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Los Estafadores Intentan Aprovecharse De Los Sobrevivientes Del Desastre

TRENTON, N.J. – Los fraudes y estafas son males conocidos que aparecen luego de cualquier desastre. Con métodos viejos y modernos, los estafadores buscan obtener información muy importante o aprovecharse de los sobrevivientes ocupados en su recuperación.

Los residentes de New Jersey deben mantenerse alerta. Algunos de los fraudes más comunes luego de un desastre incluyen:

Estafas por reparaciones en la vivienda

Contratistas para la mejora de viviendas no registrados pueden llevarse el dinero de los sobrevivientes, dejando, en su huida, reparaciones inconclusas y viviendas inseguras. Antes de contratar a un contratista, el sobreviviente debe informarse con la oficina del Departamento de Defensa al Consumidor de New Jersey, llamando al número 800-242-5846, para asegurarse de que el contratista está registrado. También debe solicitar la póliza de seguro de responsabilidad civil del contratista y verificar que sea válida. Todos los contratos deben realizarse por escrito y revisarse antes de firmarlos. Tampoco se debe pagar el total de las reparaciones antes de que los trabajos sean concluidos.

Se debe notificar al departamento de policía local sobre las sospechas de fraude.

Aumento ilegal de precios

Los aumentos excesivos de precios son ilegales. Infórmese con la oficina del Departamento de Defensa al Consumidor de New Jersey en el sitio www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov o llame al número 800-242-5846 si sospecha que los precios son demasiado altos.

Robo de identidad

Algunas personas pueden hacerse pasar por empleados de la Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias (FEMA, Federal Emergency Management Agency) u otras organizaciones gubernamentales, como la Agencia Federal para el Desarrollo de la Pequeña Empresa (SBA, U.S. Small Business Administration), o servicios públicos. Los estafadores, que estén yendo de puerta en puerta por las viviendas dañadas, por teléfono o por Internet, pueden intentar obtener información personal como el número de Seguro Social o números de cuentas bancarias.

Recuerde:

Una playera o chaqueta de FEMA o SBA no es prueba suficiente de la afiliación de alguien con estas agencias. Todo el personal autorizado de FEMA y SBA tienen una identificación oficial laminada y con foto que deben llevar de forma visible todo el tiempo;
Los individuos pueden inscribirse para recibir asistencia y realizar un seguimiento de sus solicitudes anteriores en línea en el sitio DisasterAssistance.gov/espanol o a través de un dispositivo móvil que permita el acceso a Internet en el sitio m.FEMA.gov/esp. Por teléfono o a través de las líneas 711/VRS, llamando al 800-621-3362 o TTY 800-462-7585;
Para las llamadas de seguimiento, un representante de FEMA sólo pedirá los últimos cuatro dígitos del número de Seguro Social del solicitante.

Sobornos o pagos falsos

Los impostores pueden requerir alguna forma de pago por servicios o sobornos – algo que FEMA, SBA o el empleado de una agencia federal nunca requerirá. Los inspectores de vivienda contratados por FEMA evalúan los daños pero no estiman los costos. FEMA no contrata o recomienda contratistas específicos para reparar las viviendas o recomienda reparaciones.

Los estafadores pueden presentarse como especialistas en seguros o gestores que declaran que pueden convencer a FEMA para aumentar la ayuda de las reparaciones en la vivienda o convencer al seguro de pagar un acuerdo más alto. Los estafadores le piden al solicitante o persona asegurada que firmen un contrato donde establecen que les pagarán un porcentaje del pago incrementado. La esencia del fraude consiste en llevarse un porcentaje del subsidio por daños o acuerdo con el seguro que se les proporcionaría normalmente a los sobrevivientes. FEMA siempre negocia directamente con cada solicitante y siempre está dispuesta a considerar una apelación y enviar a otro inspector a revisar los daños en la propiedad dañada o las pérdidas declaradas.

Fraudes de caridad

Antes de realizar una donación, las personas deben investigar a las organizaciones para asegurarse de que están registradas para recaudar fondos en New Jersey. También deben preguntar cómo se va a utilizar el dinero recaudado.

