FEMA Rebuilding Specialists to Provide Advice in Tupelo-Saltillo Area

JACKSON, Miss. – Rebuilding or repairing property damaged from the recent severe storms?  Residents in the Tupelo-Saltillo area can get advice on building safer and smarter from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Mitigation specialists from FEMA will be at Home Depot in Saltillo to offer information on rebuilding after a disaster. The advisors can answer questions about protecting homes from future disaster-related damage and offer tips to build hazard-resistant homes.

FEMA officials estimate that every dollar spent on mitigation saves almost four dollars if another disaster hits.

Homeowners and contractors can learn more at:

Home Depot

1074 Cross Creek Dr.

Saltillo, Miss. 38866

8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tues., July 1 – Thurs., July 3 and Sat., July 5

The specialists will not be at the store on Friday, July 4.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, go to FEMA.gov/Disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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 Rebuilding Specialists to Provide Advice in Tupelo-Saltillo Area

FEMA Registration Deadline Monday; Nearly $17.7 Million Approved So Far

JACKSON, Miss. – Monday, June 30, 2014, is the deadline to register for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration. As the deadline approaches, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, FEMA and SBA announce that nearly $17.7 million in federal assistance has been approved for residents in 12 Mississippi counties.

Here is a summary through Thursday, June 26, of all federal assistance to individuals and households in the 12 counties designated for FEMA Individual Assistance. The severe storms, tornadoes and flooding occurred from April 28 through May 3, 2014.

  • Nearly $17.7 million in total federal disaster assistance has been approved by FEMA and SBA.
  • Of that, nearly $12.5 million in low-interest disaster loans has been approved by SBA for 197 homeowners, renters and businesses.
  • Almost $5.2 million in FEMA Individual Assistance grants has been approved to help Mississippi disaster survivors recover, including:
    • More than $3.8 million approved for housing grants, including short-term rental assistance and home repair costs.
    • Nearly $1.4 million approved to help cover other essential disaster-related needs such as medical and dental expenses and household possessions. Included is approval of assistance with funeral expenses for 12 disaster-related deaths.
  • More than 5,200 people have contacted FEMA for help or information regarding disaster assistance.
    • In addition to FEMA grants for individuals and families, other forms of disaster assistance are provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration and other partner agencies such as the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. FEMA refers some survivors to those agencies.
    • All businesses that contact FEMA also are referred to the SBA.
  • More than 2,800 home inspections have been completed.
  • More than 4,700 visits to disaster recovery centers by people affected by the disaster.
  • FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance crews have visited 12,207 dwellings and assisted 9,298 survivors.
  • Almost 7,000 people have received advice from mitigation specialists on rebuilding safer and stronger.

Disaster survivors in Itawamba, Jones, Leake, Lee, Lowndes, Madison, Montgomery, Rankin, Simpson, Warren, Wayne and Winston counties may be eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program.

Individuals and households in those counties can register for FEMA Individual Assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone or tablet at m.FEMA.gov or by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362). People who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY should call 800-462-7585. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (central time) and assistance is available in multiple languages.

FEMA assistance does not affect benefits from other federal programs such as Social Security, SNAP or Medicaid and is not considered taxable income.

For additional information about SBA low-interest disaster loans, contact the SBA Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339, emailing DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or visiting sba.gov/disaster.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, go to fema.gov/disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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 childcare, medical, dental expenses and/or funeral expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, those who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, transportation, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

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FEMA Registration Deadline Monday; Nearly $17.7 Million Approved So Far

When It Comes To Hurricanes, Lightning Really Can Strike Twice

LINCROFT, N.J. — With another hurricane season just getting under way, residents of New Jersey may look upon the prospect of another storm with a great deal more apprehension than they felt before Hurricane Sandy struck the Jersey coast.

New Jersey residents have witnessed firsthand the destructive power of a storm like Sandy.

Sandy was not the first storm to wreak havoc in New Jersey, but she was one of the most powerful to strike the state in many decades, and the damage she inflicted was widespread.

Today, more than 18 months after the storm, New Jerseyans are still recovering. The good news is that they are rebuilding stronger, safer and smarter.

Up and down the New Jersey coast, towns are engaged in restoring infrastructure and taking steps to ensure that their communities will never again be caught in the bull’s eye of a hurricane without preparation.

