Give Your Loved Ones The Gift Of Emergency Preparedness

TRENTON, N.J. — With the holidays fast approaching, New Jersey residents might want to consider giving gifts that will help protect their family members and friends during a future emergency. Supplies for an emergency preparedness kit can make unique — and potentially life-saving — holiday gifts.

Excellent emergency preparedness gifts include:

  • Battery-powered or hand-crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert.
  • A quality flashlight and extra batteries.
  • Solar-powered cell phone charger.
  • Smoke detector and/or carbon monoxide detectors.
  • First aid kit.
  • Fire extinguisher and fire escape ladder.
  • Enrollment in a CPR or first aid class.
  • Books, coloring books, crayons and board games for the kids, in case the power goes out.
  • Personal hygiene comfort kit, including shampoo, body wash, wash cloth, hairbrush, comb, toothbrush, toothpaste and deodorant.
  • A waterproof pouch or backpack containing any of the above items, or with such things as a rain poncho, moist towelettes, work gloves, batteries, duct tape, whistle, food bars, etc.

Holiday shoppers might also consider giving a winter car kit, equipped with a shovel, ice scraper, emergency flares, fluorescent distress flags and jumper cables. For animal lovers, a pet disaster kit with emergency food, bottled water, toys and a leash is also a good gift.

The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency urge Garden State residents to give at least one of these practical gifts – either as a present under the  tree or as a stocking stuffer. It might just save the life of a friend or family member. For more information, preparedness tips or other gift ideas, visit www.Ready.gov.

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 site – 

Give Your Loved Ones The Gift Of Emergency Preparedness

Governor Cuomo Announces FEMA Extends Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program in NY for an Additional Four Weeks

New York – Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency, at the request of the state of New York, has approved a four-week extension to the Transitional Sheltering Assistance program, which allows eligible survivors from Hurricane Sandy, who cannot return to their homes, to stay in participating hotels or motels.

The new extension will allow applicants to remain in participating hotels during the holiday season. FEMA will call applicants eligible for the extension to notify them of the extended four-week period and the checkout date of Jan. 12, 2013.   

“This much-needed extension will allow families who lost everything in Hurricane Sandy to have a place to stay throughout the holiday season,” Governor Cuomo said. “We will continue to work together with city and federal partners to help those displaced by this devastating storm find housing solutions.”

This is a short-term program that places families in hotels in areas with significant rental shortages. Families can stay in area hotels for a short time while they work toward a housing plan.

“Our top priority is to help get people into rental units and longer term housing as fast as we can,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer Michael F. Byrne. “We recognize that the holidays can be an emotional time for disaster survivors and this extension will provide immediate shelter through the season.”

To be eligible for TSA, survivors must first apply for federal assistance through FEMA by:

Registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov; 

Registering via smartphone or tablet by using the FEMA app or going to m.fema.gov; or

Registering by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) (TTY 800-462-7585). For 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/SandyNY, www.twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

Originally posted here:  

Governor Cuomo Announces FEMA Extends Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program in NY for an Additional Four Weeks

Orleans Parish Disaster Recovery Center in Algiers Transitions to SBA Loan Center on Wednesday

BATON ROUGE, La. — To continue serving Louisianians affected by Hurricane Isaac, the State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center in Algiers is transitioning Wednesday, Nov. 14 to a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC).

SBA representatives at the DLOC will answer questions, explain the application process and help survivors apply for low-interest disaster loans. FEMA Individual Assistance specialists will also be on hand to answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available to survivors.

The center is located at:

Algiers Regional Branch Library

3014 Holiday Dr.

New Orleans, LA 70131

DLOC Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Closed Fridays and Sundays.

Survivors are encouraged to register first before visiting a DLOC. They may register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. They may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585.  Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

For SBA information or to apply online, visit www.sba.gov or call 1-800-659-2955. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call 1-800-877-8339.

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

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status.  If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585

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.

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

Excerpt from:

Orleans Parish Disaster Recovery Center in Algiers Transitions to SBA Loan Center on Wednesday

Vermont Travelers Should "Pledge To Prepare" For This Weekend

VERMONT TRAVELERS SHOULD “PLEDGE TO PREPARE” FOR THIS WEEKEND          

ESSEX JUNCTION, Vt. – September is National Preparedness Month. As we approach Labor Day weekend, when hotel visits throughout Vermont peak, the Federal Emergency Management Agency encourages travelers to follow this year’s National Preparedness Month theme, “Pledge to Prepare.” Be prepared for emergencies that could happen while staying in hotels.    

“Vermont travelers should pledge to be prepared this holiday weekend,” said FEMA Deputy Federal Coordinating Officer Steve Ward. “As you prepare for your trip, be sure to plan for what you would do to help you and your traveling companions in the event of an emergency.”

How much do you really know about being prepared for a disaster when you’re staying in a hotel? Keeping a few important points in mind could make a difference in an emergency.  

Keep necessary items handy

When you enter your hotel room, place necessary items like your wallet, keys and cell phone somewhere close by the door to be able to grab them and get out of the building as fast as possible. Especially when staying in an area that is unfamiliar to you, it will be important to keep these items in a spot you will remember. 

Know your evacuation routes

Familiarize yourself with the layout of the hotel. Make a note of where the closest stairway or floor-level exit to your room is located. Evacuation routes are typically posted on the back of the hotel room door, at the elevator and in the stairwells.

In the event of a fire

Touch the door to check for heat. If the door feels warm, don’t use it as an exit.

“The first rule in any fire situation is to check the door,” said Tim Armstrong, a Vermont hotel manager.

If you are in a situation where smoke is coming under the closed door, wet towels and put them under the door to prevent smoke from coming inside the hotel room. Call the front desk for instructions.

“While disasters are unexpected, being prepared allows you to enjoy the beauty you’ve planned to see,” said Cody O’Leary, a Vermont hotel manager. “For more information, visit www.Ready.gov.”

FEMA encourages Vermonters to be prepared for emergencies by building a kit, and that guideline may be applied to items packed while traveling. A disaster supplies kit is simply a collection of items like a flashlight, water bottles, a battery-powered radio and anything else you may need in the event of an emergency. For more information about disaster supplies kits, visit:  http://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit.

To view a FEMA video featuring Vermont emergency preparedness advice wherein Vermont hotel managers discuss being prepared for emergencies while traveling on the road and staying in hotels, visit:  http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/9426.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

###

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

See the article here: 

Vermont Travelers Should "Pledge To Prepare" For This Weekend

 Page 2 of 2 « 1  2