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Federal Assistance to Louisiana Flood Survivors Tops $56 Million

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today more than $56 million dollars has been approved in federal support within the first week of the president’s major disaster declaration for the State of Louisiana.

FEMA approved more than $39 million to help survivors with temporary rental assistance, essential home repairs and other serious disaster-related needs. Disaster survivors can register for assistance and get help with other available resources several ways. Residents who sustained disaster-related losses can apply for assistance by registering online at www.disasterassistance.gov, or call 1-800-621-3362 or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY). Residents who use 711 relay or Video Relay Service (VRS), can call 1-800-621-3362. Additionally, disaster survivor assistance teams are on the ground at shelters and going door to door to address immediate and emerging needs of disaster survivors including: on-site registration, applicant status checks, on-the-spot needs assessments and access to partners offering survivor services. Also, disaster recovery centers (DRCs) are scheduled to open in the next several days to provide information to survivors.

Additionally, $10.5 million in advance payments was approved through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to provide expedited relief to policyholders who sustained flood-related damages. These advance payments award up to 50 percent of the estimated covered loss to allow policyholders the ability to proceed with the recovery efforts while working with their adjusters.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) approved more than $3.5 million in low interest loans to Louisiana survivors and businesses to assist with uninsured and underinsured flood-related losses. The SBA currently has two business recovery centers open, one in Livingston parish and one in Tangipahoa parish. An additional four business recovery centers to be open on Monday, one in Ascension parish, two in East Baton Rouge parish, and one in Lafayette parish.

FEMA obligated nearly $2 million through the public assistance program for work undertaken to save lives, protect public health and safety, and protect public and private property.

The U.S. Department of Transportation made $2 million in emergency relief funds immediately available through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to help repair roads and bridges in the affected areas. The funds will also help stabilize structures to prevent further damage and set up detours until permanent repairs are completed.

Providing survivors with housing solutions remains a top priority and FEMA is actively supporting Louisiana’s Disaster Housing Task Force to help displaced Louisiana residents find access to housing. FEMA activated its Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program, at the request of the state, to make participating hotels or motels available to provide short-term lodging for eligible survivors who are currently residing in a personal vehicle, hotel or motel, shelter, or place of employment.

FEMA, the state, and private sector organizations are working to identify additional rental resources near the affected areas. Residents can access this information at lahousingsearch.org.

For those looking for ways to help in the community, cash donations offer voluntary agencies flexibility in obtaining the most-needed resources and provides money to the local economy to help businesses recover.

In addition to these efforts, the federal government is providing the following support:

FEMA has more than 1,800 personnel on the ground, including six Incident Management Assistance Teams, one Urban Search and Rescue team that completed their mission today, and Mobile Emergency Response Support personnel. FEMA also provided the state more than 603,000 liters of water, 535,000 meals, 12,500 cots and 12,500 blankets for distribution. FEMA and the state are conducting joint federal/state preliminary damage assessments in Assumption and St. Charles parishes over the next several days.

The National Guard activated more than 2,900 National Guardsmen to assist with emergency flood response. Guardsmen have rescued more than 19,000 residents and 2,600 pets, and continue assisting with distribution of water, meals, cots, tarps and are providing additional security and shelter support.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) in 12 parishes to provide low to moderate-income households who do not already receive supplemental assistance with buying groceries following a disaster. Residents in those areas who already receive Supplemental Nutritional Assistance benefits will not need to register in order to receive this assistance. Residents affected by the flooding are urged to pre-register for the program at: https://dsnap.dcfs.la.gov/CustomerPortal/CPLogon.jsp.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is expediting federal assistance to provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes. HUD granted a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures and forbearance of Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured home mortgages. Additionally, HUD is re-allocating existing federal resources such as the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME programs to give the state and communities the flexibility to redirect millions of dollars of funding to address critical needs, including housing and services for disaster survivors toward disaster relief.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) deployed two National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) Disaster Medical Assistance Teams consisting of approximately 80 NDMS members to Baton Rouge. In addition, U.S. Public Health Service commissioned corps officers and a 30-person command and control unit. They are among 200 staff deployed to support the response effort. HHS is operating a Federal Medical Station capable of housing 250 patients on the Louisiana State University campus and is providing care for 200 patients. The HHS Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration activated its Disaster Distress helpline. This toll-free, multi-lingual crisis support service is available everyday by calling 1-800-985-5990 or texting ‘TalkWithUs’ to 66746 for Louisianans who are experiencing emotional distress.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) deployed team leaders and subject matter expert personnel to assist the state and local government with debris removal and flood response operations. USACE also provided St. John Parish with HESCO Barriers. The state provided sand and coordinated with the National Guard for installation.

