AUSTIN, Texas—Disaster recovery centers in Brazoria, Fort Bend and Hidalgo counties will close Aug. 17, 18 and 19.

Brazoria County

Location:      
Brazoria County East Annex

Elections Department
1524 East Mulberry (State Hwy. 35)
Angleton, TX 77515

Closing:         
6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17
 

Fort Bend County

Location:      
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church

1600 Ave. D
Rosenburg, TX 77471

Closing:         
6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18

 

Hidalgo County

Location:      
City of Mission Social and Support Center
115 South Mayberry
Mission, TX 78572

Closing:         
6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19    

Although the deadline to register for disaster assistance was Aug. 10, survivors who have registered with FEMA can get updates about their applications, learn about the appeals process or check the status of their claims by visiting the centers or online or by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362.

Until they close, hours of operation at the centers are 9 a.m to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Closed Sunday.

For more information on the Texas recovery, visit the disaster webpage for the May-June storms at fema.gov/disaster/4272; or survivors can visit the Texas Division of Emergency Management website at txdps.state.tx.us/dem. Follow FEMA on Twitter @femaregion6.

# # #

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.

Download fema.gov/mobile-app to locate open shelters and disaster recovery centers, receive severe weather alerts, safety tips and much more.

View original post here:

Disaster Recovery Centers to Close Next Week in Brazoria, Fort Bend and Hidalgo Counties

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – Seventy-two million dollars in federal disaster assistance have been approved to date for survivors of the June 22-29 severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides. The aid comes to West Virginia as a result of the major disaster declaration signed by President Obama on June 25.

The money has come to survivors in the form of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants to individuals and households; FEMA public assistance grants to local governments and nonprofit organizations; low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and claims paid by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Nearly five weeks into the recovery, FEMA has approved nearly $29.8 million in housing assistance, more than $5.4 million in other needs assistance and $1.43 million in public assistance. In addition, the SBA approved 426 low-interest disaster loans totaling more than $27.9 million, and 939 NFIP claims have been filed totaling more than $7.5 million in payouts.

A total of 8,034 households and businesses have applied to FEMA for disaster assistance. Individual disaster assistance grants for homeowners, renters and businesses affected are available to residents of 12 counties: Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Roane, Summers, and Webster.

Disaster assistance for individuals may include grants to help homeowners and renters with temporary housing, essential home repairs, personal property replacement, and serious disaster-related needs. Disaster assistance grants from FEMA are not taxable income and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicare and other federal and state programs. Grants do not have to be repaid to the federal government.

Public assistance grants are available in Braxton, Gilmer, Lewis, Randolph, Upshur and Wayne counties and are also available in the 12 individual assistance counties. FEMA Public Assistance Grants provide funding to state, tribal and local governments, and certain types of private, nonprofit organizations. These monies help communities quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies declared by the president.

FEMA-contracted housing inspectors have completed nearly 6,400 inspections of disaster-damaged properties to verify damage.

Registering with FEMA is the first step in qualifying for disaster assistance. Aug. 24 is the last day for survivors to file an application. FEMA encourages all survivors who sustained disaster-related damage or losses to apply by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362 (TTY users should call 800-462-7585) or online at DisasterAssistance.gov . The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

In support of the State of West Virginia, 89 Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) personnel have been canvassing storm-damaged neighborhoods. In the first 30 days of recovery operations, DSA workers visited 15,720 homes in severely storm-damaged neighborhoods. They are equipped to register survivors with FEMA and answer their questions about disaster assistance.

The State and FEMA operate Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in Clay, Greenbrier, Kanawha, Monroe, Nicholas and Webster counties. The centers report 6,506 visitors to date.  DRCs  are  open  Monday  through  Saturday,  8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Sundays. An easy-to-use DRC Locator is available at http://asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm

The SBA, one of FEMA’s partners in disaster recovery, offers low-interest disaster loans to businesses, homeowners and renters. SBA disaster loans may cover repairs, rebuilding, as well as the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged real estate and personal property. SBA has staff on hand at all FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) to assist survivors, one-on-one.

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. The deadline to file an SBA physical disaster loan application is Aug. 24.

