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Assistance to New York State Sandy Survivors Tops $1 Billion

NEW YORK – Nearly seven weeks since the Oct. 30 federal disaster declaration for Hurricane Sandy in New York, more than $1 billion in state and federal assistance has been approved for survivors.

“We are all working together to get the disaster assistance where it needs to be – in the hands of survivors and communities,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Michael F. Byrne. “FEMA’s mission has been to help individuals and families recover from the disaster and we will continue to support residents until the mission is completed.”

While there is still much work to be done, this money has contributed significantly to the recovery effort. Survivors are repairing homes and debris is getting cleaned up. FEMA assistance is helping to speed the pace of recovery for survivors.

FEMA continues to reach out to all 13 counties designated for Individual Assistance, focusing on the hardest-hit areas. Assistance to residents in affected counties includes:

Bronx $2.1 million
Kings $175 million
Nassau $263.8 million
New York $11.9 million
Queens $205.9 million
Richmond $82.8 million
Suffolk $59.8 million

FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration have approved more than $1 billion for Hurricane Sandy survivors. This includes more than $806 million in Individual Assistance and more than $723 million for Housing Assistance and nearly $83 million in assistance for other needs.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved more than $264 million in disaster loans to homeowners, renters and businesses. The SBA has staff members at every FEMA/State Disaster Recovery Center and 19 Business Recovery Centers in the New York area to provide one-on-one help to business owners seeking disaster assistance.
More than 256,000 New Yorkers have contacted FEMA for information or registered for assistance, including more than 139,000 who have applied through the online application site at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or on their smartphone at m.fema.gov.
24 Disaster Recovery Centers are open in the affected areas. These include mobile sites as well as fixed sites, and to date nearly 105,000 survivors have been assisted at Disaster Recovery Centers in New York.
91 inspectors are currently in the field. To date 164,824 home inspections have been completed, making a 99 percent completion rate.
2 Points of Distribution remain open in Nassau County providing meals, water and blankets.
13 New York counties are designated for both Individual Assistance and Public Assistance. These are Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester. Greene County has been designated for Public Assistance only.
Public Assistance funds are also flowing; so far, more than $318 million has been obligated to the state to help replenish dollars spent to protect New Yorkers before, during and after the storm. The FEMA PA program reimburses state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations 75 percent of costs for

disaster-related expenses associated with emergency protective measures, debris removal, and the repair and restoration of damaged infrastructure. In order to qualify, damage must be a direct result of Hurricane Sandy.

Individuals can register with FEMA online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585.

Applicants who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) can call 800-621-3362.

The toll-free telephone numbers are operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, until further notice.

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.

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Assistance to New York State Sandy Survivors Tops $1 Billion

For Sandy, a Huge Response from the New York Community

NEW YORK – The Met Council distributed 170,000 pounds of food and prepared 85,000 meals.

A rock climbing gym in Brooklyn became a staging ground for first responders.

Taxicabs in New York are displaying disaster assistance information from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

All over New York, the whole community is responding to those who lost homes, cars, possessions and a sense of security after Hurricane Sandy swept over the region.

“New York is made up of neighborhoods,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer Michael F. Byrne, a New Yorker himself. “Every neighborhood is distinctly different, with different traditions, dialects and sense of community.”

That sense of community, in this case, is greatly expanded. It involves FEMA, other federal, state and local agencies, the private sector, voluntary groups and faith-based organizations.

“FEMA is not the team,” Byrne said. “FEMA is part of a much larger team, one that represents every aspect of the community. Individuals, groups and government agencies all came together to respond and begin recovery. This disaster was so immense that it required a massive effort by thousands of people. Those people are still at work, and will be for a long time.”