Para más preguntas, los residentes de New Jersey pueden ponerse en contacto con la oficina del Departamento de Defensa al Consumidor de New Jersey en el sitio www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov o llamando al 800-242-5846.

La misión de FEMA es apoyar a los ciudadanos y a las agencias de primera respuesta para garantizar que trabajemos juntos como nación para desarrollar, mantener y mejorar nuestra capacidad de prepararnos, protegernos, y recuperarnos de los peligros, responder ante ellos y mitigarlos.

Siga a FEMA en línea en www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, y www.youtube.com/fema. También, siga las actividades de administrador Craig Fugate en www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

Los enlaces a redes sociales se proporcionan solamente a manera de referencia. FEMA no endosa ninguna página de Internet, compañía o aplicación no gubernamental.

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Los Estafadores Intentan Aprovecharse De Los Sobrevivientes Del Desastre

Children Vulnerable To Disaster-Related Stress

TRENTON, N.J. — Hurricane Sandy left behind more than physical destruction. As people in New Jersey begin to rebuild, every affected family has faced a disruption of their normal lives. Many must also confront the anguish of losing a home.

Children are particularly vulnerable to the stress that follows a natural disaster, and their symptoms may linger much longer than in adults, according to mental health experts. They also react to how adults behave in stressful situations, so it’s important for parents and caregivers to look after their own mental health in the wake of a disaster.

Parents and other caregivers should be alert to signs of stress-related troubles and learn how to deal with their children’s fears and unusual behaviors.

Children ages 5 or younger may cry more frequently than usual, become clingy, have nightmares, show excessive fear of the dark, fear of animals or fear of being alone. Appetites may change. They may speak with difficulty or revert to behaviors such as bed-wetting or thumb-sucking.

Children ages 5 to 11 may exhibit increased irritability, aggression, and competition with their siblings for parental attention. Some become preoccupied with the disaster and want to talk about it continually. They may also show anxiety through whining, withdrawing from their peers, and losing interest in normal activities.

Teenagers 11 to 18 may show outright rebellion, physical problems, and sleep disturbances. They may engage in risk-taking behaviors such as reckless driving or alcohol and drug abuse.

Those signs of anxiety often result from the losses, disruption to family life, and a sense of a hostile world created by a natural disaster. The following suggestions may help to reduce stress in children:

Spend time each day giving each child undivided attention, even if just for a few minutes. Share experiences. Reaffirm your love. Make plans together. Just “be there” for each other.
Encourage them to talk. Ask children to describe what they are feeling. Let them talk about the disaster and ask as many questions as they like. Listen to what they say. Assure them that the disaster was an act of nature and not caused by them. Include the entire family in the discussion, if possible.
Understand their fears. It is important that parents accept anxieties as being very real to children. Help them understand what causes their anxieties and fears. Recognize their losses, such as their pets, favorite toys and other personal items. Reassure them that everything will be all right.
Explain what is going on. Make every effort to keep children informed about what is happening. Explanations should be in simple language. With children 5 or older, rehearse safety measures for use in case of future disasters.
Reassure them. Parents can help reassure children by telling them they are safe, holding and hugging them frequently, restoring normal routines, providing play experiences for them, and making bedtime a special moment of calm and comfort.
Encourage activities with their peers. As with adults, social time with friends is a very important part of the recovery process.
Temporarily lower expectations of them. Allow for the fact that stress from the disastercan show itself in many ways over a period of time, and make appropriate allowances.

The New Jersey Department of Human Services is coordinating statewide efforts to help individuals and communities manage the emotional impact of the storm. Crisis counselors are currently providing support in many shelters and assisting in FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers as needed.

In addition to providing face-to-face disaster crisis counseling, the state provides informational materials about coping and they partner with the Mental Health Association in New Jersey to offer assistance through a toll free helpline: 877-294-4357 (also apples to VRS or 711-Relay users)or TTY 877-294-4356. Or visit their website: www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dmhs/disaster/.

