
Also, throw out any items that absorb water and cannot be cleaned or disinfected (mattresses, carpeting, stuffed animals, etc.).
Beware of snakes, insects, alligators and other animals that may be on your property or in your home.
Remove all drywall and insulation that has been in contact with flood waters.
Clean all hard surfaces (flooring, countertops, appliances, sinks, etc.) thoroughly with hot water and soap or detergent.

Before returning to your home, make sure you have the following items among your clean-up and salvage supplies: government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, etc.) and proof of address; bottled water and non-perishable foods; first aid kit; cleanser or hand cleaning gel; hygiene products and toilet paper; insect repellent and sunscreen; flashlights and extra batteries; camera or cell phone to document damage; a list of important phone numbers; and plenty of cash (ATMs may not work).

It’s also smart to create a back-up communication plan with family and friends in case you’re unable to call from your home or other areas affected by the hurricane.

If you haven’t done so already, report your damage from the hurricane to your insurance company and local emergency manager.

For more information on Florida’s disaster recovery visit fema.gov/disaster/4280, twitter.com/FEMA, facebook.com/FEMA, and fema.gov/blog. For imagery, video, graphics and releases, see www.fema.gov/hurricane-Matthew.

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Tips for Cleaning Your Home after Hurricane Matthew

Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Hernando County for Hurricane Hermine

TALLAHASSEE—A Disaster Recovery Center has opened in Hernando County to help survivors affected by Hurricane Hermine’s severe storms and flooding that severely impacted the state between Aug. 31 and Sept. 11, 2016.

The location of the center is:

Westside Government Center

7405 Forest Oaks Blvd

Spring Hill, FL 34607

Open Monday – Saturday

9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Closed Sundays

Apply for disaster assistance
Get directions to the nearest Disaster Recovery Center
Find shelter locations
Get weather alerts
Subscribe to disaster safety tips

For more information on Florida’s disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4280, twitter.com/FEMA, facebook.com/FEMA, and fema.gov/blog.

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Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Hernando County for Hurricane Hermine

Florida Residents: Beware of Fraud, Scams and Price Gouging

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – State and federal recovery officials encourage Florida residents to watch for and report any suspicious activity or potential fraud from scam artists, identity thieves and other criminals who may try to prey on survivors vulnerable due to the recent hurricanes. They should also be on the lookout for price gouging by gas stations, hotels and other businesses serving disaster survivors in Florida.

FEMA encourages survivors to be especially vigilant for these common post-disaster fraud practices:

Fraudulent building contractors
Use only licensed local contractors backed by reliable references.
Demand that contractors carry general liability insurance and workers’ compensation.
Don’t pay more than half the costs of repairs upfront.
Bogus pleas for post-disaster donations
Verify legitimate solicitations by asking for the charity’s exact name, street address, phone number and Web address.
Phone the charity and confirm that the person asking for funds is a genuine employee or volunteer.
Don’t pay donations with cash.
Request a receipt with the charity’s name, street address, and phone number.
Fake offers of state or federal aid
Beware of visits, telephone calls or e-mails — claiming to be from FEMA or the State of Florida — asking for your Social Security number, bank account number or other sensitive information.
Avoid scam artists who promise a disaster grant and ask for large cash deposits or advance payments in full.
Federal and state workers never solicit or accept money or charge applicants for disaster assistance, inspections or help in filling out applications.

Those who question the validity of a contact or suspect fraud are encouraged to call the toll free FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or the Florida Attorney General’s fraud and price gouging hotline at 866-966-7226. Complaints also may be made by contacting local law enforcement agencies.

For more information on Florida’s disaster recovery visit fema.gov/disaster/4280, twitter.com/FEMA, facebook.com/FEMA, and fema.gov/blog, floridadisaster.org or #FLRecovers. For imagery, video, graphics and releases, see fema.gov/Hurricane-Matthew.

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Florida Residents: Beware of Fraud, Scams and Price Gouging

Federal Agencies Actively Engaged in Response and Recovery Operations throughout the Southeast United States

FEMA Urges Residents Affected by Flooding in North Carolina to Register for Assistance

WASHINGTON – As life-threatening flooding throughout the eastern Carolinas continues, Federal agencies remain active in supporting a wide array of response and recovery efforts throughout the Southeast United States.

On October 10, President Obama signed a major disaster declaration for North Carolina, allowing residents in declared areas of the state to register for FEMA assistance that may 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 Hurricane Matthew. Federal funding is also available to state and eligible tribal and local governments and certain private non-profit organizations for debris removal and emergency protective measures for declared areas.

Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in North Carolina can begin applying for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). 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 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. EDT seven days a week until further notice.

At the President’s direction, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is leading the federal government’s response efforts to provide assistance in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. There are more than 1,500 FEMA personnel on the ground supporting response and recovery efforts including Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) teams; and seven Incident Management Assistance Teams (IMATs). There are three Urban Search & Rescue teams working in North Carolina actively conducting rescues and another team on standby in South Carolina.

Today, President Obama signed a major disaster declaration for the state of South Carolina. This is in addition to the major declarations issued for Florida and Georgia making federal funding available to state and eligible tribal and local governments and certain private non-profit organizations for debris removal and emergency protective measures for declared areas. Damage assessments are underway and additional designations and forms of assistance may be added at a later date.

