31st MEU’s Typhoon Relief Mission in Saipan

SAIPAN – Following Typhoon Soudelor, FEMA called upon the expertise of our federal partners to help support the response.  This included mission assigning the Navy and the Marine Corps to help provide relief to the island. The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) was conducting regularly scheduled training in the vicinity of the Mariana Islands when they were redirected to support the relief efforts.

When the USS Ashland and the MEU arrived in Saipan, August 7th, they hit the ground running.  The Navy-Marine Corps team quickly assessed the situation and brought to bear a myriad of capabilities including: manpower, transfer of goods and equipment, and distribution of donated humanitarian aid to individual survivors. This included multiple mobile water containers able to transport more than 2,000 gallons of drinking water, generators and equipment to repair and restore power and approximately 10,000 pounds of Red Cross relief goods.

“The Marines provided manpower, equipment and technical expertise for emergency drinking water production, and distribution for typhoon survivors as directed by the CNMI government. Their assistance expedited immediate humanitarian relief. We appreciate the unique capabilities of the Marines” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Stephen M. DeBlasio Sr.

The 31st MEU also provided critical emergency water production and distribution to survivors of Typhoon Soudelor in support of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands government. 337,200 gallons of water and 71,136 individual Meals, Ready to Eat, were delivered to distribution sites across the island of Saipan.  These sites included Koblerville Fire Station, Garapan Fishing Base, San Roque Fire Station, and Kagman Fire Station.

Debris clearance was another priority of the Marines, and they assisted in debris clearance for Marianas High School, Hopwood Junior High School, Garapan Elementary School, William Reyes Elementary School, Koblerville Elementary School, Koblerville Middle School, and Saipan Southern High School.

The 31st MEU will complete their mission at 6PM on August 22, and following that will return to their home port in Okinawa, Japan.  Media queries concerning the 31st MEU’s participation in typhoon relief efforts operations may be directed to Capt. Jennifer Giles, 31st MEU Public Affairs Officer at jennifer.giles@bhr.usmc.mil.

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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31st MEU’s Typhoon Relief Mission in Saipan

CNMI, Red Cross and FEMA Announce Enhanced Aid for Typhoon Soudelor Survivors

SAIPAN, CNMI – The government of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas (CNMI), the American Red Cross (ARC) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced an expansion of enhanced resource assistance for Saipan residents affected by Typhoon Soudelor. Using FEMA supplies, the ARC, which has already provided assistance to some 3,000 residents, will make the aid available.

Residents already registered with the ARC and are considered to have the greatest need will be processed first, said the ARC’s Operations Director, Denise Everhart.

ARC has a list of more than 3,000 individuals who have called into the chapter looking for assistance and is calling those with greatest need to do one-on-one casework.  ARC will then supply Client assistance Cards with some money for fuel, phone, and laundry as well as tarps, water, buckets, hygiene supplies, food and other supplies.  This will be continued, until the list is complete.

If there are limiting factors, where people cannot get to the designated ARC Chapter, located at 1 Airport Road, please call the ARC at 670-234-3459, and the ARC will work with FEMA and CNMI to accommodate those individuals on a case-by-case basis.

“Working through the CNMI Government and the American Red Cross is the best and fastest way to get the basic life sustaining supplies into the hands of the residents of Saipan that need them most,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer, Steve DeBlasio.

“These supplies will go a long way in allowing the government of CNMI and the rest of our federal and private sector partners to create solutions to problems.” DeBlasio also thanked the US Navy and the US Marine Corps for their assistance in supporting the humanitarian mission on Saipan, and praised the resilience and patience of the citizens of the CNMI.

Additional supplies to what FEMA already had on the ground in CNMI were transported from Guam on the USS Ashland last Saturday. That cargo contained generators of various sizes, as well as large amounts of food, drinking water, tents, and vital heavy equipment needed to move the larger generators. The USS Ashland is expected to off-load Guam Power Authority heavy equipment on Saipan this morning.This equipment will help to expedite the restoration of electrical infrastructure here in Saipan.

“The residents of Saipan have been resilient, patient, and extremely hospitable under very trying and austere circumstances,” DeBlasio said. “They deserve our thanks and our help.”

