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Be Prepared for Severe Weather: Get Flood Insurance and Develop a Disaster Plan

WINDSOR, Conn. – Springtime brings with it the risk of flooding, but flood damage is not covered by homeowner’s insurance. Only a policy from the National Flood Insurance Program provides flood insurance, but it takes 30 days to go into effect.

The sooner a homeowner or business owner purchases flood insurance, the sooner their property will be covered against the destructive hazard of flooding. A separate policy is required to cover a structure’s contents.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency encourages those lacking flood insurance to visit www.floodsmart.gov, the official website of the National Flood Insurance Program. Find out more about flood risks, residential and commercial coverage, preparation and recovery.

National Severe Weather Preparedness Week (March 3 – 9) is an opportunity for all individuals, families and communities to focus on disaster preparedness. A disaster supply kit is essential – make sure that your family has the provisions needed for each individual. Get information on preparedness from local emergency management agencies or from FEMA at www.ready.gov/severe-weather and develop a plan so that your family knows what to do when disaster strikes.

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. For TTY, call 800-462-7585.

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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Be Prepared for Severe Weather: Get Flood Insurance and Develop a Disaster Plan

NOAA, FEMA Launch National Severe Weather Preparedness Week

TRENTON, N.J. — FEMA, in conjunction with the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration has launched its second annual National Severe Weather Preparedness Week. This week focuses on you, your family and your community being prepared in the event of a disaster.

Each year people are killed or injured due to hurricanes, blizzards or other natural disasters despite early warnings. In 2012, there were more than 450 weather-related fatalities and nearly 2,600 injuries.

Developing an emergency plan is the groundwork for your family to prepare itself if a disaster strikes without warning. Collect information from FEMA and your local emergency management offices

and gather your family members and discuss the information to put in the plan. After the plan is in place, exchange contact information and make sure that it remains current.

As FEMA and other federal partners can support, individuals can contribute to preparing themselves and their community for severe weather in their area. After Sandy, countless New Jerseyans have given their time to helping strangers with anything from providing food and water to clearing debris from the streets. It is this “How can I help?” attitude that speeds up the recovery process and leads to a stronger, more resilient community.

Just as important, NOAA suggests that everyone not only be prepared but inspire others to do the same. NOAA’s “Be a Force of Nature” toolkit offers a variety of ways you can help spread the word among your friends and neighbors to always be prepared for severe weather.

Visit ready.gov/severe-weather or noaa.gov/wrn to learn more about severe weather and to be better prepared.

For more information on New Jersey’s disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/SandyNJ, twitter.com/FEMASandy, facebook.com/FEMASandy and fema.gov/blog.

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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NOAA, FEMA Launch National Severe Weather Preparedness Week

FEMA launches National Severe Weather Preparedness Week

NEW YORK – The Federal Emergency Management Agency, in conjunction with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has launched its second annual National Severe Weather Preparedness Week. This week focuses on you, your family and your community being prepared in the event of a disaster.

Putting together a disaster supply kit is essential to making sure that your family has the provisions needed for each individual. Some kits may need additional items if there are seniors or infants in the house. Developing an emergency plan is the groundwork for your family to prepare itself if a disaster strikes without warning. Collect information on preparedness from local emergency management agencies and FEMA. Make a plan with your family and discuss the information to put into the plan.

Individuals can contribute to preparing themselves and their community for severe weather in their area. As Hurricane Sandy demonstrated, New Yorkers gave their time to helping neighbors and strangers, from providing food and water to clearing debris from the streets. It is this “How can I help?” attitude that speeds up the recovery process and leads to a stronger, more resilient community.

Visit Ready.gov/severe-weather or Noaa.gov/wrn to learn more about severe weather and to be better prepared.

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FEMA launches National Severe Weather Preparedness Week

FEMA Awards $3 Million to Louisiana Department of Transportation for Hurricane Isaac Recovery

BATON ROUGE, La. – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development will receive a $3 million federal grant to reimburse the costs it incurred clearing debris, including boats, from public roads after Hurricane Isaac, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said Thursday.

The $3,085,418 grant covers the removal and disposal of debris, including:

77,400 cubic yards of vegetative debris (a cubic yard is about the size of a washing machine)
37,200 cubic yards of construction and demolition debris
55,200 cubic yards of marsh grass
7,000 cubic yards of hazardous household waste
35,000 cubic yards of sediment
47 boats deposited in state roadways

“Debris removal is an essential step in disaster recovery,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Gerard M. Stolar. “By restoring access to schools, businesses and recreation, this work provided Louisianians with an important step in their journey back to normal.”

Between Aug. 26 and Sept. 10, Hurricane Isaac produced high winds, rain and flooding throughout the state. The FEMA Public Assistance grant, totaling $3,085,418, helps reimburse the department during the Hurricane Isaac response and recovery.

