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As Hurricane Sandy Nears Southeast Florida, FEMA Urges Residents to Prepare for Extreme Weather

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through our regional offices in Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York City and Boston, continues to closely monitor Hurricane Sandy located in the eastern Caribbean Sea about 85 miles south-southeast of the central Bahamas with maximum sustained winds of 105 miles per hour, and remains in close coordination with state emergency management partners in Florida and the potentially affected southeast, Mid-Atlantic and New England states.

With hurricane season lasting through November 30, FEMA stands prepared and ready to support state, local, tribal and territorial partners in responding to storms. The agency has a federal coordinating officer and staff that are currently in Florida working previously declared disasters. They continue to work closely with the state on recovery operations.

Regional Administrators and other senior officials in FEMA’s regional offices along the East Coast have been in contact with their state counterparts in order to ensure coordination for any emergency response. FEMA Incident Management Assistance Teams are on alert for potential deployment to states in order to help with coordination, should emergency response assistance be needed or requested. At all times, FEMA maintains commodities, including millions of liters of water, millions of meals and hundreds of thousands of blankets, strategically located at distribution centers throughout the United States and its territories, including Atlanta, Ga. and Frederick, Md., if needed and requested.

“As Hurricane Sandy proceeds closer toward southeast Florida, residents should listen to local officials for updates and follow their instructions,” urged FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “As the storm moves northward, it serves as a reminder that we all need to be prepared for severe weather. Now is the time to update your family communication plans, check your supplies, and stay informed. A hurricane isn’t a point on a map – it’s a big storm and its impact will be felt far from the center. FEMA is in contact with states and tribal governments and stands ready to support their preparedness efforts.”

According to NOAA’s National Weather Service, Sandy is now a Category 2 hurricane expected to produce storm conditions along the east coast of Florida tonight and Friday. Also, rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches are possible across the Florida Keys into southeast and east-central Florida. Tropical Storm watches and warnings issued by the National Weather Service remain in effect in southeast Florida. Tropical Storm warnings are in effect for Florida east coast from Ocean Reef to Flagler Beach and Lake Okeechobee. A Tropical Storm watch is in effect for the Florida east coast from north of Flagler Beach to Fernandina Beach; for the Florida Upper Keys from Ocean Reef southward to Craig Key; and Florida Bay.

FEMA urges residents in potentially impacted areas, including the Florida Keys, southern Florida peninsula to listen to NOAA Weather Radio and local news, monitor for severe weather updates and warnings, and follow instructions of local officials. State and local officials make determinations and announcement about evacuations, and if local officials give the order to evacuate, leave immediately. While the exact track of the storm is uncertain, according to the National Weather Service, storm conditions associated with Hurricane Sandy may impact additional states throughout the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast early next week.

While tropical storms are unpredictable, those in the possible path of the storm should be preparing. If you haven’t done so already, take the time now to put together a family emergency plan and emergency kit. Some of the items in a basic emergency kit include: one gallon of water per person per day, for drinking and sanitation; at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food; battery-powered radio and a NOAA Weather Radio; flashlight and extra batteries; and First Aid kit. Having a kit can help you weather the storm.

Everyone should familiarize themselves with the terms that are used to identify a severe weather hazard. A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within 36 hours. A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within 48 hours.

We urge coastal and inland residents to be familiar with flood and flash flood terminology and safety tips:

Driving through a flooded area can be extremely hazardous. Almost half of all flash flood deaths happen in vehicles. When in your car, look out for flooding in low lying areas, at bridges, and at highway dips. As little as six inches of water may cause you to lose control of your vehicle. Remember – turn around, don’t drown.
Flood Watch: Flooding is possible. Tune in to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information.
Flood Warning: Flooding is occurring or will occur soon; if local officials give notice to evacuate, do so immediately.
Flash Flood Watch: Rapid rises on streams and rivers are possible. Be prepared to move to higher ground; listen to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information.
Flash Flood Warning: Rapid rises on streams and rivers are occurring; seek higher ground on foot immediately.

More information about what to do before, during and after a disaster can also be found visiting ready.gov and listo.gov. FEMA Applications for mobile devices are also available visiting http://www.fema.gov/smartphone-app. Sharing information using social media tools is also a good way for residents to stay informed. Follow FEMA online at http://blog.fema.gov, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.

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.

