Rebuilding Stronger, Safer, Smarter

TRENTON, N.J. — Before you hang any drywall or put your utilities back in the basement, make sure you’re practicing safe and smart rebuilding methods and following local building codes. It’s your house and you want to get back into it as quickly as possible. But, repairing or rebuilding a storm-damaged home takes thought and requires a lot more than your last do-it-yourself project.

First step:  Check with your local government about permit requirements.

Then, make sure that you do not have any asbestos issues on the property. If you suspect you do,go to www.state.nj.us/dep/dshw/rrtp/asbestos.htm to view the “Guidance Document for the Management of Asbestos-Containing Material (ACM).” The document comes from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. 

As you rebuild, consider making changes that will make your home better prepared to withstand the next disaster. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) maintains an extensive online library, including bi-lingual and multimedia resources that describe measures you can take to reduce future risks.

For rebuilding information, go to http://www.fema.gov/building-science. FEMA Building Science Resources to Assist with Reconstruction After Hurricane Sandy is an overview of available publications and is found at http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=6651. Other publications of interest are:

FEMA also has videos on YouTube: “What is Mitigation?” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=057ZkeoFyc4, and “Virginia Mitigation Best Practices – Elevating a Home” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpUEz_GIw4.  

For one-on-one assistance, visit the nearest Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) to speak with a Hazard Mitigation specialist.  DRC locations change frequently. The closest open offices can be found online at http://asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm. An alternative is to go to www.fema.gov and search for DRC locator.

The decision to rebuild stronger, safer and smarter may save your life and property in a future disaster.

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.

Follow this link:

Rebuilding Stronger, Safer, Smarter

Sandy Survivors Should Submit Insurance Settlement Information

Trenton, N.J . — Hurricane Sandy survivors who registered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and indicated they had insurance coverage should send in their insurance settlement information as soon as they receive it.

The insurance settlement documents allow FEMA to determine if survivors have uninsured or underinsured losses eligible for federal assistance. By law FEMA cannot provide financial assistance for losses covered by insurance. FEMA cannot pay deductibles either. Decisions on FEMA aid are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

To submit insurance documentation, here’s what applicants can do:

  • Gather insurance documents and any settlement information.
  • Write the applicant’s name, FEMA registration number and 4086-DR-NJ on each page.
  • Send a copy of these documents to FEMA by:

 Fax:    800-827-8112

Mail:   National Processing Service Center 

           P.O. Box 1005 Hyattsville, MD 20782-8055 

Survivors can call FEMA with questions at 800-621-FEMA (3362), TTY 800-462-7585. Lines are open from 24 hours a day seven days a week until further notice and assistance is available in many languages.

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.

Original article:  

Sandy Survivors Should Submit Insurance Settlement Information

Learn Rebuilding Techniques at Stores in Milford, New Haven and Orange

Learn Rebuilding Techniques at Stores in Milford, New Haven and Orange

Main Content

Release date:

December 4, 2012

Release Number:

038

WINDSOR, Conn. – Outreach teams from FEMA will be at Lowe’s home improvement stores in Milford, New Haven and Orange this weekend to explain techniques that may reduce potential damage to homes, businesses and property from future flooding.

Mitigation specialists from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will offer “how-to” information for retrofitting buildings and elevating utilities. Specialists can also provide clean up tips for removing mold and mildew from a storm-damaged home.

FEMA teams will be at the following locations from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8, and Sunday, Dec. 9:

 

  • Lowe’s – 311 Old Gate Lane, Milford, CT 06460
  • Lowe’s – 115 Foxon Blvd., New Haven, CT 06513
  • Lowe’s – 50 Boston Post Road, Orange, CT 06477

 

Information will include instructions on how to:

 

  • Relocate circuit breaker panels, outlets and switches above potential floodwaters;
  • Move washer and dryer hookups to a higher floor;
  • Elevate furnaces and water heaters; and
  • Prevent sewer backups with a backflow valve.

 

More information on ways to protect your home from future disasters is available at www.fema.gov/safer-stronger-protected-homes-communities.

Last Updated:

December 4, 2012 – 14:50

State or Region:

Connecticut

Related Disaster:

Connecticut Hurricane Sandy

Credit:

Learn Rebuilding Techniques at Stores in Milford, New Haven and Orange

Businesses, Nonprofit Organizations Get Smart About Low-Interest Disaster Loans

WINDSOR, Conn. — Businesses and nonprofit organizations are discovering a low-interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration is a smart business decision.

Disaster loans provide funding for private sector recovery and are being used to:

 

  • Repair or replace buildings and business assets, such as equipment and inventory;
  • Meet payroll and lease obligations during business downtime caused by the disaster;
  • Refinance existing liens; and
  • Make improvements to protect against future damage.

