Hidalgo DRC Transitions to Loan Center; Two Others to Close

AUSTIN, Texas—The Disaster Recovery Center (DRC), operated by the State of Texas and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), at the Porter P. Doss Memorial Library in Hidalgo County will transition to a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) beginning Monday, Feb. 1.

The new DLOC will be located at the Weslaco Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center (next door to City Hall), 275 S. Kansas Ave., Weslaco, TX 78596. The DLOC will open for business at 8 a.m., Feb. 1. Its hours of operation will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday–Friday.

The Hidalgo County DRC at the Doss Memorial Library, 515 S. Kansas Ave., Weslaco, TX 78569, will remain open until 6 p.m., Friday, Jan. 29.

Both the Cameron County DRC at the Bob Clark Social Service Center, 9901 California Road, Brownsville, TX 78521, and the Willacy County DRC at the Willacy County EMS, 693 S. 7th St., Raymondville, TX 78580, will close at 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29.

Representatives from the SBA will be available at the DLOC to meet individually with residents and business owners who sustained damage as a result of the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding from Oct. 22 to Oct. 31. Representatives will answer questions, explain SBA’s disaster loan program, help complete loan applications and close approved disaster loans.

State/FEMA DRCs remain open until the needs of area residents have been met. The centers serve as one-stop shops for information and guidance about disaster assistance.

Texas homeowners and renters who have registered for disaster assistance with FEMA are encouraged by recovery officials to “stay in touch.” If applicants change their address or phone numbers they should update that information with FEMA. Missing or erroneous information could result in delays getting a home inspection or in receiving assistance.

To learn more about the Texas recovery, visit the disaster web page at www.fema.gov/disaster/4245, or call the FEMA Helpline (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. (TTY users should call 800-462-7585.) The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Information is also available on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the Texas Division of Emergency Management website, https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem.

# # #

All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).

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. 

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

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Hidalgo DRC Transitions to Loan Center; Two Others to Close

This First Week of National Preparedness Month, Make a Plan for Floods

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – This is the first week of National Preparedness Month (NPM) and in the Midwest it’s off to a roaring start with active outreach and conversations meant to inspire individuals and families to take action and prepare for flooding—the most common and costly disaster in the United States. Yes, it can happen where you live!

During this first week of NPM, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency’s 10 regional offices; county and local emergency managers; other federal agencies; businesses; voluntary and other organizations; as well as families and individuals will use news releases, social media, educational activities and events to promote the message that preparing for floods is important for protecting lives, livelihoods and properties.

“Flooding is fresh on the minds of many people in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. With so much flooding during the past few months, it’s a good time to consider the true risk,” said FEMA Region VII Regional Administrator Beth Freeman. “But it’s not enough to simply realize flooding is a real threat for us all. This month, this week, today, we hope everyone will take action to develop and practice a family emergency communication plan for hazards like flooding. This year our theme is, ‘Don’t wait. Communicate. Make your emergency plan today.’”

Fewer than half of Americans have taken the time to plan what they will do if there is an emergency. Sitting down and developing a communication plan with loved ones doesn’t cost a thing, but can save a lot if a flood or another disaster impacts you and your family.

In addition to floods, hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes and earthquakes also occur frequently and devastate lives across the country every year. To encourage disaster planning for all hazards, FEMA and the Ad Council just launched a new series of public service announcements (PSAs) in English and Spanish, at www.ready.gov/september,  The PSAs direct audiences to www.ready.gov/communicate for tools and resources to help develop and practice a family emergency communication plan.

Managed and sponsored by the Ready campaign, National Preparedness Month is designed to raise awareness and encourage Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, schools, organizations, businesses, and places of worship. National Preparedness Month is an opportunity to share emergency preparedness information and host activities across the country to help Americans understand what it truly means to be ready.