Hundreds of homes along the Jersey Shore have been elevated. Many municipalities have moved critical facilities away from areas vulnerable to flooding.

Thanks to extensive outreach efforts by FEMA and the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management, residents and business owners are far better informed about how to plan for, protect against, and recover from storms and other possible disasters than ever before.

Weather experts are predicting a less active hurricane season on the Atlantic Coast than in recent years due to the fact that water temperatures are projected to be cooler than they have been under the influence of El Nino.

While a storm of the magnitude of Sandy may not occur again for many years, it is always a good idea to prepare for the possibility that a storm or other disaster may interrupt the usual summer cycles of rainy and sunny days and present the state with a major weather challenge.

If that occurs, it’s up to each of us to be ready to respond effectively.

That means using the tools of preparedness that can mean the difference between life and death, danger and safety, when a storm arrives.

Perhaps the most important thing you can do is create a family communications plan. Make cards for each family member with names and contact numbers. Have a contact in another state, or at least another town, that family members can get in touch with, as making a long-distance call or even sending a text message may be easier than a local call during a disaster.

Know how to get to higher ground if you need to evacuate, what your community’s evacuation route is, and where it goes. New Jersey has several state roads, U.S. highways and interstates designated as state coastal evacuation routes along with county and local routes.

You also want to know just how vulnerable your home and property are to flooding. Learn the elevation level of your property and whether there are any levees or dams in the area that might pose a flood threat.

Secure your home’s windows, roof, and garage. Permanent storm shutters are best for windows, but plywood five-eighths of an inch thick and cut to fit is an effective temporary solution and will also work on windowed garage doors. Secure the roof to the frame of the house by adding straps or additional clamps, and while you’re up there, make sure the gutters are clear.

Keep any trees and shrubs around your home trimmed to improve their wind resistance. Bring in outdoor furniture, decorations, plants in stands, and anything else outside that isn’t nailed down. If you own a boat, decide ahead of time where and how you plan to secure it.

For more tips on hurricane preparedness, visit www.fema.gov or www.ready.nj.gov.

http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4086/updates/sandy-one-year-later

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.

 

Originally posted here – 

When It Comes To Hurricanes, Lightning Really Can Strike Twice

FEMA Helpline can Answer Questions about Letters

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – If you receive a letter from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, take the time to carefully read the information and instructions regarding your application for assistance.

If you still have questions, you should call FEMA’s helpline: 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585.  The helpline will be operating on the July 4th holiday.

FEMA notification letters may refer to issues with an application such as:

  • A missed appointment with an inspector;
  • Insufficient storm damage;
  • Adequate insurance coverage;
  • Pending receipt of your insurance settlement.

As an applicant, you may get a letter from FEMA if something is missing from your application. It could be as simple as the lack of a signature or basic information such as:

  • Proof  of identity;
  • Proof of occupancy or ownership of damaged property;
  • Documentation of disaster damage, such as: contractors’ estimates or receipts.

 After you register with FEMA:

An Inspector May Schedule An Appointment. After you register with FEMA – either online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585) – a nine-digit registration number is assigned. An inspector may call to schedule an appointment to visit the damaged property, generally within 7-10 days of registration.

Inspector’s Visit.  Keep your scheduled appointment to make sure the assistance process continues quickly. The inspector will request a photo ID and verify your name, address and FEMA registration number. There is no fee for the inspection.

Someone who is 18 or older and lived in the household prior to the disaster must be present for the scheduled appointment.

The inspector will ask for identification and proof of ownership and occupancy (for homeowners) and occupancy only (for renters). Survivors can speed up the process by having the appropriate documents:

  • A photo ID to prove identity, such as driver license or passport;
  • Proof of occupancy, which may include:
    • A utility bill with the address of the damaged home, a credit card bill, delivery notice or other first class mail addressed to you at the address of the damaged home;
    • Earning statements;
    • Current driver’s license.

Proof of ownership, such as:

  • Deed showing you as the legal owner;
  • Title that lists you on actual escrow or title document for the purchase of the home;
  • Mortgage payment book with the address of the damaged home;
  • Property insurance policy for the damaged home;
  • Tax receipts or a property tax bill.

After the Inspector’s Visit. You should receive a decision by mail within 14 days of the inspector’s visit.