Some examples of the team effort:

Russian-speaking storm survivors in Brighton Beach and Coney Island came to FEMA
Disaster recovery centers to seek assistance and wound up volunteering to stay and translate for other Russian-speaking survivors.
A woman lost her job and her basement apartment after the storm. She found another job as a caregiver and was sleeping on her client’s couch. She came to a recovery center and was able to get transitional housing and legal assistance with the help of the American Red Cross, FEMA and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The American Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division is operating a hotline
(800-699-5636), coordinating with FEMA and the Legal Services Corporation to provide information and help to Sandy survivors.
Sandy survivors are being given priority for 2,500 vacant apartments by private landlords in New York City, under an agreement between property owners and government officials.
The Humane Society of the United States partnered with the Nassau County Office of Emergency Management, Nassau County SPCA, the North Shore Animal League and the Pet Safe Coalition to care for nearly 300 pets daily in an emergency shelter on Long Island.
More than 500 survivors with access and functional needs are being assisted by FEMA specialists. Some Disaster Recovery Centers are using iPads to help survivors with speech disability or hearing loss. The iPads have a Skype app that can provide video relay to help the survivor with the assistance process.
The private sector displayed FEMA disaster assistance information on large screens at Times Square, Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, Lincoln Center, movie theaters and taxicabs, increasing public awareness of disaster assistance information.

More than 500 voluntary organizations have participated in the effort, including NY Cares, NY Disaster Interfaith Services, National Latino Evangelical Coalition, American Red Cross, The Salvation Army and Mennonite Disaster Services, among others.

Federal partners have involved FEMA, Small Business Administration, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Transportation, Department of Defense, Department of Agriculture, Department of Homeland Security, General Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy and Department of Justice, to name a few.

In many cases, it requires a coordinated effort by several organizations to deliver assistance to people in need.

After the storm, a Five Towns family lost their home to fire, caused by a candle when the power was out. They registered with FEMA and were staying in an aunt’s living room on the floor. The wife gave birth and, with three other children, the family needed a place to stay. The father found an apartment but had no money because he was out of work.

A FEMA Community Relations team directed the family to a distribution center, where they received blankets, cots, baby formula, food and water. The FEMA team contacted a faith-based organization and a community center, both of which provided rent money. The family found an apartment and was being processed for FEMA assistance.

To join the whole community effort, FEMA encourages volunteers and donors to work directly with our nonprofit partners to ensure that survivors’ needs are addressed in the most effective and efficient way. For online links to those organizations, visit:

www.fema.gov/hurricane-sandy-donate-and-volunteer

www.serve.gov

www.nycservice.org

www.newyorkcares.com

Storm survivors who need assistance can register with FEMA online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov. They may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) can call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate 24 hours a day seven days a week until further notice.

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.

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For Sandy, a Huge Response from the New York Community

Frequently Asked Questions about FEMA Disaster Assistance

NEW YORK – State and federal disaster officials urge survivors of Hurricane Sandy to come forward and ask questions they may have about registering for disaster assistance. Accurate information is readily available and can help dispel misleading rumors.

Here are some questions that are commonly asked:

Q. How do I apply for FEMA disaster assistance?
A. You can apply at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or m.fema.gov, or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. If you have a speech disability or hearing impairment and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly. If you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

Q. What happens after I apply for disaster assistance?
A. FEMA will mail you a copy of your application and a copy of Help After a Disaster: Applicant’s Guide to the Individuals and Households Program that will answer many of your questions.

If you do not have insurance: An inspector will contact you after you apply to schedule a time to meet you at your damaged home.
If you have insurance: You need to file your insurance claim and provide FEMA with a decision letter (settlement or denial) from your insurance company before FEMA issues an inspection.
- There is an exception for damages caused by flooding; if you have flood insurance, FEMA will issue an inspection before receiving a copy of your flood insurance decision letter to evaluate your eligibility for temporary living expenses since these are not covered by flood insurance.
About 10 days after the inspection FEMA will decide if you qualify for assistance. If so, FEMA will send you a check by mail (or direct deposit) with an explanation of what the money covers (i.e. rent or home repair).
If FEMA determines that you are ineligible for any reason, you will receive a letter and be given a chance to appeal. Appeals must be in writing and mailed within 60 days of the determination. Read the letter carefully for the reason of ineligibility before filing your appeal.
If you get a Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan application in the mail, you must complete and return it to be considered for a loan or certain types of grant assistance, such as transportation, personal property, and moving and storage.