The American Red Cross (ARC) operational priorities continue to focus on providing food, shelter and relief supplies to survivors and working closely with local authorities to assess what and where the current needs are. Approximately 3,100 people remain housed in 20 ARC community shelters. Since the flooding began last week, ARC has provided more than 36,000 overnight stays in shelters and served more than 171,000 meals and snacks with feeding partners. The Red Cross Shelter Finder app displays open Red Cross shelters and their locations on an easy to use map interface. Survivors can also find the location of the nearest shelter by texting SHELTER and their Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA). The American Red Cross activated its Safe and Well program to allow survivors to let family members know they are safe and for family members to search for loved ones.

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children activated its Unaccompanied Minors Registry (UMR). Family members can go to http://umr.missingkids.org or call 1-800-THE-LOST to find unaccompanied children who may have been separated from parents or caregivers because of the floods, by entering basic information and/or a photo.

The U.S. Northern Command activated a Defense Coordinating Element to support FEMA’s Regional Response Coordination Center in Denton, Texas with Department of Defense resources. The personnel are heavily involved in assisting relief efforts on the ground.

The U.S. Coast Guard supported Louisiana with air and surface rescue operations.

The Corporation for National Community Service deployed more than 330 AmeriCorps members, including FEMA Corps and AmeriCorps Disaster Response Teams, to support shelter operations, survivor call centers and disaster survivor assistance teams.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is in daily contact with local cooperators, the National Weather Service and River Forecast Centers to give status updates on stream gages and coordinate flood response efforts.

The Federal Communications Commission continues to monitor communication outages and is working closely with affected carriers to ensure services are restored.

The U.S. Department of Justice deployed personnel to assist in evacuation, deconstruction and debris removal operations in the affected areas.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency deployed specialist personnel to monitor and assess the impacts of the flood. They are maintaining close communication with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.

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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 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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Federal Assistance to Louisiana Flood Survivors Tops $56 Million

Efforts from Federal Partners Continue to Support Survivors in Louisiana

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is leading the federal government’s effort to provide assistance and support to Louisiana, in response to recent flooding.

Providing survivors with housing solutions remains a top priority and FEMA is collaborating with states and federal partners to coordinate strategies and programs to help find suitable housing for Louisiana residents displaced by flooding. Already, more than 98,000 Louisianans have registered for FEMA assistance and more than $20 million has been approved to help survivors with temporary rental assistance, essential home repairs and other serious disaster-related needs. To begin the process, FEMA continues to advise residents and business owners who sustained disaster-related losses to apply for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY). 711 relay or Video Relay Service (VRS) are available by calling 800-621-3362 directly. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (Central Time) seven days a week until further notice.

FEMA is also supporting Louisiana’s Disaster Housing Task Force to help Louisiana residents displaced by the flooding find access to housing. FEMA activated its Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program, at the request of the state of Louisiana, to make participating hotels or motels available for eligible disaster survivors who are unable to return to their homes for an extended period of time. This program is intended to provide short-term lodging for eligible survivors who are currently residing in a personal vehicle, hotel or motel, shelter, or place of employment.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is re-allocating existing federal resources such as Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME programs to give the state and communities the flexibility to redirect millions of dollars of funding to address critical needs, including housing and services for disaster survivors toward disaster relief.

Additionally, as of today, more than 24,000 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholders have submitted claims for flood loss. FEMA authorized and issued more than $4 million in advance payments to NFIP policyholders in Louisiana who sustained flood-related damages to provide expedited relief to disaster survivors. FEMA continues advising those who would like to file a claim should call their individual insurance carrier, or go to Floodsmart.gov and review the “File Your Claim” section.

