Eatontown, N.J. — When it comes to destruction, disasters like Superstorm Sandy don’t discriminate:  historic structures and environmentally sensitive areas that lie in the path of a storm are in just as much peril as less significant sites.

But when a historic structure or ecologically fragile area is damaged in a disaster, particular care must be taken to ensure that any repair or remediation that must take place is done in accordance with historic and environmental regulations.

To accomplish that, state, county and local officials in the impacted area are able to draw on the support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Environmental and Historic Preservation Specialists.

The EHP cadre plays a critical role in helping municipalities and agencies understand the importance of compliance with environmental and cultural regulations so they may make informed planning decisions.

A view of the damaged Liberty State Park pedestrian bridge

The Liberty State Park pedestrian bridge was destroyed in Sandy.

EHP provides expertise and technical assistance to FEMA staff, local, state and federal partners and applicants who are tasked with the challenge of preserving historic, cultural and natural aspects of our national heritage. They help applicants understand what is required under the law and how best to meet those requirements.

At Liberty State Park, which is adjacent to Jersey City, Superstorm Sandy destroyed a popular pedestrian bridge that provided access to the park for walkers and cyclists in the Jersey City area.

With the help of specialists from FEMA’s Environmental and Historic Preservation Department, city officials acted quickly to develop a plan for reconstructing the bridge.

The city applied for a FEMA Public Assistance grant which, if the project was approved, would reimburse the city for most of the reconstruction costs.

Because the original bridge traversed environmentally sensitive wetlands, it was important that any new construction be environmentally acceptable and that it occupy the same footprint as the previous bridge.

The park, an oasis of green space adjacent to the bustle of Jersey City, offers recreational facilities, a science museum, and several historic sites including the historic Central Railroad of New Jersey terminal where new immigrants arriving from Ellis Island boarded the trains that would take them to new lives across America.

The park is also the site of a memorial honoring those who died in the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, titled Empty Sky. It is the most heavily visited park in the state.

Located just across the river from lower Manhattan, Liberty State Park also played a critical role following the attacks of 9/11 as a staging area for first responders.

With so many reasons for area residents to visit the park, restoring access via the pedestrian bridge was a priority for Jersey City officials.

The cost of replacing the 120-foot-long, 10-foot-wide bridge replacement project was estimated at $834,600. Jersey City’s Assistant City Engineer Jeff Reeves chose a pre-fabricated bridge that could be lifted onto the foundation via a crane. The pre-made span cost $160,000.

Restoring the foundation cost an additional $650,000, which included the demolition of the remnants of the original bridge and the installation of necessary components such as foundation “riprap.”

The final cost for reconstruction of the foundation and replacement of the pedestrian bridge came in under budget at $755,642 which represents the 90% federal share of the total cost.

A view of the newly constructed bridge

The new Ethel Pesin Liberty Footbridge

Because the total cost of disaster recovery in New Jersey exceeded a benchmark set by the federal government according to a specific formula, the federal share of the cost of the bridge replacement was increased to 90 percent with the remaining 10 percent borne by the state and the City of Jersey City.

On June 20, 2013, Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy dedicated the new bridge, which has been officially named the “Ethel Pesin Liberty Footbridge” in memory of the woman who, with her husband, Morris, worked tirelessly to  establish the park. A community leader and founding trustee of the Friends of Liberty State Park, Pesin died early in 2013.

“We know how important this piece of infrastructure is to our residents, and that is why we worked with OEM and our engineering staff to find a way to expedite the replacement of the Jersey Avenue footbridge,” the mayor said.

Today, walkers and cyclists are again able to enjoy the recreational facilities at Liberty State Park and visit the park’s historic sites via the Jersey Avenue Bridge.

And because of the teamwork between state and local officials and FEMA’s EHP experts, the environmentally sensitive wetlands that surround the bridge have been protected.

Please be sure to watch the video titled, “Apr 17, 2013 Liberty State Park – A Gift Worth Saving” at http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/82646

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.twitter.com/FEMASandy,www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/fema, www.fema.gov/blog, 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.”

Source article: 

Bridging a Link to History at Liberty State Park

FEMA and Urban Assembly School for Emergency Management Improve Community Disaster Resiliency through America’s PrepareAthon!