The newly obligated funds are a portion of the $222.9 million in total Public Assistance recovery dollars approved for the state since the Aug. 29, 2012, disaster declaration.

Once FEMA reimburses the state of Louisiana it is the state’s responsibility to manage the funds, which includes making disbursements to local jurisdictions and organizations that incurred costs.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, click www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. You can follow FEMA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.

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FEMA Awards $3 Million to Louisiana Department of Transportation for Hurricane Isaac Recovery

FEMA Obligates $1.2 Million to St. John Parish School Board for Hurricane Isaac Emergency Measures

BATON ROUGE, La. – The St. John Parish School Board will receive a $1.2 million federal grant to reimburse transportation costs it incurred because of Hurricane Isaac, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said Thursday.

Between Aug. 26 and Sept. 10, Hurricane Isaac produced high winds, rain and flooding throughout the state. Two public schools in St. John Parish sustained flooding serious enough to close their doors temporarily and students from those schools had to be bused to other locations. The FEMA Public Assistance grant, totaling $1,234,063, helps reimburse the school board for those transportation costs.

“The St. John School Board acted quickly to make sure students remained safe and continued their educations after the storm,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Gerard M. Stolar of FEMA. “Reimbursement for those transportation-related expenses supports the schools’ recovery efforts.”

The newly obligated funds are a portion of the $222 million in total Public Assistance recovery dollars approved for the state since the Aug. 29, 2012, disaster declaration.

Once FEMA reimburses the state of Louisiana it is the state’s responsibility to manage the funds, which includes making disbursements to local jurisdictions and organizations that incurred costs.

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FEMA Obligates $1.2 Million to St. John Parish School Board for Hurricane Isaac Emergency Measures

Waterbury Complex Funding Progressing

ESSEX JUNCTION, Vt. – The process of determining the federal government’s share of funding for rebuilding the Waterbury State Office Complex is progressing but will not be complete at the end of February.

Officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the State of Vermont had hoped to announce how much of the cost of reconstructing the Waterbury campus – flooded by Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011 – would be eligible for FEMA reimbursement on February 28.

“As part of our ongoing partnership with the state, we are exploring all potential funding solutions within the bounds of federal law and policy,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Mark Landry, the head of FEMA’s Vermont field office.

The Waterbury State Office Complex consists of 47 buildings – including the Vermont State Hospital – that sustained varying levels of damage when the complex was inundated by floodwaters from the nearby Winooski River.

“This is a complex project and we are working at all levels to secure the maximum funding possible to allow the state to start rebuilding,” Landry said. “We are nearly there but it will take some additional time and we don’t want to leave money on the table by moving too fast.”

Officials have said the funding of repairs to the complex will come from a combination of insurance proceeds, FEMA funding, and state funding.

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Waterbury Complex Funding Progressing

FEMA Distributes $1.8 Million To Support Mississippi Recovery

PURVIS, Miss. – More than $1.8 million in federal disaster assistance is in the hands of survivors of the recent storms, tornadoes and flooding in Mississippi. This includes more than $1.3 million for housing assistance and $489,523 for other needs.

While there is still much work to be done, this money contributes significantly to the recovery effort from the recent disaster.

Here are some numbers at a glance as of midnight 2/26/13:

2,404 Mississippians have registered for assistance at 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585) or through the online application site at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or on their smartphone at m.fema.gov.
988 Mississippians have visited the five Disaster Recovery Centers for information and help about the disaster recovery process. The centers are open in Forrest, Lamar, Marion and Wayne counties.
1,405 home inspections have been completed by the 10 FEMA-contracted inspectors in the field—a 93-percent completion rate.
1,218 disaster-loan applications have been issued by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBA has staff members at every FEMA/State Disaster Recovery Center in Mississippi to provide one-on-one help to those seeking disaster assistance.
FEMA is working with state and other eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations in Forrest, Lamar, Marion and Wayne counties to identify and reimburse 75 percent of disaster-related costs associated of emergency protective measures, debris removal, and the repair and restoration of damaged infrastructure.

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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FEMA Distributes $1.8 Million To Support Mississippi Recovery

FEMA Awards $1.5 Million to St. John Parish for Hurricane Isaac Recovery

BATON ROUGE, La. – St. John Parish will receive a $1.5 million federal grant to reimburse the cost of repairing sewer and storm pumps damaged by Hurricane Isaac, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said Wednesday.

Between Aug. 26 and Sept. 10, Hurricane Isaac produced high winds, rain and flooding throughout the state, hitting St. John Parish particularly hard. Sewer and storm pumps at 12 locations in the parish required repair following the hurricane. The $1,501,415 FEMA Public Assistance grant helps reimburse costs for those repairs and provides additional assistance to strengthen the pumps against future damage.