Below is a summary of additional federal actions underway to support ongoing response and recovery efforts:

FEMA has more than 1,100 personnel on the ground, including six Incident Management Assistance Teams, one Urban Search and Rescue team and Mobile Emergency Response Support personnel. Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams are visiting shelters in affected areas to assist with on-site registration for survivors, provide applicant status checks, provide on-the-spot needs assessments, and identify any unmet needs. FEMA also provided the state more than 408,000 liters of water and more than 252,000 meals to distribute. FEMA and the state are conducting joint federal/state preliminary damage assessments in Assumption and St. Charles parishes over the next several days.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) opened a Business Recovery Center in Walker, Louisiana and it is opening one in Tangipahoa Parish Saturday and one in Baton Rouge on Monday. As of today, SBA issued more than 57,000 applications to homeowners and businesses.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services deployed two National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) Disaster Medical Assistance Teams consisting of approximately 80 NDMS members to Baton Rouge. In addition, U.S. Public Health Service commissioned corps officers and a 30-person command and control unit. They are among 200 staff deployed to support the response effort. HHS is operating a Federal Medical Station capable of housing 250 patients on the Louisiana State University campus and is providing care for 200 patients.

The U.S. Department of Transportation made $2 million in emergency relief funds immediately available through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to help repair roads and bridges in the affected areas. The funds will also help stabilize structures to prevent further damage and set up detours until permanent repairs are completed.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing support to the state through nutrition, farmer and rancher assistance. USDA Food and Nutrition Service approved the state’s hot foods waiver request. The waiver allows Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) recipients to purchase hot foods at authorized SNAP retailers statewide with their benefits. USDA encourages farmers, ranchers, producers, landowners and rural communities to contact their local Louisiana USDA Service Center to report damages to crops or livestock loss.

The American Red Cross (ARC) operational priorities continue to focus on providing food, shelter and relief supplies to survivors and working closely with local authorities to assess what and where the current needs are. Nearly 4,000 people remain housed in 28 ARC community shelters. Since the flooding began last week, ARC has provided more than 32,000 overnight stays in shelters and served more than 158,000 meals and snacks with feeding partners. The Red Cross Shelter Finder app displays open Red Cross shelters and their locations on an easy to use map interface. Survivors can also find the location of the nearest shelter by texting SHELTER and their Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA). The American Red Cross activated its Safe and Well program to allow survivors to let family members know they are safe and for family members to search for loved ones.

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) activated its Unaccompanied Minors Registry (UMR). Family members can go to http://umr.missingkids.org or call 1-800-THE-LOST to find unaccompanied children who may have been separated from parents or caregivers because of the floods, by entering basic information and/or a photo.

The U.S. Northern Command activated Defense Coordinating Element to support FEMA’s Regional Response Coordination Center in Denton, Texas with Department of Defense resources. The personnel are heavily involved in assisting relief efforts on the ground.

The U.S. Coast Guard continues to support Louisiana with air and surface rescue operations.

The Louisiana National Guard has more than 3,800 Guardsmen assisting with emergency flood operations. They have rescued more than 19,000 citizens and over 2,600 pets, and have conducted operations including evacuations, search and rescue, engineering missions, aerial sling-load drops, distribution and supply of water, meals, cots, tarps, sandbags, and security and shelter support.

The Federal Communications Commission continues to monitor communication outages and is working closely with affected carriers to ensure services are restored.

The U.S. Department of Justice deployed personnel to assist in evacuation, deconstruction and debris removal operations in the affected areas.

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Efforts from Federal Partners Continue to Support Survivors in Louisiana

More Louisiana Survivors Now Eligible for Federal Disaster Assistance, Urged to Register

BATON ROUGE, La. – Survivors in 20 Louisiana parishes may now be eligible for federal disaster assistance.

Acadia, Ascension, Avoyelles, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Point Coupee, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Vermilion, Washington and West Feliciana have joined East Baton Rouge, Livingston, St. Helena and Tangipahoa as parishes eligible for federal disaster assistance.