Parents, guardians and caregivers may also want to contact their local mental health agency for information on resources in their community that can assist children after disasters.

For more information call 877-652-7624, 24 hours a day, seven days a week; or visit the website www.performcarenj.org.

PHOTOS: See following links.

http://www.fema.gov/photolibrary/photo_details.do?id=60773

http://www.fema.gov/photolibrary/photo_details.do?id=60020

THESE 2 PHOTOS ARE FROM 2007 NEW JERSEY DISASTER:

http://www.fema.gov/photodata/original/29748.jpg

http://www.fema.gov/photolibrary/photo_details.do?id=29744

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,

Land 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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Children Vulnerable To Disaster-Related Stress

Recovery Centers To Close In Western New Jersey Counties

TRENTON, N.J. — Nine Disaster Recovery Centers in the western area of New Jersey will be closing over the next week and a half.

State and federal officials have been paying close attention to how many applicants are visiting centers throughout the state. Over the past weeks, the number of individuals seeking help at DRCs in the western counties has dropped, indicating the information needs of survivors in the area have mostly been met.

Disaster specialists encourage applicants in western New Jersey to visit these centers while they are open. After these centers close, an applicant may go to any DRC, even if it is located in another county or state.

Final schedules are as follows:

Cumberland, Mercer and Morris DRCs are open this week through Saturday, Dec. 8 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., closing Dec. 8 at 7 p.m.

Burlington, Gloucester and Warren DRCs will be open Monday through Wednesday, Dec. 10-12 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., closing Dec. 12 at 7 p.m.

Salem, Somerset and Sussex DRCs will be open Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 13-15 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., closing Dec. 15 at 7 p.m.

DRCs allow residents to speak one-on-one with recovery representatives. FEMA program specialists are available to provide registration and other information, and to answer questions at the centers. These include mitigation specialists who can provide guidance on cost-effective rebuilding and repair techniques to reduce property damage in future disasters.

In addition to FEMA program specialists, customer service representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are available to answer questions about the SBA low-interest disaster loan program, and to assist with disaster loan applications.

DRC locations may change. The nearest open offices can be found online at FEMA.gov/DRC.

It is not necessary to visit a center to receive disaster assistance.

Individuals can register for assistance and follow up on their applications online at DisasterAssistance.gov, or by web-enabled mobile device at m.FEMA.gov. By phone or 711/VRS, call 800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 800-462-7585.

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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Recovery Centers To Close In Western New Jersey Counties

Proactive Approach to Preparedness: Getting Ready Younger

SAN JUAN, PR –If new generations are raised with emergency preparedness awareness as an inherent part of their early education, communities will become smarter and more resilient sooner. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) supports this approach since dependable preparedness plans equal a swifter recovery for individuals, local, state and federal governments after a disaster.

“Our communities need to get better prepared to rapidly respond to emergencies and if we reach this younger audience earlier, emergency preparedness will be a familiar subject, but most importantly, they will be ready sooner. Youngsters have a significant influence on their peers and families, which may drive this preparedness message further on,” said FEMA’s Caribbean Area Division Director, Alejandro De La Campa.

For this reason, FEMA established the first Youth Preparedness Council to discuss and promote steps meant to strengthen the nation’s resiliency against all types of disasters. This Council is comprised of 13 youth leaders (ages 13 – 17) from each of FEMA’s 10 regions, which will develop and conclude their emergency preparedness projects in two years.

13-year old Humacao resident, Gabriela Rodriguez-Boria, is FEMA’s Region II Youth Council representative. Puerto Rico is one of the jurisdictions under Region II, which also includes New York, New Jersey and the US Virgin Islands. With her project, Gabriela seeks opportunities to prepare youngsters to be ready before and after a disaster strikes, making communities in Puerto Rico more emergency resilient through its budding members. She is organizing a Teen Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) of approximately 15-20 students at her school and plans to replicate this program in other schools in neighboring communities, and eventually to all Region II jurisdictions.