DeBlasio also encouraged disaster survivors on Saipan to continue to register for FEMA assistance by calling 1-800-621 FEMA (3362), adding that more than 2,500 households had already done so.

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CNMI, Red Cross and FEMA Announce Enhanced Aid for Typhoon Soudelor Survivors

Disaster Federal Aid for Alabama Reaches $34.5 Million

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Federal aid provided to Alabama residents affected by the April 28 through May 5 severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding has reached $34.5 million.

The following numbers, compiled July 3, provide a snapshot of the Alabama/FEMA disaster recovery to date:

Funds approved

  • $15.8 million for Housing Assistance grants to help with recovery rental expenses and home repair costs.
  • $3.7 million for Other Needs Assistance to cover essential disaster-related needs, such as medical expenses and lost personal possessions.
  • $13.4 million approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration for low-interest loans to eligible homeowners, renters or business owners.
  • $1.5 million for Public Assistance programs. Of that amount, $576,528 has been allocated for debris removal. Another $363,310 will go toward storm response and $401,142 has been obligated for infrastructure repair and replacement.

Survivor Recovery

  • 15,368 damaged homes and property have been inspected (99 percent of requests).
  • 9 counties designated for Individual Assistance.
  • 21 counties designated for Public Assistance.

FEMA works with many volunteer agencies and the private sector to speed the recovery effort. As of mid-May, 3,048 volunteers from numerous organizations throughout the country had donated nearly 22,000 hours to help survivors clean up debris, repair and rebuild their homes following the spring storms.

Alabama residents affected by the disaster now have 11 days to register as the governor-requested extension ends Tuesday, July 15.

County-by-County approved breakdown of Individual Assistance:

County

Approved Registrations

Housing Assistance

Other Needs Assistance

Baldwin

1,975

$7,310,860.69

$1,289,955.57

Blount

26

150,296.00

13,080.03

DeKalb

25

71,001.00

20,674.77

Etowah

57

427,634.13

53,507.05

Jefferson

421

1,082,025.85

202,440.98

Lee

52

267,722.71

54,150.10

Limestone

295

946,749.48

501,038.04

Mobile

3,988

5,294,375.11

1,551,068.46

Tuscaloosa

60

274,814.67

66,951.64

Total:

6,899

$15,825,479.64

$3,752,866.64

No matter the degree of loss or insurance status, survivors are urged to apply for help. They can use the following methods:

  • By phone, call 800-621-3362 (FEMA) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., local time. Operators are multilingual. TTY 800-462-7585.
  • By computer, go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
  • By smartphone or tablet, use m.fema.gov.

Recovery officials urge all Alabama residents who have registered for assistance to stay in close contact with FEMA throughout the recovery process. This is especially true during the first weeks after registering when FEMA housing inspectors must contact applicants to view damages. Those with mobile phones should provide that number to FEMA during the registration.

Affected survivors and business owners in the nine designated counties may apply for assistance from FEMA and/or the SBA. Those counties are Baldwin, Blount, DeKalb, Etowah, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone, Mobile and Tuscaloosa.                           

Disaster Loan Outreach Centers, operated by the SBA to assist survivors with questions about federal loans, are located in Baldwin and Mobile counties. These offices are located at:

  • Elberta Town Hall, 10352 Main Street, Elberta, AL 36540.
  • Fairhope Civic Center (Delchamps Room), 161 North Section Street, Fairhope, AL 36532.
  • Old Navy/Marine Corps Reserve Center, 4851 Museum Drive, Mobile, AL 36608.

These facilities, which also are staffed with a FEMA specialist, are open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Tuesday, July 15. Outreach centers will be closed Friday, July 4.

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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.

For more information on Alabama’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov or http://www.ema.alabama.gov/.  For the joint Facebook page, go to www.facebook.com/AlabamaEMA. To receive Twitter updates: http://twitter.com/AlabamaEMA  or www.twitter.com/femaregion4

 

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Disaster Federal Aid for Alabama Reaches $34.5 Million

Don’t Delay, Register Today

Don’t Delay, Register Today

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabama Governor Robert Bentley requested and FEMA approved on Friday, June 27, to extend the deadline to apply for disaster assistance in the nine counties affected by the April 28 to May 5 severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding. The new deadline is Tuesday, July 15.