Anyone in Louisiana with damage from the continuing severe storms and floods that began Aug. 11 may register two ways:

Online at DisasterAssistance.gov
By calling 800-621-3362
- People who use TTY may call 800-462-7585
- Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS) may call 800-621-3362.

Survivors only need to register once. These toll-free telephone numbers are operating from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

FEMA never charges fees to apply for or receive federal disaster assistance. State and federal officials encourage disaster survivors to be alert for scams and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement immediately.

Assistance provided by FEMA for homeowners and renters can include grants for rent, temporary housing and home repairs to their primary residence, as well as other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses or funeral and burial costs.

Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) also may be available to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. The loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

Homeowners and renters should apply as quickly as they can, even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments but underinsured applicants may receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.

Residents are urged to contact their insurance company to file their flood insurance claims. For flood insurance policyholders who may have questions, FEMA has streamlined its process to better service claims and answer questions. Policyholders may call 800-621-3362 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and select Option 2. Call center staff are available to assist policyholders with information regarding their policy, offer technical flood guidance to aid in recovery, and respond to general as well as complicated questions about the NFIP. Policyholders with questions specifically about an insurance claim can be transferred to their insurance carrier for additional assistance.

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We urge everyone to continue to use caution in areas where floodwaters remain. Monitor DOTD’s www.511la.org website for updated road closure information. Look for advisories from your local authorities and emergency managers. You can find the latest information on the state’s response at www.emergency.la.gov. GOHSEP also provides information on Facebook and Twitter. You can receive emergency alerts on most smartphones and tablets by downloading the new Alert FM App. It is free for basic service. You can also download the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find other information at www.getagameplan.org.

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 us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (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 SBA.gov/disaster Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

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More Louisiana Survivors Now Eligible for Federal Disaster Assistance, Urged to Register

Appeals and Comments on Revised Preliminary Flood Maps for St. Bernard Parish Ends Soon

DENTON, Texas – Homeowners, renters and business owners are encouraged to review revised preliminary flood maps for St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana. Anyone who wishes to file an appeal or comment has until Aug. 10, 2016, for submission.

“We hope that everyone reviews the maps to understand the flood risks involved,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “It is also very important that we receive the public’s input on these maps.”

Appeals are formal objections and must be based on technical data showing proposed maps to be scientifically incorrect. Appeal topics include: Proposed base flood elevations or flood depths, Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundaries and zones, or floodways. Anyone making an appeal must include the method, data and analysis used to support the claim.

Comments are objections to a base map feature change. Those feature changes could include labels, incorrect road names or jurisdictional boundaries, or any other non-appealable change.

The public can provide comments and appeals to their local floodplain administrator, who will forward them to FEMA for final resolution.

The maps can be viewed at the parish floodplain administrator’s office, or by:

•   Viewing the preliminary flood map at: http://maps.riskmap6.com/LA/StBernard/
•   Using a live chat service about flood maps at go.usa.gov/r6C, just click on the “Live Chat” icon;
•    Contacting a FEMA Map Specialist at 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com.

The next step is the resolution of all the comments and appeals. When that is complete, FEMA will notify communities of the effective date of the final maps.

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 us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/femaregion6, and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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Appeals and Comments on Revised Preliminary Flood Maps for St. Bernard Parish Ends Soon

Partnerships and Progress: Louisiana Severe Storms and Flooding 90 Days Later

BATON ROUGE, La. — Community members, volunteers and all levels of government continue developing solutions to move recovery forward following the severe storms and floods that occurred March 8 through April 8.

The collaboration includes neighbors, friends and family helping one another, identifying places to mobilize volunteers, and providing resources so disaster survivors can move back home. Governments are also collaborating to make communities better, stronger and safer so they will have enhanced protection from future disasters.

Here are some of the ways survivors, communities, volunteers and all levels of government have pulled together to address recovery challenges in the 90 days since the March 13 presidential disaster declaration.

Nearly 40,000 survivors applied for help under the Individual Assistance (IA) program in the 36 eligible parishes during the 90 day registration period. The registration period has closed but help remains just a phone call away. By calling the FEMA helpline you can:

Ask questions about FEMA determination letters.
Learn how to appeal FEMA’s determination. All applicants have the right to appeal.
Inquire about the status of a registration.
Provide change of address, telephone and bank account numbers and insurance information to avoid disaster assistance processing delays.
Receive information about FEMA home inspections.
Get other questions answered about federal disaster assistance.