The CERT Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Youngsters can involve their schools, neighbors, churches, families and friends in similar initiatives where they can acquire surviving tools for future emergencies. Young minds bring fresh eyes and new perspectives to any preparedness endeavour, therefore FEMA encourages their contribution in emergency planning and readiness for our communities.

There is additional information about the Youth Council at www.citizencorps.gov/getstarted/youth/youthindex. If you are interested in becoming a CERT member, locate the nearest CERT team or check for upcoming training opportunities, visit www.citizencorps.gov/cert. Learn more about emergency preparedness and how to improve your community resiliency to emergency situations by visiting www.fema.gov or www.ready.gov.

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Proactive Approach to Preparedness: Getting Ready Younger

Help Offered For Stressed Survivors Of Hurricane Sandy

TRENTON, N.J. — Feeling blue? Disoriented? Powerless?

For disaster survivors who may feel overwhelmed after Hurricane Sandy, help is just a phone call away.

The New Jersey Disaster Mental Health Helpline at 877-294-4357, or TTY 877-294-4356, is open and ready for talk from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

“The help is free and confidential,” said Lynn Kovich, Assistant Commissioner in charge of the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services. “Simply talking with a counselor can sometimes ease the symptoms. We can help folks in distress move forward on their path to recovery.

“The majority of calls are from people having temporary reactions, people who before the disaster were healthy and functioning normally. Hotline crisis counseling can help keep the symptoms from escalating into major mental health concerns,” she said.

Disaster-induced mental distress may include:

Sleeping too much or too little.
Stomach aches or headaches.
Worrying a lot of the time; feeling guilty but not sure why.
Lack of energy or always feeling tired.
Severe disorientation or confusion.
Overwhelming sense of guilt.
Depression, sadness and feelings of hopelessness.
Increased use of substances like drugs or alcohol.

Disaster survivors often doubt that happiness will ever be possible again. Talking about those feelings with friends or counselors can help, according to experts.

Talking to someone can help survivors keep perspective. Eventually, these out-of-balance times will improve. In the meantime, it is important to connect with others.

Rest, exercise, and healthy eating help the body deal with stress.

FEMA also supports a Disaster Mental Health Helpline run by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, where counselors are available 24/7. The number is 800-985-5990.

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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Help Offered For Stressed Survivors Of Hurricane Sandy

Over $42 Million In Disaster Loans Approved In New Jersey, SBA Urges Submission Of Applications Before December 31 Deadline

TRENTON, N.J. — The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved over $42.3 million in disaster assistance loans for 653 New Jersey residents and businesses affected by Hurricane Sandy. The deadline to apply for physical damage is December 31, 2012. Those affected by the disaster are encouraged to apply now and may apply for disaster loans electronically from SBA’s website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

Applicants do not have to wait for insurance to be settled before applying. No one is obligated to take a loan if it is offered, but if you don’t accept a loan, you may not be eligible for FEMA’s Other Needs Assistance. However, it is important for businesses and residents to maximize their recovery resources and take time to submit their SBA disaster applications before the December 31 deadline.

SBA offers the following types of low-interest, long-term loans to cover uninsured losses:

Home Disaster Loans: to homeowners to repair disaster-damaged real estate and replace damaged contents. Renters are also eligible for their contents loss.

Business Physical Disaster Loans: to businesses to repair disaster-damaged property and repair/replace damaged business contents including inventory, machinery and equipment. Businesses of any size are eligible. Private, non-profit organizations such as charities, churches, etc., are also eligible.

Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs): to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster.

Interest rates are as low as 1.688 percent for homeowners and renters, 3 percent for non-profit organizations and 4 percent for businesses with terms up to 30 years.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical damage is December 31, 2012. The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 31, 2013.

SBA customer service representatives are available at all Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) throughout the state and at the ten Business Recovery Centers (BRCs) in Atlantic City, Hackensack, Cape May, Newark, Jersey City, Piscataway, Lincroft, Manahawkin, Paterson and Plainfield.

SBA’s partners including counselors with the New Jersey Small Business Development Center (NJSBDC), SCORE, SBA Women’s Business Center and SBA’s Veteran’s Business Outreach Center are available to help business owners prepare needed financial information at no charge.

