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One Month Later: Recovery Continues in Alabama

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabama emergency managers kept one eye on the destruction occurring in Mississippi as they prepared for supercell storm systems to enter their state during the afternoon and early evening of April 28.

Alabamians heeded meteorologists’ dire warnings that this system appeared to be “a particularly dangerous situation” by closing schools and government offices in the early afternoon. Gov. Robert Bentley issued a state of emergency for all 67 counties because of the threat.

Storms Enter the State at 1 p.m.

All the ingredients for tornado development were parked over Alabama as the storms rolled into the northwest region of the state at about 1 p.m. When the outbreak subsided at 6:30 p.m., 29 tornadoes were recorded, homes and buildings were destroyed by high winds of up to 88 mph and hail the size of baseballs damaged roofs and vehicles.

The damage was widespread with roads impassable, trees and electrical wires down and several reports of people trapped in their homes. Five people died, 16 were injured.

In the southern part of the state, flooding was a major problem with 23.67 inches of rain recorded in Mobile. Search and rescue teams were dispatched for door-to-door searches to find trapped survivors throughout the state.

At the height of the storm, more than 126,000 power outages were reported by the state. The American Red Cross opened five shelters in hardest-hit counties. Some 65 community safe rooms were utilized, saving countless lives.

Later, meteorologists pronounced that the April 28^th storms spawned the fourth highest number of tornadoes in a single event. According to the National Weather Service, the outbreak left a swath of damage almost 200 miles long across the state. The weather service also confirmed four EF-3 tornadoes (the Fujita Scale of tornado strength ranges from EF-0 to EF-5), severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding affecting 31 counties.

At the state Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Clanton, staff compiled and analyzed reports coming in from the counties. With more than $6.7 million in damages and knowing that amount surpassed the state’s ability to absorb, State Emergency Manager Art Faulkner reported to Gov. Bentley that he should seek federal assistance.

The governor asked for the help of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. President Obama expedited a major disaster declaration on May 2, opening the doors for federal aid.

Initially, four counties were declared for Individual Assistance and five counties for Public Assistance. Following a declaration amendment on May 8, another five counties were added for Individual Assistance, which provides grants for individuals and households.

On May 12, 13 counties were added for Public Assistance, which includes emergency reimbursements for protective measures, repairs to roads and bridges, public buildings and infrastructure as well as debris removal.

Counties designated for Individual Assistance include: Baldwin, Blount, DeKalb, Etowah, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone, Mobile and Tuscaloosa.

Counties designated for Public Assistance include: including Baldwin, Butler, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Geneva, Jefferson, Lamar, Lee, Limestone, Mobile, Perry, Pickens and Tuscaloosa.

Recovery Begins

FEMA, one of Alabama’s federal partners, prepositioned a mobile command center at the Alabama EOC to assist in the response effort.

Within 24 hours of the declaration, preliminary damage assessments for Public Assistance had been completed for Baldwin, Jefferson and Limestone counties. Individual Assistance preliminary damage assessments were started in Blount, DeKalb, Etowah, Mobile and Tuscaloosa counties.

Meanwhile, FEMA staff worked to prepare for and deploy equipment for three Disaster Recovery Centers – two in Jefferson and one in Lee counties, while teams of Disaster Survivor Assistance specialists traveled to the state EOC. These teams would fan out across the state to assess, inform and report the situation in communities, as well as going door-to-door to provide on-the-spot FEMA registration for survivors.

The U.S. Small Business Administration, another federal partner, dispatched its staff to Alabama to assist in the outreach to survivors and offer low-interest rate loans to individuals and businesses.

Registration was underway. By close of business May 6, more than 1,800 registrations had been received via the FEMA call center, online and mobile registration. Twenty-six inspectors were in the field, with 1,195 damage inspections completed.

FEMA Grants Help Bring Relief to Survivors

By May 20, more than 300 FEMA and state employees were working in the Montgomery Joint Field Office to bring a sense of normalcy back to the lives of those affected by the storms.

Three weeks after the storm, FEMA had approved more than $11 million in Individual Assistance grants, another federal partner, the SBA, had approved $1.6 million in low-interest, long-term loans. Millions more in Public Assistance dollars will help with the impact to municipalities and government services.

At peak operations, 11 Disaster Recovery Centers were operating in affected counties. More than 3,100 visits to the centers had been made to register for FEMA assistance, ask questions of state and federal officials and learn what programs were available.