Call the helpline at 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585. Those who use 711/VRS can call 800-621-3362. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. Llame a la línea de ayuda 800-621-3362 ó (TTY) 800-462-7585. Aquellos que usan 711 o el Servicio de Retransmisión de Video (VRS) pueden llamar al 800-621-3362. Las líneas telefónicas operan de 7:00 a.m. a 10:00 p.m. siete días a la semana hasta nuevo aviso.

To date, survivors have received nearly $380 million in federal disaster assistance through a variety of sources.

Approximately $69 million in grants has been approved for a place to stay for homeowners and renters whose residences were uninhabitable and to make essential repairs for homes to be safe, sanitary and secure.
About $19 million in grants has gone to homeowners and renters to repair and replace certain household items and for burial, medical and dental expenses.
Homeowners, renters and businesses have received more than $95 million in low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration to repair, rebuild and replace damaged property and contents. Disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other sources.
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders have received approximately $196 million in claims to repair and rebuild flood-damaged property.

Moving back home marks significant recovery progress for survivors and their communities. Many survivors have successfully taken this step because of the volunteers from Louisiana and across the country who have donated their time and skills.

Voluntary, faith and community-based groups are coordinating with their local, state and federal recovery partners to identify survivors in need and ensure resources are there to help. This coordination has resulted in mucking out properties, making repairs and donating essential items like furniture and appliances so survivors can get back home.

If you want to donate your time and skills you can contact Volunteer Louisiana online at www.volunteerlouisiana.gov or email enauck@crt.la.gov and be put in touch with a voluntary group in need. Volunteer Louisiana is a state-run organization.

Local, parish and state government infrastructure and certain private nonprofit organizations in 37 parishes are progressing in their recovery with the help of FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program. So far the program has obligated approximately $2.3 million.

The program is relieving burdens on local governments and the state by reimbursing 75 percent of eligible costs to restore essential services like roads, bridges, utilities, schools and hospitals. Many services will be restored more resilient than they were before the disaster.

The program also assists with removing the debris that blemishes communities. Many repair and rebuilding projects have been able to start on properties of towns and parishes because disaster-related clutter has been cleared.

Disaster recovery officials have interacted with survivors in several different ways and many remain on the ground in Louisiana to assist with recovery.

Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) and FEMA specialists have held 14 applicant briefings to provide a general overview of the Public Assistance program to local leaders.
State and federal Public Assistance specialists have held more than 250 kickoff meetings to discuss with parish representatives and certain nonprofits what projects may be available and to answer questions.
FEMA specialists have attended approximately 60 community organization events in Louisiana to discuss and answer questions about federal disaster assistance.
Nearly 21,000 survivors visited 44 disaster recovery centers (DRCs) where they met face to face with federal, state, local and volunteer representatives. The first centers opened less than a week after the presidential disaster declaration. The last ones closed June 10.
More than 35,000 FEMA housing inspections have been completed.
More than 70,000 survivors spoke with FEMA disaster survivor assistance specialists. These are FEMA staff who canvass affected communities to encourage survivors to register for help, provide recovery information and listen to their concerns and resulted in more than 4,000 field registrations for federal disaster assistance.
Free consultations on building hazard-resistant homes were given to nearly 7,000 survivors at DRCs and more than 5,000 at Louisiana home improvements stores.

A team of state and federal disaster recovery specialists are identifying additional funding sources and strategies to restore, redevelop, revitalize and better prepare affected communities. They are working with local and parish governments, community leaders and the private sector to overcome long-term recovery challenges by pooling resources, providing technical assistance and identifying recovery funding sources.

Recovery partners continue coordinating to get survivors back home, advance the recovery of affected communities and make Louisiana more resilient.

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Partnerships and Progress: Louisiana Severe Storms and Flooding 90 Days Later

Help Remains for Louisiana Disaster Survivors While Disaster Recovery

BATON ROUGE, La. – The Disaster Recovery Center in Monroe (Ouachita Parish), at the
Monroe Civic Center, 401 Lea Joyner Expressway, will close on Thursday, June 2 at 6 p.m. The
center will reopen at a new location. Officials will announce the new location once that
information is available.