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As Hurricane Sandy Nears Southeast Florida, FEMA Urges Residents to Prepare for Extreme Weather

We urge coastal and inland residents to be familiar with flood and flash flood terminology and safety tips:

Driving through a flooded area can be extremely hazardous. Almost half of all flash flood deaths happen in vehicles. When in your car, look out for flooding in low lying areas, at bridges, and at highway dips. As little as six inches of water may cause you to lose control of your vehicle. Remember – turn around, don’t drown.
Flood Watch: Flooding is possible. Tune in to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information.
Flood Warning: Flooding is occurring or will occur soon; if local officials give notice to evacuate, do so immediately.
Flash Flood Watch: Rapid rises on streams and rivers are possible. Be prepared to move to higher ground; listen to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information.
Flash Flood Warning: Rapid rises on streams and rivers are occurring; seek higher ground on foot immediately.

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As Hurricane Sandy Nears Southeast Florida, FEMA Urges Residents to Prepare for Extreme Weather

Mississippians Have One Week to Register for Disaster Assistance

CLINTON, Miss. – Mississippians who suffered loss from Hurricane Isaac have one week to apply for federal disaster assistance. The deadline to register for assistance is Wednesday, Oct. 31.

That date is also the cutoff for applying with the U.S. Small Business Administration for loans to repair physical damage. To register, call
800-621-3362 or go online at DisasterAssistance.gov.

After you register, stay in touch with FEMA to track your application, or notify FEMA of changes to your mailing address, phone number or email address. Also notify the agency if you receive an insurance settlement or discover additional damage.

To reach FEMA:

Go online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
Visit m.fema.gov from a Smartphone.
Dial 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585.
For those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services, call 800-621-3362.

The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

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Mississippians Have One Week to Register for Disaster Assistance

Volunteering and Donating to Help Hurricane Isaac Survivors

BATON ROUGE, La. — Since Hurricane Isaac struck Louisiana in late August, the public has been an important part of the emergency management team by volunteering time, money, and energy helping disaster survivors and their communities.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its partner, Louisiana Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (LA VOAD), are committed to fostering the Four Cs: communication, coordination, collaboration and cooperation.

LA VOAD is the primary statewide point of contact for voluntary organizations assisting with Hurricane Isaac disaster needs. It is also the forum where organizations share knowledge and resources throughout the disaster cycle — preparation, response and recovery — to help disaster survivors and their communities.

Members of Louisiana VOAD have done valuable work throughout the state since Isaac struck. Many are community- and faith-based groups, providing people with basic household needs, helping with clean-up and repair, and planning for longer-term recovery. Some have fostered cultural sensitivity and awareness, providing for particular needs of ethnic groups. Others are health care professionals who have counseled survivors at shelters and in their communities as they continue to cope with stress.

Whether or not you live in one of the affected parishes, you can support the ongoing response and recovery efforts in several ways. Listed below are tips for Louisianians who want to donate goods and services or volunteer their time and energy to help disaster survivors:

Register at www.volunteerlouisiana.org to receive updates and information on volunteer opportunities as they are identified.
- For opportunities in Plaquemines Parish, call the Committee for Plaquemines Recovery at 1-504-564-0309.
- For opportunities in St. John Parish, call the hotline at 1-985-359-1024
Visit Louisiana VOAD website at www.lavoad.org and click on the “How to Help” tab for information and links on how to volunteer or donate.
A financial contribution is the most efficient method of donating and offers voluntary agencies the most flexibility in obtaining the most-needed resources. You can donate money directly to Louisiana VOAD members including texting a donation to the American Red Cross or Salvation Army at www.nvoad.org.
If you have a quantity of a given item to donate, and you need help in determining which organizations to give to, you can make your offer through the National Donations Management Network by clicking “Louisiana” on the drop down menu at www.aidmatrixnetwork.org.
Also at this website, click on “Louisiana” on the interactive map for updated parish-specific opportunities for volunteers.
Join up with existing nonprofit organizations before coming to the disaster area. A community easily can become overwhelmed by the amount of generous people who want to help. Contacting and affiliating with an established organization will help to ensure that you are appropriately trained to respond in the most effective way.
Confirm the need before donating goods. Unsolicited donated goods require voluntary agencies to redirect valuable resources away from providing services in order to sort, package, transport, warehouse and distribute items that may not meet the needs of disaster survivors.

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.

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Volunteering and Donating to Help Hurricane Isaac Survivors

Disaster Recovery Center Opens Today in Metairie

BATON ROUGE, La. — A State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center opened today in Jefferson Parish to assist homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained uninsured or underinsured damage to their home or personal property as a result of Hurricane Isaac.

Specialists from the state of Louisiana, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are on hand to answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available to survivors.