Q. Why didn’t I receive rental assistance when my home can’t be lived in?
A. If you cannot live in your home because of disaster damage and you did not receive rental assistance, please contact FEMA to check on your status. It could be that during the inspection you indicated that you were unwilling to relocate. If so, FEMA would not move forward to issuing a rental assistance check for you to move to another location.

Q. I received a rental assistance check, how do I find a new place to rent?
A. The FEMA Housing Portal is intended to help individuals and families, who have been displaced by a disaster, find a place to live. The portal consolidates rental resources to help individuals and families find available rental units in their area. This information can be accessed by visiting www.fema.gov and searching “Housing Portal,” or by calling 800-621-3362.

Q. Will my family get assistance faster if we each apply separately?
A. No. If two members of the same household apply for the same damaged home, FEMA assistance could actually be delayed. If more than one member of a household has applied, the additional registrants should call the FEMA Helpline, 800-621-3362 to withdraw their applications. Once this occurs, the original registration for the household can be processed for assistance.

Q. If I received a settlement from my insurance but still have additional needs, what can I do?
A. As soon as you receive an insurance settlement, you should provide a copy to FEMA and identify any unmet needs you have. Although FEMA cannot duplicate benefits that your insurance provided, FEMA may be able to assist you with lost essential items not covered by insurance and can also help you find resources through other recovery partners.

Q. Why did I get a different amount of home repair assistance than my neighbor?
A. Each survivor’s case is unique. There are several factors involved, including insurance status and the extent and type of damage found during the home inspection.

If you feel that the assistance you received does not cover your needs – for example, the funding you received for repairs are less than the estimates you’ve received from contractors and you have not yet met the FEMA maximum grant – you can appeal.

Q. Will FEMA provide additional rental assistance beyond the initial assistance period if I still cannot return to my home?
A. Rental assistance can be provided for up to 18 months from the date of declaration while you are setting up your permanent housing plan. After your initial period of assistance, you will be sent a letter on how to “recertify” if you need additional rental assistance.

Q. Could FEMA assistance affect my Social Security benefits, federal taxes, food stamp (SNAP) eligibility, or Medicaid?
A. No. FEMA assistance does not affect benefits from other federal programs and is not considered taxable income.

Q. I’ve already cleaned up the damage to my home and made repairs. Is it too late to register once the work is done?
A. No. You may be eligible for reimbursement of your cleanup and repair costs, even if repairs are complete. The important thing is to document the expenses you incur. It is a good idea to take before-and-after photos for your records.

Q. If I received disaster assistance last year, could I get it again this year?
A. Assistance may be available if you also suffered damages from a previously federally declared disaster.

Q. My child is a U.S. citizen, but I am not. Can I apply for FEMA disaster assistance?
A. If anyone in an affected household is a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national or qualified alien (a “Green Card” holder), they are eligible to apply for FEMA disaster assistance. If a minor child is eligible by these criteria, even when other members of the family are not, the family can file an application on the child’s behalf.

In this case, all identification documents have to be in the child’s name and Social Security number. The copy of the child’s Social Security card and birth certificate are acceptable verification. This information can be mailed to FEMA or brought to a Disaster Recovery Center.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4085, http://twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

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Frequently Asked Questions about FEMA Disaster Assistance

New Jersey Recovery: One Month Later

LINCROFT, N.J. – On the evening of October 29, Hurricane Sandy made landfall along the New Jersey coast resulting in the most damaging disaster in state history. Since then, Federal funds obligated to assist the residents and communities in the state have totaled more than $730 million.