Follow this link:

FEMA Helpline can Answer Questions about Letters

FEMA Awards $307,275 Grant to Village of Hamburg: Hazard mitigation funds will be used to acquire and demolish six flood prone structures

CHICAGO –The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released $307,275 in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds to the Village of Hamburg, Ill., for the acquisition and demolition of six residential structures in the Mississippi River floodplain. Following demolition, these properties will be maintained as permanent open space in the community.

“The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program enables communities to implement critical mitigation measures to reduce the risk of loss of life and property,” said FEMA Region V Acting Administrator Janet Odeshoo.  “The acquisition and demolition of these structures permanently removes them from the floodplain and greatly reduces the financial impact on individuals and the community when future flooding occurs in this area.”

“In the past six years, Hamburg has experienced two major floods that almost reached the levels of the Great Flood of 1993,” said Jonathon Monken, director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.  “Removing these homes from the floodplain will enable these homeowners to move to higher ground and avoid heartache and property loss the next time the Mississippi River floods this area.”

HMGP provides grants to state and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures. Through HMGP, FEMA will pay 75 percent of the $409,700 eligible project cost.  The remaining 25 percent of the funds, $102,425 will be provided by non-federal sources.

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 twitter.com/femaregion5, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

Media Contact: Cassie Ringsdorf, (312) 408-4455

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FEMA Awards $307,275 Grant to Village of Hamburg: Hazard mitigation funds will be used to acquire and demolish six flood prone structures

Pensacola Recovery Center Transitions to SBA Loan Outreach Center on Monday

PENSACOLA, Fla. – The State/FEMA disaster recovery center located at the Brownsville Community Center is transitioning on Monday, June 23, to a U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loan outreach center. Survivors will still be able to obtain disaster-related information after the center transitions.  

SBA representatives will be on hand at the loan outreach center to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program and explain the loan application process. Survivors can also get help applying for or closing low-interest disaster loans. The center is located at:

Escambia County

Brownsville Community Center

3100 W. DeSoto St.

Pensacola, FL 32505

The joint State/FEMA disaster recovery center will continue normal operating hours, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday, June 17, through Saturday, June 21. The center is closed Sunday.

Beginning Monday, June 23, the SBA disaster loan outreach center will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, until further notice. The center will be closed Saturdays and Sundays.

The Pensacola disaster recovery center opened May 10 to help survivors who sustained damage during the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding from April 28 to May 6. The center has received more than 3,100 visits in nearly six weeks.

Disaster survivors can continue to register until July 7, 2014, either online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone at m.fema.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362. Survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability can call (TTY) 800-462-7585.

To apply for an SBA low-interest disaster loan, survivors can find the electronic loan application on SBA’s secure website at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Questions can be answered by calling the SBA disaster customer service center at 800-659-2955/(TTY) 800-877-8339 or visiting www.sba.gov.

For more information on Florida disaster recovery, click fema.gov/disaster/4177, visit the Florida Division of Emergency Management website at FloridaDisaster.org or the Facebook page at facebook.com/FloridaSERT.

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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.

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). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

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

More here: 

Pensacola Recovery Center Transitions to SBA Loan Outreach Center on Monday

Contact FEMA If Insurance for Tornado-Related Living Expenses Expires

JACKSON, Miss. – Disaster survivors whose additional living expenses (sometimes termed “loss of use”) from their insurance company are running out and who still have a temporary housing need should contact the Federal Emergency Management Agency helpline (800-621-3362) immediately if they have not registered for disaster assistance.

Those who have registered should fax or mail a letter to the address below, explain the situation, document the use and expiration of living expenses from insurance and update their permanent housing plan.

Applicants may mail letters to:

FEMA

National Processing Service Center

P.O. Box 10055

Hyattsville, MD  20782-7055

Applicants may fax letters to:

800-827-8112

Attention: FEMA

People who were displaced from their homes and others who sustained damage from the April 28 through May 3 storms, tornadoes and flooding in designated disaster counties (Itawamba, Jones, Leake, Lee, Lowndes, Madison, Montgomery, Rankin, Simpson, Warren, Wayne and Winston) may be eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program, which can include temporary housing assistance. Monday, June 30, 2014, is the deadline to register with FEMA for individual assistance.