Details on the locations of Centers and the loan application process can be obtained by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, TTY 800-877-8339 or by sending an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

Loan applications can be downloaded from www.sba.gov. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Businesses of any size can learn about disaster business loans available from the Small Business Administration in this two minute video: SBA Disaster Business Loans.

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.

For more information about the SBA’s Disaster Loan Program, visit our website at www.sba.gov.

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Over $42 Million In Disaster Loans Approved In New Jersey, SBA Urges Submission Of Applications Before December 31 Deadline

State, Local Private Nonprofits In New Jersey Get 30 More Days To Request Fema Public Assistance Grants

TRENTON, N.J. — Deadlines to apply for Public Assistance (PA) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency have been extended to December 30, 2012 for all 21 counties.

Michael Hall, FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer, granted the extension following a request from

the New Jersey State Office of Emergency Management. The PA program is a reimbursement program where the federal government provides 75 percent of eligible costs.

In the request for an extension, the state cited the unprecedented impact of Hurricane Sandy and the tremendous increase in the number of organizations submitting a Request for Public Assistance (RPA) that have never before been involved in the PA process.

As of December 3, FEMA has received 1,098 requests for Public Assistance, conducted 630 kick-off meetings, and approved 24 large projects totaling, $57,729,003.

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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State, Local Private Nonprofits In New Jersey Get 30 More Days To Request Fema Public Assistance Grants

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.

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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

Three New Recovery Centers Open In Hudson, Middlesex, And Union Counties

TRENTON, N.J. — Anyone affected by Hurricane Sandy can now visit newly opened Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in Hudson, Middlesex, and Union counties if they have questions about recovery programs. The new DRCs are located in:

Hudson County:

Bayonne City Museum, 229 Broadway, Bayonne, NJ 07002

Two other DRCs are open in Hudson County at the Jersey City Museum and next to the Office Depot at 59 Washington St. in Hoboken.

Middlesex County:

Woodbridge Health Center, 2 George Frederick Plaza, Woodbridge, NJ 07095

A second DRC is open in Middlesex County at the Sayreville Senior Center.

Union County:

Gregorio Recreation Center, 330 Helen St., Linden, NJ 07036

Two other DRCs are open in Union County at the Chisholm School Community Center,

100 S. Springfield Ave., Springfield, NJ 07081 (scheduled to close Dec. 1), and the Plainfield Senior Citizen’s Service Center, 400 East Front St., Plainfield, NJ 07060.

There are now 34 DRCs open in New Jersey. All are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. except for the center in Bay Head which opens from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. while the curfew remains in effect.

Individuals can register for assistance and follow up on previous applications by registering online at DisasterAssistance.gov, or by web-enabled mobile device at m.FEMA.gov. By phone or 711/VRS, you can call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585.

DRCs allow residents to speak one-on-one to recovery representatives. FEMA program specialists are available to provide registration and other information, and to answer questions at the centers. These include mitigation specialists who can provide guidance on cost-effective rebuilding and repair techniques to reduce property damage in future disasters.

It is not necessary to visit a center to receive disaster assistance.

An applicant may go to any DRC, even if it is located in another county or state. Once an application has been made, a FEMA registration number is assigned. It can be accessed nationally.

DRC locations change frequently. The closest open offices can be found online at http://asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm. An alternative is to go to www.fema.gov and search for DRC locator.