If your SBA loan application is approved, you may be eligible for additional funds to cover the cost of improvements that will protect your property against future damage. Examples of improvements can include something as simple as elevating to the first floor utilities, water heaters and furnaces, sump pumps, etc. Mitigation loan money would be in addition to the amount of the approved loan, but may not exceed 20 percent of total amount of physical damage to real property to a maximum of $200,000 for home loans.

In addition, the SBA operates three Business Recovery Centers (BRCs) to enable storm-impacted businesses to meet individually with SBA representatives and find out how a low-interest disaster loan can help them recover.

The BRCs are located at:

Greenbrier County

Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corp.

804 Industrial Park, Suite 5

Maxwelton, WV  24957

Hours:  Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

 

Kanawha County

Charleston Area Alliance

1116 Smith Street

Charleston, WV  25301

Hours:  Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Nicholas County

Summersville Village Hall

Conference Room

400 N. Broad Street

Summersville, WV 26651

Hours:  Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Other help available to individuals:

  • For those who lost work as a result of the storms, Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available. New claims for DUA must be filed within 30 days of the date of the announcement of availability of DUA. For more information, visit WorkForce West Virginia at workforcewv.org.

  • In conjunction with FEMA, WorkForce West Virginia is advertising open temporary positions in Kanawha, Greenbrier and Raleigh Counties. Interested “local hire” applicants may complete an enrollment form at workforcewv.org.

  • Free disaster legal assistance is available to storm survivors. This service offers counseling on insurance claims, landlord-tenant issues, home-repair contracts, and the replacement of legal and other legal matters. Call the toll-free hotline 877-331-4259.

  • Survivors may be eligible for Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (D-SNAP) benefits through the Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. D-SNAP benefits can be used to buy food, but cannot be used for alcoholic beverages, tobacco or non-food items. Storm survivors can apply for these benefits from July 25 through July 31. More information is available at www.dhhr.wv.gov

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Federal assistance hits $72 million for West Virginia flood survivors

CHARLESTON, W. Va. — As West Virginians repair or rebuild their homes damaged by last month’s storms, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and five local hardware and home improvement stores have teamed up to provide free information, tips and literature on making homes stronger and safer.

FEMA mitigation specialists will be on hand this week to answer questions and offer home improvement tips along with proven methods to prevent and lessen damage from future disasters. A variety of free workshops for storm-impacted homeowners on such topics as repairing or installing flooring and what to do with rain-soaked drywall will be presented daily. Most of the information is geared for do-it-yourselfers and general contractors.

FEMA advisors will be at:  

Ace Hardware

326 Main Street

Rainelle, WV 25962

Through Aug. 6

8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday

8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday

 

Byrnside Hardware

107 4th Street,

Danville, WV 25053

July 28 to Aug. 3 – (Workshop closed Sunday)

8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday

7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday

 

The Home Depot

1100 Liberty Park Drive,
Hurricane, WV 25526

July 28 to Aug. 3 (Workshop closed Sunday)

8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

 

Lowes Home Improvement

1155 Oakvale Road

Princeton, WV  24740

July 28 to Aug. 3 (Workshop closed Sunday)

8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

 

Sears Home Improvement

RR 1 Box 17-A

Ronceverte, WV 24970

July 28 to Aug. 3 (Workshop closed Sunday)

9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday

9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday

 

Free reference booklets, in English and Spanish, with information on protecting your home from flood damage, will be available at all locations. More information about strengthening property can be found at http://www.fema.gov/what-mitigation.

West Virginians who have questions about their flood insurance policies and coverage should contact the National Flood Insurance Program call center at 800-621-3362 (Option 2) between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday. Specialists can help with service claims, provide general information regarding policies and offer technical assistance to aid in recovery.

Additional information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery can be found by visiting fema.gov/disaster/4273, twitter.com/femaregion3, twitter.com/FEMA, facebook.com/FEMA, fema.gov/blog and the flood information pages at http://wvflood.com

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FEMA offers advice at local stores on repairing, rebuilding

AUSTIN, Texas—Six disaster recovery centers in Anderson, Fort Bend, Montgomery and Waller counties will close this week.