Residents can still register for disaster assistance or ask questions by calling the FEMA helpline
at 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Those who use 711/VRS can call 800-621-3362.
Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. They can also register
online at DisasterAssistance.gov or fema.gov/disaster/4263. Registration ends on
Monday, June 13. Cuando llame al 800-621-3362 (FEMA) marque el 1 y escuche las
instrucciones en español. Favor llamar antes del lunes 13 de junio.

Call the helpline to:

 Ask questions about FEMA determination letters.
Learn how to appeal FEMA’s determination. All applicants have the right to appeal.
 Inquire about the status of a registration.
 Provide change of address, telephone and bank account numbers and insurance information to avoid disaster assistance processing delays.
 Receive information about FEMA home inspections.
 Get other questions answered about federal disaster assistance.

FEMA advises applicants to have their nine-digit FEMA registration number on hand when they
call. They also will be asked to verify their identity if they want access to their information.

We urge everyone to continue to use caution in areas where floodwaters remain. Monitor DOTD’s
511la.org website for updated road closure information. Look for advisories from your local
authorities and emergency managers. You can find the latest information on the state’s response at
emergency.la.gov. GOHSEP also provides information at gohsep.la.gov, Facebook and
Twitter. You can receive emergency alerts on most smartphones and tablets by downloading the new
Alert FM App. It is free for basic service. You can also download the Louisiana Emergency
Preparedness Guide and find other information at getagameplan.org.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age,
disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated
against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). If you are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

FEMA’s 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 us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at blog.fema.gov.

FEMA offers a number of free online resources for home and property owners. To get started, go to fema.gov/safer-stronger-protected-homes-communities or fema.gov/louisiana-disaster-mitigation.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (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 SBA.gov/disaster Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800 877-8339.

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Help Remains for Louisiana Disaster Survivors While Disaster Recovery

Louisiana Disaster Survivors: What Are You Waiting For?

BATON ROUGE, La. – If you are one of the many Louisiana residents who were affected by the severe storms and flooding that occurred March 8 through April 8 and haven’t registered for help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, why wait? Do it now!

You have until June 13 to take the first step toward getting federal assistance. Don’t miss out! Once you register with FEMA, you may be eligible for a federal grant to help you with your recovery. You may also qualify for a low-interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

If you haven’t registered yet and are a homeowner or renter with disaster-related damage in the designated parishes, do it now before it’s too late.

Did you not register because:

 You simply didn’t know that FEMA offers help to homeowners and renters whose homes were damaged? Once you register with FEMA you will learn about the help that may be available to you.
 You kept putting off registering because you were too busy and didn’t remember to register until the evening, and thought everything would be closed? Registering is a very important first step to getting help. The FEMA helpline is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day of the week.
 You are confused about the process of registering with FEMA? FEMA is there to help you. Make the phone call. Ask questions and you will get answers.
 You thought talking with your parish officials or the American Red Cross would automatically make you eligible for FEMA aid? The only way for you to be eligible for federal help is for you, the homeowner or renter, to register with FEMA. Nobody else can do it for you.
 You called 2-1-1 and thought that would automatically make you eligible for FEMA aid? 2-1-1 is a free and confidential service that helps people across North America find the local resources they need, including how to apply for disaster assistance. They’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. But calling them does not register you with FEMA. The only way you can register is to call the FEMA helpline.
 You thought the damage to your property would not be eligible for federal help ? Let FEMA make the decision. A FEMA housing inspector will examine your property damage to determine if it qualifies you for federal assistance.
 You thought that since you already cleaned up and made repairs you couldn’t apply for assistance? You can register with FEMA even after you make repairs. You must be able to show that the damage was caused by the severe storms and flooding that occurred March 8 through April 8. Don’t forget to keep all repair receipts.
 You thought others needed the federal aid more than you? No one is denied aid because of someone else’s need. If you are eligible for assistance, FEMA will provide funds to help you recover.
 You thought you’d have to repay a FEMA grant? FEMA assistance is a grant, not a loan. It does not have to be repaid. It is not subject to income tax.
 You thought that getting disaster assistance from FEMA would affect your government benefits, such as Social Security, Medicaid or SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)? You will not pay additional income taxes or see any reduction in your Social Security checks or any other federal benefits.
 You didn’t think you could register because you don’t speak English very well? FEMA has people who speak many languages. Translators are available and can help you in the registration process. Cuando llame al 800 621-3362 marque el 1 y escuche las instrucciones en español. Favor llamar antes del lunes 13 de junio.
 You didn’t think you were eligible for FEMA help because you are not a U.S. citizen? If you are in the United States legally or are the parent of a U.S. citizen in your household, you need have no worries about applying for federal disaster assistance.