New York, NY – New York and New Jersey have seen their share of weather disasters in recent years. Based on recent experience and on current assessments of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the region is likely to endure continuing shifts in weather patterns, prompting a need for emergency management expertise, as well as community preparedness for severe weather.

According to a 2012 national survey on preparedness by FEMA, a mere 39 percent of Americans reported having a household emergency plan, and almost 50 percent did not have supplies set aside in their homes for use in a disaster.

Playing a pivotal role in disaster preparedness is the new Manhattan-based Urban Assembly School for Emergency Management, the first high school in the United States devoted exclusively to emergency management.  This Wednesday, April 30, 120 of its students will interview some 1500 residents across New York City’s five boroughs about their families’ preparedness. Survey results will be used to determine how prepared the general public is post-Super Storm Sandy, and if preparedness levels differ in flood prone areas. The survey’s results will be made public on the school’s website.

The students will be joined by Jerome Hatfield, Regional Administrator of FEMA at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal in lower Manhattan at 10:30 am this Wednesday. This event is being held in coordination with the NYC Office of Emergency Management.  Mr. Hatfield will be available for interviews on the role of the new emergency management school and the need for preparedness, as well as the evolving weather climate in FEMA’s Region II, which includes New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

The joint effort by FEMA and the Urban Assembly School for Emergency Management to interview and inform the public about emergency preparedness constitute one of many events occurring across the country as part of America’s PrepareAthon!, a national community day of action encouraging millions of individuals, organizations, and communities to take action to improve their levels of disaster preparedness.   

About America’s PrepareAthon!

America’s PrepareAthon! provides a national focus for millions of individuals, organizations, and communities to take action to improve their level of preparedness.  Twice a year—in the spring and fall—individuals, communities, and organizations across the country will organize days of action to discuss, practice, and train for relevant hazards. 

Follow the discussion on Twitter by following @PrepareAthon or #PrepareAthon. For more information, go to www.ready.gov/prepare.

About Urban Assembly School for Emergency Management

The Urban Assembly School for Emergency Management (UASEM) is a public Career and Technical Education high school that prepares students to engage in complex quantitative and qualitative reasoning skills with an understanding of the principles of Emergency Management. Visit www.uasem.org to learn more.

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.

 

Original source:

Changing Weather in the Northeast Calls for Greater Local Preparation

LINCROFT, N.J. — When it comes to destruction, disasters like Superstorm Sandy don’t discriminate: historic structures and environmentally sensitive areas that lie in the path of a storm are in just as much peril as less significant sites.

But when a historic structure or ecologically fragile area is damaged in a disaster, particular care must be taken to ensure that any repair or remediation that must take place is done in accordance with historic and environmental regulations.

Pieces of a demolished bridge lie on a muddy bankTo accomplish that, state, county and local officials in the impacted area are able to draw on the support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Environmental and Historic Preservation Specialists.

The EHP cadre plays a critical role in helping municipalities and agencies understand the importance of compliance with environmental and cultural regulations so they may make informed planning decisions.

EHP provides expertise and technical assistance to FEMA staff, local, state and federal partners and applicants who are tasked with the challenge of preserving historic, cultural and natural aspects of our national heritage. They help applicants understand what is required under the law and how best to meet those requirements.

At Liberty State Park, which is adjacent to Jersey City, Sandy destroyed a popular pedestrian bridge that provided access to the park for walkers and cyclists in the Jersey City area.

With the help of specialists from FEMA’s Environmental and Historic Preservation program, city officials acted quickly to develop a plan for reconstructing the bridge, which had originally served as a rail bridge before its conversion for pedestrian use.

The city applied for a FEMA Public Assistance grant which, if the project was approved, would reimburse the city for most of the reconstruction costs.

Because the original bridge traversed environmentally sensitive wetlands, it was important that any new construction be environmentally acceptable and that it occupy the same footprint as the previous bridge.

A cyclist makes use of the new Ethel Pesin Liberty FootbridgeThe park, an oasis of green space adjacent to the bustle of Jersey City, offers recreational facilities, a science museum, and several historic sites including the historic Central Railroad of New Jersey terminal where new immigrants arriving from Ellis Island boarded the trains that would take them to new lives across America.