Waller County

Location:      
Brookshire Civic Center
4010 Fourth St.
Brookshire, TX 77432

Closing:         
6 p.m. Wednesday, July 27

Location:      
Waller County Road and Bridge

775 Business 290
Hempstead, TX 77445

Closing:         
6 p.m. Wednesday, July 27

Anderson County

Location:      
Palestine Mall

2000 TX-256 Loop No. 30                      
Palestine, TX 75801

Closing:         
6 p.m. Friday, July 29

Fort Bend County

Location:      
Huggins Elementary School

1 Huggins Dr.
Fulshear, TX 77441

Closing:         
6 p.m. Friday, July 29

Location:      
Sacred Heart Church

507 South Fourth St.
Richmond, TX 77469

Closing:         
6 p.m. Friday, July 29

Montgomery County

Location:      
Lone Star College

3200 College Park Dr.
Rooms G123 and G124
Conroe, TX 77384

Closing:         
2 p.m. Saturday, July 30

Disaster recovery centers are operated jointly by FEMA and the state. Visiting a disaster recovery center is not required to register for FEMA assistance.

After the centers close, Texans whose homes or businesses were affected by the April storms and May-June floods can still register for assistance, get updates about applications, learn about the appeals process or check the status of their claim the following ways:

  • online at DisasterAssistance.gov
  • phone 800-621-3362 (FEMA). Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may also call 800-621-3362. Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585. The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

  • at a disaster recovery center. To find the nearest one, go online to the disaster recovery center locator at asd.fema.gov/inter/locator.

FEMA grants do not have to be repaid. FEMA assistance is nontaxable and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid or other federal benefits.

Survivors should register even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but underinsured applicants may receive help after their claims have been settled.

A free multilingual guide to the types of assistance available can be found at fema.gov/help-after-disaster.

For more information on the Texas recovery, visit the disaster webpage for the May-June storms at fema.gov/disaster/4272; or fema.gov/disaster/4269 for the April storms, which affected Anderson County; or visit the Texas Division of Emergency Management website at txdps.state.tx.us/dem. Follow FEMA on Twitter @femaregion6.

# # #

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.

Download fema.gov/mobile-app to locate open shelters and disaster recovery centers, receive severe weather alerts, safety tips and much more.

Continue reading – 

Disaster Recovery Centers Closing This Week in 4 Counties

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – Disaster assistance grants approved for homeowners and renters affected by June 22-29 severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides, has reached more than $46.4 million, less than a month after President Obama issued a major disaster declaration for West Virginia.  

That total includes Federal Emergency Management (FEMA) grants of nearly $27.5 million in housing assistance, more than $5 million in other needs assistance and $924,000 in public assistance. In addition, more than $13 million in low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) have been provided to West Virginians.

Nearly 7,600 households and businesses have registered with the FEMA to date. Disaster assistance for individuals may include grants to help homeowners and renters pay for temporary housing, essential home repairs, personal property replacement, and serious disaster-related needs.

FEMA Public Assistance Grants provide funding to state, tribal, and local governments, and certain types of private, non-profit organizations. These monies help communities quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies declared by the president.

The SBA, one of FEMA’s partners in disaster recovery, approved 200 low-interest disaster loans to businesses, homeowners and renters. SBA disaster loans may cover repairs, rebuilding, as well as the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged real estate and personal property. SBA has staff on hand at all FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) to assist survivors, one-on-one.

In addition, the SBA operates three Business Recovery Centers (BRCs) to enable storm-impacted businesses to meet individually with SBA representatives and find out how a low-interest disaster loan can help them recover.

The BRCs are located at:

Greenbrier County

Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corp.

804 Industrial Park, Suite 5

Maxwelton, WV  24957

Hours:  Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

 

Kanawha County

Charleston Area Alliance

1116 Smith St.

Charleston, WV  25301

Hours:  Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Nicholas County
Summersville Village Hall
Conference Room
400 N. Broad St.
Summersville, WV 26651

Hours:  Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Federal disaster assistance for homeowners, renters and businesses is now available to residents of 12 counties: Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Roane, Summers, and Webster.

FEMA-contracted housing inspectors have completed nearly 6,000 inspections of disaster-damaged properties to verify damage. Currently, there are 17 inspectors in the field.

FEMA encourages all survivors who sustained disaster-related damage or losses to apply 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.

In support of the State of West Virginia, FEMA has deployed 144 Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) personnel to canvass storm-damaged neighborhoods. To date, 15 teams of DSA workers have visited 12,325 homes in severely storm-damaged neighborhoods. They are equipped to register survivors with FEMA and answer their questions about disaster assistance.