National Preparedness Month Weekly Themes

•Week 1 (September 1–5)  Flood

•Week 2 (September 6–12)  Wildfire

•Week 3 (September 13–19)  Hurricane

•Week 4 (September 20–26)  Power Outage

•Week 5 (September 27–30)  Lead up to National PrepareAthon! Day, September 30

National Preparedness Month culminates with National PrepareAthon! Day on September 30 when cities and counties across the country are planning community-wide events bringing together schools, their business community, government, faith leaders, hospitals, individuals and families, and others to participate in preparedness drills and activities for hazards that are relevant to their area.

For more information visit Ready.gov/September or follow the campaign on Facebook, at https://www.facebook.com/readygov, on Twitter, at https://twitter.com/Readygov,  or for FEMA Region VII, www.twitter.com/femaregion7. For more information about events for America’s PrepareAthon throughout September, and for National PrepareAthon! Day information, visit www.ready.gov/prepare.

Quick facts to consider as you plan:

•Text messages and social media can be better ways to communicate during an emergency when phone lines are tied up, or even not working.

•Homeowners and renters insurance don’t cover floods

•Talking to children about emergencies and involving them in the planning process helps children feel they have some control over what could happen during an emergency. It can also make recovery much easier on everyone.

 

Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/fema,  www.facebook.com/fema,  and www.youtube.com/fema.   Find regional updates from FEMA Region VII at www.twitter.com/femaregion7.  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.

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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This First Week of National Preparedness Month, Make a Plan for Floods

FEMA, K-State and Other Organizations Partnering to Prepare Students for Future Disasters

Media Contacts:

FEMA News Desk       Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region VII          (816) 283-7095

Lynda Bachelor          Kansas State University, HandsOn Kansas State                  (785) 410-4599

Kansas City, Mo. –The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Region VII office will partner with Kansas State University (K-State), the American Red Cross, Kansas Division of Emergency Management (KDEM) and other community agencies and organizations for two upcoming events to raise awareness and inspire emergency preparedness on and off campus.

The first event will be a LIVE, one hour virtual Twitter discussion about disaster preparedness.  During the second one, ReadyCampus, K-State students will participate in an exercise to familiarize themselves with some things they might expect from emergency management organizations during and after a disaster and learn how to best use social media for emergencies. The American Red Cross will also be there hosting a blood drive. Both events support the national campaign America’s PrepareAthon! (@PrepareAthon), which is designed to increase emergency preparedness and resiliency, http://www.ready.gov/prepare.

“ReadyCampus is a great program and HandsOn K-State is thrilled to host such an important event. We encourage students to take advantage of this unique opportunity to both help their communities–through the blood drive and donating time to build care kits for the Salvation Army– and to prepare for disasters.” said Lynda Bachelor, project coordinator, K-State School of Leadership Studies.

“Both events should be a lot of fun for the students, but more than that—they’ll learn some important skills to take care of themselves and their friends and family when an emergency happens, and we know it will; it’s just a matter of when,” said Beth Freeman, FEMA Administrator, Region VII. “It’s our hope participating young adults will walk away from both events feeling a bit more confident they can handle whatever emergencies come their way.”

ReadyCampus Event

ReadyCampus is a disaster preparedness event geared towards student involvement and will be held at the K-State Bosco Plaza on Tues., April 15, 2014, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. CDT. During the event students will learn about local, state and federal programs and resources available to them for emergency preparedness and discover opportunities for student involvement. There will be a walk-through of a mock POD (Point of Distribution) that, in the event of a disaster, could deliver food, medicine and other critical supplies to survivors. At ReadyCampus the POD will distribute materials and information from participating organizations and students will have an opportunity to donate their time to create emergency supply/care kits for people served by the Salvation Army.

Social media is becoming increasingly important for emergency management and the number of people using it during times of crisis is skyrocketing! During this event FEMA representatives will be on-hand teaching attendees the fastest and best ways to use sites like Twitter and Facebook to find critical disaster-related updates and connect with friends and loved ones during emergencies. For those less familiar with social media, they’ll provide tips to make it easy to immediately begin using it to prepare for any future emergencies.