The park is also the site of a memorial honoring those who died in the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, titled Empty Sky. It is the most heavily visited park in the state.

Located just across the river from lower Manhattan, Liberty State Park also played a critical role following the attacks of 9/11 as a staging area for first responders.

With so many reasons for area residents to visit the park, restoring access via the pedestrian bridge was a priority for Jersey City officials.

The cost of replacing the 120-foot-long, 10-foot-wide bridge was estimated at $834,600. Jersey City’s Assistant City Engineer Jeff Reeves chose a pre-fabricated bridge that could be lifted onto the foundation via a crane. The pre-made span cost $160,000.

Restoring the foundation cost an additional $650,000, which included the demolition of the remnants of the original bridge and the installation of necessary components such as foundation “riprap.”

The final cost for reconstruction of the foundation and replacement of the pedestrian bridge came in under budget at $810,000. PA grants reimburse applicants for at least 75 percent of eligible work.

Because the total cost of disaster recovery in New Jersey exceeded a benchmark set by the federal government according to a specific formula, the federal share of the cost of the bridge replacement was increased to 90 percent with the remaining 10 percent borne by the applicant.

On June 20, 2013, then-Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy dedicated the new bridge, which has been officially named the “Ethel Pesin Liberty Footbridge” in memory of the woman who, with her husband, Morris,worked tirelessly to establish the park. A community leader and founding trustee of the Friends of Liberty State Park, Pesin died early in 2013.

“We know how important this piece of infrastructure is to our residents, and that is why we worked with NJOEM and our engineering staff to find a way to expedite the replacement of the Jersey Avenue footbridge,” the mayor said.

Today, walkers and cyclists are again able to enjoy the recreational facilities at Liberty State Park and visit the park’s historic sites via the Jersey Avenue bridge.

And because of the teamwork between state and local officials and FEMA’s EHP experts, the environmentally sensitive wetlands that surround the bridge have been protected.

###

Next, the One Year Later series concludes with a look at long-term recovery from Sandy.

Liberty State Park – A Gift Worth Saving                            

http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/82646

Morristown Library                                                                       

http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/82180

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.

Read this article:

One Year Later: Bridging a Link to History at Liberty State Park

NEW YORK – Starting today Wed., Dec. 26, all Disaster Recovery Centers have resumed normal operating hours. Next week, recovery centers will host storm survivors until noon New Year’s Eve, will not be open on New Year’s Day and will return to business as usual Wed.,Jan. 2, 2013.

Since Nov. 1, New York Disaster Recovery Centers have offered information and help to more than 107,000 people affected by Hurricane Sandy. Individuals may visit any of the centers to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration or seek assistance in a variety of other ways. 

County by county and borough by borough, New York Disaster Recovery Centers currently are located at:

Nassau

Recreation and Ice Arena

700 Magnolia Blvd.

Long Beach, NY 11561

Normal hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun.

  

Sacred Heart Parish

RR station parking lot

127 Long Beach Rd.

Island Park, NY 11558

Normal hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun.

 

Cedar Creek Park

Merrick Rd. East

Seaford, NY 11783

Normal hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun.

 

Marjorie Post Community Center

477 Unqua Rd.

Massapequa, NY 11758

Normal hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun.

 

Young Israel

Gymnasium

859 Peninsula Blvd.

Woodmere, NY 11598

Normal hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun

8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon.-Thurs.

8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fri.

Closed Sat.

 

Freeport Recreation Center

130 E. Merrick Rd.

Freeport, NY 11520

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun.

 

Manhattan

Southbridge Towers 

Store No. 10

66 Frankfort St. New York, NY  10038

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

.

Queens

Fort Tilden Park

415 State Rd.

Breezy Point, NY 11697

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

 

Community Church of the Nazarene

1414 Central Ave.

Far Rockaway, NY 11691

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun.

 

American Legion

209 Cross Bay Blvd.

Broad Channel, NY 11693

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun.

 

Storefront

1001 Beach 20th St.

Far Rockaway, NY 11691

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

 

Arverne by the Sea

68-20 Rockaway Beach Blvd.

