florida - femacontract.com

Pensacola Recovery Center Transitions to SBA Loan Outreach Center on Monday

PENSACOLA, Fla. – The State/FEMA disaster recovery center located at the Brownsville Community Center is transitioning on Monday, June 23, to a U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loan outreach center. Survivors will still be able to obtain disaster-related information after the center transitions.

SBA representatives will be on hand at the loan outreach center to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program and explain the loan application process. Survivors can also get help applying for or closing low-interest disaster loans. The center is located at:

Escambia County

Brownsville Community Center

3100 W. DeSoto St.

Pensacola, FL 32505

The joint State/FEMA disaster recovery center will continue normal operating hours, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday, June 17, through Saturday, June 21. The center is closed Sunday.

Beginning Monday, June 23, the SBA disaster loan outreach center will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, until further notice. The center will be closed Saturdays and Sundays.

The Pensacola disaster recovery center opened May 10 to help survivors who sustained damage during the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding from April 28 to May 6. The center has received more than 3,100 visits in nearly six weeks.

Disaster survivors can continue to register until July 7, 2014, either 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.

To apply for an SBA low-interest disaster loan, survivors can find the electronic loan application on SBA’s secure website at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Questions can be answered by calling the SBA disaster customer service center at 800-659-2955/(TTY) 800-877-8339 or visiting www.sba.gov.

For more information on Florida disaster recovery, click fema.gov/disaster/4177, visit the Florida Division of Emergency Management website at FloridaDisaster.org or the Facebook page at facebook.com/FloridaSERT.

# # #

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

More here:

Pensacola Recovery Center Transitions to SBA Loan Outreach Center on Monday

Deadline for Disaster Unemployment Assistance Approaching

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Residents of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties who were unemployed as a result of the April 28 to May 6, 2014, severe storms and flooding, have until Monday, June 9, to apply for federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance benefits.

Residents of Okaloosa and Walton counties have until Thursday, June 12, to apply, and Jackson County residents have until Monday, June 23, to apply.

Recovery officials advise storm survivors that these deadlines apply to disaster unemployment only. Other forms of disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency still may be available until July 7. To be eligible for disaster aid, however, storm survivors must register with FEMA by going online to 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.

The disaster unemployment assistance program, which is administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, extends coverage to self-employed individuals, part-time workers, farm workers and others who have lost employment as a direct result of the disaster and do not qualify for regular re-employment assistance benefits.

To be eligible for either regular state re-employment assistance or federal disaster unemployment assistance, the applicant must be a legal resident. An individual must not be entitled to regular state re-employment assistance, must have been working in or residing in a county, for which the disaster has been officially designated, or the individual was scheduled to start work and the job no longer exists, or the job became inaccessible as a direct result of the disaster.

To file a disaster unemployment claim, call 800-681-8102, from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., EST, Monday through Friday.

# # #

Read the article:

Deadline for Disaster Unemployment Assistance Approaching

Disaster Assistance in Florida Panhandle Nears $50 Million a Month after Storms

PENSACOLA, Fla. – One month after severe storms, tornadoes and flooding hit parts of the Florida Panhandle, almost $50 million in state and federal disaster assistance has been approved as survivors continue to rebuild their homes, businesses and communities.

More than $28.8 million has been approved for Individual Assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for qualified homeowners and renters. This includes more than $24.2 million in rental costs and essential home repairs, and nearly $4.6 million to help cover other essential disaster-related needs such as medical and dental expenses and lost personal possessions.

Nearly 5,700 survivors and households in five designated counties have been approved for FEMA Individual Assistance following the storms and flooding from April 28 to May 6. The designated counties are Escambia, Jackson, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton.

The U.S. Small Business Administration, a partner in Florida’s recovery effort, has already approved nearly $20.8 million in low-interest disaster loans for qualified homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations. These loans will finance significant repairs or rebuilding of damaged primary residences and businesses, allowing communities to build back from the storms and flooding.

Public Assistance grants may also be available to reimburse state agencies, local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations in four designated counties for eligible costs associated with emergency response, debris removal and repairing or rebuilding damaged public facilities. Public Assistance is a cost-sharing reimbursement program with FEMA paying at least 75 percent. The remainder is the responsibility of the state and local governments. The counties designated for Public Assistance are Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton.

In addition to state and federal disaster assistance programs, survivors have benefitted from a wider array of disaster services and resources, including disaster unemployment assistance, free legal services and disaster-related stress help.

Several voluntary agencies, local community- and faith-based organizations and other nonprofit groups are working with survivors who need extra help and they will continue to assist with their longer-term

needs. These voluntary agencies include the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, United Way, Volunteer Florida, Operation Blessing, Florida Baptists, Santa Rosa Baptist Association, Samaritan’s Purse and Hammers and Hearts.