The State and FEMA operate Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in the affected areas. The centers report 5,017 visitors to date.  DRCs  are  open  Monday  through  Saturday,  8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Sundays. An easy-to-use DRC Locator is available at http://asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm

Other help available to individuals:

  • For those who lost work as a result of the storms, Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available. New claims for DUA must be filed within 30 days of the date of the announcement of availability of DUA, according to the following schedule:

  • July 27, 2016: Greenbrier, Kanawha and Nicholas Counties.
  • July 29, 2016: Clay, Fayette, Monroe, Pocahontas, Roane, Summers and Webster Counties.
  • August 4, 2016: Jackson and Lincoln Counties.

For more information, visit Work Force West Virginia at workforcewv.org

  • Free disaster legal assistance is available to West Virginia storm survivors. This service offers counseling on insurance claims, landlord-tenant issues, home-repair contracts, the replacement of legal documents destroyed by the storm and other legal matters. Call the toll-free hotline 877-331-4279.
  • Survivors may be eligible for Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (D-SNAP) benefits through the Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. D-SNAP benefits can be used to buy food, but cannot be used for alcoholic beverages, tobacco or non-food items. Storm survivors can apply for these benefits from July 25 through 31. More information is available at www.dhhr.wv.gov

Disaster assistance grants from FEMA are not taxable income and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicare and other federal and state programs. Disaster grants are just that – grants that do not have to be paid back to the government.

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.
 

Excerpt from: 

Storm survivors OK’d for more than $46.4 million in federal aid

CHARLESTON, W. Va. — Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials are urging disaster relief applicants to complete and return the loan application forms from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Completing the loan application is a critical part of the disaster assistance process. It can keep the door open to all federal assistance, including possible additional grants, from FEMA.

Assistance from FEMA may not cover all damage or property loss. The SBA loan application, however, may make FEMA assistance available to replace essential household items, replace or repair a damaged vehicle, or pay storage costs. It is critical that the SBA loan application be completed and returned before further FEMA assistance may be considered.

Many West Virginians who register for disaster assistance through FEMA may receive an automated call from SBA with information on how to complete the loan application process. Completing and submitting the SBA loan application, even if you do not want a loan or think you may not qualify for one, is a required step in obtaining some forms of disaster assistance.

SBA provides low-interest loans to businesses of all sizes (including landlords) and to homeowners, renters and eligible private nonprofit organizations that sustained disaster damage or losses during the severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides that began on June 22. There is no cost to apply for a loan.

Storm-impacted homeowners, renters and businesses in the designated 12 West Virginia counties may be eligible for federal assistance: Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Roane, Summers and Webster Counties. 

SBA has staff at all state and FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) to assist businesses, homeowners and renters in completing their loan applications. Additionally, SBA Business Recovery Centers (BRCs) are now up and running to help businesses get back on their feet from damage they sustained during the storms. The BRCs, in Greenbrier, Kanawha and Nicholas counties, are a resource where businesses can meet face-to-face with SBA representatives to learn how a low-interest disaster loan can help them recover. The centers are located at:

Greenbrier County

Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corp.

804 Industrial Park, Suite 5 (click to link to map)

Maxwelton, WV  24957

Hours:  Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

 

Kanawha County

Charleston Area Alliance

1116 Smith St. (click to link to map)

Charleston, WV  25301
Hours:  Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

 

Nicholas County
Summersville City Hall
Conference Room
400 N. Broad St.
Summersville, WV 26651
Hours:  Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Additional information on the disaster loan program may be obtained by calling SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or 800-877-8339 (TTY/TDD) or by sending an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov (link sends e-mail).  Loan applications can be downloaded from www.sba.gov.  Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela

Visit link: 

SBA Low-Interest Disaster Loans Critical to West Virginia Recovery

AUSTIN, Texas – A team of specialists from FEMA will visit a Lowe’s home improvement store in Houston to offer tips and techniques to lessen the impact of disaster-related property damage.