Additionally, FEMA is transporting pre-positioned commodities to affected areas as requests are submitted. More than 6.9 million meals; 4.3 million liters of water; 89,000 blankets; and 522 generators were made available for state, tribal and local officials to distribute to individuals. Thus far, states have received the following commodities:

Florida: More than 4.4 million meals; 1.2 million liters of water; 17,200 blankets; 128 Generators;
Georgia: More than 875,000 meals, 930,000 liters of water; 245 Generators;
North Carolina: More than 1.4 million meals; 1.95 million liters of water; 49,000 blankets; 148 Generators; and,
South Carolina: More than 267,000 meals; 400,000 liters of water; 4,400 blankets.

Survivors in affected areas who have flood insurance through FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and whose property suffered flood damage are encouraged to contact their local insurance agency or company to file a flood insurance claim. When calling, they should have their policy number and a telephone number/email address where they can be reached. Policyholders affected by Hurricane Matthew are also now eligible for advanced payments under their flood insurance policy.

Policyholders with additional questions about filing a claim or about their NFIP policy can call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 and press option “2.” For a TTY line, call 800-462-7585. The line is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT Monday to Friday.

Ongoing Federal Response and Recovery Efforts:

The National Guard continues to support states impacted by Hurricane Matthew. During the next 24 hours, the total number of Guardsmen is decreasing from approximately 8,000 to 6,000; however the number of activations in North Carolina will increase as flooding concerns continue.

The American Red Cross continues providing shelter throughout the affected areas. Nearly 4,800 people stayed in 90 Red Cross and community shelters. Although sheltering numbers are decreasing in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, shelter numbers increased overnight for North Carolina as additional flooding occurs. The American Red Cross has more than 3,000 trained disaster workers on the ground in addition to 155 pre-positioned response vehicles and more than 100 trailer loads filled water, ready-to-eat meals, shelter and kitchen supplies, cleaning supplies and comfort kits, insect repellant, gloves, masks, shovels, rakes, coolers and more. As conditions permit, Red Cross response vehicles will begin circulating through the hardest hit areas to begin delivering food and relief supplies. For Hurricane Matthew shelter locations, visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-768-8048. The American Red Cross still has an urgent need for blood and platelet donations as Hurricane Matthew has forced the cancellation of many blood drives. Residents who are in an unaffected area, are encouraged to give blood or platelets, to help patients in the affected areas with great need. Go to redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced recovery assistance in the form of low-interest disaster loans are now available to North Carolina survivors and businesses affected by Hurricane Matthew. SBA’s Field Operations Center staff also joined FEMA, state and local officials today to assist conducting Preliminary Damage Assessments in both Florida and South Carolina.

The U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance teams are deployed to Haiti, Jamaica and the Bahamas and are working with local authorities to coordinate relief efforts. Updates on the status operations throughout the Caribbean are available on travel.state.gov and on individual Embassy websites. U.S. citizens traveling and residing abroad are encouraged to enroll their travel plans on the agency’s website using the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), and to read the “Country Specific” information also found on the site.

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) deployed more than 500 AmeriCorps members, including FEMA Corps, to areas affected by Hurricane Matthew. These deployments include 59 teams of FEMA Corps members – 471 AmeriCorps members in total – that have been pre-staged to support FEMA’s response to affected states. An additional 90 AmeriCorps members are supporting shelter and emergency operations in Florida and South Carolina. CNCS is coordinating with local partners in each state, including governor-appointed state service commissions and voluntary organizations, to support state emergency operations and volunteer response efforts.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) encourages producers with crops insured under the Federal crop insurance program to immediately contact their local crop insurance agent to report any damage to insured crops after the storm. For assistance with Rural Development financed housing, business or community assistance information, and to get help from the Natural Resources Conservation Service for debris removal, click here. Additional disaster resource information as well as food safety, livestock and pet guidance is available at www.usda.gov. USDA Foods’ inventories have been requested from all potentially impacted state agencies, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) staff is prepared to respond to any state requests for disaster SNAP and/or other SNAP-related needs. Additional information about USDA’s disaster assistance resources is available here.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) deployed more than 100 personnel in response to Hurricane Matthew. USACE is supporting temporary power restoration, coast engineering-damage assessments, emergency operation center activations and dam inspections. USACE military leadership remain engaged at state emergency operations centers in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The Temporary Emergency Power support for North Carolina includes members of the 249th Engineer Battalion and Power Planning and Readiness Teams who manage and install generators. Personnel supporting power missions in Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia have been released. Coastal Engineers continue damage assessments in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. The dam inspections are occurring on 83 privately-owned dams in South Carolina. Debris and temporary roofing subject matter experts continue performing ground assessments along impacted state coastal areas. USACE is also participating in port surveys in coordination with the Coast Guard. USACE has deployed our Public Health and Safety Officer to FEMA’s National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) who is working on Zika virus related issues connected with the recession of flood waters in support of the Department of Health and Human Services. Seven of USACE’s emergency operations centers remain activated in the affected areas.

U.S. Northern Command continues to support seven Incident Support Bases and Federal Staging Areas in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia to support federal and state resources needed for response. Additionally, Defense Coordinating Officers and Defense Coordinating Elements remain in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, along with a Defense Coordinating Officer in Virginia. Dual-status commanders are designated in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.