Arverne, NY 11692

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

 

Richmond

Kia in Staten Island

1976 Hylan Blvd.

Staten Island, NY 10306

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

 

Suffolk

Town Hall West

401 Main St.

Islip, NY 11751

Normal hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun.

 

Mastic Recreation Community Center

15 Herkimer St.

Mastic, NY 11950

Normal hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun.

 

Lindenhurst Library

1 Lee Ave.

Lindenhurst, NY 11757

Normal hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun.

 

Kings

Holy Family R.C. Church

9719 Flatlands Ave.

Brooklyn, NY 11236

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun.

 

Coffey Park

85 Richards St.

Brooklyn, NY 11231

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

 

Knights of Columbus Hall

2882 Gerritsen Ave.

Brooklyn, NY 11229

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun.

 

Social Security Building

Gravesend

10 Bouck Court

Brooklyn, NY 11223

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

 

Jewish Community Center

YM-YWHA

3300 Coney Island Ave.

Brooklyn, NY 11235

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sun.

 

MCU parking lot

1904 Surf Ave.

Brooklyn, NY 11224

Normal hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

To find the nearest 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.

Individuals can find a recovery center – and register for FEMA help – online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet by going to m.fema.gov or downloading the FEMA app. They may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. People who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) should call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week until further notice.

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

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

Original article – 

Disaster Recovery Centers Resume Normal Hours after Holiday

NEW YORK – The state of New York and the Federal Emergency Management Agency will open a new Disaster Recovery Center in Manhattan at 8 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 22, to provide

one-on-one, face-to-face help for Hurricane Sandy survivors. 

The center will be located at Southbridge Towers, Store No. 10, 66 Frankfort St., New York,

NY 10038. It will be convenient not only for Manhattan residents, but also for storm survivors who live in other boroughs or counties and work in Manhattan.
 

Normal operational hours for the Disaster Recovery Center are:

8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday

9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday (Dec. 23 only)
 

Holiday hours for the center are:

8 a.m. to noon on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) and New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31)
 

The center will not open on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Individuals may visit the Manhattan center to obtain useful FEMA information and apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration. 

Seven weeks after Hurricane Sandy struck, more than 20 Disaster Recovery Centers remain open throughout New York. They have hosted about 105,000 survivors of the devastating storm. 

To find the nearest 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.

Individuals can find a recovery center – and register for FEMA help – online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet by going to m.fema.gov or downloading the FEMA app. They may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. People who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) should call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week until further notice.

Hurricane Sandy survivors in New York have until Jan. 28, 2013 to register for federal disaster assistance, which can include money for rent, essential home repairs, personal property losses and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

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

Taken from – 

Manhattan Disaster Recovery Center Opens Saturday

NEW YORK – New York University’s Langone Medical Center in Manhattan has been approved for two FEMA grants totaling $35.5 million to defray costs associated with Hurricane Sandy. These FEMA grants are in addition to an award of $114 million for the facility that was approved earlier in December for emergency repairs, patient evacuations and other disaster-related expenditures. This brings the total FEMA has awarded to the institution to $149.5 million.

The grants are for $9.2 million and nearly $25.9 million. The first represents 75 percent of the expected costs associated with removal and disposal of wastewater from seven of the center’s buildings along with cleanup of the fuel oil that leaked throughout the flooded area. It will additionally cover the cost of removing damaged equipment from the Smilow Research Center.

The second award covers 75 percent of the estimated outlays for relocating and replacing critical equipment like MRI and CAT scanners, setup of a temporary emergency room, rental of premises for classrooms and a kitchen, mobile data centers and relocating medical-research laboratories to newly leased facilities in the East River Science Park.

The funds are being provided under FEMA’s Public Assistance program, which defrays disaster costs incurred by certain nonprofit organizations. The NYU Medical Center is a private, nonsectarian, nonprofit healthcare and research entity at First Avenue and 34th Street.

Under FEMA’s authorizing legislation, known as the Stafford Act, private nonprofits can be eligible for federal disaster-relief funds if they provide critical services of a governmental nature.

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

View the original here – 

NYU Langone Medical Center Approved for $35.5 Million FEMA Grant