Below is a snapshot of the assistance dollars and milestones reached in the past month:

$50 million

To date, almost $50 million in state and federal assistance has been approved to help eligible survivors and their communities.

$28.8 million

More than $28.8 million in disaster assistance has been approved under the Individuals and Households Program for qualified homeowners and renters.

$24.2 million

The total includes more than $24.2 million for housing assistance, including short-term rental assistance and essential home repair costs.

$4.6 million

The total also includes nearly $4.6 million to help cover essential disaster-related needs such as medical and dental expenses and lost personal possessions.

$20.8 million

The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved nearly

$20.8 million in low-interest disaster loans for more than 470 homeowners and business owners throughout the disaster area.

12,500

More than 12,500 people have contacted FEMA for help or information following the storms and flooding. Survivors can register for disaster assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone at m.fema.gov. Survivors can also call FEMA’s toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585.

27,800

The American Red Cross has served more than 27,800 meals and snacks to survivors affected by the storms and flooding. Additionally, more than 28,500 items have been handed out – including water, trash bags, bleach, mops, brooms and other supplies.

9,500

FEMA housing inspectors have completed more than 9,500 home inspections – an important first step in determining eligibility for disaster assistance.

4,800

Several crews of FEMA disaster survivor assistance specialists and FEMA Corps members arrived in the affected area just days after the major disaster declaration to provide on-site registration assistance, as well as on-the-spot needs assessments and referrals. Crews met with more than 4,800 survivors and registered 616 individuals and households.

4,300

More than 4,300 visits have been made to a total of five disaster recovery centers and a temporary registration intake center to get information and apply for disaster assistance. To find the nearest center, survivors can visit FEMA.gov/DRCLocator or call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585.

1,300

More than 1,300 Floridians have met with FEMA mitigation specialists at disaster recovery centers and home improvement stores for advice and tips on how to rebuild safer and stronger.

110

More than 110 homeowners and business owners have visited SBA’s business recovery center in Pensacola to get information or receive help applying for low-interest disaster loans.

So far, 28 requests have been made for FEMA’s Public Assistance program by eligible state agencies, local governments and certain private nonprofits. Requests for public assistance start the process of getting their eligible costs reimbursed, which helps get communities back on track following a disaster.

The deadline for Florida survivors to apply for disaster assistance is July 7. Residents who sustained damage from the storms and flooding from April 28 to May 6, can apply for assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone at m.fema.gov. Survivors may also apply by phone at 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585.

For more information on Florida disaster recovery, survivors can visit fema.gov/disaster/4177, the Florida Division of Emergency Management website at FloridaDisaster.org or the state’s Facebook page at facebook.com/FloridaSERT.

# # #

Continue reading:

Disaster Assistance in Florida Panhandle Nears $50 Million a Month after Storms

Survivors Have Until Saturday to Visit the Registration Intake Center in Jackson County

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Survivors of the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding in Jackson County have until 6 p.m. Saturday, June 7, to visit the registration intake center.

The State Emergency Response Team and the Federal Emergency Management Agency closely monitor visits by disaster survivors at all centers. The center will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through June 7.

Even though the registration intake center is closing, survivors will still be able to contact FEMA online at DisasterAssistance.gov via smartphone at m.fema.gov, or by phone at 800-621-3362; TTY 800-462-7585. Multilingual operators are available.

Survivors may also visit any of the open disaster recovery centers currently open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., in the following locations:

Escambia County

Brownsville Community Center

3100 W. DeSoto St.

Pensacola, FL 32505

Okaloosa County

Senior Centerview Parks & Recreation

205 Stillwell Blvd.

Crestview, FL 32536

Santa Rosa County

Gulf Breeze Recreation Center

800 Shoreline Drive

Gulf Breeze, FL 32561

Walton County

Community Church of Santa Rosa Beach

3524 U.S. 98

Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

For more information on Florida disaster recovery, click fema.gov/disaster/4177. Visit the Florida Division of Emergency Management website at FloridaDisaster.org or Facebook page at facebook.com/FloridaSERT.

# # #

See the article here:

Survivors Have Until Saturday to Visit the Registration Intake Center in Jackson County

Florida Panhandle Survivors Urged to Stay in Touch with FEMA

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Florida Panhandle survivors who have registered for disaster assistance are urged to stay in touch with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and keep their contact information current throughout the recovery process.

If survivors change their addresses, telephone numbers, bank accounts or insurance information, they should update that information with FEMA.