Survivors who have not yet registered with FEMA can do so online at DisasterAssistance.gov, with a mobile device at m.FEMA.gov or by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. Survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability can call TTY 800-462-7585.

Contact the helpline with any questions or concerns regarding temporary rental assistance from FEMA.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, go to fema.gov/disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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.

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Contact FEMA If Insurance for Tornado-Related Living Expenses Expires

FEMA Rebuilding Experts to Provide Advice in Laurel

JACKSON, Miss. – Residents in the Laurel area can learn how to build or rebuild to reduce the likelihood of damage the next time severe storms, tornadoes or floods hit. Federal Emergency Management Agency’s mitigation specialists know how and they are sharing their knowledge.

FEMA mitigation specialists will be at Lowe’s in Laurel for five days this week to discuss specific methods with anyone who stops by. They will have free booklets and pamphlets with additional details.

Tuesday, June 17, through Saturday, June 21, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Lowe’s

1490 Hwy. 15

Laurel, Miss. 39440

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, go to FEMA.gov/Disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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 Rebuilding Experts to Provide Advice in Laurel

Recovery Centers Have Closed but FEMA Still Here to Help Alabama

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Closure of the FEMA/State Disaster Recovery Centers in Alabama does not mean FEMA has left Alabama.

All the assistance services available at the Recovery Centers are easily accessible online and by phone.   There also is a FEMA representative at the SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Centers, many of which are in the same location of the Recovery Centers.

“FEMA is available to help folks in Alabama get their lives back together,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Albie Lewis, who heads the federal disaster recovery effort in Alabama.  “People can call the FEMA helpline, or go to FEMA’s website.”

Residents of Baldwin, Blount, DeKalb, Etowah, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone, Mobile and Tuscaloosa counties who suffered storm damage during the period April 28 through May 5 should apply for assistance by registering online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone at m.fema.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362, TTY 800-462-7585.  Multilingual operators are available.  

Survivors also can meet with the FEMA representative at the SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Centers. SBA is operating Disaster Loan Outreach Centers in many of the same locations as the Recovery Centers. 

The deadline to register for FEMA assistance is July 1, 2014.

When applicants register with FEMA, they are given a unique “registration number” which identifies them in the FEMA system. When calling with a question, applicants should have this number handy. 

Applicants can reach the helpline by dialing 800-621- 3362 – the same number they called to register. 

Applicants may use the helpline to find out when a housing inspector will arrive, check the status of their assistance applications, change their applications to include additional damage, inquire about additional assistance or review their right to appeal FEMA decisions on eligibility or compensation. 

“Closing the recovery centers does not mean we are closing down registrations for disaster assistance,” said Alabama Emergency Management Agency Director, Art Faulkner, “Alabamians whose homes and businesses were damaged in the recent storms have only until July 1 to register with FEMA. If you have not registered, do it today.”

See the article here: 

Recovery Centers Have Closed but FEMA Still Here to Help Alabama

Two Disaster Recovery Centers Closing, But Assistance Is Still Available

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Survivors have until 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 17, 2014, to visit two joint state/federal disaster recovery centers in Okaloosa and Walton counties, but assistance is still available and only a phone call away.

It is not necessary for those affected by the disaster to visit a center in order to register for or receive disaster assistance. In fact, people with storm-related losses are encouraged to register with FEMA before visiting a center.

The disaster recovery centers will continue normal operating hours, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday, June 13, through Tuesday, June 17. The centers are closed Sunday. To date, the centers have received more than 750 visits combined.

Okaloosa County

Senior Centerview Parks & Recreation

205 Stillwell Blvd.

Crestview, FL 32539

 

Walton County

Community Church of Santa Rosa Beach

3524 US 98

Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

Florida Panhandle survivors who were affected by the severe storms and flooding can apply for federal disaster assistance until July 7, 2014.

Individuals can register with FEMA for disaster assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov, or by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. central time and assistance is available in multiple languages.

For more information on Florida disaster recovery, click fema.gov/disaster/4177. Visit the Florida Division of Emergency Management website at FloridaDisaster.org or Facebook page at facebook.com/FloridaSERT.

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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.

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). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

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

Originally posted here: 

Two Disaster Recovery Centers Closing, But Assistance Is Still Available

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