DRCs in New Jersey are located in:

Atlantic County

Atlantic City Convention Center, 1 Convention Blvd., Room 201, Atlantic City, NJ 08401

Hamilton Mall, 4403 Blackhorse Pike (Route 322), NJ 08330

Bergen County

Bergen County Plaza, 1 Bergen Plaza, 4^th Floor, Hackensack, N.J. 07652

Burlington County: Rotating Center

Burlington Center Mall, 2501 Burlington-Mount Holly Road, Suite 215, Burlington, NJ 08016

DATES: Thurs., Nov., 29 to Sat., Dec. 1 and Mon., Dec. 10 to Wed., Dec. 12

Cape May County

Cape May Courthouse Public Library, 30 Mechanics St, Cape May, N.J. 08226

Ocean City Community Center, 1735 Simpson Ave., Ocean City, N.J. 08210

Cumberland County: Rotating Center

Emergency Management Office, 637 Bridgeton Ave., Bridgeton, N.J. 08302

DATES: Mon., Nov. 26 to Wed., Nov. 28 and Thurs., Dec. 6 to Sat., Dec. 8

Essex County

Willing Heart Community Care Center, 555 Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd., Newark, NJ 07103

Gloucester County: Rotating Center

Government Services Building, 1200 N. Delsea Drive, Clayton, NJ 08312

DATES: Thurs., Nov., 29 to Sat., Dec. 1 and Mon., Dec. 10 to Wed., Dec. 12

Hudson County

Adjacent to Office Depot, 59 Washington St., Hoboken, NJ 07030

Jersey City Museum, 350 Montgomery St., Jersey City, NJ 07302

Bayonne City Museum, 229 Broadway, Bayonne, NJ 07002

Mercer County: Rotating Center

Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, NJ 08550

DATES: Mon., Nov. 26 to Wed., Nov. 28 and Thurs., Dec. 6 to Sat., Dec. 8

Middlesex County

Sayreville Senior Center, 423 Main St., Sayreville, NJ 08872

Woodbridge Health Center, 2 George Frederick Plaza, Woodbridge, NJ 07095

Monmouth County

Belmar Municipal Bldg., 601 Main St., Belmar, NJ 07719

Henry Hudson Trail Activity Center, 945 Highway 36, Leonardo, NJ 07737

Long Branch Fire Station #4, 199-205 Union Ave., Long Branch, NJ 07740

Union Beach Municipal Building, 650 Poole Ave., Union Beach, NJ 07735

Morris County: Rotating Center

Morris Plains Community Center, 51 Jim Fear Drive, Morris Plains, NJ 07950

DATES: Mon., Nov. 26 to Wed., Nov. 28 and Thurs., Dec. 6 to Sat., Dec. 8

Ocean County

Bay Head Fire Station #1, 81 Bridge Ave., Bay Head, NJ 08742

HOURS: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. until further notice

Ocean County

Bell Crest Plaza Store Front 4C, 953 Fischer Blvd., Toms River, NJ 08753

Brick Township Civic Center, 270 Chambers Bridge Road, Brick, NJ 08723

Harvey Cedars Bible Conference Center, 12 Cedars Ave., Harvey Cedars, NJ 08008

Little Egg Harbor Senior Center, 641 Radio Road, Little Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08087

Old Township Bldg., 775 East Bay Ave., Stafford, NJ 08050

Passaic County

Passaic County Department of Health, 317 Pennsylvania Ave., Paterson, NJ 07503

Salem County: Rotating Center

Penns Grove EMS Bldg., 25 East Griffin St., Penns Grove, NJ 08069

DATES: Mon., Dec. 3 to Wed., Dec. 5 and Thurs., Dec. 13 to Sat., Dec. 15

Somerset County: Rotating Center

Somerset County Human Services, 27 Warren St., Somerville, NJ 08876

DATES: Mon., Dec. 3 to Wed., Dec. 5 and Thurs., Dec. 13 to Sat., Dec. 15

Sussex County: Rotating Center

Sussex County Community College, 1 College Hill Road, Newton, NJ 07860

DATES: Mon., Dec. 3 to Wed., Dec. 5 and Thurs., Dec. 13 to Sat., Dec. 15

Union County

Chisholm School Community Center, 100 S. Springfield Ave., Springfield, NJ 07081

(scheduled to close 12/1)

Plainfield Senior Citizen’s Service Center, 400 East Front St., Plainfield, NJ 07060

Gregorio Recreation Center, 330 Helen St. in Linden, NJ 07036.