The center is located at:

East Bank Regional Branch Library
4747 W. Napoleon Ave.
Metairie, LA 70001

Hours are: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, until further notice. Closed Sundays.

Survivors 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 operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

SBA offers federal low-interest disaster loans to residents and businesses. After registering with FEMA, visit any Disaster Recovery Center where SBA representatives will answer questions, explain the application process and help each resident or business owner apply to SBA. 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.

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Disaster Recovery Center Opens Today in Metairie

Orphan Drum Removal to Begin in Louisiana

BATON ROUGE, La. – Barrels, drums and other potentially hazardous containers scattered on Louisiana’s coastal and inland areas after Hurricane Isaac will be collected and removed under a partnership funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the state of Louisiana.

Called “orphan drums,” the containers may contain chemicals, industrial products or unknown substances. Their owners are not identifiable.

Specialists from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard, in coordination with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, will begin inspecting six parishes where drums have been reported: Jefferson, Lafourche, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Tammany and Terrebonne. Other parishes could be added to the mission if orphan drums are reported there. The mission is expected to last no more than 60 days.

“This is one way the state and federal government are ensuring the safety of Louisianians after the hurricane,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer Gerard M. Stolar. “Getting these containers picked up and properly disposed of is another step in the state’s recovery.”

Following hurricanes, orphan drums commonly are found scattered throughout the affected area. They may be in yards, fields and alongside roadways and coastlines. Orphan drums may be leaking unknown substances and contaminating local air, water and soil.

Anyone who discovers an orphan drum should report it to parish officials. Residents should not touch, move or open the containers as the contents may be under pressure.

Once a drum is retrieved, specialists will assess the containers to determine whether the contents are hazardous. Orphan drums containing hazardous materials will be shipped to hazardous waste facilities.

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Orphan Drum Removal to Begin in Louisiana

New Orleans Disaster Recovery Center Closes Thursday

BATON ROUGE, La. — Time is running out for Hurricane Isaac survivors in Orleans Parish to visit the State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center on Loyola Avenue in New Orleans. The center closes at 6 p.m. on Thursday.

Although the center will close, Hurricane Isaac survivors can visit any of the other three recovery centers that remain open in New Orleans branch libraries. They are located at the Algiers Regional Branch, East NOLA Branch and the Robert E. Smith library.

Survivors can contact FEMA online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants 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 operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

Survivors may also contact the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) after the center closes at 1-800-659-2955 or www.sba.gov.

The center is located at:

Main Library3
219 Loyola Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70112

Hours are: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Thursday, Oct. 25.

Recovery centers have opened in many affected parishes to assist homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained uninsured or underinsured losses to their home or personal property as a result of Hurricane Isaac. For a list of open centers in Louisiana go to www.fema.gov/disaster/4080.

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New Orleans Disaster Recovery Center Closes Thursday

Hurricane Isaac Demonstrates the Need for Flood Insurance

CLINTON, Miss. – Slow-moving Hurricane Isaac sat on the Mississippi coast for two days dumping rain, totaling up to 20 inches in places, and battering coastal areas with a 10-foot storm surge. Rivers reached near-historic flood levels. Flooding damaged or destroyed nearly 3,000 homes, according to state officials.

“Flooding is the most common disaster we see in our state each year,” said Mississippi Emergency Management Agency State Coordinating Officer Bill Brown. “Many who flooded during Isaac were not in high-risk flood zones. Having a flood insurance policy from the National Flood Insurance Program won’t keep the water out of your house, but it will protect the investment you have in it.”

Flood insurance is important regardless of your flood zone. In fact, people outside high-risk areas file more than 20 percent of NFIP claims. In Mississippi, 86,000 households have flood insurance. About 39,000 of those policies were bought by consumers living outside a high risk flood zone.

“Here are two important points people need to understand. First, homeowners’ policies do not cover flooding. Second, flood insurance policyholders can file a claim for flood damage even if a storm doesn’t trigger a federal disaster declaration,” said Terry L. Quarles, FEMA’s federal coordinating officer. “Flood insurance is available to homeowners, business owners and renters in communities that participate in the NFIP and enforce their local flood damage prevention ordinances.”

By law, federally regulated or insured mortgage lenders require flood insurance on properties that are located in areas at high risk of flooding, called special flood hazard areas. An interactive guide to determine your flood risk is available online at FloodSmart.gov.

Flood insurance, with the average premium running about $600 per year, can save homeowners thousands of dollars in repairs. Just 3 inches of floodwater in a home will require replacing drywall, baseboards, carpet, furniture and other necessary repairs can cost an estimated $22,590.

