FEMA Authorizes Funding to Help Fight Large Fire in Northwestern Nebraska

KANSAS CITY, MO – Firefighters battling a large fire in northwestern Nebraska may get help paying certain firefighting costs from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

FEMA Region VII Deputy Administrator Arthur Freeman approved a request from the State of Nebraska shortly before 2 p.m. CDT Thursday for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant for the Region 23 Complex Fire, which has burned more than 68,000 acres in two days in Sioux, Dawes, Sheridan counties in northwestern Nebraska.  The fire has been burning both grassland and forest areas, including some of the Nebraska National Forest.

The grant authority provides funding on a cost-share basis for certain costs incurred by firefighting entities bringing in resources to help keep the fire’s impacts from causing a major disaster.  FEMA does not provide actual firefighting equipment or personnel.

The State of Nebraska requested the grant assistance about 12:30 p.m. CDT on Thursday.  At that time, the fire was threatening 102 homes in and around Chadron, Nebraska, population 5,860. The fire also was threatening ranch complexes; businesses; infrastructure, including two state radio communication towers; utilities, livestock and equipment in the area.  Chadron State Park and the Pine Ridge Job Corps Center were being evacuated as a precaution.  

The National Weather Service has issued Red Flag warnings for the area, which has been impacted by extreme drought, causing lower water tables and well levels. The fire started on August 28 from a dry lightning strike and is burning on federal, state and private land.  Local volunteer fire departments, the Nebraska National Guard and federal firefighting resources are battling the blaze.

The U.S. Forest Service deployed a Type II Incident Management (IMT) team to Nebraska to assist with fire suppression/containment activities. The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, Nebraska National Forest, Nebraska State Forest Service, Nebraska Park Service, Nebraska Department of Roads, Nebraska State Patrol, sheriff’s offices from Dawes and Sioux counties, and local municipalities are assisting in the fire suppression activities/efforts.

As of 7 p.m. MDT Thursday, fire officials reported that the fire was 10 percent contained.  Weather conditions Thursday were in the high 80s to low 90s with a relative humidity of 17 percent.  Similar weather is expected to continue Friday with higher wind gusts and potentially lower humidity.

The FEMA funding, provided through the federal Disaster Relief Fund once a baseline threshold is met, pays 75 percent of the state’s eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires.  These grants do not provide assistance to individual home or business owners, or cover costs associated with infrastructure damage caused by the fire.

Eligible costs for reimbursement can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies.

FEMA region VII covers the states of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.

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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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FEMA Authorizes Funding to Help Fight Large Fire in Northwestern Nebraska

Louisiana – Seven Years After Hurricanes Katrina And Rita

Beyond Recovery; Building Resilient Communities

NEW ORLEANS – In support of Louisiana’s recovery from hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has provided approximately $19.1 billion over the past seven years to help communities and families throughout the state rebuild and improve their capabilities to protect against future hazards.

“Since 2005, FEMA has remained committed to this state’s post-Katrina recovery. The Louisiana that we celebrate today with our local and state partners represents the ‘whole community’ and the progress than can occur when people work together,” said FEMA’s Louisiana Recovery Office Executive Director Joseph Threat.

To assist in rebuilding disaster-damaged public infrastructure, FEMA’s Public Assistance Program has provided approximately $11.5 billion for the restoration of roughly 23,669 Katrina and Rita recovery projects throughout Louisiana. Such FEMA aid has enabled significant impacts across various public sectors, including approximately:

  • $3.9 billion for education and learning facilities
  • $1.1 billion for public safety facilities
  • $5.4 billion for general infrastructure (e.g., roads, transportation, parks and sewerage and water facilities)
  • $1.1 billion for health care facilities 

“This unprecedented level of progress has contributed to a recent recovery milestone – the opening of FEMA’s Region 6 Baton Rouge Processing Center. As part of the normal disaster recovery cycle, the opening of this processing center will further assist Louisiana in her final stage of recovery. For hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the center’s current focus is supporting state efforts to finalize remaining hazard mitigation projects,” added Threat. 

FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program services individuals and public entities impacted by hurricanes Katrina and Rita by providing grants to communities and state agencies for projects that are designed to save lives and protect properties. Specifically, in response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita, FEMA has made more than $1.8 billion in HMGP funding available to the state of Louisiana.