Warren County: Rotating Center

Franklin Township Municipal Bldg., 2093 Route 57, Broadway, NJ 08808

DATES: Thurs., Nov. 29 to Sat., Dec. 1 and Mon., Dec. 10 to Wed., Dec. 12

SBA customer service representatives are available for one-on-one consultation with business owners who are seeking assistance in applying for low-interest disaster loans for business losses caused by Hurricane Sandy.

Atlantic County

Richard Stockton College, Small Business Development Center, 35 South Martin Luther King Blvd., Atlantic City, NJ 08401

HOURS: Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Bergen County

Bergen Community College, Small Business Development Center, 355 Main St., Room 121, Hackensack, NJ 07601

HOURS: Mon-Fri 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Cape May County

Cape May County Chamber of Commerce 13 Crest Haven Road, Cape May, NJ 08210

HOURS: Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Essex County

Rutgers University, Small Business Development Center, 25 James St., Newark, NJ 07102

HOURS: Mon-Fri 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Hudson County

Small Business Development Center, New Jersey City University, 285 West Side Ave., Suites 189-191, Jersey City, NJ 07305

HOURS: Mon-Fri 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Middlesex County

John F. Kennedy Library, 500 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854

HOURS: Mon-Sat.10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Sunday 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Monmouth County

Brookdale Community College, 765 Newman Springs Road, Bankier Library, Rm. 246 (SBDC), Lincroft, NJ 07738

HOURS: Mon-Fri 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Ocean County

Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce, Stafford Heritage Park Train Station

(Across from Manahawkin Lake Between RT 9 and RT 72), West Bay Ave., Manahawkin, NJ 08050

HOURS: Mon-Sun 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Passaic County

William Paterson University, Small Business Development Center, 131 Ellison St.,Paterson, NJ 07505

HOURS: Mon-Fri 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Union County

Kean University – SBDC, Business One-Stop Service – The Incubator, 320 Park Ave., Plainfield, NJ 07060

HOURS: Mon-Fri 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Renters, homeowners and businesses that do not need one-on-one assistance do not need to visit a center. They can apply for an SBA disaster loan online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

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.

Three New Recovery Centers Open In Hudson, Middlesex, And Union Counties

Camden And Hunterdon Disaster Recovery Centers To Close

TRENTON, N.J. — The Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in Camden and Hunterdon counties

will close at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 28. Survivors of Hurricane Sandy can continue to visit the other

33 DRCs serving individuals in New Jersey. Anyone can visit any DRC in any county or even another state.

Those affected by Sandy are encouraged to register with FEMA before visiting a DRC.

Individuals can apply for assistance and follow up on previous applications by registering online

at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or by web-enabled mobile device at m.fema.gov. By phone

or 711/VRS call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585.

Current DRC Locations are:

Atlantic County Atlantic County

Atlantic City Convention Center Hamilton Mall

1 Convention Blvd., Room 201 4403 Blackhorse Pike (Route 322)

Atlantic City, NJ 08401 Mays Landing, NJ 08330

Bergen County Burlington County

Bergen County Plaza Burlington Center Mall

1 Bergen Plaza, 4^th Floor 2501 Burlington – Mount Holly Road

Hackensack, NJ 07652 Suite 215

Burlington, NJ 08016

Camden County Cape May County

Public Works Building Cape May Courthouse Public Library

2311 Egg Harbor Road 30 Mechanics St.

Lindenwold, NJ 08021 Cape May Courthouse, NJ 08210

Closes Nov. 28

Cape May County Cumberland County

Ocean City Community Center Emergency Management Agency Office

1735 Simpson Ave. 637 Bridgeton Ave., Lower Level

Ocean City, NJ 08226 Bridgeton, NJ 08302

Essex County Gloucester County

Willing Heart Community Care Center Government Services Building

555 Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd. 1200 North Delsea Dr.

