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Begin Your Federal Recovery Process Now

If you live in Chesapeake, Newport News, Norfolk, or Virginia Beach and had damages as a result of Hurricane Mathew, take action now towards your recovery by registering with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Survivors are encouraged to register with FEMA as soon as possible. You can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov, on the FEMA Mobile App, or by calling 800-621-3362 (FEMA).

Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may also call 800-621-3362. People who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585. The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week.

When you register for FEMA assistance a FEMA representative will ask you to provide information on disaster damage, proof of identity and residence, insurance and other documentation, to determine eligibility.

For those who do not have access to telephone or internet service, don’t be discouraged. Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) and FEMA are coming to you. FEMA’s Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams will soon be moving into affected communities to help people register for assistance. Additionally, Commonwealth and FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers will soon be open in the near future in the affected localities.

Assistance for eligible survivors can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and for other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses or funeral and burial costs. Long-term, low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) also may be available to cover losses not fully compensated by insurance and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

Survivors should contact their insurance company to file their insurance claim. FEMA is unable to duplicate insurance payments. However, those without insurance or those who may be underinsured may still receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.

For more information visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4291.

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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. FEMA Region III’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts are available at fema.gov/medialibrary and youtube.com/fema. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion3.

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Begin Your Federal Recovery Process Now

Thirty Seconds Now, Could Save a Life Later

Thirty Seconds Now, Could Save a Life Later

Take action for National Preparedness Month, Download the FEMA App

PHILADELPHIA – September is National Preparedness Month! Are you ready for when disaster strikes? What if there were an app to make you more aware of severe weather, help you prepare for an emergency and ultimately make you, your friends and family more disaster ready? Would you download it?

The FEMA app is free to download on the App Store and Google Play. It’s packed with features that make it useful and informative too, and allows you to:

Get weather alerts;
Get safety tips;
Prepare an emergency kit checklist; and
Get safety reminders.

Every minute counts when severe weather threatens. Nearly half a million Americans already have the FEMA app. So take 30 seconds today and download the FEMA App for free on the App Store and Google Play.

Be a Leader. You can help make difference and lead your family, organization, or business to take action and prepare. Whether it’s during the morning meeting at your office, at lunch with a friend, or at dinner with your family; take 30 seconds in your day to encouraging others to download the App and make a difference in their future!

On any given day, you may just find it to be the most important app on your phone.

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Thirty Seconds Now, Could Save a Life Later

FEMA monitors tropical systems along the East Coast and Hawaii

Residents urged to take direction from State, Local, and Tribal officials

WASHINGTON – FEMA, through its regional offices in Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York City, and Oakland, and its Pacific Area Office in Honolulu, continues to closely monitor Tropical Storm Hermine and Hurricane Lester.

FEMA remains in close coordination with state emergency managers in Hawaii, and throughout the entire East Coast, as well as meteorologists at the National Weather Service forecast offices. Through the National Business Emergency Operations Center (NBEOC), FEMA is actively engaged with national level private sector officials across the nation.

Tropical Storm Hermine

According to the National Weather Service, Tropical Storm Hermine is located 60 miles west- northwest of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph. A Tropical Storm warning is in effect from Surf City, North Carolina, to Sandy Hook, New Jersey, and a Tropical Storm watch is in effect north of Sandy Hook, New Jersey, to west of Watch Hill, Rhode Island.

Tropical Storm Hermine may cause localized flooding and flash flooding possible, along with storm surge and tide could produce potentially life-threatening inundation along the next 24 hours in the Hampton Roads, Virginia, area. There is danger for life threatening storm surge in the next 48 hours for coastal locations between the North Carolina and Virginia border and Bridgeport, Connecticut. Rainfall of 1-3 inches from Florida to North Carolina, 4-7 inches from North Carolina to Maryland, and 1-4 inches from Delaware to New Jersey and New York.

FEMA liaison officers deployed to the emergency operations center in Virginia to help coordinate any requests for federal assistance. A FEMA liaison officer deployed to the Maryland Emergency Operations Center today.

Additionally, a FEMA Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) deployed to the Florida Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee. A FEMA IMAT will also arrive in the Virginia Emergency Operations Center on Sunday mid-morning. The RRCC will activate to level III by mid-morning Sunday.