“Done right, social media is the fastest way to get and give information on the planet and it’s free, that’s why it’s a game changer. We want our students to know how to best use it to manage emergencies. They’re going to get some great tips at ReadyCampus, even if they already use social media,” stated Bachelor.

Tweetchat

On Weds., April 9, 2014, join @HandsOn_KState, @FEMARegion7, @KansasEmergency and other participants during a LIVE disaster preparedness and awareness discussion on Twitter from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. CDT. Tweetchat participants will learn how local, state and federal partners support communities before, during and after emergencies and which organizations and agencies do what, when. Everyone is encouraged to participate, using hashtag #ReadyKState. For those who don’t sign into Twitter, you may follow the conversation at https://twitter.com/search?src=typd&q=%23readykstate and email questions to FEMARegion7info@fema.dhs.gov, during the tweetchat.

 

ReadyCampus and tweetchat participants

 American Red Cross, @kscapredcross 

Campus Student Security, KSU Emergency Management, Public Safety, @kstate

HandsOn Kansas State, @handson_kstate

KS Citizen Corps (Kansas Division of Emergency Management), @kscitizencorps

K-State Collegian, @kstatecollegian

K-State News, @kstatenews

K-State Ready Campus, @kstateready

Manhattan Fire Department, @manhattanfd

Riley County Emergency Management, @rileycoems

Riley County Police Department, @rileycountypd

Salvation Army, @salarmymokan

 

Please note, all social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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Visit FEMA Region VII’s website,  http://www.fema.gov/region-vii-ia-ks-mo-ne-0 and follow the region on Twitter, http://www.twitter.com/femaregion7. FEMA headquarters is on Twitter, http://www.twitter.com/fema, Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/fema and YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/fema.  Also follow Administrator Craig Fugate on Twitter, http://www.twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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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FEMA, K-State and Other Organizations Partnering to Prepare Students for Future Disasters

Region VII to Host LIVE Twitter Chat with the Public, Businesses and Partner Organizations About Disaster Preparedness for Traditionally Underserved…

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—No matter who you are, your decisions today will impact whether you’ll be ready to be a hero tomorrow—so the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Region VII, is opening up a live, interactive social media discussion with the public about disaster preparedness that leaves no one out!

On Sept. 24, 2013, at 12 noon CDT, FEMA’s Region VII office will host its first-ever LIVE interactive Twitter chat using the hashtag #ALLReadyChat to discuss disaster preparedness for everyone, including older Americans, people with or without disabilities and individuals with access and functional needs, as well as those with service animals or pets. The event is part of activities planned this month for National Preparedness Month (NPM).

“This is a chance for the public to interact with disaster experts in FEMA Region VII, but also with other agencies and organizations who will participate,” said Regional Administrator Beth Freeman. “Social media gives us a great ‘space’ to get to know one another better—it’s about give and take, not just us providing information, but everyone engaging to support community resilience.”

Superheroes capitalize on their strengths to excel. This sometimes means giving to others and other times it means asking for or accepting help. Superman is no exception! His vice is Kryptonite and there are times he needs and has received help from others to survive when it has weakened him. This empowers him and gives him an opportunity to rise up and help millions of other people. Every one of us has a superhero inside waiting for an opportunity to “save the day,” in one way or another!

Even superhero emergency responders cannot be everywhere at once. It can take minutes, hours or days to get help during a disaster. This makes disaster preparedness especially important for people with disabilities and individuals with access and functional needs, including those with temporary situations—for example, those recovering from surgery, or those who have difficulties moving around for a variety of reasons.

When planning for emergencies, think about things you will need that may be difficult to get during a disaster– like batteries for adaptive medical equipment, medications and or assistance with transportation or moving around. Then plan with friends and family so you’re able to meet all your personal needs for at least three to five days. Share your stories on Twitter about preparedness using #ALLReadyChat and get good tips all week this week and then during the live chat!