“Disaster loans from the SBA are the major source of federal disaster recovery assistance,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Albert Lewis of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “The interest rates are low—as low as 4 percent for businesses and 3 percent for nonprofits.”

SBA offers businesses and nonprofits two types of disaster loans: a Physical Disaster Loan and an Economic Injury Disaster Loan.

Physical Disaster Loans are used to repair or replace damaged buildings and business assets. Economic Injury Disaster Loans help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, aquaculture businesses and most private nonprofits meet financial obligations that they cannot meet because of the disaster.

Business owners may also be eligible to refinance existing liens or mortgages.

Applications from the SBA are mailed to most survivors who register for assistance with FEMA. No one is obligated to accept a loan if offered.

SBA low-interest disaster loans for businesses have several advantages:

 

  • SBA requires no collateral for physical loans less than $14,000 or economic injury loans less than $5,000. SBA requires the borrower to pledge as collateral only what is available, plus satisfactory credit and the ability to repay.

 

  • Applicants don’t have to wait for insurance settlements to obtain loans.

 

  • Loans are written for a length of time appropriate to the type of loan, but SBA may make adjustments in the length to lower the monthly payments.

 

  • SBA offers mitigation loans to help pay for improvements to reduce potential for future damage. These mitigation funds are available for up to 20 percent of the total amount of disaster damage.

 

  • SBA never charges an application fee or points for its disaster loans.

By law, SBA business loans cannot exceed $2 million.  If a business is a major employer, SBA may waive the limit.

The deadline to file for a Physical Damage Disaster Loan is Dec. 31. The deadline for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan is July 31, 2013.

No one is obligated to accept a loan if approved. SBA gives applicants six months to decide whether to accept a loan.

SBA has opened a Business Recovery Center in Fairfield County at the Fairfield County SCORE office, 111 East Ave., Norwalk, CT  06851. The center is staffed from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. 

The SBA offers online an application through its Electronic Loan Application site at https://DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ela. Survivors can call the SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, or visit the SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/sandy.

 

Originally posted here: 

Businesses, Nonprofit Organizations Get Smart About Low-Interest Disaster Loans

How to Replace Documents Lost in a Disaster

How to Replace Documents Lost in a Disaster

Main Content

Release date:

December 4, 2012

Release Number:

NR-073

NEW YORK – One of the dire consequences of any disaster for many people is the loss of important documents. Often, such documents are needed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and state emergency services in order to process assistance applications for those who suffered losses or damage to their homes and belongings.

If papers are gone – like birth certificates, Social Security cards, drivers’ licenses, tax records, etc. – New York state and FEMA are advising residents on how to recover them:

  • Birth certificates: If you were born within the confines of the five boroughs of New York City, visit or write to the Office of Vital Records, 125 Worth Street, Room 133, New York, N.Y. 10013. (A photo ID is required both by mail and in person.) The office advises the fastest way to get records is online at www.nyc.gov/vitalrecords. The phone number is (212) 788-4520.
  • If you were born in New York state outside of New York City, log onto www.vitalchek.com  or phone 877-854-4481. This will connect you to a company called VitalChek, which is contracted with the state to handle credit-card orders. There are modest fees involved.
     
  • Drivers’ licenses: Visit any New York Department of Motor Vehicles office. To find an office nearby, log onto www.dmv.ny.gov/index.htm and click on “Replace License or ID.”
     
  • Social Security cards: Call the U.S. Social Security office at 800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST. For TTY users the number is 800-325-0778, or log onto www.ssa.gov/ssnumber for more information.
     
  • Federal tax records: Call the Internal Revenue Service at 800-829-1040, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. EST, or log onto www.irs.gov.
     
  • New York state tax records: For copies of returns, log onto www.tax.ny.gov/help/contact/how_to_reach.htm. Click on “Get a copy of my return” and fill in the application. You can also apply for a tax-filing and payment extension for those directly affected by Hurricane Sandy at this site.
     
  • For copies of your utility bills, bank records, insurance policies, mortgage payments and the like, call the appropriate firm and speak to a customer-service representative.

To prevent further loss of vital documents, place the originals or copies in a sealable plastic bag or other watertight container and secure that container where it is best protected and can easily be located. It is also a good idea to make copies of vital and important documents and mail them to a friend or relative you can trust to keep them safe and retrievable.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4085, http://twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

Last Updated:

December 4, 2012 – 14:05

State or Region:

New York

Related Disaster:

New York Hurricane Sandy

See original article:

How to Replace Documents Lost in a Disaster

New Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Nassau, Ulster Counties

NEW YORK – The State of New York and Federal Emergency Management Agency have new Disaster Recovery Centers in Nassau and Ulster counties to assist survivors of Hurricane Sandy.