A 46-member Disaster Medical Assistance Team from the U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) continues to provide medical support to a hospital in Brevard County, Florida, assisting with a surge in demand for emergency department services. Approximately 570 personnel from the National Disaster Medical System, U.S. Public Health Service, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response remain activated and another 350 are on alert ready to assist in other communities as needed, particularly as rivers crest after the storm. HHS agencies continue to promote public health messaging and tips on staying healthy after the storm at www.phe.gov/hurricanematthew and www.cdc.gov.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued an official memo to impacted states regarding immigration enforcement activities. The message notifies the public that there will be no immigration enforcement initiatives associated with evacuations or sheltering related to Hurricane Matthew, including the use of checkpoints for immigration enforcement purposes in impacted areas during an evacuation. The message has been translated in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Chinese , Korean, and Vietnamese. Additionally, CRCL and FEMA ODIC holding daily calls of the Interagency Coordinating Council on Individuals with Disabilities (ICC) to share information and resources with interagency partners on any issues impacting individuals with disabilities in the affected states.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services encourages those whose application, petition or immigration status may be impacted by Hurricane Matthew to call the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 800-375-5283 (TDD for the deaf and hard of hearing: 800-767-1833) to learn how to request certain types of relief. For more information, click here.

The U.S. Coast Guard continues working with the U.S. Corps of Engineers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), local port authorities, and other partners to reopen the Georgia ports of Savannah and Brunswick. The teams are surveying channel depths to ensure safe navigation for commercial vessels. The Coast Guard also continues to assist in search and rescue efforts and remains poised to assist in future rescue efforts from those affected by Hurricane Matthew to ensure the safety of individuals that may be in distress from this storm. Additional information for Haiti operations and ongoing support for the Brunswick and Savannah, Georgia ports is being updated online.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) continues working with energy partners in affected areas as power restoration continues. Requirements for restoration vary state-by-state and with local jurisdictions, which may cause delays for some communities and neighborhoods. As power is being restored to communities affected by Hurricane Matthew, it is important to note that structural inspections are required before any damaged homes can start receiving power. DOE is providing daily situational updates on power outages and restoration throughout the affected area.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) deployed housing assessment teams in each affected state. The teams are compiling damage data on all of HUD’s Multifamily and Public Housing apartments.

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s United States Geological Survey (USGS) is now focusing on historic inland flooding in North Carolina. Personnel from 40 crews continue to collect the surge sensors and gages that identify high water marks in the affected states. USGS has additional crews making flood measurements and repairing stream gages damaged by river flooding. The overall storm totals were 393 sensors at 290 locations, making the Matthew deployment the largest in USGS history. Sensor recovery operations in GA and SC may be completed by early Wednesday. Sensor recovery in NC is underway and may be completed late Wednesday. Crews there are actively responding to the period-of-record riverine flooding that in some cases rivals or exceed Hurricane Floyd peaks. Some areas are devastated with access problems and no food or gas nearby. Safety is the top priority. Information on all sensors and gages is available online.

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service reports that 10 Atlantic coast national park units in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina remain closed in the wake of Hurricane Matthew as the NPS continues to determine the extent of damage caused by the storm’s wind and water. The NPS deployed its Eastern Incident Management Team to Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve to coordinate and oversee the assessment and recovery operations at all of the affected parks. NPS deployed more than 130 personnel for Hurricane Matthew response.

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that 19 wildlife refuges and two fish hatcheries remain closed until it is safe for staff to return.

The U.S. Department of Justice deployed 77 federal law enforcement personnel in the affected states, with an additional 50 personnel on stand-by for assignment, if necessary.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency continues to conduct oil and hazardous material field assessments. In Florida, EPA completed more than 100 field assessments, reporting no hazardous materials. Additionally, EPA is working with affected states to incorporate debris assignments.

The Federal Aviation Administration posted and is updating information on temporary flight restrictions for unmanned aircrafts and other aircraft operations.

The Federal Communications Commission continues monitoring the status of communications networks, and coordinating with providers and government partners on communications status and restoration throughout the affected areas.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration divisions in the southern region continue working with contact permitting agencies & commercial motor vehicle law enforcement agencies in their states to assist with necessary emergency waivers and permits.

To report a missing child, contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-866-908-9570. Anyone who finds an unaccompanied child who may have been separated from their parents or caregivers because of the hurricane, can enter basic information and/or a photo into the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s Unaccompanied Minors Registry or call 1-866-908-9570.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration deployed about a dozen personnel from division offices to assist with the storm response. Bridge and road inspectors will make damage assessments in affected areas are beginning.

The U.S. Department of Treasury’s Internal Revenue Service announced today that North Carolina storm victims will have until March 15, 2017, to file certain individual and business tax returns and make certain tax payments, with similar relief expected soon for Hurricane Matthew victims in other states. For more information, go to Tax Relief in Disaster Situations on www.IRS.gov.

Up-to-date information about U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs facilities is available.

FEMA advises anyone in the impacted areas looking to help or assist with response and recovery efforts can get involved by contacting their American Red Cross chapter or their local Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) chapter to connect to many organizations working on the ground that are in need of volunteers. To get in touch with the local VOAD in the affected areas, visit:

For additional information, imagery, graphics and b-roll from FEMA, click here.

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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.

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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Federal Agencies Actively Engaged in Response and Recovery Operations throughout the Southeast United States

Disaster Recovery Centers Open For Hurricane Hermine Survivors

TALLAHASSEE—Disaster Recovery Centers have opened in Citrus, Dixie, Levy and Leon counties to help survivors affected by Hurricane Hermine’s severe storms and flooding that severely impacted the state between Aug. 31 and Sept. 11, 2016.

The locations are:

Citrus County

West Citrus Center
1540 N. Meadowcrest Blvd.
Crystal River, FL 34429

Open Monday – Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closed Sundays.

Dixie County

Lumber Yard Parking Lot
63 NE 132nd Ave.
Cross City, FL 32638

Open Monday – Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closed Sundays.