At the busiest period, 52 FEMA housing inspectors were in the field, resulting in 95 percent of home damage inspections completed within two days – a rate that remains one month from the date of the disaster.

Also one month after the disaster, federal aid for Alabama tops $20 million with $15 million approved through FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program and another $5 million through approved SBA low-interest disaster loans.

With 38 FEMA housing inspectors now in the field, 95 percent of home damage inspections are being completed within two days.

As of Monday, June 2, six Disaster Recovery Centers remain open: two centers in Baldwin, two in Jefferson, and one center in each Limestone and Mobile counties. The SBA is operating a Disaster Loan Outreach center in Tuscaloosa, which also will have FEMA registration information available.

The deadline for FEMA registration is July 1.

Survivors can register at the recovery centers from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday; by phone, call 800-621-3362 (FEMA) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, multilingual operators are available; TTY is 800-462-7585; by computer, go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov; or by smartphone and tablet, use m.fema.gov.

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One Month Later: Recovery Continues in Alabama

Survivors Have Until Friday to Visit Disaster Recovery Center in Columbus

JACKSON, Miss. – Disaster survivors have until 6 p.m. Friday, June 6, to visit the disaster recovery center in Columbus. The center remains open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily until 6 p.m. Friday. The centers located in Louisville and Tupelo will remain open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday until further notice.

After Friday, disaster survivors in Mississippi can still get help by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585.) People who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY should call 800-462-7585. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (central time) and assistance is available in multiple languages. Survivors can also visit either of the other two disaster recovery centers that remain open.

Disaster recovery center locations and hours

Open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. until 6 p.m. Friday, June 6:

222 Lawrence Drive, Columbus, Miss.

Open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday until further notice:

320 Court St., Tupelo, Miss.

826 S. Church Ave., Louisville, Miss.

If possible, survivors should register for FEMA assistance before visiting a disaster recovery center. At a center they can check on the status of their application and learn about recovery services available from other agencies, including the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Disaster survivors in Itawamba, Jones, Leake, Lee, Lowndes, Madison, Montgomery, Rankin, Simpson, Warren, Wayne and Winston counties may be eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program.

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

The deadline to register for FEMA Individual Assistance is June 30, 2014.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, go to fema.gov/disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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

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

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

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Survivors Have Until Friday to Visit Disaster Recovery Center in Columbus

FEMA Rebuilding Specialists to Provide Advice in Columbus

JACKSON, Miss. – Residents in the Columbus area can learn how to build or rebuild to reduce the likelihood of damage the next time severe storms, tornadoes or floods hit. Federal Emergency Management Agency mitigation specialists know how and they are sharing their knowledge.

FEMA mitigation specialists will be at Lowe’s in Columbus for three days this week to discuss specific methods with anyone who stops by. They will have free booklets and pamphlets with additional details.

Thursday, June 5, through Saturday, June 7, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Lowe’s

2301 Woodmont Dr.

Columbus, Miss. 39705

Disaster survivors in Itawamba, Jones, Leake, Lee, Lowndes, Madison, Montgomery, Rankin, Simpson, Warren, Wayne and Winston counties may be eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program.

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

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, go to FEMA.gov/Disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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 800-621-3362. 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.

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FEMA Rebuilding Specialists to Provide Advice in Columbus

One Month After Disaster: Federal Aid for Alabama Disaster Tops $20 Million

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — More than $14 million has been approved through FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program. The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved more than $5 million through its low-interest disaster loan program.

The following numbers, compiled May 29, provide a snapshot of the Alabama/FEMA disaster recovery to date:

Funds approved

$12.2 million for Housing Assistance grants to help with recovery rental expenses and home repair costs.
$2.5 million for Other Needs Assistance to cover essential disaster-related needs, such as medical expenses and lost personal possessions.
$5.4 million approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration for low-interest loans to eligible homeowners, renters or business owners.

Survivor recovery

9,968 of the 10,464 damaged homes and property have been inspected (95 percent of requests).
3,285 visits have been made to the eight disaster recovery centers located in designated counties.
9 counties designated for Individual Assistance.

FEMA works with many volunteer agencies and the private sector to speed the recovery effort. Those affected by the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding need to register with FEMA for disaster assistance.