Everyone who applies for disaster assistance will receive a letter that explains FEMA’s decision, what to do next if they disagree with the decision and how grant money should be spent. Applicants should not be discouraged if they receive a letter indicating they are ineligible. FEMA may simply need additional information or documentation.

Those who need to update their contact information or have questions about a letter they receive can call the toll-free FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585, or they can visit a disaster recovery center. To find the nearest center, go to FEMA.gov/DRCLocator.

The state and FEMA have made it a priority to reach out to everyone who needs help – including people with disabilities and/or access and functional needs, senior citizens and people with limited English proficiency – and to make sure all survivor needs are met after the storms and flooding.

To achieve this goal, disaster recovery centers provide assistive listening devices, amplified phones and caption phones for survivors who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as access to Video Relay Services and Video Remote Interpreters. Magnifying devices and printed information in multiple languages, Braille and large print are also available.

If an American Sign Language or Signed English interpreter is needed, arrangements can be made at disaster recovery centers to meet a survivor’s specific needs.

Multilingual telephone operators are available to help survivors register for disaster assistance and to get their questions answered. Survivors can call FEMA’s helpline at 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. central time, seven days a week.

Survivors can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or on their smartphone at m.fema.gov/. Spanish-speakers can go to DisasterAssistance.gov/es or m.fema.gov/es.

Florida recovery updates are available in Spanish online at www.fema.gov/es or by following @FEMAespanol on Twitter.

# # #

Florida Panhandle Survivors Urged to Stay in Touch with FEMA

Disaster Grants Won’t Affect Social Security or Taxable Income

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Senior citizens in Escambia, Jackson, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties who sustained losses during the recent severe storms and flooding need not worry that applying for federal and state disaster aid will cause them to sacrifice their Social Security benefits, pay more taxes or give up income-based benefits.

A grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency does not add to a senior’s taxable income as long as the grant is to help recover from the recent disaster.

“Severe weather can affect everyone,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer Gracia Szczech, the federal official in charge of disaster recovery in Florida. “We do not want our seniors to be reluctant to apply for disaster aid. Not doing so could cause eligible citizens to miss out on much-needed assistance.”

A few questions that typically arise following a disaster declaration are:

FEMA Grants

Question: I’m between 62 and 65 years of age, and have chosen to receive Social Security benefits. If my income is more than a certain amount each year, I must reimburse a portion of my Social Security payment. Will FEMA grants add to my income and require me to repay Social Security?

Answer: No. FEMA grants for housing and other disaster assistance are not counted as income.

Taxes

Question: I’m over 65, but if I earn more than a certain amount, I must pay tax on my Social Security income. Will FEMA grants boost my income and require me to pay tax on my Social Security income?

Answer: No. The IRS does not count FEMA grants for housing and other disaster assistance as income.

Other Assistance

Question: Will receiving a grant cause my income to increase to the point that I am no longer eligible for Medicaid, welfare assistance or food stamps?

Answer: No. Grants for housing and other disaster assistance are not counted as income in determining eligibility for income-tested benefit programs that the U.S. government funds.

For more information, visit the Social Security website at www.socialsecurity.gov or call, toll-free, 800-772-1213 (for the deaf or hard of hearing, call TTY 800-325-0778). Operators are available Monday through Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

# # #

View this article:

Disaster Grants Won’t Affect Social Security or Taxable Income

Milton Disaster Recovery Center Transitions to SBA Loan Center on Monday

PENSACOLA, Fla. – The State/FEMA disaster recovery center located at the Milton campus of Pensacola State College is transitioning Monday, June 2, to a U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loan outreach center.

SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the loan outreach center to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program and explain the application process. Survivors can get help applying for or closing out low-interest disaster loans. The center is located at:

Pensacola State College

Milton Campus

Building 4000

5988 Highway 90

Milton, FL 32583

The disaster recovery center will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 1.

Beginning Monday, June 2, the SBA disaster loan outreach center will be open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., until further notice.

The Milton disaster recovery center opened May 10 to help survivors who sustained damage during the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding from April 28 through May 6. The center has received more than 300 visits in nearly three weeks.

It is not necessary to visit a disaster recovery center to register with FEMA. Disaster survivors can continue to register 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.

# # #

Continue at source:

Milton Disaster Recovery Center Transitions to SBA Loan Center on Monday

Beware Those Uninvited Guests at Picnics and Beach Excursions: Thunder and Lightning Can Be Dangerous

LINCROFT, N.J. – Beach, softball and picnic season offers lots of opportunities for outdoor fun.

Most of us look forward to these sunny day celebrations all year, but unfortunately Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate.

Most of us have had the experience of being outdoors when we feel the first few drops of rain on our shoulders, hear rumbles of thunder in the sky or spot a flash of lightning in the distance.