Leon County

Leroy Collins Library
200 W. Park Ave,
Tallahassee, FL 32301

Open Monday – Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
closed Sundays.

Levy County

Inglis Town Hall135 Hwy 40 W.
Inglis, FL 34449
Open Monday – Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closed Sundays.

Levy County

Cedar Key Volunteer Fire Department,
489 First St.
Cedar Key, FL 32625

Open Monday – Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
closed Sundays.

Disaster Recovery Centers serve as one-stop shops for eligible storm survivors seeking one-on-one help. Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Florida Division of Emergency Management, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and various state agencies will be at the centers to answer questions.

State and FEMA officials continue to work closely with local officials in hard-hit areas to identify suitable sites for additional centers. Survivors can also locate the center by visiting the DRC locator. Downloading the FEMA App to their mobile device will allow survivors to:

Apply for disaster assistance
Get directions to the nearest Disaster Recovery Center
Find shelter locations
Get weather alerts
Subscribe to disaster safety tips

Many services available at disaster recovery centers are also available by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. Survivors with questions regarding the application or the appeals process, or who need to register for assistance, may visit online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. (TTY users should call 800-462-7585.) The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

For more information on Florida’s disaster recovery for Hurricane Hermine visit /disaster/4280, twitter.com/FEMA, facebook.com/FEMA, and fema.gov/blog.

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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.

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 800-621-3362 (voice, 711 or video relay service). TTY users can call 800-462-7585.

The U.S. Small Business Administration is the federal government’s primary source of money to help business of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters rebuild and recover after a disaster. SBA low interest disaster loans repair and replace property losses not fully compensated by insurance and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies.

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Disaster Recovery Centers Open For Hurricane Hermine Survivors

Federal Government Continues to Ramp Up Resources and Support to Affected States

Residents Urged to Stay off of Flooded Roads, Clean up Begins in Some Areas

WASHINGTON –The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its partners continue to mobilize additional resources and personnel to support state and local efforts as record rains and flooding remains a significant concern for public safety. Local and federal officials are also working to clear debris from major roads, ensure coastal ports are safe to re-open and support efforts to restore power in affected areas.

At the direction of President Obama, FEMA is leading the federal government’s efforts to provide assistance and support in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. Recovery efforts are under way in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina and response efforts continue in North Carolina, including thousands of water rescues supported by federal responders and assets in the state.

There are more than 800 FEMA personnel on the ground supporting response and recovery efforts including Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) teams; and seven Incident Management Assistance Teams (IMATs). There are three active Urban Search & Rescue teams with seven additional teams on standby, if needed. To date, USAR teams have conducted 75 rescues.

FEMA is transporting prepositioned commodities to affected areas as requests are submitted. More than 5.2 million meals, 3.7 million liters of water, and 72,000 blankets for state, were made available for state, tribal and local officials to distribute to individuals should they be requested by states. Thus far, states have received the following commodities:

Florida: More than 3 million meals; 800,000 million liters of water;
Georgia: More than 580,000 meals, 649,000 liters of water; 17,200 blankets;
North Carolina: More than 1.39 million meals; 1.85 million liters of water; 49,000 blankets;
South Carolina: More than 267,000 meals; 400,000 liters of water; 4,400 blankets.

The National Business Emergency Operation Center (NBEOC) continues to coordinate with more than 375 national businesses about the effects of Hurricane Matthew and flooding. Businesses are encouraged to use established social media hashtags to report public safety concerns, share local access areas that remain close or inaccessible, and the status of reopening business hours. The hashtags are: Florida: #FLOpen4Biz; Georgia: #GAOpen4Biz; South Carolina: #SCOpen4Biz; and North Carolina: #NCOpen4Biz.

On Saturday, October 8, President Obama signed major disaster declarations for Florida and Georgia making federal funding available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private non-profit organizations for debris removal and emergency protective measures for affected areas. Damage assessments are underway and additional designations and forms of assistance may be added at a later date.

Ongoing Support and Preparedness Efforts:

The National Guard continues support to states impacted by Hurricane Matthew. Additional Guard members are now activated in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia to assist with high water transport. The number of total Guard personnel on duty is expected to drop from more than 8,000 Sunday to approximately 7,500 today.

The American Red Cross continues supporting a massive shelter operation in the affected areas. Nearly 7,000 people stayed the night in 156 Red Cross and community shelters in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. The American Red Cross has more than 3,000 trained disaster workers on the ground in addition to 149 pre-positioned response vehicles and 100 trailer loads filled water, ready-to-eat meals, shelter and kitchen supplies, cleaning supplies and comfort kits, insect repellant, gloves, masks, shovels, rakes, coolers and more. For Hurricane Matthew shelter locations, visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-768-8048. The American Red Cross has an urgent need for blood and platelet donations as Hurricane Matthew has forced the cancellation of many blood drives. Residents who are in an unaffected area, are encouraged to give blood or platelets, to help patients in the affected areas with great need. Go to redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) encourages producers with crops insured under the Federal crop insurance program to immediately contact their local crop insurance agent to report any damage to insured crops after the storm. For assistance with Rural Development financed housing, business or community assistance information, and to get help from the Natural Resources Conservation Service for debris removal, visit here. Additional disaster resource information as well as food safety, livestock and pet guidance is available at www.usda.gov. USDA Foods’ inventories have been requested from all potentially impacted state agencies, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) staff is prepared to respond to any state requests for disaster SNAP and/or other SNAP-related needs. Additional information about USDA’s disaster assistance resources is available here.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) continues to engage in dam safety inspections throughout South Carolina, testing more than 80 privately-owned dams at the state’s request. USACE also continues to support damage assessments to coastal regions.