The chat will last 30 minutes. The first twenty minutes will include a discussion about “myths versus facts” related to disaster preparedness and the last 10 minutes will be left open for the public and other organizations to ask FEMA questions about disaster preparedness.

Leading up to the live chat, this week, the hashtag #ALLReadyChat is already being used to provide important tips to fuel a conversation around preparedness for everyone, but especially individuals who are members of normally underserved groups. Individuals and organizations are encouraged to follow the #ALLReadyChat conversation on Twitter (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23allreadychat&src=typd). Anyone can follow the discussion by using this link. Twitter members can sign into Twitter to interact with the discussion. The discussion is being hosted by Region VII’s Twitter account.

Learn about other NPM events and activities Region VII and others are involved with and then plan and post your own disaster preparedness activity on the region’s website.

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Visit FEMA Region VII’s website and follow us on social media, at www.twitter.com/femaregion7, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate on Twitter.  The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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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Region VII to Host LIVE Twitter Chat with the Public, Businesses and Partner Organizations About Disaster Preparedness for Traditionally Underserved…

September 1 Marks the Start of National Preparedness Month; Citizens invited to ‘Be a Hero’ All Year Long

FEMA Region VII’s “Be A Hero, Preparing Means Caring” campaign

calls on all Americans to exercise an inclusive approach when preparing for emergencies

 

KANSAS CITY, MO –Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and Captain America bring very familiar images to mind. This September, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Ready Campaign and FEMA Region VII, in partnership with Citizen Corps and the Ad Council call on all Americans to embrace their own heroic powers to prepare themselves and others for disasters.

“Like so many of the superheroes we grew up watching, the overarching concept behind being a ‘hero’ is helping others, particularly those who may not be able to help themselves or may need some extra assistance,” said FEMA Region VII Administrator Beth Freeman. 

On September 1, National Preparedness Month Community members across the nation will respond to the call to help prepare their families, businesses and communities for emergencies of all kinds. This spring’s deadly tornado in Moore, OK, summer flooding in the Midwest, and the not-so-distant Hurricane Sandy which struck the Eastern Seaboard in 2012, demonstrate that disasters can happen anywhere at any time.

This year’s National Preparedness Month campaign slogan, “You Can Be the Hero”, seeks to transform awareness into action by encouraging all Americans to be the heroes in their own homes, businesses, schools and other common places, taking the necessary steps to ensure their communities and the people within those communities are prepared for emergencies of all kinds.  

Localizing the national theme with an emphasis on issues true to the Nation’s Heartland, FEMA Region VII will launch its regional campaign, Be A Hero, Preparing Means Caring, in conjunction with National Preparedness Month. The initiative includes extensive outreach throughout the Region VII states of Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska.

Freeman said “Our goal in adopting a regional focus for National Preparedness Month is to promote the importance of taking an inclusive approach to disaster preparedness because everyone, regardless of abilities, has something to offer when it comes to preparedness. 

“We can be heroes by learning what it takes to prepare, by understanding the variety and complexity of needs in our communities – particularly for people with access or functional needs and to ensure the well-being of pets – and by exercising a few simple activities now to ensure everyone within our community circles is prepared.”

Through FEMA Region VII’s Be A Hero, Preparing Means Caring campaign, information will be distributed on a variety of topics and issues to consider when practicing preparedness including: caring for the elderly and those with disabilities, ensuring your business is resilient and accessible, and building an emergency supply kit to care for pets.

As the baseline for all FEMA emergency preparedness information, the campaign focuses on starting preparedness with four simple steps:

  1. Be informed about emergencies that could happen in your community, and identify sources of local information that will be helpful before, during and after an emergency.
  2. Make a plan for what to do in an emergency.
  3. Build an emergency supply kit.
  4. Get involved.

Although a majority of the Campaign’s information and outreach will be distributed throughout National Preparedness Month in September, FEMA Region VII is using the initiative as a kick-off effort to taking a more focused, long-term approach to engaging with citizens and community partners throughout the year.”