No matter the degree of loss or insurance status, survivors are urged to apply for help. They can use the following methods:

By phone, call 800-621-3662 (FEMA) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., local time. Operators are multilingual. TTY 800-462-7585.
By computer, go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
By smartphone or tablet, use m.fema.gov.

County-by-County approved breakdown of Individual Assistance:

County	Approved Registrations	Housing Assistance	Other Needs Assistance
Baldwin	1,577	$6,242,607.13	$968,722.75
Blount	16	99,152.38	3,189.15
DeKalb	23	37,845.10	20,674.77
Etowah	46	416,163.67	38,049.04
Jefferson	373	993,188.44	147,512.20
Lee	48	207,679.16	51,907.93
Limestone	247	761,540.29	390,040.69
Mobile	2,393	3,365,319.90	849,947.13
Tuscaloosa	43	157,684.42	46,744.85
Total:	4,766	$12,281,180.49	$2,516,788.51

Recovery officials urge all Alabama residents who have registered for assistance to stay in close contact with FEMA throughout the recovery process. This is especially true during the first weeks after registering when FEMA housing inspectors must contact applicants to view damages. Those with mobile phones should provide that number to FEMA during the registration.

Affected survivors and business owners in the nine designated counties may apply for assistance. Those counties are: Baldwin, Blount, DeKalb, Etowah, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone, Mobile and Tuscaloosa.

Alabama/FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers are located in Baldwin, Blount, Jefferson, Limestone, Mobile and Tuscaloosa counties. These centers are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The DRC in Blount County will close Saturday, May 31 at 6 p.m. The Tuscaloosa DRC will transition from a DRC as of 6 p.m. Saturday, May 31, to a Disaster Loan Outreach Center with hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The deadline to register is Tuesday, July 1.

Original article:

One Month After Disaster: Federal Aid for Alabama Disaster Tops $20 Million

30 Days Later: Mississippi Recovery by the Numbers

Main Content

Release date:

May 28, 2014

Release Number:

032

JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have approved more than $10.8 million in total assistance for survivors of the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that occurred in Mississippi from April 28 to May 3. The following is a breakdown of that assistance.

SBA disaster loans for homeowners and renters

More than $6.6 million in low-interest disaster loans has been approved by SBA for 95 homeowners and renters.

FEMA Individual Assistance

More than $4.2 million in FEMA Individual Assistance grants has been approved to help Mississippi disaster survivors recover, including:
- Nearly $3.2 million approved for housing grants, including short-term rental assistance and home repair costs.
- More than $1 million approved to help cover other essential disaster-related needs such as medical and dental expenses and lost personal possessions.

More than 4,600 people have contacted FEMA for help, information or referrals to other sources of disaster assistance.
2,411 (99 percent) home inspections completed.
Nearly 4,000 visits to disaster recovery centers by people affected by the disaster.

Total Federal Assistance for survivors

More than $10.8 million in total federal disaster assistance has been approved by FEMA and SBA.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, including additional stories, blogs and photos, go to FEMA.gov/Disaster/4175. Visit MEMA at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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Last Updated:

May 28, 2014 – 17:07

State/Tribal Government or Region:

Region IV

and

Mississippi

Related Disaster:

Mississippi Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Source:

30 Days Later: Mississippi Recovery by the Numbers

Whole-Community Rapid Response Marks First Thirty Days of Recovery

JACKSON, Miss. – It was April 28 when tornadoes swept from west to east across Mississippi, the beginning of five days of severe storms that also brought rain and flooding. The National Weather Service confirmed 23 tornadoes in the state and 14 deaths. More than 1,200 homes and 90 businesses were destroyed or sustained major damage. Approximately 2,000 homes and 200 businesses were damaged in some way. Two days into the event, Governor Phil Bryant’s request for a federal disaster declaration was granted by President Obama.

A dozen counties were so badly damaged they soon qualified for federal Individual Assistance to help individuals and households. Public Assistance was also included to help local governments, and certain private nonprofits in 10 counties.

The American Red Cross quickly opened shelters for those displaced by the tornadoes and eventually operated six shelters which provided 678 overnights stays, 21,512 meals and 25,721 snacks by the time they closed. The Salvation Army opened eight mobile kitchens (“Canteens”) and three fixed feeding sites. They served 10,256 meals, 13,547 beverages and 7,328 snacks.