Members of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Disaster Medical Assistance Team from Pennsylvania continue providing medical support to a hospital in Brevard County, Florida, assisting with a surge in demand for emergency department services. More than 700 personnel from the National Disaster Medical System, U.S. Public Health Service, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response remain pre-positioned or on alert ready to assist in other communities as needed. HHS agencies, continue to promote public health messaging and staying healthy after the storm at www.phe.gov/hurricanematthew and www.cdc.gov.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with FEMA, issued an official memo to impacted states regarding immigration enforcement activities. The DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL), in coordination with FEMA’s Office of Disability Integration and Coordination and FEMA’s Office for Equal Rights, issued a notice to ensure that individuals and communities affected by the disaster do not face unlawful discrimination in the provision of federally assisted services. Additionally, CRCL and FEMA ODIC holding daily calls of the Interagency Coordinating Council on Individuals with Disabilities (ICC) to share information and resources with interagency partners on any issues impacting individuals with disabilities in the affected states.

The U.S. Coast Guard continues working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, NOAA, local port authorities, and other partners to reopen the Georgia ports of Savannah and Brunswick. The teams are surveying channel depths to ensure safe navigation for commercial vessels.

The Coast Guard also continues to assist in search and rescue efforts and remains poised to assist in future rescue efforts from those affected by Hurricane Matthew to ensure the safety of individuals that may be in distress from this storm.

The U.S. Department of Energy continues working with energy partners in affected areas as power restoration continues. Requirements for restoration vary state-by-state and with local jurisdictions, which may cause delays for some communities and neighborhoods.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development deployed housing assessment teams in each affected state. The teams are compiling damage data on all of HUD’s Multifamily and Public Housing apartments.

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s United States Geological Survey deployed more than 40 teams to the affected areas to collect the surge sensors and gages that identify high water marks. USGS has additional crews making flood measurements and repairing stream gages damaged by river flooding. USGS is placing employee safety as the top priority. Access issues in some locations and continued significant flooding are impacting field work efforts. Information on all sensors and gages is available online.

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service reports that nine Atlantic coast national parks in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina remain closed in the wake of Hurricane Matthew as the NPS continues to determine the extent of damage caused by the storm’s wind and water. The NPS has deployed its Eastern Incident Management Team to Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve to coordinate and oversee the assessment and recovery operations at all of the affected parks.

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that 20 wildlife refuges are closed and each will remain so until it is safe for staff to return.

The Department of Justice deployed 77 federal law enforcement personnel in the affected states, with an additional 50 personnel on stand-by for assignment, if necessary.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency continues to conduct oil and hazardous material field assessments. In Florida, EPA completed more than 100 field assessments, reporting no hazardous materials. Additionally, EPA is working with affected states to incorporate debris assignments.

The Federal Communications Commission continues monitoring the status of communications networks and coordinating with providers and government partners on communications status and restoration throughout the affected areas.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) divisions in the southern region continue working with contact permitting agencies & commercial motor vehicle law enforcement agencies in their states to assist with necessary emergency waivers and permits.

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) deployed staff to Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina to support FEMA efforts to establish Joint Field Offices and Disaster Response Centers. GSA assessment teams are preparing to survey potential damage to federal facilities and will ensure any necessary repairs are undertaken quickly.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) activated its Unaccompanied Minors Registry (UMR). Family members can go to https://umr.missingkids.org or call 1-800-THE-LOST to find unaccompanied children who may have been separated from parents or caregivers because of the floods, by entering basic information and/or a photo.

The Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Highway Administration deployed about a dozen personnel from division offices to assist with the storm response. Bridge and road inspectors will make damage assessments in affected areas are beginning.

The Department of Treasury’s Internal Revenue Service (IRS) latest guidance for taxpayers affected by Hurricane Matthew.

Up-to-date information about U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs facilities is available.

For additional info, imagery, graphics and b-roll, see our Hurricane Matthew web page: www.fema.gov/hurricane-matthew.

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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.

Original article:

Federal Government Continues to Ramp Up Resources and Support to Affected States

Federal Resources Supporting Response to Aftermath of Hurricane Matthew

Severe Flooding Affecting Areas throughout the Southeast

WASHINGTON –The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its partners continue to mobilize resources and personnel to support state, local and tribal efforts as significant flooding impacts areas throughout the Southeast United States.

At the direction of President Obama, FEMA is leading the federal government’s efforts to provide assistance and support in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew and is, on a daily basis, moving personnel and supplies into the affected areas.

Already, there are more than 750 FEMA personnel on the ground supporting response and recovery efforts including six Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) teams and six Incident Management Assistance Teams (IMATs) . Ten Urban Search & Rescue teams are also deployed and engaged in search and rescue efforts.

FEMA also prepositioned commodities throughout affected areas to ensure there are no unmet needs. FEMA made available more than 2.8 million meals, three million liters of water, and 48,000 blankets for state, tribal and local officials to distribute to individuals should they be requested by states.

A breakdown by state:

Florida: More than 71,000 meals; 341,000 liters of water;
Georgia: More than 579,000 meals, 649,000 liters of water; 17,000 blankets;
North Carolina: More than 1.9 million meals; 1.6 million liters of water; 26,000 blankets; and,
South Carolina: More than 250,000 meals; 390,000 liters of water; 4,500 blankets.

President Obama signed major disaster declarations Saturday for Florida and Georgia making federal funding available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private non-profit organizations for debris removal and emergency protective measures for affected areas. This is in addition to pre-disaster emergency declarations signed earlier in the week by the President for Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Damage assessments are underway and additional designations and forms of assistance may be added at a later date.