Regarding individuals and families, after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, hundreds of thousands of Louisiana residents needed help rebuilding their lives. To aid these residents, FEMA provided approximately $5.8 billion in Individuals and Households Program grants to 915,884 individuals and families statewide. These dollars were used as housing assistance for rent, repairs and replacement housing, as well as other needs assistance for such things as furniture, clothing and replacement vehicles.

FEMA also housed more than 92,000 households in travel trailers, park models and mobile homes across Louisiana to combat the largest housing shortage ever seen in the agency’s history. Units were located on private properties, at industrial sites, in commercial mobile home parks and across 111 FEMA built and maintained group sites throughout the state.

“Another major recovery milestone was reached this year when, in July, the last FEMA temporary housing unit was removed from this state, marking the first time since 2005 that there have been no FEMA temporary housing units in Louisiana. This means thousands of families once devastated by Katrina are now living in more permanent housing,” said Threat.

For more information about Louisiana’s ongoing recovery efforts, visit FEMA’s website dedicated to the seventh anniversary of hurricanes Katrina and Rita: www.fema.gov/la7year .

All data is as of Aug. 9, 2012.                                                                                                                           

When FEMA approves projects through its supplemental Public Assistance grant, the funds are made available to the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness, who disburses them to the applicant for eligible work completed.

The Public Assistance program works with state and local officials to fund recovery measures and the rebuilding of government and certain private nonprofit organizations’ buildings, as well as roads, bridges and water and sewer plants. In order for the process to be successful, federal, state and local partners coordinate to draw up project plans, fund these projects and oversee their completion.

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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Louisiana – Seven Years After Hurricanes Katrina And Rita

FEMA Approves Fire Management Assistance Grants for Fires in Multiple Counties in Oklahoma

FEMA Approves Fire Management Assistance Grants for Fires in Multiple Counties in Oklahoma

DENTON, Texas – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently approved requests from the state of Oklahoma for Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAGs) for fires burning in multiple counties. This includes the Drumright Fire burning in Payne and Creek counties; the Glencoe Fire in Payne County; the Noble Fire in Cleveland County; the Freedom Fire in Creek County; and the Luther fire in Oklahoma County.

“These fires can be so devastating to communities, and we are committed to supporting our state and local partners during this time,” said FEMA Region 6 Acting Administrator Tony Robinson. “These grants will assist in the efforts to protect life and property.”

Eligible state firefighting costs covered by the aid must first meet a minimum threshold for costs before assistance is provided. Eligible costs covered by the aid can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; tools, materials and supplies; and mobilization and demobilization activities.

An authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of state and local government eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires. Federal fire management assistance is provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to reimburse local firefighting efforts for fires that threaten to cause a major disaster.

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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 http://twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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FEMA Approves Fire Management Assistance Grants for Fires in Multiple Counties in Oklahoma

Protect Your Property From Wind and Water Damage

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Property owners planning to rebuild homes or businesses damaged by Tropical Storm Debby should consider using construction methods that will minimize damage in future storms.

Taking steps to reduce future damage is called hazard mitigation.  The most obvious example of mitigation is elevating flood-prone properties.  Information on many mitigation procedures is available free from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Here are some improvements property owners should discuss with contractors:

  • WIND CLIPS: These are small inexpensive metal plates that are used to firmly secure a roof to the walls of a structure.
  • MASONRY TIES: These are metal strips used to anchor the wooden frame of a structure to the masonry foundation walls.
  • PLYWOOD:  Construction engineers prefer plywood to pressboard, not less than 7/16 of an inch thick.
  • FASTENING: In securing four-by-eight foot plywood sheathing to walls or roofs, nails should be driven at intervals no greater than four inches in the perimeter and six inches in the middle lines.
  • GARAGE DOORS:  Consider a heavy gauge door. When high winds buckle a garage door it is likely that the roof will be lifted off.
  • ELEVATION:  This is the ultimate safeguard against flooding.  It is costly but widely employed, particularly along coastlines.
  • ELECTRICAL:  Appliances and circuit breaker boxes should be raised above base flood elevation, door seals renewed and old windows replaced with waterproof windows.
  • DRAINAGE:  Ditches should be cleared.