Only a week after the Louisville tornado destroyed the Winston Medical Center, the only hospital in the area, MEMA and FEMA, with the assistance of the State of North Carolina, delivered a replacement. The National Mobile Disaster Hospital, which FEMA kept in a state of readiness in North Carolina, was loaded onto 27 tractor-trailers and delivered to Louisville for installation. MEMA leased another dozen mobile units in Mississippi to be installed as patient exam rooms.

Mississippi’s State Medical Assistance Team from University of Mississippi Medical Center provided emergency medical care to the citizens of Winston County while the National Mobile Disaster Hospital was transported and assembled.

Less than three weeks after their hospital was destroyed, the staff of the Winston Medical Center opened their new temporary facility at 7 a.m. on May 19.

Meanwhile, on May 3, MEMA and FEMA opened the first three disaster recovery centers where disaster survivors could obtain recovery information in person. Those centers were in Louisville and Tupelo, which briefly had two centers. On May 5, three more centers opened in Brandon, Columbus and Mantachie. Eventually 10 centers would be opened, the last on May 12 in Laurel. Six remained open this week. The centers have received nearly 4,000 visits so far.

The U.S. Small Business Administration also staffs the disaster recovery centers to help individuals, households and businesses understand the process for obtaining low-interest, long-term loans. Currently the SBA has approved 95 home loans for homeowners and renters totaling just over $6.6 million dollars for rebuilding, repairing and replacement of damaged property.

SBA continues to have staff at all disaster recovery centers to provide assistance with the completion and return of the loan applications. SBA advises there is no need to wait on an insurance settlement and encourages those with SBA loan applications to complete and return them as soon as possible.

For many Mississippians, the face of FEMA was a member of its Disaster Survivor Assistance cadre who are the eyes and ears of FEMA in impacted communities. They meet with local officials, community and faith leaders, business owners, schools and service organizations to identify disaster survivors who may need one-on-one help in registering and receiving FEMA assistance. They have visited more than 8,500 homes and interacted with more than 6,000 disaster survivors in Mississippi.

Mitigation is the word FEMA uses to describe the job of helping residents reduce the risk of damage in a future disaster. FEMA mitigation outreach teams can be found in home improvement stores, armed with situation-specific advice, booklets and pamphlets explaining how to repair or rebuild safer and stronger.

On another front, MEMA and FEMA created a joint task force to tackle the complex housing problem the disaster created. Statewide, 767 households were left homeless in the aftermath of the tornadoes.

Upon official review of assistance applications of homeowners and renters, more than a dozen cases were referred to the voluntary agency liaison for possible volunteer assistance to repair or rebuild their homes. More than 30 other disaster survivor households were identified as having access and functional needs. Their cases were referred to appropriate agencies. Overall, adequate temporary housing was determined to be available in 11 of the 12 counties eligible for FEMA Individual Assistance.

On May 20, FEMA approved a direct housing mission for residents of Winston County, where the most severe and concentrated tornado destruction happened. New, FEMA-owned mobile homes can be provided as temporary living quarters where no rental housing or other appropriate housing is available.

Where possible, temporary mobile homes will be installed on private sites while homes are rebuilt. Available vacant mobile home sites in existing parks also will be utilized.

But first, the tornado debris has to be cleared from properties of disaster survivors eligible for temporary use of a FEMA mobile home. By law, FEMA is not authorized to pay for debris clearance on private property. But skilled, disaster-experienced volunteers responded to Mississippi. They are helping survivors move debris off their lots and to the roadsides.

MEMA and FEMA are connecting those volunteers with the resources to get the job done. MEMA, through its newly-launched Business Emergency Operations Center, worked with private sector companies willing to donate tools and equipment, plus the diesel fuel to operate the heavy equipment.

In the fourth week of the disaster, the first applications for temporary mobile homes were approved and sites deemed suitable. Two will be placed on homeowner properties in Noxapater, Miss., and four will be installed on vacant pads in a trailer court in Louisville. More applications are being processed as quickly as possible.

Two temporary mobile homes arrived in Mississippi Tuesday; both are 34-foot, one-bedroom “park models.” One meets Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards for use by a disabled applicant. More units will make the three-hour trip from FEMA’s staging area in Selma, Ala. as applicants are approved and sites are prepared.

Volunteers from Mennonite Disaster Services, under agreement with MEMA and FEMA, are clearing sites of debris using their own equipment and fuel as well as donated equipment and fuel. Other volunteer groups, including Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, Samaritan’s Purse and Team Rubicon, have placed tarps on roofs of damaged homes and cleared debris.