The deeper the floodwater, the more it will cost – 24 inches of water means repairs to the electrical system and the heating and cooling system. It also means replacement of doors, appliances and cabinetry, which could add another $40,000 to the bill.

Homeowners can insure their homes for up to $250,000 and contents for up to $100,000. Renters can cover their belongings for up to $100,000. Nonresidential property owners can insure a building and its contents for up to $500,000 each.

There is normally a 30-day waiting period when purchasing a new policy so now is the time to get your policy, before the next disaster strikes. The NFIP is administered by FEMA, which works closely with nearly 90 private insurance companies to offer flood insurance to property owners and renters.

NFIP policies can be purchased from state licensed property and casualty insurance agents who already deal with other property insurance needs. NFIP can also put people in touch with agents. Visit www.floodsmart.gov for more information about flood insurance and to locate a local agent.

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Hurricane Isaac Demonstrates the Need for Flood Insurance

Voluntary Organizations Assist Hurricane Isaac Survivors

BATON ROUGE, La. – Thousands of Louisianians affected by Hurricane Isaac are finding help with their unmet needs through the Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) members — groups that arrived before the hurricane made landfall, that kept coming during the rain and flooding, and that will remain in communities for months to come.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has partnered with more than 150 voluntary, community- and faith-based organizations to provide crucial assistance as Louisiana recovers from the storm. FEMA assists the organizations by providing information about available federal assistance programs, offering technical assistance with volunteer management, donation intake and distribution, and helping with unmet needs for the longer term.

“Voluntary groups work together to help survivors get on the road to recovery and to stay on it in the months to come,” said Gerard M. Stolar, FEMA’s federal coordinating officer for Hurricane Isaac recovery. “Volunteers are the backbone of disaster recovery. They go where the need is. They are the first to arrive and the last to leave when disaster strikes.”

Since Isaac hit, volunteer agencies have worked in survivors’ homes, on the affected communities’ streets and public spaces, and in community institutions to help with the recovery effort. Volunteers have mucked mold and mud out of houses and apartments, and installed tarps on roofs as temporary repairs.

Groups from Louisiana and elsewhere in the country have removed trees and debris from neighborhoods and roadways. Other volunteers have worked at call centers, provided support in offices with data analysis, for example, and staffed emergency operations centers for Louisiana VOAD members.

“Sometimes their work is simple and short term. Sometimes these groups are deeply involved in communities for years,” Stolar said. “Always, the work is appreciated.”

Most importantly, perhaps, volunteers have helped survivors directly first with evacuation before the storm made landfall and then by providing food, water, ice, replacement clothing and household items, and cleaning kits after it passed through. As recovery continues, volunteers are acting as counselors and advisers, staffing crisis and legal hotlines and helping survivors navigate and determine their eligibility for federal programs.

Sometimes the volunteers’ motivation comes from a general sense of wanting to contribute to recovery. Sometimes it’s very personal.

“Unfortunately, sometimes it takes having gone through the experience yourself in order to fully appreciate the sufferings and heartaches of what people are going through at a time like this,” said Father John Tran of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church. “There is a mutual understanding of heartache shared between the volunteers who have been there and the residents now dealing with it.”

Volunteer organizations involved in the Hurricane Isaac recovery effort are not funded by the federal government. Voluntary agencies will continue to help storm survivors and to provide disaster relief services in all affected parishes and any other area in need regardless of the federal declaration status.

Also, if disaster survivors sustained uninsured or underinsured damages because of Hurricane Isaac, they should apply for FEMA assistance as soon as possible even if they have already registered with voluntary organizations. Registering with voluntary organizations doesn’t mean that they have automatically registered with FEMA.

Survivors can register online with FEMA at www.disasterassistance.gov or via smartphone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. For 711 Relay or Video Relay Services call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, click 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.

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Voluntary Organizations Assist Hurricane Isaac Survivors

Chalmette Disaster Recovery Center Will Not Reopen

BATON ROUGE, La. — The St. Bernard Parish State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center located in Chalmette and scheduled to reopen on Oct. 22 has closed down permanently.

Although the center has closed, Hurricane Isaac survivors can still contact FEMA online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants 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 operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

Survivors may also contact the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) at 1-800-659-2955 or www.sba.gov.

The center was originally located at:

3220 Jean Lafitte Blvd.
Chalmette, LA 70043

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Chalmette Disaster Recovery Center Will Not Reopen

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