None of these reasons will prevent you from getting help from FEMA. Here’s what to do to get the correct information. Just be sure to do it before Monday, June 13:

 Call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.
 Cuando llame al 800-621-3362 marque el 1 y escuche las instrucciones en español. Favor llamar antes del lunes 13 de junio.
 If you use 711/VRS call 800-621-3362.
 Register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or www.fema.gov/disaster/4263.
 Visit FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or call 800-621-3362 to find a disaster recovery center near you.

If you have questions about how you may qualify for a low-interest disaster SBA loan:

Call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit SBA’s website at SBA.gov/disaster. If you are deaf or hard-of-hearing you can call 800-877-8339.

We urge everyone to continue to use caution in areas where floodwaters remain. Monitor DOTD’s 511la.org website for updated road closure information. Look for advisories from your local authorities and emergency managers. You can find the latest information on the state’s response at emergency.la.gov. GOHSEP also provides information at gohsep.la.gov, Facebook and Twitter. You can receive emergency alerts on most smartphones and tablets by downloading the new Alert FM App. It is free for basic service. You can also download the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find other information at getagameplan.org.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). If you are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

FEMA’s 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 us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at blog.fema.gov.

FEMA offers a number of free online resources for home and property owners. To get started, go to fema.gov/safer-stronger-protected-homes-communities or fema.gov/louisiana-disaster-mitigation.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (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 SBA.gov/disaster Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800 877-8339.

Continue reading –

Louisiana Disaster Survivors: What Are You Waiting For?

Ascension Parish Disaster Survivors Can Get Rebuilding Tips at a Local Home Improvement Center

Baton Rouge, La. – Disaster survivors from Ascension Parish who are rebuilding after the severe storms and floods that occurred March 8 through April 8 can receive free consultations with hazard mitigation advisors from FEMA. The mitigation representatives are available at Home Depot in Gonzales Tuesday, May 31 through Saturday, June 4.
The mitigation advisors will answer questions about protecting homes from future disaster-related damage, as well as offer tips and techniques to build hazard resistant homes.

Most of the information and the free publications provided are geared for do-it-yourself work and general contractors.

Recovery topics to be covered include flood insurance, elevating utilities and rebuilding flooded homes.

The store location is:

Home Depot
2740 South Cajun Ave.
Gonzales, La.

Advisors are available Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Wednesday through Friday
9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Survivors can register for FEMA assistance through Monday, June 13 online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or may call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Cuando llame al
1-800 621-3362 (FEMA) marque el 1 y escuche las instrucciones en español. Favor llamar antes del lunes 13 de junio.

###

We urge everyone to continue to use caution in areas where floodwaters remain. Monitor DOTD’s 511la.org website for updated road closure information. Look for advisories from your local authorities and emergency managers. You can find the latest information on the state’s response at emergency.la.gov. GOHSEP also provides information at gohsep.la.gov, Facebook and Twitter. You can receive emergency alerts on most smartphones and tablets by downloading the new Alert FM App. It is free for basic service. You can also download the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find other information at www.getagameplan.org.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). If you are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

FEMA’s 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 us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at blog.fema.gov.

FEMA offers a number of free online resources for home and property owners. To get started, go to fema.gov/safer-stronger-protected-homes-communities or fema.gov/louisiana-disaster-mitigation.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (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 SBA.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800 877-8339.