Preparedness is a shared responsibility; it takes a whole community. To join the National Preparedness Community or to make a pledge to learn more, get involved and Be A Hero in your own community, visit http://community.fema.gov. Information is also available at 1-800-BE-READY, 1-888-SE-LISTO or TTY 1-800-462-7585.

Follow FEMA online at http://blog.fema.gov, 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. 

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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September 1 Marks the Start of National Preparedness Month; Citizens invited to ‘Be a Hero’ All Year Long

FEMA, Federal Partners Support Response to Severe Storms in Oklahoma

WASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its federal partners, including the National Weather Service, continue to closely monitor the effects of severe weather that impacted Oklahoma and other areas within the Central United States, and at the President’s direction, are already providing resources to support the response.

Today, President Obama, as well as Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, spoke with Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin to express concern for citizens impacted by the severe weather and tornadoes, to offer support and make clear the Administration stood ready to provide additional resources as necessary. The administration, through FEMA, is closely monitoring the impacts of the storm and remains in close contact with emergency officials to ensure there are not any unmet needs. FEMA and its partners have teams on the ground in hard hit areas, and is prepared to deploy additional teams and resources, if needed by the states.  On Sunday night, at the state’s request, FEMA deployed a liaison officer to the Oklahoma emergency operations center in anticipation of severe weather.  FEMA commends the efforts of the local emergency and public works personnel, volunteers, and humanitarian organizations who are providing emergency assistance to those in impacted areas.

Federal activities underway today to support Oklahoma response efforts include the following: 

  • FEMA deployed an Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) to the state emergency operations center in Oklahoma City to coordinate with state and local officials in support of recovery operations.  FEMA also deployed Urban Search and Rescue Teams and a Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) Team to Oklahoma to provide self-sustaining telecommunications, logistics, and operations support elements. FEMA also has additional personnel from the Denton, Texas regional office on alert.
  • This afternoon, FEMA activated the National Response Coordination Center in Washington, D.C., a multi-agency coordination center that provides overall coordination of the federal response to natural disasters and emergencies, to support state requests for assistance.  FEMA Region VI Response Coordination Centers (RRCC) located in Denton, Texas remains activated to coordinate any requests for federal assistance, if requested.
  • A FEMA liaison officer is currently at the Oklahoma emergency operations center to assist with coordination efforts. FEMA’s regional office in Denton, Texas is in constant coordination and communications with Oklahoma’s emergency management team and local officials.
  • FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration deployed preliminary damage assessments teams to help identify the damages in impacted counties. 

We urge residents in impacted areas to listen carefully to instructions from their local officials and take the recommended protective measures to safeguard life and property while response efforts continue. Listen to state, local and tribal officials who ask you to remain in shelters, homes or safe places until they give the “all clear” to travel. Roads are very likely to be damaged or blocked by debris, and traffic jams slow emergency managers and first responders as they attempt to reach hard-hit areas.

According to the National Weather Service, there continues to be a risk of severe weather this evening across areas of the southern Plains including Oklahoma and parts of Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas and severe weather is possible further north including parts of Illinois and Wisconsin.

We encourage individuals in the affected area to monitor local radio or TV stations or the National Weather Service at www.weather.gov or a NOAA weather radio for the latest information, for updated weather and emergency information, and to follow the instructions of state, local, and tribal officials.  For those in areas that are forecast to be affected by severe weather, now is the time to get prepared for tornadoes and other disasters.

There are tools and resources available online to help you prepare for, respond to and recover from any type of disaster. Visit www.ready.gov to learn more. The Spanish language site – listo.gov. Those with a Blackberry, Android or Apple device can download the FEMA app to access safety tips, shelter locations, and more.