Their locations and hours are:

Stehli Beach
Corner of Bayville Road and Bayville Avenue
Bayville, NY 11709
Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through Saturday, Dec. 8

Hudson River Maritime Museum
50 Rondout Landing
Kingston,NY 12401
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Friday, Dec. 7 

Disaster Recovery Centers are one-stop shops for eligible storm survivors to get face-to-face help as quickly as possible. More may become available as sites are identified and approved. Conditions at individual locations may vary and affect opening times.

In addition to the new sites in Nassau and Ulster counties, about 30 other Disaster Recovery Centers remain open throughout New York to help those affected by Hurricane Sandy. Anyone who sustained damage in counties designated for federal individual disaster assistance can visit any of the centers. 

To find the one nearest you, the following options are available: Text DRC and a Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA), and a text message will be sent back with the address. Also, check out the disaster recovery center locator at www.FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers.

Help also can be obtained by calling FEMA’s toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362. Lines are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week until further notice, and assistance is offered in most languages. Individuals may register for help online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov. 

If you have a speech disability or hearing impairment and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

Federal disaster assistance for individuals and families can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property loss and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4085, http://twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

View original post here:

New Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Nassau, Ulster Counties

New Hours at 13 Disaster Recovery Centers

NEW YORK – Thirteen Disaster Recovery Centers have changed their hours as they continue to assist survivors of Hurricane Sandy in New York.

Disaster Recovery Centers are one-stop shops for eligible storm survivors to get face-to-face assistance as quickly as possible.

The State of New York and the Federal Emergency Management Agency closely monitor visitor traffic at all New York Disaster Recovery Centers. When traffic slows at a certain time, a center may change its hours accordingly. 

In addition to the 13 sites with new hours, about 20 more Disaster Recovery Centers remain open throughout New York to help those affected by Hurricane Sandy. Anyone who sustained damage in counties designated for federal individual disaster assistance can visit any of the centers. 

To find the nearest Disaster Recovery Center, the following options are available: Text DRC and a Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA), and a text message will be sent back with the address. Also, check out the disaster recovery center locator at www.FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers.

Help also can be obtained by calling FEMA’s toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362. Lines are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week until further notice, and assistance is offered in most languages. Individuals may register for help online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov. 

If you have a speech disability or hearing impairment and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

Federal disaster assistance for individuals and families can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property loss and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

Since they opened last month, the 13 Disaster Recovery Center locations with new hours have cumulatively provided information and help to more than 24,000 Hurricane Sandy survivors.

Their locations and new hours are:
Fort Tilden Park
415 State Road
Breezy Point, NY 11697
Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon-Sun

Mount Loretto CYO
6581 Hylan Blvd.
Staten Island, NY 10309
Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon-Sun

Ikea
1 Beard St.
Brooklyn, NY 11231
Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Mon-Sun

Holy Family R.C. Church
9719 Flatlands Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11236
8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon-Sun

Community Church of the Nazarene
1414 Central Ave.
Far Rockaway, NY 11691
Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon-Sun

Coffey Park
85 Richards St.
Brooklyn, NY 11231
Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon-Sun

Gerritsen Beach Little League Field
2901 Gerritsen Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11229
Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon-Sun

American Legion
209 Cross Bay Blvd.
Broad Channel, NY 11693
Hours: 8 a.m.to 6 p.m. Mon-Sun

Provident Bank Park
1 Provident Bank Park Drive
Pomona, NY 10970
Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Friday, Dec. 7

Borough Hall
10 Richmond Terrace
Staten Island, NY 10301
Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon-Sun

Social Security Building
Gravesend
10 Bouck Court
Brooklyn, NY 11223
Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon-Sun

Kia in Staten Island
1976 Hylan Blvd.
Staten Island, NY 10306
Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon-Sun

St. Francis de Chantal
2962 Harding Ave.
Bronx, NY 10465
Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. today
Then 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Friday, Dec. 7

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4085, http://twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

View the original here:  

New Hours at 13 Disaster Recovery Centers

Register With FEMA While Waiting for an Insurance Settlement

NEW YORK – Disaster assistance may cover damages that insurance doesn’t. That is why individuals affected by Hurricane Sandy are urged by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to apply for assistance even if they have insurance.

Apply for FEMA assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or by tablet or smartphone at m.fema.gov. Register by phone by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362). If you have a speech disability or hearing impairment and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.
 
Keep in mind that you need to file your insurance claim with your insurance company as soon as possible. Failure to file a claim may affect a policyholder’s eligibility for disaster assistance.

After filing a claim, if any of the following situations occur, FEMA may be able to provide some assistance:

Your insurance settlement is delayed.