Counties approved for FEMA assistance through the Individuals and Households Program include Baldwin, Blount, DeKalb, Etowah, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone, Mobile and Tuscaloosa.

If you, a family member or a neighbor haven’t registered yet, this extension is for you. But don’t delay registration any longer. There are four ways to register:

  • Online at: www.disasterassistance.gov ;
  • Web-enabled phones at m.fema.gov;
  • Calling 800-621-3362 TTY 800-462-7585;
  • If using 711 Relay or Video Relay Services, call 800-621-3362. 

FEMA phone lines are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time seven days a week; multilingual operators are available.

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s deadline to apply for disaster recovery loans also has been extended to July 15.

SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Centers are located at:

  • Elberta Town Hall, 10352 Main Street, Elberta, AL 36540;
  • Fairhope Civic Center (Delchamps Room), 161 North Section Street, Fairhope, AL 36532;
  • Old Navy/Marine Corps Reserve Center, 4851 Museum Drive, Mobile, AL 36608.

Homeowners, renters and businesses can apply for an SBA disaster loan at the centers, which are open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through July 15. The centers will be closed Friday, July 4. FEMA representatives are located at these centers to answer questions.

Survivors also can go online to SBA’s secure site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela; or by calling 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339. For information on SBA disaster assistance, go to www.sba.gov.

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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.

For more information on Alabama’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov or http://www.ema.alabama.gov/.  For the joint Facebook page, go to www.facebook.com/AlabamaEMA. To receive Twitter updates: http://twitter.com/AlabamaEMA  or www.twitter.com/femaregion4

Continue at source – 

Don’t Delay, Register Today

$2.4 billion in FEMA Public Assistance grants for Hurricane Sandy recovery

NEW YORK — Since Hurricane Sandy struck New York, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved more than $2.4 billion in Public Assistance grants to reimburse local, state and tribal governments and eligible private nonprofits for costs associated with emergency response, debris removal and repairing or rebuilding public facilities.

Recently approved grants include:

  • $1.8 million to the Long Island Power Authority to protect 13 substations from additional damage and flood waters by installing flood protection barriers and providing temporary generator connections.
  • $3.4 million to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) for repairs to the Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge. The four-lane bridge connects Beach Channel Drive in Far Rockaway, Queens to Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn.
  • $5.8 million to the New York City School Construction Authority for emergency protective measures at the John C. Thompson building located in Staten Island, and at P.S. 105 The Bay School and The Scholars’ Academy, both in Queens.

For Hurricane Sandy, FEMA’s Public Assistance program reimburses local, state and tribal governments and eligible private nonprofit organizations 90 percent of eligible costs for emergency and permanent work.

To learn more about FEMA Public Assistance in New York, visit: fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit and dhses.ny.gov/oem/recovery.

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

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$2.4 billion in FEMA Public Assistance grants for Hurricane Sandy recovery

FEMA Pitches In To Collect Toys For Vermont Children

WILLISTON, Vt. – As the Federal Emergency Management Agency wraps up its mission in Vermont, its personnel are trying to leave behind some holiday cheer for the state’s less fortunate children.

As part of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, staffers at FEMA’s Joint Field Office in Williston have collected new toys to be distributed on Christmas to area children.

“Some FEMA staffers have been in Vermont since before Tropical Storm Irene,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Mark Landry, the head of FEMA’s Vermont operations. “This state has been their home away from home, and the way its people have welcomed us it only seems right to give back in this way.”

This is the second holiday season that FEMA has participated in the Toys for Tots Program, which collects new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distributes those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community.

The toys collected by the roughly 30 FEMA staffers in Williston will be delivered to Toys R Us in Williston, which is the collection point for the local campaign.

“It’s always fun to see the box fill up as people bring in their toys, and then to see folks taking a peek at what’s on top and playing with some toys,” said Robin Anderson, a FEMA staffer from Kenmore, Washington who organized the collection. “It really brings out the kid in all of us, and gets everyone in the spirit of the season, which is all about giving.”

 

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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.

 

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FEMA Pitches In To Collect Toys For Vermont Children