The federal effort deployed to assist the state included 18 agencies with more than 2,600 personnel. In addition, under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), 12 states have deployed

440 personnel and equipment to support New Jersey. This includes law enforcement teams providing security and emergency medical services supporting sheltering and other life support needs.

The New Jersey National Guard responded with a force of over 2,200 Guardsmen to support response efforts throughout the state. For New Jersey, it was the largest mobilization of National Guardsmen to a domestic emergency and the largest humanitarian effort the state has orchestrated. The Guard rescued more than 7,000 residents and their pets, operated three fuel distribution points, transported and delivered tens of thousands of basic needs commodities to armories within communities impacted by the storm and provided approximately 250 hours of helicopter lift support to civilian authorities.

Even before Sandy made landfall, FEMA positioned food, water and blankets and deployed experts from several federal agencies to New Jersey, including the U.S. Coast Guard and other components of the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Energy, and Housing and Urban Development to provide resources and guidance to the state. Together, critical life-saving needs were provided in the immediate aftermath: emergency medical care, search and rescue, power generators in critical facilities, fuel for first responders.

FEMA also has issued 235 mission assignments to support disaster response and recovery needs, totaling nearly $250 million in projected assistance. This includes federal operational support (support among federal agencies) totaling $67.8 million, technical assistance support (federal support to the state) of $11.2 million such as the expertise brought to New Jersey to support assessment of critical infrastructure throughout the state, and direct federal assistance of nearly $170.0 million.

Immediately following Hurricane Sandy’s landfall, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), working with FEMA and local and state authorities, identified critical locations that needed temporary emergency power. They installed 102 emergency generators between Oct. 31 and Nov. 19 to provide life-saving power to 9-1-1 centers, police and fire stations and medical facilities; life-sustaining facilities such as shelters, water and wastewater treatment and pumping facilities; and other municipal facilities required to reinstitute local command and control and post-event recovery.

FEMA and local and state authorities turned to USACE for its extensive experience removing debris following natural disasters, assigning a debris management technical assistance mission in New Jersey Nov. 6. USACE placed debris subject matter experts in Monmouth, Ocean, Atlantic, Bergen, Hudson, Essex, Middlesex and Union counties working with FEMA, state, county and local authorities to assess the quantities and types of debris and recommend courses of action for its removal. Quantities of various types of debris are still being calculated but are estimated to total around 6.2 million cubic yards, or enough debris to fill the MetLife stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

The U.S. Fire Service provided 26 chainsaw teams totaling 520 personnel to assist with tree removal in neighborhoods throughout the state. They also provided four Incident Management Teams who assisted the state Fire Marshal with fire coordination and fire planning response.

President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan, Acting Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank, Deputy National Security Advisor John O. Brennan, Deputy Transportation Secretary John Pocari, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Commander Lt. Gen. Thomas Bostick have toured damaged New Jersey communities and met with local leaders and emergency responders to view recovery efforts while vowing to bring all available resources to bear to support state and local partners in assisting survivors in the 21 counties designated for assistance.

“FEMA and the entire federal family have been our partners from the beginning,” said State Coordinating Officer Lt. Jeff Mottley. “They anticipated many of our needs and when there were challenges, they quickly offered solutions.”

“Getting survivors the assistance they need has been our top priority from the beginning,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Michael J. Hall. “When families and businesses begin to recover, whole communities begin to recover. The faster we can get recovery dollars into the hands of survivors and reimburse communities for disaster expenses, the faster they will move forward in their healing.”

In the first 30 days, FEMA provided $286 million to assist individuals and families repair damaged homes, find temporary housing and assist with expenses such as medical and dental bills. More than 46,000 New Jersey families have benefitted from that assistance so far.

Restoring power to over 2.6 million homes, businesses and government customers represented a critical priority. The Department of Energy worked closely with the state Board of Public Utilities to coordinate the power restoration. Demonstrating a true whole community response, over 23,000 utility professionals came together from New Jersey’s utility companies and, through mutual aid agreements with companies across the country, worked to restore service across the state.