Ongoing Support and Preparedness Efforts:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) deployed more than 100 personnel for Matthew response and is supporting eight FEMA mission assignments including dam inspections, flood-fight materials and temporary emergency power. USACE also continues participating in port surveys in the affected areas.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) encourages producers with crops insured under the Federal crop insurance program should immediately contact their local crop insurance agent to report any damage to insured crops after the storm. For assistance with Rural Development financed housing, business or community assistance information, and to get help from the Natural Resources Conservation Service for debris removal go to: http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app).

Additional disaster resource information as well as food safety, livestock and pet guidance is available at www.usda.gov. USDA Foods’ inventories have been requested from all potentially impacted state agencies, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) staff is prepared to respond to any state requests for disaster SNAP and/or other SNAP-related needs. Additional information about USDA’s disaster assistance resources is available at: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?navid=disaster-help.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) established Incident Support Bases or Federal Staging Areas in Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia in coordination with FEMA to preposition commodities and resources close to the potentially affect areas. The U.S. Northern Command deployed Defense Coordinating Elements to Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. These service members are providing DOD regional subject matter expertise, validate requirements, and conduct liaison efforts in support of response operations.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Disaster Medical Assistance Team members from Pennsylvania are providing medical support to two hospitals in Brevard County, Florida. Additionally more than 1,000 personnel from the National Disaster Medical System, U.S. Public Health Service, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response remain pre-positioned or on alert ready to assist in other communities.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security in coordination with FEMA are working to ensure that individuals and communities affected by disasters do not face unlawful discrimination as they seek disaster-assistance services. The DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and both FEMA’s Office on Disability Integration and Coordination and the Office for Equal Rights issued an official memo to impacted states that there will be no immigration enforcement initiatives associated with evacuations, sheltering, or any other life-saving initiatives related to Matthew.

U.S. Coast Guard deployed a public health and safety officer to the National Response Coordination Center to support HHS related to Zika-virus issues that may occur following the recession of flood waters.

The U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs continues to coordinate with tribes in potentially affected areas as needed.

The U.S. Department of Interior’s United States Geological Survey deployed more than 40 teams to the affected areas to collect the 393 surge sensors and gauges that identify high water marks. USGS has additional crews making flood measurements and repairing stream gauges damaged by river flooding. Information on all sensors and gages is available at: http://stn.wim.usgs.gov/error.html.

The U.S. Department of Interior’s National Park Service is continuing to monitor and evaluate conditions at their parks. More than half a dozen national parks remain closed, each is assessing the ability to open to the public. Anyone planning to visit a park in the impacted states is encouraged to verify a park’s open status on its website.

Additionally, the Department of the Interior’s Office of Law Enforcement and Security continues to coordinate readiness to help with security. Two 25-person Quick Response Teams composed of U.S. Park Police and National Park Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are assisting with protection for urban rescue teams and security for mobile field hospitals.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service report 16 National Wildlife Refuges and other facilities remain closed with damage assessments of those facilities underway.

The Department of Justice has 500 federal law enforcement officers from across the country on standby and ready to deploy, as required.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) activated the Regional Emergency Operations Center in Atlanta, Georgia and deployed liaisons to the FEMA Regional Response Coordination Center in Atlanta, and the state operational centers in Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina. All EPA regional programs have contacted their state counterparts and offered technical assistance concerning waste and debris disposal, water infrastructure, and fuel waiver issues. EPA deployed eight teams lead by Federal On-Scene Coordinators (OSC) to conduct oil and hazardous materials assessment activities in the Florida coastal counties of Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, Flagler, Volusia, and Brevard.

The Federal Aviation Administration is warning drone operators to stay clear of hurricane rescue and response aircraft to preserve the safety of first-responders.

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) activated its Unaccompanied Minors Registry (UMR). Family members can go to https://umr.missingkids.org or call 1-800-THE-LOST to find unaccompanied children who may have been separated from parents or caregivers because of the floods, by entering basic information and/or a photo.

The National Guard continues to move north following the storm’s path. More than 9,000 National Guard personnel from nine states are conducting search and rescue, security, infrastructure assessment, route clearance, and communications in support of hurricane recovery efforts. The National Guard provides support to civil authority of the state under direction of the governor.

The American Red Cross continues supporting a massive shelter operation in the affected areas. More than 13,400 people stayed the night in 248 Red Cross and community evacuation shelters in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. The Red Cross has more than 2,700 trained disaster workers on the ground in addition to 133 pre-positioned response vehicles and 97 trailer loads filled water, ready-to-eat meals, shelter and kitchen supplies, cleaning supplies and comfort kits, insect repellant, gloves, masks, shovels, rakes, coolers and more. For Hurricane Matthew shelter locations, visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-768-8048. The American Red Cross has an urgent need for blood and platelet donations as Hurricane Matthew has forced the cancellation of many blood drives. Residents who are in an unaffected area, are encouraged to give blood or platelets, to help patients in the affected areas with great need. Go to redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

The Department of Treasury’s Internal Revenue Service (IRS) advises that the latest guidance for taxpayers affected by Matthew will be available at https://www.irs.gov/uac/newsroom/news-releases-for-current-month.

For up-to-date information about U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs facilities can be found at: http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/31765/va-facilities-across-the-southeast-prepare-for-hurricane-matthew/.