  • “Delayed” means a decision on your insurance settlement has been delayed longer than 30 days from the time you filed the claim.
  • If a decision on your insurance settlement has been delayed, you will need to mail or fax a letter to FEMA explaining the circumstance. Mail or fax your letter to:
  • FEMA IHP
    National Processing Service Center
    PO Box 10055
    Hyattsville, MD 20782-8055

Fax: 1-800-827-8112

  • You should include documentation from the insurance company proving that you filed the claim.
  • If you filed your claim over the telephone, you should include the claim number, date when you applied, and the estimated time of how long it will take to receive your settlement.
  • If you receive FEMA assistance and you later find that your insurance will cover what your FEMA assistance was for, then you must return that money to FEMA because it is considered a duplicate benefit.

You have exhausted the Additional Living Expenses (ALE) provided by your insurance company.

  • If you have received the maximum settlement from your insurance for Additional Living Expenses and still need help with your disaster-related temporary housing need, mail or fax a letter to FEMA at the above address indicating why you continue to have a temporary housing need.
  • You will also need to provide documentation to prove use of ALE from insurance, and a permanent housing plan.

You have up to 12 months from the date of registration with FEMA to submit insurance information for review.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4085, http://twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog

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Register With FEMA While Waiting for an Insurance Settlement

Sandy Survivors: Ask Questions About Letters From Fema

Trenton, N.J. — Survivors who received letters from the Federal Emergency Management Agency after contacting FEMA for assistance should ask for help if they have questions.

FEMA sends every applicant a letter explaining the status of their application.

Sometimes a letter from FEMA indicates a status of ineligibility. This may simply mean that more information or documents are needed to better help FEMA process your application. Eligibility statuses can change when new information is provided. Survivors may need to:

  • Provide records that showed the damaged property was the primary residence at the time of the disaster.
  • Give their insurance or other documentation to FEMA.
  • Provide proof of ownership or residence.
  • Return the Small Business Administration disaster loan application.
  • Sign all essential documents.

FEMA cannot duplicate any aid that may have come from other government sources or insurance.

Answers to questions about the letter can be found by:

  • Visiting a Disaster Recovery Center. To find a center near you, use the online locator at www.fema.gov/drc. You may also text DRC and a ZIP code to 43362 (4FEMA) For example, if you lived in Atlantic City, you would text: DRC 08401.
  • Calling the FEMA Helpline by phone or 711/VRS at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), TTY 1-800-7585.
  • Reviewing the “Help After Disaster” guide mailed to each applicant. The information also is available online in many languages at http://www.fema.gov/help-after-disaster

Don’t be discouraged: read the letter, ask questions, and ask for help.

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.

 

Link to original:  

Sandy Survivors: Ask Questions About Letters From Fema

Last Chance To Visit Four Disaster Recovery Centers

NEW YORK – Hurricane Sandy survivors have until Tuesday evening, Dec. 4, to visit four Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in Nassau and Suffolk counties.  

Cumulatively, the centers have provided one-on-one information and assistance to more than 4,370 storm survivors since they opened in early November.  Their locations and hours of operation are:

Nassau County

Nassau Community College
Student Union Building
1 Education Drive
Garden City, NY 11530
Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Tuesday, Dec. 4

New Cassel Community Center Garden
141 Garden St.
Westbury, NY 11590
Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Tuesday, Dec. 4

Suffolk County

H. Lee Dennison Building
100 Veterans Memorial Highway
Hauppauge, NY 11788
Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Tuesday, Dec. 4

Riverhead County Center
300 Center Drive
Riverhead, NY 11901
Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Tuesday, Dec. 4

In addition to those centers, Hurricane Sandy survivors can visit any of about 30 other DRCs throughout New York.

The State of New York and Federal Emergency Management Agency closely monitor visitor traffic at all New York Disaster Recovery Centers. When traffic slows at a certain time, a center may change its hours or come under consideration for possible closure.  

Recovery centers are one-stop shops for eligible storm survivors to get face-to-face help as quickly as possible. More may become available as sites are identified and approved. Conditions at individual locations may vary and affect opening times.

To find the center nearest you, the following options are available: Text DRC and a Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA), and a text message will be sent back with the address. Also, check out the Disaster Recovery Center locator at www.FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers.

Other help is available from roughly 1,000 FEMA community relations personnel who are blanketing damaged neighborhoods door to door, delivering information vital to recovery and encouraging residents to register for assistance when needed. These personnel can help refer survivors to the proper resources for any unmet disaster needs, but they do not assess or document damage. FEMA inspectors will contact survivors directly after they have registered.

Help also can be obtained by calling FEMA’s toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362. Lines are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week until further notice, and assistance is offered in most languages. Individuals may register for help online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov. 
If you have a speech disability or hearing impairment and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

Federal disaster assistance for individuals and families can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property loss and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4085, http://twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

View the original here – 

Last Chance To Visit Four Disaster Recovery Centers

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