Specialists will be available on the following dates, times and location:

Harris County

Location:      
Lowe’s Southeast Houston, 1000 Gulfgate Center Mall, Houston, TX 77087      

Hours:           

7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 17-18
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, June 19
7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, June 20-21

FEMA Mitigation specialists will be on hand to answer questions and offer home improvement tips to reduce damage in future disasters. Information is geared to both do-it-yourselfers and general contractors on topics such as flood proofing a home, how to elevate utilities and removing and replacing wet drywall.  

Booklets are available in English and Spanish on protecting your home from flood damage and other natural disasters. If you have a disability and need an accommodation to access Braille or large print, please let our representatives know. American Sign Language interpreters can be available, if requested, by calling Everett Sedgwick at 202-870-4129. More information on how to strengthen homes, businesses and communities can be found at fema.gov/what-mitigation and fema.gov/texas-disaster-mitigation.

FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program has a call center to answer policyholder questions, service claims, provide general information and offer technical assistance. To speak with a flood insurance specialist, call 800-621-3362 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

For more information on the Texas recovery, visit the disaster webpage for the April storms at fema.gov/disaster/4269; or visit the Texas Division of Emergency Management website at txdps.state.tx.us/dem. Follow us on Twitter @femaregion6.

Download fema.gov/mobile-app to locate open shelters and disaster recovery centers, receive severe weather alerts, safety tips and much more.

# # #

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.

Download fema.gov/mobile-app to locate open shelters and disaster recovery centers, receive severe weather alerts, safety tips and much more.

Continued here:

FEMA in Houston (Harris County) With Advice on Lessening Storm Damage

BATON ROUGE, La. – The disaster recovery center in Shreveport will close on Friday, June 3, at 6 p.m., and transition to a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) beginning Monday, June 6, at 9 a.m.

The new DLOC will be located on the Ground Floor of Independence Stadium, at 3301 Pershing Blvd., Shreveport, La. Its hours of operation will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Representatives from the SBA will be available at the DLOC to meet individually with Louisiana residents and business owners who sustained damage as a result of the severe storms and flooding from March 8 to April 8. Representatives will answer questions, explain SBA’s disaster loan program, help complete loan applications and close approved disaster loans.

Residents can still register for disaster assistance or ask questions by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Those who use 711/VRS can call 800-621-3362. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. They can also register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or www.fema.gov/disaster/4263. Registration ends on Monday, June 13. Cuando llame al 800-621-3362 (FEMA) marque el 1 y escuche las instrucciones en español. Favor llamar antes del lunes 13 de junio.

Call the helpline to:

  • Ask questions about FEMA determination letters.
  • Learn how to appeal FEMA’s determination. All applicants have the right to appeal.
  • Inquire about the status of a registration.
  • Provide change of address, telephone and bank account numbers and insurance information to avoid disaster assistance processing delays.
  • Receive information about FEMA home inspections.
  • Get other questions answered about federal disaster assistance.

FEMA advises applicants to have their nine-digit FEMA registration number on hand when they call. They also will be asked to verify their identity if they want access to their information.

###

We urge everyone to continue to use caution in areas where floodwaters remain. Monitor DOTD’s 511la.org website for updated road closure information. Look for advisories from your local authorities and emergency managers. You can find the latest information on the state’s response at emergency.la.gov. GOHSEP also provides information at gohsep.la.gov, Facebook and Twitter. You can receive emergency alerts on most smartphones and tablets by downloading the new Alert FM App. It is free for basic service. You can also download the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find other information at getagameplan.org.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). If you are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

FEMA’s 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 us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at blog.fema.gov.

FEMA offers a number of free online resources for home and property owners. To get started, go to fema.gov/safer-stronger-protected-homes-communities or fema.gov/louisiana-disaster-mitigation.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at SBA.gov/disaster Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

See original article here:

Caddo Disaster Recovery Center Transitions to SBA Loan Center for Louisiana Survivors

AUSTIN, Texas – A team of specialists from FEMA will visit two home improvement stores in Harris County and another in Austin County to offer tips and techniques to lessen the impact of disaster-related property damage.