Specialists stress the necessity of tying foundations to the frames of structures with correctly installed anchor bolts.  Bolts should penetrate foundation blocks at least 15 inches to connect with the second course of block.

While these measures can’t guarantee protection from storm damage, the odds for escaping major damage are much improved.

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

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

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

For more information on Florida’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov or http://www.floridadisaster.org. On Facebook, go to www.facebook.com/FloridaSERT. To receive Twitter updates: http://twitter.com/FLSERT or www.twitter.com/femaregion4.

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Protect Your Property From Wind and Water Damage

President Declares a Major Disaster for New Jersey

President Declares a Major Disaster for New Jersey 

Release Date: July 19, 2012
Release Number: HQ-12-062

» More Information on New Jersey Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds

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 New Jersey to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms and straight-line winds on June 30, 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 and straight-line winds in the counties of Atlantic, Cumberland, and Salem.

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

William L. Vogel has been named Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Vogel 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, 19-Jul-2012 14:24:24

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President Declares a Major Disaster for New Jersey

Federal Aid Programs for State of New Jersey Disaster Recovery

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Federal Aid Programs for State of New Jersey Disaster Recovery

FEMA Aid Continues To Support Recovery Efforts Within Louisiana’s Higher Education Sector

FEMA Aid Continues To Support Recovery Efforts Within Louisiana’s Higher Education Sector 

Release Date: July 11, 2012
Release Number: 1786 – 156

» More Information on Louisiana Hurricane Ike
» More Information on Louisiana Hurricane Gustav

NEW ORLEANS – The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently announced approximately $230,000 to the Louisiana Technical College, officially now named the Capital Area Technical College, for the replacement of contents damaged during Hurricane Gustav throughout their Iberville Parish Westside Campus.

LTC is a public, state technical college with campuses throughout Louisiana. During Hurricane Gustav, LTC’s Region 2 Westside Campus, located at 59126 Bayou Road in Plaquemine, was significantly impacted. The storm’s strong winds damaged the roof of the Main Manual Arts and Multipurpose Classroom Buildings, letting rain enter the buildings and inundate their contents.

In total, FEMA has provided approximately $515,000 for all Gustav-related damages at LTC’s Westside Campus, with the agency’s recent grant of nearly a quarter of a million dollars given for content replacements. Contents damaged by the roof leakages include computers, servers, wireless network adapters and routers, copiers, shredders, video projectors and projector screens.

“This improved project grant supports LTC’s recovery needs at their Westside Campus by providing a simplified funding solution. The college is now able to replace items across general categories versus replacing damaged items individually,” said FEMA’s Louisiana Recovery Office Deputy Director of Programs Andre Cadogan.

As requested by LTC, FEMA’s latest aid will fund contents under the following four major categories—furnishings, office equipment and supplies, information technology and educational equipment.

“Capital Area Technical College Westside is a public, nonprofit state college that serves students in Iberville and surrounding parishes. In the state’s current economic climate, it would have been extremely challenging to fully recover the losses from Hurricane Gustav. The students, faculty and staff are very grateful that FEMA is covering the damages incurred at the Westside Campus,” said Dr. Kay McDaniel, director of Capital Area Technical College.

To date, FEMA has obligated approximately $15.3 million overall in public assistance funding for recovery efforts at all of LTC’s campuses throughout Louisiana, including those related to hurricanes Katrina and Rita in addition to the mentioned Hurricane Gustav efforts.

When FEMA approves projects through its supplemental Public Assistance grant, the funds are made available to the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness, who disburses them to the applicant for eligible work completed.

The Public Assistance program works with state and local officials to fund recovery measures and the rebuilding of government and certain private nonprofit organizations’ buildings, as well as roads, bridges and water and sewer plants. In order for the process to be successful, federal, state and local partners coordinate to draw up project plans, fund these projects and oversee their completion.