The U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance teams are deployed to Haiti, Jamaica and the Bahamas and are working with local authorities to coordinate relief efforts. Updates on the status operations throughout the Caribbean are available on travel.state.gov and on individual Embassy websites. U.S. citizens traveling and residing abroad are encouraged to enroll their travel plans on the agency’s website, travel.state.gov, using the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), and to read the “Country Specific” information also found on the site.

For additional info, imagery, graphics and b-roll, see our Hurricane Matthew web page: http://www.fema.gov/hurricane-matthew.

###

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.

Link:

Federal Resources Supporting Response to Aftermath of Hurricane Matthew

FEMA Urges Residents in Affected States to Continue to Take Hurricane Matthew Seriously, Be Prepared and Ready for Severe Flooding

Over 3 Million People Still Under Hurricane Warning, Residents Advised to Heed Instructions from Local Officials

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) urges residents to be prepared for severe, potentially record historic flooding as Hurricane Matthew continues to impact the eastern Carolinas. Hurricane Matthew remains a dangerous storm and FEMA urges residents in affected states to heed instructions from state, local, and tribal officials. As of 8 a.m. Eastern Time, over three million residents remained under a Hurricane Warning.

For residents in Georgia and the Carolinas, dangerous flooding continues in many areas and may worsen throughout the day into Sunday, particularly along and east of the I-95 corridor. Flash flood warnings are in effect for significant portions of the Carolinas and the threat will continue for several more days. Driving through a flooded area can be extremely hazardous and almost half of all flash flood deaths happen in vehicles. If residents encounter flood waters, remember – turn around, don’t drown.

Residents should listen for local warnings and information and return home only when authorities indicate it is safe. Upon returning home, FEMA advises residents to be aware of emergency workers working on damaged infrastructure and assisting people in damaged areas. Residents should stay off the roads and out of the way.

“Residents need to stay focused on staying safe and be prepared,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “This hurricane is still very dangerous and its effects can be deadly even after it passes. Take flooding seriously, avoid downed power lines, and return home only when local officials say it is safe to do so.”

Shelters are open across the impacted states. Download the FEMA mobile app for shelter information, disaster resources, weather alerts, and safety tips, in English and in Spanish. The app provides a customizable checklist of emergency supplies, maps of open shelters and recovery centers, disaster survival tips, and weather alerts from the National Weather Service. The app also enables users to receive push notifications reminding them to take important steps to prepare their homes and families for disasters.

Residents in areas affected by Hurricane Matthew can use social media sites like Facebook or Twitter to reconnect with loved ones.

Earlier in the week, President Barack Obama declared emergencies for requested counties in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina authorizing FEMA to provide support and resources necessary to save lives and protect property.

Safety and Preparedness Tips

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 hurricane:

A Hurricane Watch is issued when a tropical cyclone containing winds of at least 74 miles-per-hour poses a possible threat, generally within 48 hours.
A Hurricane Warning is issued when sustained winds of 74 miles-per-hour or higher associated with a tropical cyclone are expected in 36 hours or less. A hurricane warning can remain in effect when dangerously high water or a combination of dangerously high water and exceptionally high waves continue, even though winds may be less than hurricane force.

For a tropical storm:

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

For flooding:

A Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flooding.
A Flood Warning is issued when flooding is imminent or occurring.

To learn more about what to do before, during and after severe weather, visit www.Ready.gov.

After the Hurricane

Listen to local officials for updates and instructions. Return home only when authorities indicate it is safe.
Check-in with family and friends by texting or using social media.
When you return to the impacted area, watch out for debris and downed power lines.
Avoid walking or driving through flood waters. Just 6 inches of moving water can knock you down, and fast-moving water can sweep your vehicle away.
Avoid flood water as it may be electrically charged from underground or downed power lines and may hide dangerous debris or places where the ground is washed away.
Photograph the damage to your property in order to assist in filing an insurance claim.
Do what you can to prevent further damage to your property, (e.g., putting a tarp on a damaged roof), as insurance may not cover additional damage that occurs after the storm.

For more information about Hurricane Matthew, including resources deployed, imagery, and b-roll go to: http://www.fema.gov/hurricane-matthew

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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.

Continue reading:

FEMA Urges Residents in Affected States to Continue to Take Hurricane Matthew Seriously, Be Prepared and Ready for Severe Flooding

Federal Family and Partners Support States and Tribes Responding to Hurricane Matthew

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) along with other federal agencies, state, tribal, and local governments, the private sector, and voluntary agencies’ response efforts continue as Hurricane Matthew affects the East Coast.

At the direction of the President, FEMA is leading the federal government’s effort to provide assistance and support in preparation and response to Hurricane Matthew. Currently, FEMA has a Regional Response Coordination Center activated in Atlanta, as well as the National Response Coordination Center at FEMA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., to help coordinate any requests for assistance from states and tribes potentially affected by Hurricane Matthew. These centers bring together partners from the federal family to closely coordinate federal resources that may be requested from the affected state and tribal governments.

The President declared emergencies in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, making federal assistance available to mobilize equipment and resources necessary to prepare for and respond to Hurricane Matthew in the anticipated impacted areas. These pre-disaster emergency declarations make available direct federal assistance to save lives and protect property. Evacuation and shelter-in-place warnings along coastal counties in these states remain in effect. FEMA continues to encourage residents to heed the directions of your state, tribal and local officials in your area.