This week, Public Assistance “kick-off” meetings were completed for the 10 counties eligible for FEMA grants to help local governments cover the costs of debris removal and emergency protective measures. Nine of the 10 counties also are eligible for help funding the repair or replacement of damaged public property.

Public Assistance benefits all taxpayers of designated counties to the extent that it relieves them of bearing costs of disaster response and rebuilding public facilities.

Disaster survivors in Itawamba, Jones, Leake, Lee, Lowndes, Madison, Montgomery, Rankin, Simpson, Warren, Wayne and Winston counties may be eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, go to FEMA.gov/Disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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Whole-Community Rapid Response Marks First Thirty Days of Recovery

Federal Aid for Alabama Disaster Tops $12 Million

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — More than $12 million has been approved through FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program. The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved more than $3 million through its low-interest disaster loan program.

The following numbers, compiled May 23, provide a snapshot of the Alabama/FEMA disaster recovery to date:

Funds approved

$10.3 million for Housing Assistance grants to help with recovery rental expenses and home repair costs.
$2 million for Other Needs Assistance to cover essential disaster-related needs, such as medical expenses and lost personal possessions.
$3.4 million approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration for low-interest loans to eligible homeowners, renters or business owners.

Survivor recovery

6,882 of the 7,899 damaged homes and property have been inspected (87 percent of requests).
2,990 visits have been made to the nine disaster recovery centers located in designated counties.
9 counties designated for Individual Assistance.

FEMA works with many volunteer agencies and the private sector to speed the recovery effort. But those affected by the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding need to register with FEMA for disaster aid.

No matter the degree of loss or insurance status, survivors are urged to apply for help. They can use the following methods:

By phone, call 800-621-3662 (FEMA) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., local time. Operators are multilingual. TTY 800-462-7585.
By computer, go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
By smartphone or tablet, use m.fema.gov.

County-by-County approved breakdown of Individual Assistance:

County	Approved Registrations	Housing Assistance	Other Needs Assistance
Baldwin	1,315	$5,618,245.47	$831,785.39
Blount	11	$88,865.68	3,189.15
DeKalb	16	$24,233.20	$10,343.47
Etowah	41	$379,218.80	35,910.51
Jefferson	342	$932,366.08	138,250.46
Lee	47	$206,609.16	51,907.93
Limestone	227	$725,883.91	$366,621.99
Mobile	1,445	$2,265,917.98	$544,046.56
Tuscaloosa	34	$128,910.34	$36,814.67
Total:	3,478	$10,370,249.90	$2,018,870.13

Alabama/FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers are located in Baldwin, Blount, Jefferson, Limestone, Mobile and Tuscaloosa counties. These centers will be open Monday, Memorial Day, May 26, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The DRC in Etowah County closes Saturday, May 24.

The deadline to register is Tuesday, July 1.

Taken from:

Federal Aid for Alabama Disaster Tops $12 Million

Mississippi Disaster Survivors: Check on a Contractor Before You Sign

JACKSON, Miss. – Disaster survivors should check a contractor’s credentials before signing a rebuilding contract. The Mississippi Board of Contractors cautions that fraudulent contractors are contacting survivors and asking them to sign contracts in the amount of their entire homeowner insurance benefit.

Residential building contractors working in Mississippi are required to be licensed with the Mississippi Board of Contractors. It is easy to talk to a representative of the board and find out if a contractor is licensed and has a clean record with the board. Call 800-880-6161, press 1 speak to a representative, and ask your questions.

According to Mississippi law, “It is unlawful to perform residential construction or residential improvement without a valid license. Likewise, it is unlawful to submit a bid, enter into a contract or otherwise engage in the business of a commercial contractor without a valid certificate of responsibility. Violators are subject to a monetary penalty and/or suspension or revocation of their license or certificate of responsibility.”

This week the board learned of an incident where an unlicensed contractor talked an elderly survivor into signing a repair contract totaling the entire amount of her insurance settlement. The perpetrator showed her fraudulent credentials.

Don’t be talked into signing a contract on the spot. The board recommends getting two or three estimates. Each estimate should be in writing and should include the total price, the materials to be used, a timetable for payments and the expected completion date.

Get at least three references from the contractor. After the contractor leaves, check with the board to verify that the contractor is licensed. Then get in touch with the references and find out their experience.