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: Wednesday, 11-Jul-2012 10:48:15

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FEMA Aid Continues To Support Recovery Efforts Within Louisiana’s Higher Education Sector

FEMA Authorizes Funds to Help Fight Wyoming’s Oil Creek Fire

FEMA Authorizes Funds to Help Fight Wyoming’s Oil Creek Fire 

Release Date: July 2, 2012
Release Number: R8-12-024

» 2012 Region VIII News Releases

DENVER, Colo. — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for Wyoming’s Oil Creek Fire in Weston County.

This is the third Fire Management Assistance Grant for Wyoming this year, all in the last four days. Previously, FEMA approved such grants for the Arapahoe Fire and the Squirrel Creek Fire, both in Albany County.

FEMA Regional Administrator Robin Finegan approved the Fire Management Assistance Grant Monday night, July 2, upon receiving the state’s request. At the time of the request, the fire was threatening more than 300 homes in the vicinity of Osage. Mandatory evacuations were in place for approximately 400 people. The fire started on Saturday, June 30, and had burned more than 12,000 acres of state and federal land. There are six other large uncontrolled fires in Wyoming. Weather predictions for the next two days indicate the Oil Creek Fire may increase to 55,000 acres. The Regional Administrator, Robin Finegan, determined that the fire threatened such destruction as would constitute a major disaster and signed the request at 10:58 p.m. Mountain Time on Monday.

The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of the state’s eligible firefighting costs for managing, mitigating and controlling the fire. These grants do not provide assistance to individual home or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.

Fire Management Assistance Grants are provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders and 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: Tuesday, 03-Jul-2012 09:00:31

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FEMA Authorizes Funds to Help Fight Wyoming’s Oil Creek Fire

FEMA Authorizes Funds to Help Fight Wyoming’s Oil Creek Fire

FEMA Authorizes Funds to Help Fight Wyoming’s Oil Creek Fire 

Release Date: July 2, 2012
Release Number: R8-12-024

» 2012 Region VIII News Releases

DENVER, Colo. — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for Wyoming’s Oil Creek Fire in Weston County.

This is the third Fire Management Assistance Grant for Wyoming this year, all in the last four days. Previously, FEMA approved such grants for the Arapahoe Fire and the Squirrel Creek Fire, both in Albany County.

FEMA Regional Administrator Robin Finegan approved the Fire Management Assistance Grant Monday night, July 2, upon receiving the state’s request. At the time of the request, the fire was threatening more than 300 homes in the vicinity of Osage. Mandatory evacuations were in place for approximately 400 people. The fire started on Saturday, June 30, and had burned more than 12,000 acres of state and federal land. There are six other large uncontrolled fires in Wyoming. Weather predictions for the next two days indicate the Oil Creek Fire may increase to 55,000 acres. The Regional Administrator, Robin Finegan, determined that the fire threatened such destruction as would constitute a major disaster and signed the request at 10:58 p.m. Mountain Time on Monday.

The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of the state’s eligible firefighting costs for managing, mitigating and controlling the fire. These grants do not provide assistance to individual home or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.

Fire Management Assistance Grants are provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders and 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: Tuesday, 03-Jul-2012 09:00:31

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FEMA Authorizes Funds to Help Fight Wyoming’s Oil Creek Fire

FEMA Authorizes Funds To Help Fight Wyoming’s Squirrel Creek Fire

FEMA Authorizes Funds To Help Fight Wyoming’s Squirrel Creek Fire 

Release Date: July 2, 2012
Release Number: R8-12-022

» 2012 Region VIII News Releases

DENVER, Colo. — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Squirrel Creek Fire, located in Albany County in south-central Wyoming.

The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of the state’s eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires.

On July 1, the state of Wyoming submitted a request for a Fire Management Assistance Grant, as the fire was threatening 250 homes in and around the communities of Fox Creek, Lake Owen, Woods Landing, Jelm, Albany and Hattie’s Lake about 45 miles southwest of Laramie.

High #230 was closed. Highway # 10 is threatened, as is the municipal watershed for the cities of Laramie and Cheyenne in the area. Mandatory evacuations took place for approximately 50 to 60 residences and another 175 on a one-hour evacuation alert. Fire Management Assistance Grants are provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies.

These grants do not provide assistance to individual home or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders and 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: Monday, 02-Jul-2012 13:59:27

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FEMA Authorizes Funds To Help Fight Wyoming’s Squirrel Creek Fire

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