Hurricane Lester

According to the National Weather Service, Hurricane Lester was located about 205 miles east- northeast of Hilo, Hawaii with maximum sustained winds were 100 mph with gradual weakening forecast over the next 48 hours. A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Maui County and Oahu.

FEMA established a staging area in Kona, Hawaii to pre-position supplies closer to impacted areas, should they be needed and requested by the state, for distribution by state and local officials. More than 45,000 liters of water, 37,000 meals, along with generators and other supplies are in the staging area.

One FEMA IMAT is staged in FEMA’s Pacific Area Office in Honolulu, to support response activities and ensure there are no unmet needs. An additional FEMA IMAT has been placed on alert and is prepared to deploy to Hawaii if necessary. Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) personnel and pre-positioned communications caches are also deployed to Honolulu, to support emergency response communications needs.

Safety Tips

FEMA encourages residents and visitors in areas potentially affected by Tropical Storm Hermine or Hurricane Lester to monitor local radio or TV stations for updated emergency information, and follow the instructions of state, local, and tribal officials.

Storm tracks can change quickly and unexpectedly, so coastal residents should monitor weather conditions and take steps to prepare their home, family, and business. Those in potentially affected areas should be familiar with evacuation routes, have a communications plan, keep a battery-powered radio handy and have a plan for their pets.

There is the potential for flooding and storm surge with Tropical Storm Hermine and Hurricane Lester. Driving through a flooded area can be extremely hazardous. Nearly half of all flash flood deaths happen in vehicles. Stay safe when in your car, by watching for flooding in low lying areas, at bridges and highway dips. As little as 6 inches of water may cause you to lose control of your vehicle. Storm surge poses a significant threat for drowning and can sometimes cut off evacuation routes, so do not delay leaving if an evacuation is ordered for your area.

Visit www.ready.gov or www.listo.gov to learn more about preparing for hurricanes and severe weather.

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

Follow 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:

FEMA monitors tropical systems along the East Coast and Hawaii

West Virginia Response & Recovery: Rising Above the Flood

CHARLESTON, W.v. – As skies clear and the floodwaters recede, responders, volunteers and teams dedicated to assisting West Virginians devastated by flooding have been arriving and making a difference. The West Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (WV VOAD) have been working with state and local emergency managers and officials to coordinate resources through its network of disaster relief agencies. They have been asking kind-hearted individuals seeking ways to help disaster survivors to make a donation to the WV VOAD Disaster Relief Fund or register as a volunteer. Financial donations are the best way to support the effort at this time. Donations will be used to support the disaster related needs of families through a network of voluntary agencies and a statewide disaster relief fund.

Financial donations are accepted and more information can be found at: https://wvvoad.communityos.org.

Volunteers wishing to help more directly with flood response and recovery can register online at www.volunteerwv.org. Volunteer West Virginia has partnered to match volunteers with organizations statewide to assist with response and recovery. When road hazards are clear and needs are identified, a volunteer coordinator will contact registered volunteers to schedule a volunteer shift or overnight deployment.

State and federal officials have announced the opening of a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) with tentative plans to open more. DRCs are one-stop shops for eligible storm survivors to provide one-on-one, face-to-face help from local, state and non-government organizations. Representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will also be present to provide information on low-interest loans and help applicants complete disaster loan applications for homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes.

A DRC has been established at the Kanawha County Crede Warehouse 3300 Pennsylvania Ave. in Charleston, WV 25302. The center will be open seven days a week from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Additionally, a Mobile Disaster Recovery Center (MDRC) in Greenbrier County is open from 7 a.m. – 7.p.m until Friday with additional hours to be determined. The center is currently located at 65 West Main St. in White Sulfur Springs, WV 24986.

However, individuals do not have to visit a Disaster Recovery Center to register for assistance. If you have been affected by flooding and need assistance, visit DisasterAssistance.gov or register with your smartphone at m.fema.gov. For those without access to the internet, FEMA has a toll-free number at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585 for the deaf or hard of hearing.

To learn more about Disaster Recovery Centers, go to FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers.

FEMA officials have reported that over $290,000 of federal funding has been approved for individuals and households affected by the disaster. 2,600 individual registrations have already been received, 800 of which have already been referred to inspectors. 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 West Virginia’s disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4273, twitter.com/FEMA, facebook.com/FEMA and fema.gov/blog.