Newark, NJ 07103 Clayton, NJ 08312

Hudson County Hudson County

Adjacent to Office Depot Jersey City Museum

59 Washington St. 350 Montgomery St.

Hoboken, NJ 07030 Jersey City, NJ 07302

Hunterdon County Mercer County

Department of Public Safety Annex Mercer County Community College

77 Park Ave. 1200 Old Trenton Road

Flemington, NJ 08822 West Windsor, NJ 08550

Closes Nov. 28

Middlesex County Monmouth County

Sayreville Senior Center Henry Hudson Trail Activity Center

423 Main St. 945 Hwy. 36

Sayreville, NJ 08872 Leonardo, NJ 07737

Monmouth County Monmouth County

Belmar Municipal Building Union Beach Municipal Building

601 Main St. 650 Poole Ave.

Belmar, NJ 07719 Union Beach, NJ 07735

Monmouth County Morris County

Long Branch Fire Station #4 Morris Plains Community Center

199-205 Union Ave. 51 Jim Fear Drive

Long Branch, NJ 07740 Morris Plains, NJ 07950

Ocean County Ocean County

Old Township Building Bay Head Fire Station #1

775 East Bay Ave. 81 Bridge Ave.

Stafford, NJ 08050 Bay Head, NJ 08742

Ocean County Ocean County

Bell Crest Plaza Store Front 4C Brick Township Civic Center

953 Fischer Blvd. 270 Chambers Bridge Rd.

Toms River, NJ 08753 Brick, NJ 08723

Ocean County Ocean County

Little Egg Harbor Senior Center Harvey Cedars Bible Conference Center

641 Radio Road 12 Cedars Ave.

Little Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08087 Harvey Cedars, NJ 08008

(Long Beach Island)

Passaic County Salem County

Passaic County Department of Health Penns Grove EMS Building

317 Pennsylvania Ave. 25 East Griffith St.

Paterson, NJ 07503 Penns Grove, NJ 08069

Somerset County Sussex County

Somerset County Human Services Sussex County Community College

27 Warren St. 1 College Hill Road

Somerville, NJ 08876 Newton, NJ 07860

Union County Union County

Chisholm School Community Center Plainfield Senior Citizen’s

100 S. Springfield Ave. Service Center

Springfield, NJ 07081 400 E. Front St.

Plainfield, NJ 07060

Warren County

Franklin Township Municipal Building

2093 Route 57

Broadway, NJ 08808

In addition to the DRCs, there are also SBA Business Recovery Centers (BRCs) to serve business customers. SBA Customer Service Representatives are available at BRCs to provide one-on-one help to business owners seeking disaster assistance for losses. They are at the following locations, until further notice:

Atlantic County Bergen County

Richard Stockton College Bergen Community College

Small Business Development Center Small Business Development Center

35 South Martin Luther King Blvd. 355 Main St., Room 121

Atlantic City, NJ 08401 Hackensack, NJ 07601

Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Hours: Mon – Fri 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Cape May County Essex County

Cape May County Chamber of Commerce Rutgers University

13 Crest Haven Road Small Business Development Center

Cape May, NJ 08210 25 James St.

Hours: Mon – Fri 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Newark, NJ 07102

Hours: Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hudson County Middlesex County

Small Business Development Center John F. Kennedy Library

New Jersey City University 500 Hoes Lane

285 West Side Ave., Suites 189 – 191 Piscataway, NJ 08854

Hours: Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jersey City, NJ 07305

Hours: Mon. – Sat.10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Monmouth County Ocean County

Brookdale Community College Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce

765 Newman Springs Road Stafford Heritage Park Train Station and Rail Car

Bankier Library, Room 246 (SBDC) (Across from Manahawkin Lake between RT 9 and

Lincroft, NJ 07738 RT 72)

Hours: Mon- Fri 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. West Bay Ave.

Manahawkin, NJ 08050

Hours: Mon – Sun 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Passaic County Union County

William Paterson University Kean University – SBDC

Small Business Development Center Business One-Stop Service – The Incubator

131 Ellison St. 320 Park Ave.

Paterson, NJ 07505 Plainfield, NJ 07060

Hours: Mon- Fri 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hours: Mon- Fri 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

All BRCs are closed Nov. 23 – 25, and will reopen Monday, Nov. 26.

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.

Originally from –

Camden And Hunterdon Disaster Recovery Centers To Close

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