To meet a critical need at a critical time, nearly 3,000 families have taken advantage of the Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program by lodging in 340 hotels during the first four-week period.

Helping disaster survivors who were displaced from their homes due to damage or power loss find safe and secure shelter is a key priority of the response. At peak of sheltering operations, 107 shelters were open with 4,370 people. Through efforts across federal, state, local, private sector and voluntary agencies, the last of the shelters closed on November 21.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has opened 10 Business Recovery Centers in the state to provide one-on-one help to business owners seeking disaster assistance and has approved more than $21 million in disaster loans to both individuals and businesses.

The first FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers opened just days after the storm passed and continue to assist survivors at more than 36 locations where nearly 25,000 residents have been offered assistance and information about their recovery.

More than 650 FEMA community relations specialists have met with more than 86,000 storm survivors while going door-to-door. In total, nearly 150,000 homes were visited delivering information vital to disaster survivor’s recovery.

Even as Sandy was making its way up the east coast, FEMA and the Department of Defense established Incident Support Bases at Westover, Mass. and Lakehurst, New Jersey to position supplies and other resources close to areas in the hurricane’s path. Following the storm, more than 1.7 million meals and 2.6 million snacks have been served to survivors and first responders.

The Department of Health and Human Services deployed hundreds of personnel, including five Disaster Medical Assistance Teams and three Public Health Strike Teams to support hospitals and shelters in New Jersey. In total they were able to assist more than 750 people with medical needs.

FEMA also has teamed with the private sector network of business, industry, academia, trade associations, and other non-governmental organizations as equal partners in assisting with Sandy recovery.

The storm impact on New Jersey was historic in its severity. Storm surge impacts of up to 11 feet battered the coastline and wave heights of more than 14 feet were recorded. Peak wind gusts of 88 mph were clocked in Essex County. The devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy affected, damaged or destroyed more than 122,000 structures throughout all 21 counties.

# # #

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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New Jersey Recovery: One Month Later

FEMA Working to Increase Assistance for Hurricane Survivors in Louisiana

BATON ROUGE, La. — More than $530,000 in additional disaster assistance is getting to Hurricane Isaac survivors as the result of an initiative launched by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Louisiana.

Under the initiative, 3,904 storm survivors are getting follow-up phone calls and even some home visits from a team of FEMA outreach liaisons. They are helping applicants with the appeal process, explaining letters they may have received from FEMA and assisting applicants with gathering the documentation needed for their claims.

So far, outreach specialists have helped survivors obtain more than $174,000 in Rental Assistance and nearly $358,000 in Housing Assistance.

Since Hurricane Isaac roared ashore in late August, the state and FEMA have approved more than $117 million in grants for eligible individuals and families in Louisiana. The grants are for temporary housing, home repair and reconstruction, and for other needs, including personal property replacement or disaster-related medical and dental expenses. The total includes more than $530,000 in assistance resulting from the outreach initiative.

“With this proactive approach we’re reducing the number of survivors determined ineligible for federal assistance because of incomplete or missing information,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Gerard M. Stolar of FEMA. “The recovery process is stressful for those who suffered great losses, and we want to make sure all survivors get the maximum grant they are eligible to receive.”

“Another benefit of survivor outreach is that FEMA can more quickly close cases and thus get survivors referred to long-term recovery committees to assist them with any unmet needs,” said Susan Tompkins, head of FEMA’s Individual Assistance branch for the hurricane recovery mission. “This helps speed the pace of recovery for everyone.”

The outreach effort will continue until FEMA contacts all eligible survivors in the parishes, Tompkins said.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, click www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. You can follow FEMA on Twitter at www.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.