Specialists will be available from June 2-7 at the following locations:

Harris County

Where:          
Lowe’s Home Improvement,
1521 North Loop West,
Houston, TX 77008                       

Hours:           
7 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, June 2-4
8 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. Sunday, June 5
7 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, June 6-7

Where:          
Gateway Ace Hardware,
6860 Telephone Rd.,
Houston, TX 77061                 

Hours:           
8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, June 2-4
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday, June 5
8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, June 6-7

Austin County

Where:          
A L & M Do-it-Best Building Supply,
300 N. Meyer St.,
Sealy, TX 77474

Hours:           
7 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, June 2-3
7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday, June 4
8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Sunday, June 5
7 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, June 6-7

FEMA Mitigation specialists will be on hand to answer questions and offer home improvement tips to reduce damage in future disasters. Information is geared to both do-it-yourselfers and general contractors on topics such as flood proofing a home, how to elevate utilities and removing and replacing wet drywall.  

Booklets are available in English and Spanish on protecting your home from flood damage and other natural disasters. If you have a disability and need an accommodation to access Braille or large print, please let our representatives know. American Sign Language interpreters can be available, if requested, by calling Everett Sedgwick at 202-870-4129. More information on how to strengthen homes, businesses and communities can be found at fema.gov/what-mitigation and fema.gov/texas-disaster-mitigation.

FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program has a call center to answer policyholder questions, service claims, provide general information and offer technical assistance. To speak with a flood insurance specialist, call 800-621-3362 (FEMA) and select option 2. Hours are between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For more information on the Texas recovery, visit the disaster webpage for the April storms at fema.gov/disaster/4269; or visit the Texas Division of Emergency Management website at txdps.state.tx.us/dem. Follow us on Twitter @femaregion6.

Download fema.gov/mobile-app to locate open shelters and disaster recovery centers, receive severe weather alerts, safety tips and much more.

# # #

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.

Download fema.gov/mobile-app to locate open shelters and disaster recovery centers, receive severe weather alerts, safety tips and much more.

Excerpt from: 

FEMA Offers Advice for Texans on Lessening Storm Damage in Harris and Austin Counties

– In Harris County, at Lowe’s in Houston and The Home Depot in Baytown; ACE Hardware in Waller (Waller County)

AUSTIN, Texas – A team of specialists from FEMA will visit Lowe’s and The Home Depot in Harris County and ACE Hardware in Waller County to offer tips and techniques to lessen the impact of disaster-related property damage.

Specialists will be available at the following locations:

Where:           Lowe’s, 4645 Beechnut St., Houston, Texas 77096

Hours:            7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday May 26-28

                       7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 31

Where:           The Home Depot, 4915 Garth Rd., Baytown, Texas 77521

Hours:            7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday May 26-28

                        7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 31

Where:           Ace Hardware, 2906 Hwy. 290, Waller, Texas 77484

Hours:            7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Friday May 26-27

                       8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 28

                       7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 31

FEMA Mitigation specialists will be on hand to answer questions and offer home improvement tips to reduce damage in future disasters. Information is geared to both do-it-yourselfers and general contractors on topics such as storm shelters and safe rooms.

Booklets are available in English and Spanish on protecting your home from flood damage and other natural disasters. Survivors who need an accommodation to access Braille or large print can let FEMA representatives know. American Sign Language interpreters can be made available, if requested, by calling Everett Sedgwick at 202-870-4129. More information on how to strengthen homes, businesses and communities can be found at fema.gov/what-mitigation and fema.gov/texas-disaster-mitigation.

FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program has a call center to answer policyholder questions, service claims, provide general information and offer technical assistance. To speak with a flood insurance specialist, call 800-621-3362 (FEMA), select option 2, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Texans can register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362 (FEMA). Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585. Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may also call 800-621-3362. The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

FEMA grants do not have to be repaid. FEMA assistance is nontaxable and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid or other federal benefits.

Survivors should register even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but underinsured applicants may receive help after their claims are settled.

For more information on the Texas recovery, visit the disaster webpage for the April storms at fema.gov/disaster/4269; or visit the Texas Division of Emergency Management website at txdps.state.tx.us/dem. Follow us on Twitter @femaregion6.

Download the FEMA fema.gov/mobile-app to locate open shelters and disaster recovery centers, receive severe weather alerts, safety tips and much more.

# # #

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.

Download the FEMA app fema.gov/mobile-app to locate open shelters and disaster recovery centers, receive severe weather alerts, safety tips and much more.

Read More: 

FEMA Offers Advice for Texans on Lessening Storm Damage in Harris and Waller Counties

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