Don’t make a large down payment. Make payments as the work progresses. Don’t pay for work not completed. Don’t pay in cash. A check provides proof of payment and amount. Don’t make a final payment until everything is completed to your satisfaction. Keep all receipts and documents pertaining to the project. For more information, view the board’s website at msboc.us.

Disaster survivors in Itawamba, Jones, Leake, Lee, Lowndes, Madison, Montgomery, Rankin, Simpson, Warren, Wayne and Winston counties may be eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, go to FEMA.gov/Disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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Mississippi Disaster Survivors: Check on a Contractor Before You Sign

Disaster Survivors Urged to Register with FEMA Even if They Have Insurance

JACKSON, Miss. – FEMA does not duplicate benefits that homeowner or renter insurance covers, but it may be able to provide disaster assistance when insurance coverage is not enough to cover the damage. The only way to obtain that potential benefit is to register now for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program.

The FEMA registration period is open until June 30 for the current disaster declaration covering 12 Mississippi counties for severe storms, tornados and flood damage between April 28 and May 3. Insured FEMA applicants may initially be ineligible for assistance to repair disaster damage if they have not yet submitted insurance settlement documentation to FEMA. But the eligibility can be reconsidered once an applicant has settled their claim with their insurer and documentation has been submitted to FEMA. If insurance is not enough to cover repairs to make the dwelling safe, sanitary and functional, FEMA may be able to provide an Individual Assistance grant to help the household complete those repairs.

FEMA can reconsider an application for up to a year after the disaster period, but only if the applicant has registered by the June 30 deadline. Once registration closes, it is too late to seek FEMA assistance, even if insurance benefits later prove insufficient.

Disaster survivors in Itawamba, Jones, Leake, Lee, Lowndes, Madison, Montgomery, Rankin, Simpson, Warren, Wayne and Winston counties may be eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program.

Survivors who register with FEMA and are referred to SBA will be contacted by SBA with options on how to apply for a low-interest loan. After being contacted by SBA, survivors should complete and submit an application even if they do not plan to accept a loan. It is part of the FEMA grant process and can pave the way for additional disaster assistance.

Homeowners and renters who submit an SBA application and are declined a loan may be considered for certain other FEMA grants and programs that could include assistance for disaster-related car repairs, clothing, household items and other expenses.

For additional information about SBA low-interest disaster loans, contact the SBA Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339, emailing DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or visiting sba.gov/disaster. SBA customer service representatives are available at ALL disaster recovery centers. Disaster recovery center locations can be found online at FEMA.gov/DRCLocator.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, go to fema.gov/disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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Disaster Survivors Urged to Register with FEMA Even if They Have Insurance

MEMA, FEMA, Volunteers Working Together to Help Disaster Survivors Recover in Mississippi

JACKSON, Miss. – A cooperative effort involving the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), federal agencies including FEMA, local governments and volunteer groups is underway to help disaster survivors recover from the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that swept across Mississippi between April 28 and May 3.

The need is great. Officials have identified more than 700 households and individuals whose dwellings were too heavily damaged to be habitable. Nearly 2,000 other dwellings were less seriously damaged.

Compounding the issue, nearly 800 households who have registered for FEMA assistance are uninsured.

Clearing the debris is the first step toward recovery. Without homeowner insurance to pay the bill, it may seem an insurmountable obstacle. That is where the generosity of volunteer groups can be critical. Organizations such as Mennonite Disaster Service, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, Samaritan’s Purse and Team Rubicon have responded to Mississippi with the experience, the tools and the equipment to move debris and make repairs.

MEMA and FEMA are working together and with local governments, the volunteers and disaster survivors to get the debris moved to roadsides where it can be taken to the appropriate landfills. FEMA is covering 75 percent of the cost of hauling debris away from roadsides and the state is paying the remaining 25 percent. If homeowners contract to remove debris, it must be hauled away by the contractor.

Debris removal from private property is an allowable cost in U.S. Small Business Administration low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters and businesses.

Disaster survivors in Itawamba, Jones, Leake, Lee, Lowndes, Madison, Montgomery, Rankin, Simpson, Warren, Wayne and Winston counties may be eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, go to fema.gov/disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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See the original article here:

MEMA, FEMA, Volunteers Working Together to Help Disaster Survivors Recover in Mississippi

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