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FEMA Working to Increase Assistance for Hurricane Survivors in Louisiana

More than $690 Million Approved for New York State Hurricane Sandy Survivors

Main Content

Release date:

November 27, 2012

Release Number:

NR-056

NEW YORK — Since Hurricane Sandy struck New York, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved more than $690 million to help individuals and families recover from the disaster.
FEMA is reaching out to all 13 designated counties, focusing on the hardest hit areas of New York State. Assistance to the hardest-hit areas includes:

Bronx $1.7 million
Kings $146.5 million
Nassau $231.7 million
New York $9.1 million
Queens $176.6 million
Richmond $72.9 million
Suffolk $50.3 million

FEMA provides the following snapshot of the disaster recovery effort as of November 27:

More than 234,000 New Yorkers have contacted FEMA for information or registered for assistance with FEMA and more than $690 million has been approved. More than 119,000 people have applied through the online application site at www.disasterassistance.gov, or on their smart phone at m.fema.gov.
34 Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) are open in the affected areas. These include mobile sites as well as fixed sites, and to date nearly 57,000 survivors have been assisted at DRCs in New York.
750 inspectors in the field have completed more than 139,000 home inspections.
1,065 Community Relations (CR) specialists are strategically positioned throughout affected communities, going door-to-door explaining the types of disaster assistance available and how to register. More teams continue to arrive daily.
7 fixed feeding sites are being operated by the New York City Office of Emergency Management.
2 Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs), 1 Rapid Deployment Force (RDF), 2 Prescription Medication Task Force Team (PMTFT) and 1 National Veterinary Response Team (NVRT) from the Department of Health and Human Services remain deployed in New York.
13 New York counties are designated for both individual and public assistance, including: Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.
The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved more than $38.8 million in disaster loans to homeowners, renters and businesses. The SBA has staff members at 18 Business Recovery Centers in the New York area to provide one-on-one help to business owners seeking disaster assistance.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has staff members at 16 Disaster Recovery Centers in the New York area to provide information on available housing and HUD programs.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has 30 On-Scene Coordinators deployed in New York who are responsible for monitoring or directing responses to all oil spills and hazardous substance releases reported to the federal government.

Individuals can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via smart phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-3362. Multilingual telephone operators are available to help non-English-speaking survivors register for disaster aid and to get their questions answered.

If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

The toll-free telephone numbers operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week until further notice.

Last Updated:

November 28, 2012 – 09:03

State or Region:

New York

Related Disaster:

New York Hurricane Sandy

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More than $690 Million Approved for New York State Hurricane Sandy Survivors

Disaster Assistance Tops $81.4 Million in Plaquemines Parish

BATON ROUGE, La. – Nearly three months since the Aug. 29 federal disaster declaration for Hurricane Isaac in Louisiana, more than $365 million in state and federal disaster assistance has been approved for the state. Disaster assistance for survivors in Plaquemines Parish now totals $81,448,514.

Plaquemines Parish by the Numbers

Number of survivors who registered for assistance with FEMA: 6,210

Amount of Housing Assistance approved: $8,936,739

Amount of Other Needs Assistance approved: $988,446

TOTAL Individual Assistance grants: $9,925,185

TOTAL Public Assistance obligations: $48,450,829

TOTAL U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loans: $23,072,500

Timeline

Aug. 27 – President Obama issued an Emergency Declaration in Louisiana, in advance of Hurricane Isaac, for emergency protective measures (Category B), limited to direct federal assistance under the Public Assistance program.

Aug. 29 – President Obama issued a federal disaster declaration for 35 parishes in Louisiana, including Plaquemines. The declaration made Public Assistance (PA) funds available for reimbursement of costs for debris removal and emergency protective measures (Categories A & B), including direct federal assistance. A total of 55 parishes are now designated for PA.

Aug. 29 – The federal disaster declaration also made all parishes in the state eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

Aug. 31 – An amendment designated five parishes in Louisiana, including Plaquemines, eligible for Individual Assistance (IA). With subsequent amendments, IA is now available in 26 parishes: Allen, Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Morehouse, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana.