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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FEMA, Federal Partners Support Response to Severe Storms in Oklahoma

FEMA, Federal Partners Monitor Effects of Storm in Central Plains and Urge Preparedness

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its federal partners, including the National Weather Service, continue to closely monitor the effects of severe weather that has impacted the Central United States, including parts of central Oklahoma and Iowa, Kansas and Missouri.  Residents are urged to continue to follow the guidance of state, local and tribal officials. FEMA’s regional offices in Denton, Texas and Kansas City, Mo., have been in contact with state emergency management counterparts and with tribal emergency managers in the path of the storm. While there have been no requests for federal assistance, FEMA has deployed a liaison officer to the Oklahoma emergency operations center and stands ready to assist if support is needed and requested.  Additional personnel are on standby and are ready to deploy as needed and requested to support the state.

According to the National Weather Service, there continues to be a moderate risk of severe weather today across areas of the southern Plains including Oklahoma and parts of Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas and severe weather is possible further north including parts of Illinois and Wisconsin.

When natural disasters, such as tornadoes and severe storms strike, the first responders are local emergency and public works personnel, volunteers, humanitarian organizations, and numerous private interest groups who provide emergency assistance required to protect the public’s health and safety and to meet immediate human needs.

FEMA encourages those in the areas affected or potentially affected by these storm systems to monitor local radio or TV stations or the National Weather Service at www.weather.gov or a NOAA weather radio for the latest information, including additional or changing weather watches and warnings and to follow the instructions of state, local, and tribal officials. 

If you haven’t already, now is the time to get prepared for severe weather.  Visit www.ready.gov to learn more about how to be better prepared.

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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FEMA, Federal Partners Monitor Effects of Storm in Central Plains and Urge Preparedness

Public Libraries to Provide Disaster Preparedness Information in September, National Preparedness Month

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—As people living in the Central United States wait to see what track the remnants of Hurricane Isaac will take and plan for how it could impact them, regional public libraries are stocking their shelves and setting up displays with disaster preparedness materials to disseminate during the month of September, National Preparedness Month (NPM).

Although many in the Midwest are dealing with severe drought, Tropical Storm Isaac could bring heavy rain and flooding to the region. Isaac’s potential impact on the Midwest is a reminder of how important it is to consider and prepare for the unexpected. To help more people prepare, and in support of NPM, FEMA is partnering with regional libraries (see list below) to provide disaster preparedness books, publications and brochures for the general public, including people with or without disabilities who have functional and access needs.

Library computers will be available for those wanting to explore FEMA’s kids and adult-friendly disaster readiness website www.Ready.gov. Many materials, including those in languages other than English, can be ordered for free on this site as well. There will be coloring books for children and they can create their own Flat Stanley or Flat Stella posters. You can learn more about the Flats on FEMA’s blog earlier this year, http://blog.fema.gov/2012/07/flat-stanley-and-flat-stella-join-fema.html.

During National Preparedness Month there is a nationwide emphasis placed on getting ready for emergencies. Individuals, families, communities, businesses, not-for-profit and for-profit organizations, state and local governments and tribal nations are urged to take time to review home and flood insurance policies, make emergency supply kits and communication plans, make home and business repairs and adjustments that mitigate damage, and to generally prepare for the unexpected. Whenever possible, it’s best to get ready BEFORE a disaster threatens.

“One of the best ways to protect yourself and your family is to have an emergency supply kit, but having a plan for what you would do during a crisis and gaining a disaster preparedness mindset is even more important,” said Regional Administrator Beth Freeman, FEMA Region VII. “This September 2012, ‘Pledge to Prepare’ for emergencies because you never know when any given day could be the day before a natural disaster.”

You can Pledge to Prepare for emergencies by signing up to join the NPM Coalition 2012 online at www.Ready.gov.  More than thirteen thousand people and organizations have joined the Coalition this year. Participation is free and Coalition members are using the forum to discuss planning for all hazards and preparedness events they’re hosting or attending, big or small.

For more information about the library initiative and how to get ready for emergencies, follow FEMA Region VII on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion7. General and disaster-specific (floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, etc.) preparedness information to protect life and property can also be found at www.Ready.gov.  Speak with your local homeowners or renters insurance agent about flood insurance, or visit www.floodsmart.org to learn your flood risk and what a flood insurance policy could cost. 