Excerpt from:

Ascension Parish Disaster Survivors Can Get Rebuilding Tips at a Local Home Improvement Center

Mart ISD Student is Lone Texan Selected for National Youth Preparedness Council

DENTON, Texas—The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced this week the selectees for the 2016-2018 National Youth Preparedness Council.

Chandler Villa, a rising senior from Mart High School, will be the sole representative from FEMA Region 6, which serves Texas, New Mexico, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana.

Created in 2012, the council brings together youth leaders from across the country who are interested in preparedness and making a difference in their communities. Council members will also complete preparedness projects.

The 17-year-old first got involved with the Mart High School Teen Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) a year ago after talking to some of her teachers about it.

“I’ve always had a desire to help others,” Villa said. “I was the kid at the playground with band aids in my backpack.”

The team was recognized for their accomplishments last year. The group received honorable mentions in two categories of the 2015 FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness Awards: Outstanding Achievement in Youth Preparedness and Outstanding Community Emergency Response Team.

That year, the team was deployed to the City of Marlin during a two week water crisis. The team assisted in the distribution of water to residents. Other team activities have include ride along training with paramedics, which is what Villa is most interested in.

Villa has plans to continue her education in the medical field. She has an interest in becoming an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT); and perhaps study to be a nurse and physician assistant in college. She credits the CERT team experience with teaching her more about herself.

“Honestly, there are many things that stick out because I have a really great team with a great instructor,” Villa said. “Marlin was really cool to see what it’s really like with the press conferences, see what else is going on aside from what the public sees in the news.”

Villa will take part in the Youth Preparedness Council Summit July 19-20, 2016, in Washington, D.C.

The summit gives members the opportunity to share their ideas and questions with national organizations. The students will have an opportunity to plan their legacy project. The council will also meet with FEMA community preparedness staff, who will serve as their ongoing support mentors.

The council supports FEMA’s commitment to involve youth in preparedness-related activities. It also provides an avenue to engage youth by taking into account their perspectives, feedback and opinions.

To learn more about the FEMA Youth Preparedness Council, please visit: http://www.ready.gov/youth-preparedness-council.

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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 us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

See the article here:

Mart ISD Student is Lone Texan Selected for National Youth Preparedness Council

Rapides Parish Disaster Survivors Can Get Rebuilding Tips at a Local Home Improvement Center

Baton Rouge, La. — Disaster survivors from Rapides Parish who are rebuilding after the severe storms and floods that occurred March 8 through April 8 can receive free consultations with hazard mitigation advisors from FEMA. The mitigation representatives are available at Lowe’s in Alexandria Monday, May 23 through Saturday, May 28.

The mitigation advisors will answer questions about protecting homes from future disaster-related damage, as well as offer tips and techniques to build hazard resistant homes. Most of the information and the free publications provided are geared for do-it-yourself work and general contractors.

Recovery topics to be covered include flood insurance, elevating utilities and rebuilding flooded homes.

The store location is:

Lowe’s
3201 Industrial St.
Alexandria, La.

Advisors are available Monday from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Survivors can register for FEMA assistance through Monday, June 13 online at DisasterAssistance.gov, or may call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Cuando llame al
1-800 621-3362 (FEMA) marque el 1 y escuche las instrucciones en español. Favor llamar antes del lunes 13 de junio.

###

We urge everyone to continue to use caution in areas where floodwaters remain. Monitor DOTD’s 5 11la.org website for updated road closure information. Look for advisories from your local authorities and emergency managers. You can find the latest information on the state’s response at emergency.la.gov. GOHSEP also provides information at
gohsep.la.gov, Facebook and Twitter. You can receive emergency alerts on most smartphones and tablets by downloading the new Alert FM App. It is free for basic service. You can also download the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find other information at getagameplan.org.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). If you are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

FEMA’s 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 us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at blog.fema.gov.

FEMA offers a number of free online resources for home and property owners. To get started, go to fema.gov/safer-stronger-protected-homes-communities or fema.gov/louisiana-disaster-mitigation.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (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 SBA.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800 877-8339.

Continue reading –

Rapides Parish Disaster Survivors Can Get Rebuilding Tips at a Local Home Improvement Center

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