Sept. 1 – The first of three Disaster Recovery Centers opened in Belle Chasse. Before they closed on Nov. 17, a total of 6,387 people had visited the recovery centers in the parish.

Sept. 3 – FEMA, at the request of the state, activated the Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program, which allowed eligible evacuees from Hurricane Isaac who could not return to their homes to stay in hotels or motels until more suitable housing accommodations were available. The program was extended four times. Of the 2,414 Plaquemines residents eligible for TSA, 406 checked into hotels under the program.

Sept. 7 – FEMA approved supplemental funding for debris removal from qualified private properties in Plaquemines Parish. Debris removal from private property is generally not eligible for FEMA funding, but funding was approved for Plaquemines Parish because the debris on residential and private business property was so widespread that public health, safety and the economic recovery of the community were threatened.

Sept. 10 – The SBA opened a Business Recovery Center in Belle Chasse, Plaquemines Parish, to provide information about low-interest disaster loans to local businesses and to assist with applications.

Sept. 21 – FEMA extended the PA program in eight parishes, including Plaquemines, to include supplemental funding for infrastructure repairs in the wake of Hurricane Isaac. Applicants in Plaquemines are now eligible to apply for the full range of PA funding (Categories A-G).

Oct. 15 – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard, in coordination with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, began removing barrels, drums and other potentially hazardous containers in six parishes, including Plaquemines. The program is funded by FEMA and the state.

Survivors in Plaquemines Parish affected by Hurricane Isaac can apply for disaster assistance until the Nov. 29 deadline. They may apply online at www.disasterassistance.gov, at m.fema.gov with a smartphone, or by phone at 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585. Survivors who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 800-621-3362.

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

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Disaster Assistance Tops $81.4 Million in Plaquemines Parish

Disaster Assistance Tops $2.2 Million in East Baton Rouge Parish

East Baton Rouge by the Numbers

Number of survivors who registered for assistance with FEMA: 5,403

Amount of Housing Assistance approved: $1,274,248

Amount of Other Needs Assistance approved: $386,455

TOTAL Individual Assistance grants: $1,660,703

TOTAL Public Assistance obligations: $242,677

TOTAL U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loans: $317,900

Timeline

Aug. 29 – President Obama issued a Federal Disaster Declaration for 35 parishes in Louisiana, including East Baton Rouge. The declaration made Public Assistance (PA) funds available for reimbursement of costs for debris removal and emergency protective measures (Categories A & B), including direct federal assistance. A total of 55 parishes are now designated for PA.

Aug. 29 – The federal disaster declaration also made all parishes in the state eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

Sept. 14 – An amendment designated three parishes in Louisiana, including East Baton Rouge, eligible for Individual Assistance (IA). With subsequent amendments, IA is now available in 26 parishes: Allen, Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Morehouse, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana.

Sept. 21 – FEMA extended the PA program in eight parishes, including East Baton Rouge, to include supplemental funding for infrastructure repairs in the wake of Hurricane Isaac. Applicants in East Baton Rouge are now eligible to apply for the full range of PA funding (Categories A-G).

Survivors in St. John Parish affected by Hurricane Isaac can apply for disaster assistance until the Nov. 29 deadline. They may apply online at www.disasterassistance.gov, at m.fema.gov with a smartphone, or by phone at 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585. Survivors who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 800-621-3362.

Link:

Disaster Assistance Tops $2.2 Million in East Baton Rouge Parish

Disaster Assistance Tops $13.5 Million in Tangipahoa Parish

Tangipahoa Parish by the Numbers

Number of survivors who registered for assistance with FEMA: 4,333

Amount of Housing Assistance approved: $8,006,878

Amount of Other Needs Assistance approved: $1,528,624

TOTAL Individual Assistance grants: $9,535,502

TOTAL Public Assistance obligations: $451,490

TOTAL U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loans: $3,555,200

Timeline

Aug. 29 – President Obama issued a federal disaster declaration for 35 parishes in Louisiana, including Tangipahoa. The declaration made Public Assistance (PA) funds available for reimbursement of costs for debris removal and emergency protective measures (Categories A & B), including direct federal assistance. A total of 55 parishes are now designated for PA.