Many of us heard as children that it’s possible to gauge how far away thunder and lightning storm is by counting the seconds between the sound of thunder and the appearance of lightning in the sky.

Scientists say that there is truth to that assumption. While the speed of sound changes depending on the temperature and the amount of humidity in the air, it can reasonably be estimated to travel at approximately 1,200 feet per second or approximately one mile in five seconds.

Counting the seconds after you see the first lightning bolt in the sky, you can estimate how far away it is by using this rough measure. If 10 seconds pass before you heard thunder, then the source of the lightning is approximately 2 miles away.

Safety experts advise abiding by the 30/30 lightning rule: Go indoors if, after seeing lightning, you can’t count to 30 before hearing thunder, and stay indoors for 30 minutes after you hear the last clap of thunder.

Remember, lightning is both unpredictable and dangerous. Between 1950 and 2012, more than 4,000 Americans were killed by lightning.

The top three states for lightning fatalities are Florida, with 468 deaths between 1959 and 2012; Texas, with 215 deaths between 1959 and 2012, and North Carolina, with 194 fatal strikes

While lightning may be less frequent in other states, it is no less deadly when it strikes. From 1959-2012, 74 New Jerseyans were killed by lightning.

The riskiest time of day for lightning strikes is during summer afternoons and evenings.

If you are caught outside during a sudden thunder and lightning event, get inside a building or take shelter in a hard-top (not a convertible) automobile.

Keep in mind that, contrary to common folklore, rubber-soled shoes and rubber tires provide no protection from lightning. It is the steel frame of an automobile that provides some protection, not its rubber tires. Although you may still be at risk of injury inside an automobile, you are safer there than you would be out in the open.

If you are in an open area without shelter, go to a low place such as a ravine or valley. Be alert for flash floods.

If you are in a forest when a storm approaches, seek shelter in a low area under a thick growth of small trees.

If you feel your hair stand on end, which indicates that lightning is about to strike, squat low to the ground on the balls of your feet, put your hands over your ears and put your head between your knees in order to make yourself as small a target as possible. It’s important to minimize your contact with the ground. Do not lie flat on the ground.

Remember: Your chances of being struck by lightning are about 1 in 600,000 – but it does happen.

Before you make plans for the beach, ball game or picnic, check the weather report to see whether there is a Severe Thunderstorm Watch or Severe Thunderstorm Warning for your area.

By taking a few precautions, you can substantially reduce your risk of being injured by lightning and enjoy all that summer has to offer.

For more information about protecting yourself during lightning and thunder storms, go to www.ready.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.

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

Visit source:

Beware Those Uninvited Guests at Picnics and Beach Excursions: Thunder and Lightning Can Be Dangerous

Disaster Recovery Centers Now Open for Survivors in Okaloosa and Walton Counties

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Additional disaster recovery centers are now open in Okaloosa and Walton counties to assist Florida Panhandle survivors affected by the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding.

The disaster recovery centers will be open until 5 p.m. today, Saturday, May 17, and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 18.

Beginning Monday, May 19, the centers will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sundays. The centers are located at:

Okaloosa County

Senior Centerview Parks and Recreation

205 Stillwell Blvd.

Crestview, FL 32536

Walton County

Community Church of Santa Rosa Beach

3524 U.S. 98

Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

Specialists from the State Emergency Response Team, 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.

Link:

Disaster Recovery Centers Now Open for Survivors in Okaloosa and Walton Counties

FEMA Public Assistance Now Available in Four Florida Panhandle Counties

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Four Florida Panhandle counties are now eligible for additional disaster aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The aid will help the state, local and tribal governments and certain private nonprofits cover disaster-related expenses and the repair or rebuilding of critical infrastructure.

Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties were added Wednesday to the May 6 major disaster declaration for the severe storms and flooding that overwhelmed parts of the Panhandle from April 28 through May 6.

The state, local and tribal governments and certain private nonprofits can now request funding through all categories of the Public Assistance grant program to help pay for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair or rebuilding of eligible roads, bridges, water control facilities, buildings, equipment, utilities, parks and recreational facilities.

Funding under the Public Assistance program goes to the state and its agencies, local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations. The state manages the program and forwards the federal funds to eligible applicants that incurred costs.

More information about FEMA’s Public Assistance program is available at fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit.

Additionally, individuals and households in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties can register for FEMA’s Individual Assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone or tablet at m.FEMA.gov or by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362). People who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY should call 800-462-7585. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (central time) and assistance is available in multiple languages.

View post:

FEMA Public Assistance Now Available in Four Florida Panhandle Counties

Page 6 of 11 « First ... « 4 5 6 7 8 » ... Last »