FEMA deployed ten Urban Search & Rescue task force teams to Florida and Georgia to support search and rescue missions. Additional teams from around the country are ready to deploy to affected states and tribes as necessary. FEMA Incident Management Assistance Teams (IMAT) are on the ground in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. These teams are in place to support preparation and anticipated response activities, and ensure there are no unmet needs. Incident Support Bases (ISB) are staffed and operational in Albany, Georgia and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. ISBs are established to pre-position commodities and resources closer to potentially affected areas. As of this morning, there were more than 476,000 liters of water, more than 536,000 meals, more than 25,000 blankets, and more than 20,000 cots at the ISBs in Ft. Bragg and Albany, Georgia. Additional supplies continue to arrive from FEMA’s distribution centers around the country.

The National Business Emergency Operations Center is activated in the NRCC and is coordinating with potentially affected states to work with private sector companies, preparing for landfall and coordinating on evacuation orders, potential transportation impacts, and access/re-entry permits ahead of the storm.

Ongoing Support and Preparedness Efforts:

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is conducting daily coordination calls with industry, impacted states and the leadership of the Electricity Sub-Sector Coordinating Council to discuss preparations for the storm and plans for timely restoration. As the preparation and response efforts for electric power change as the storm shifts, updates for each state can be viewed at http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2016/10/f33/2016_SitRep_1_Matthew.pdf.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) established an Incident Support Base at Fort Bragg in coordination with FEMA to preposition commodities and resources close to the potentially affect areas. The U.S. Northern Command deployed Defense Coordinating Elements to Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. These service members will provide DOD regional subject matter expertise, validate requirements, and conduct liaison efforts in support of response operations.

The U.S. Coast Guard continues to assess and advise the status of ports in Florida along the storm’s path. Advisories are being issued for additional northern locations in Georgia and South Carolina.

Thousands of National Guard soldiers and airmen are activated for state duty to assist with hurricane response preparation and plans for recovery. These guardsmen will be available to conduct operations including evacuations, search and rescue, engineering missions, aerial sling-load drops, distribution and supply of water, meals, cots, tarps, sandbags, and security and shelter support.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has eight Disaster Medical Assistance Teams, two National Veterinary Response Teams, a Public Health System Deployment Force team, disaster mortuary assessment personnel and an Incident Response Coordination Team. In addition, the department is promoting health related preparedness actions during disasters and evacuations. HHS’s website, www.phe.gov/hurricanematthew, provides public health and medical information for emergency preparedness, response and recovery from across the department and shares resources for state health department and emergency management websites. Center for Disease Control (CDC) is also featuring a hurricane page on www.cdc.gov.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) deployed hundreds of storm surge sensors and rapid deployment gages, including approximately 80 sensors along Florida’s east coast to provide data that will assist water managers in determining the peak and duration of storm surge as it approaches Florida. The information supports disaster recovery efforts and critical weather forecasts for the National Weather Service and FEMA. The information collected will be distributed live on the USGS Flood Viewer to help federal and state officials gauge the extent and the storm’s damage as it passes through each area.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) deployed staff to the FEMA NRCC and Regional Response Coordination Center to support the IMAT teams in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. In addition, liaisons are deployed to monitor and inspect USACE-operated dams. Non-federal dams are being inspected at the request of state partners.

The American Red Cross (ARC) is supporting a massive shelter operation in the affected areas. More than 27,000 people stayed the night in nearly 200 Red Cross and community emergency evacuation shelters in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. The Red Cross has also prepositioned workers, shelter supplies, ready-to-eat meals, clean-up and comfort kits to support the response efforts. For Hurricane Matthew shelter locations visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-768-8048. The American Red Cross has a tool called Safe and Well to keep track of friends and loved ones during and after the storm.

The U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs is coordinating with tribes in potentially affected areas as needed.

The U.S. Department of Interior’s National Park Service is continuing to monitor and evaluate conditions at their parks as the storm moves further north. Each national park is assessing the ability to open to the public. Anyone planning to visit a park in the impacted states is encouraged to verify a park’s open status on its website.

The United States Agency for International Development’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance teams are deployed to Haiti, Jamaica and the Bahamas and are working with local authorities to coordinate relief efforts. Updates on the status operations throughout the Caribbean are available on travel.state.gov and on individual Embassy websites. U.S. citizens traveling and residing abroad are encouraged to enroll their travel plans on the agency’s website, travel.state.gov using the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), and to read the Country Specific Information also found on the site.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s, Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL), in coordination with FEMA’s Office on Disability Integration and Coordination and FEMA’s Office for Equal Rights, issued a notice reminding its recipients of federal financial assistance who are engaged in emergency management to ensure that individuals and communities affected by disasters do not face unlawful discrimination in the provision of federally assisted services to disaster survivors. Additionally, CRCL issued a memo to impacted states regarding immigration enforcement activities. This memo notifies the public that there will be no immigration enforcement initiatives associated with evacuations or sheltering related to the hurricane, including the use of checkpoints for immigration enforcement purposes in impacted areas during an evacuation. This memo can be found at: https://www.dhs.gov/news/2016/10/06/ice-cbp-joint-message-regarding-hurricane-matthew.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) liaisons are in close contact with nuclear plants in the storm’s expected path. The NRC activated its regional incident response center in Atlanta and deployed regional-based inspectors to three plants on NRC-licensed facilities in potentially affected areas.

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) activated its Unaccompanied Minors Registry (UMR). Family members can go to //umr.missingkids.org or call 1-800-THE-LOST to find unaccompanied children who may have been separated from parents or caregivers because of the floods, by entering basic information and/or a photo.

For additional info, imagery, graphics and b-roll, see our Hurricane Matthew web page:
http://www.fema.gov/hurricane-matthew

###

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.

See original article here:

Federal Family and Partners Support States and Tribes Responding to Hurricane Matthew

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