“Slow-moving events like Hurricane Isaac affect the infrastructure people depend on for safety during the storm,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Gerard M. Stolar of FEMA. “This grant helps put St. John Parish a little closer to normal following the storm and places the parish in a better position to withstand the next storm.”

The newly obligated funds are a portion of the nearly $215.6 million in total Public Assistance recovery dollars approved for the state since the Aug. 29, 2012, disaster declaration.

Once FEMA reimburses the state of Louisiana, it is the state’s responsibility to manage the funds, which includes making disbursements to local jurisdictions and organizations that incurred costs.

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FEMA Awards $1.5 Million to St. John Parish for Hurricane Isaac Recovery

Federal, State and Local Partners Team Up to Identify Texas Coastal Flood Risks in Calhoun, Refugio and Jackson Counties

DENTON, Texas – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is updating flood maps in Calhoun, Refugio and Jackson, Texas counties following the release of a new, comprehensive storm surge study that gives updated information on coastal flood risks.

As FEMA works to update the new flood maps, the agency is working closely with its federal, state and local partners to help these coastal communities better understand the current flood risk so that action can be taken to reduce that risk.

Meetings with local officials have already taken place and open houses for the general public have been scheduled. The local workshops provided an opportunity for local officials to review the storm surge study methods and get an update on the project’s progress. The open houses will help to educate the public about the current flood risk in the area. Public meetings will be posted on www.txchart.com.

The Texas-based coastal flood mapping effort is part of FEMA’s comprehensive approach to integrating flood hazard identification and analysis with risk communications for affected coastal counties. In addition to the Calhoun, Refugio and Jackson counties, the effort also includes Aransas, Brazoria, Cameron, Chambers, Galveston, Harris, Jefferson, Kleberg, Matagorda, Nueces, Orange, San Patricio, Victoria and Willacy.

Once a flood risk is identified, the next step is to consider the purchase of a flood policy from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The NFIP is currently undergoing a thorough modernization.

Meanwhile, contacting a local insurance agent is the first step to gather information about insurance. Folks can visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-379-9531 to locate an agent in their area.

Media note: If media would like to join an online, informational briefing beginning at 1p.m. (CST) on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, please call us at 940-898-5454 for details.

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Federal, State and Local Partners Team Up to Identify Texas Coastal Flood Risks in Calhoun, Refugio and Jackson Counties

Seek and Destroy Mold – The Spoiler – Fast

PURVIS, Miss. – As Mississippians clean up from the recent storms, tornadoes, and flooding, some will have to deal with mold before returning home. Mold can be a health hazard; it can also cause structural damage.

It’s important to recognize mold and to remove it safely before moving back into or repairing a residence.

Mold needs three things to spread: a food source (paper, wood, leaves etc.), moisture, and a place to grow. People can have severe reactions to mold. Those with asthma, allergies and other breathing conditions may be more sensitive to mold. People with compromised immune systems are more vulnerable to infections caused by mold.

Mold also can cause structural damage. When wood gets wet and moldy and then dries, it can warp. Walls can crack and the building can weaken.

Quick action can minimize health risks and damage caused by mold – and stop its spread:

Open windows and doors and use fans to dry out the building. If possible, use wet vacuums to remove water and use dehumidifiers in closed spaces.
Remove baseboards and soaked drywall to a foot above the watermark and discard. Drain walls by drilling holes or pulling non-porous paneling away from the studs. Check the inside of wallsfor mold.
Wash hard, non-absorbent surfaces (metal, glass, solid wood, plastic) with non-ammonia detergent and hot water. Scrub rough surfaces such as concrete. Disinfect all cleaned surfaces with a solution of water and bleach; rinse with water after 10 minutes.
Remove absorbent materials that have been wet for more than 48 hours and cannot be thoroughly cleaned and dried. That includes carpets and padding, upholstery, wallpaper, drywall, floor and ceiling tiles, insulation, leather, wood, paper, food and clothing.
When in doubt throw it out!

If the area to be cleaned is larger than 10 square feet or if assistance is required to complete cleanup, consult a professional contractor.

The basic rule is: if you can see or smell mold, eliminate the excess moisture then, cleanup and remove the mold.

Be safe during cleanup:

Never mix bleach with ammonia; the fumes are toxic.
Wear eye protection and rubber gloves.
Air out the working area by opening doors and windows and using fans.
Protect your lungs. Use an N-95 respiratory mask that can be purchased at most hardware stores for about $10.

For more information, see:

Mississippi Department of Health: http://www.msdh.state.ms.us/msdhsite/_static/43,0,230,331.html

Centers for Disease Control: http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/mold/

Environmental Protection Agency: www.epa.gov/mold/cleanupguidelines.html

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Seek and Destroy Mold – The Spoiler – Fast

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