Aug. 29 – The federal disaster declaration also made all parishes in the state eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

Sept. 3 – FEMA, at the request of the state, activated the Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program, which allowed eligible evacuees from Hurricane Isaac who could not return to their homes to stay in hotels or motels until more suitable housing accommodations were available. The program was extended four times. Of the 991 Tangipahoa residents eligible for TSA, 97 checked into hotels under the program.

Sept. 5 – An amendment designated Tangipahoa Parish eligible for Individual Assistance (IA). With subsequent amendments, IA is now available in 26 parishes: Allen, Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Morehouse, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana.

Sept. 12 – FEMA extended the PA program in 14 parishes, including Tangipahoa, to include supplemental funding for infrastructure repairs in the wake of Hurricane Isaac. Applicants in Tangipahoa are now eligible to apply for the full range of PA (Categories A-G) funding.

Sept. 13 – Two Disaster Recovery Centers opened in Tangipahoa Parish. Before the last one closed Oct. 20, a total of 1,350 people had visited the recovery centers in the parish.

Survivors in Tangipahoa Parish affected by Hurricane Isaac can apply for disaster assistance until the Nov. 29 deadline. They may apply online at www.disasterassistance.gov, at m.fema.gov with a smartphone, or by phone at 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585. Survivors who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 800-621-3362.

Disaster Assistance Tops $13.5 Million in Tangipahoa Parish

What to Expect From a FEMA Inspector

LINCROFT, N.J. — The arrival of a housing inspector is a vital step in determining both the amount and types of housing assistance FEMA may provide.

Survivors seeking housing assistance must first register with FEMA. Applicants who register will be given a personal application number. The number is used throughout the disaster assistance process. Survivors should record the number and keep it secure and handy for all future dealings with FEMA.

A FEMA housing inspector will call survivors if they need a housing inspection and set up a time for a visit. The inspector usually comes within 14 days after the survivor applies. The inspector will have the application number assigned at registration.

When the FEMA inspector calls, write down:

Inspector’s name
Date(s) of calls
Date(s) and time(s) of appointment(s), and
Inspector’s telephone number.

Inspectors are contractors, not FEMA employees, who have been hired by FEMA to conduct the inspection. Every contractor has an official identification badge. Ask to see the badge if it is not visible during the inspection.

Remember, FEMA never charges a fee for an inspection. The inspector will never ask for bank information. FEMA inspectors verify damage; but do not hire or endorse specific contractors or recommend repairs. Inspectors do not determine cost estimates, but provide confirmation of the existing damage, from which costs estimates are calculated.

It is important to meet with the inspector to avoid delays in the inspection process. Those who cannot be present for the scheduled appointment can appoint someone 18 or older who lived in the house before the disaster to stand in during the inspection.

The inspection generally takes 30-40 minutes but can be shorter, and consists of a general inspection of damaged areas of the home and a review of the survivor’s records.

When the inspector arrives, be prepared to provide proof of identification, such as a driver’s license or passport or other official photo ID. Inspectors also require written proof of home ownership, such as a tax receipt, mortgage payment book or home insurance policy showing the property’s address. If proof of ownership is not available, the inspector will complete the inspection, but proof of ownership must be provided to FEMA.

Most applicants receive a written response from FEMA regarding a decision within 7 to 10 days after the inspection.

The U.S. Small Business Administration and private insurance companies also have inspectors in the field in New Jersey.

To date, FEMA housing inspectors have completed 80 percent of the more than 92,000 inspections requested by disaster survivors in New Jersey.

Survivors may apply for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by web enabled mobile device at m.fema.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.

Anyone in New Jersey who suffered losses from Hurricane Sandy may be eligible for disaster assistance.

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 more here:

What to Expect From a FEMA Inspector

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