PARTICIPATING PUBLIC LIBRARIES

KANSAS

Johnson County: Johnson County Public Libraries

Antioch Neighborhood Library, 8700 Shawnee Mission Pkwy., Merriam, KS 

Central Resource Library, 9875 W. 87th St., Overland Park, KS

Blue Valley Neighborhood Library, 9000 W. 151st St., Overland Park, KS

Oak Park Neighborhood Library, 9500 Bluejacket, Overland Park, KS

Cedar Roe Neighborhood Library, 5120 Cedar, Roeland Park, KS

Corinth Neighborhood Library, 8100 Mission Rd., Prairie Village, KS

DeSoto Neighborhood Library, 33145 W. 83rd St., DeSoto, KS

Edgerton Neighborhood Library, 319 E. Nelson, Edgerton, KS

Gardner Neighborhood Library, 137 E. Shawnee St., Gardner, KS

Lackman Neighborhood Library, 15345 W. 87th St. Parkway, Lenexa, KS

Leawood Pioneer Neighborhood Library, 4700 Town Center Dr., Leawood, KS

Shawnee Neighborhood Library, 13811 Johnson Dr. Shawnee, KS

Spring Hill Neighborhood Library, 109 S. Webster, Spring Hill, KS

For more specific information, visit www.jocolibrary.org.

Wichita libraries: Wichita Public Libraries

Central Library, 223 S. Main, Wichita, KS

Alford Regional Branch Library, 3447 S. Meridian, Wichita, KS

Angelou Northeast Branch Library, 3051 E. 21st St., Wichita, KS

Comotara Branch Library, 2244 N. Rock Rd., Wichita, KS

Evergreen Branch Library, 2601 N. Arkansas, Wichita, KS

Linwood Park Branch Library, 1901 S. Kansas, Wichita, KS

Orchard Park Branch Library, 4808 W. 9th, Wichita, KS

Rockwell Branch Library, 5939 E. 9th, Wichita, KS

Westlink Branch Library, 8515 Bekemeyer, Wichita, KS

For more specific information, visit http://www.wichita.lib.ks.us.

IOWA

Cedar Rapids: Cedar Rapids Public libraries

Cedar Rapids Public Library, 2600 Edgewood Rd. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA

For more information, visit www.crlibrary.org/.

Des Moines: Des Moines Public Library

Central Library, 1000 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA

East Side Library, 2559 Hubbell Ave., Des Moines, IA

Forest Avenue Library, 1326 Forest Ave., Des Moines, IA

Franklin Avenue Library, 5000 Franklin Ave., Des Moines, IA

North Side Library, 3516-5th Ave., Des Moines, IA

South Side Library, 1111 Porter Ave., Des Moines, IA

For more specific information, visit http://www.pldminfo.org.

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Visit FEMA Region VII online at www.fema.gov/region7. Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/femaregion7, 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.

 

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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Public Libraries to Provide Disaster Preparedness Information in September, National Preparedness Month

Federal Aid Programs for State of Kansas Disaster Recovery

Link:  

Federal Aid Programs for State of Kansas Disaster Recovery

President Declares Disaster for Kansas

President Declares Disaster for Kansas 

Release Date: May 24, 2012
Release Number: HQ-12-037

» More Information on Kansas Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal aid has been made available for the state of Kansas and ordered and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding during the period of April 14-15, 2012.

Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding in the counties of Edwards, Ellsworth, Harper, Hodgeman, Jewell, Kiowa, Mitchell, Osborne, Rice, Rush, Russell, Sedgwick, Stafford, and Sumner.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Stephen R. Thompson has been named Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Thompson said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

Follow FEMA online at blog.fema.gov, 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.

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.

Last Modified: Thursday, 24-May-2012 12:54:30

Link: 

President Declares Disaster for Kansas