DEBRIS REMOVAL TIPS

Storm and flooding-related debris is eligible for pickup and disposal by the county or municipality if residents place the following types of debris on the public right-of-way in front of their property for pick-up. When placing debris at the roadside, residents should be careful not to cover or impede access to utility meters or mailboxes.

Residents opting for curbside pick-up must separate debris into categories:

Vegetative debris (tree limbs, shrubs, etc.)
Construction/Demolition debris
White goods (appliances, etc.)
E-goods (TV’s, electronics)
Household hazardous (cleaning solutions, automotive chemicals, etc.)
DEBRIS HANDLED BY CONTRACTORS: Some homeowner’s insurance policies may cover debris removal. Residents are reminded that if they choose to hire their own contractor, they should not place that debris on the right-of-way. The cost of debris disposal is typically included in the contractor’s estimates. Homeowners should review their insurance policies to determine if their policy covers debris removal. Under no circumstances will reconstruction debris or demolition debris created by the property owner or the private contractor be pushed to the curb. The property owner, insurance company or contractor is responsible for removing and transporting all demolition and/or reconstruction debris to an approved designated

AFTER A DISASTER – QUICK TIPS TO HELP YOU ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY

Injuries may occur when people walk amid disaster debris and enter damaged buildings. Wear sturdy shoes or boots, long sleeves and gloves when handling or walking on or near debris.
Be aware of possible structural, electrical or gas-leak hazards in or around your home.
- Contact your local city or county building inspectors for information on structural safety codes and standards and before going back to a property with downed power lines, or the possibility of a gas leak.
- Do not touch downed power lines or objects in contact with downed lines.
- Report downed power lines and electrical hazards to the police and the utility company. They may also offer suggestions on finding a qualified contractor to do work for you.
If your power is out, safely use a generator or candles.
- Never use a generator inside a home, basement, shed or garage even if doors and windows are open.
- Keep generators outside and far away from windows, doors and vents. Read both the label on your generator and the owner’s manual and follow the instructions.
- If using candles, please use caution. If possible, use flashlights instead. If you must use candles, do not burn them on or near anything that can catch fire.
Outside your home or business: Be aware of areas where floodwaters have receded. Roads may have weakened and could collapse under the weight of a car.
Use extreme caution when entering buildings; there may be hidden damage, particularly in foundations.

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Originally posted here –

West Virginia Response & Recovery: Rising Above the Flood

City of Baltimore Enters Voluntary Floodplain Management Program

PHILADELPHIA – Residents of the City of Baltimore, Maryland have received a reduction in their flood insurance premiums through implementation of floodplain management measures encouraged by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) oversees the NFIP, which administers a program called the Community Rating System (CRS). The CRS is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities that exceed minimum NFIP requirements. The program includes 10 different class rating levels based on the number and type of activities voluntarily initiated by the participating community. Each level corresponds to a percentage discount on National Flood Insurance policy premiums within the municipality.

“The CRS program provides a strong incentive for communities to take flood risk reduction into their own hands,” stated FEMA Region III Regional Administrator MaryAnn Tierney. “Mitigation actions that reduce the impact of future floods on communities are to be championed, and the City of Baltimore has taken strong steps in this direction.”

As a member of the CRS, the City of Baltimore is within an elite group of 14 Maryland communities that have received this recognition. With the continued steps taken by the City of Baltimore to protect its citizens and increase its resiliency, it has entered the Community Rating System program as a Class 5 participant. The Class 5 rating qualifies eligible National Flood Insurance Program policy holders in floodprone areas an average of $213 savings on their annual premium. In total, entry into the program accounts for a total savings of over $400,000 annually for citizens of Baltimore.

Under the CRS, local officials are asked to meet three goals: (1) reduce flood losses; (2) facilitate accurate insurance rating; and (3) promote the awareness of flood insurance. Communities can earn a CRS rating by submitting an application explaining the projects they have in place or development. Once the information is verified and approved, FEMA provides flood insurance premium discounts through the NFIP. The amount of a property owner’s policy discount is based on the community’s CRS rating.

For each class that a community moves up to, it provides its residents with an additional 5% reduction in their flood insurance premiums up to the 45% reduction that a Class 1 community receives. As a Class 5 community, the City of Baltimore enables its residents to receive a 25% reduction on eligible flood insurance premiums.

For information about flood insurance, property owners should contact their insurance agent, visit floodsmart.gov, or call the NFIP’s toll-free information line at 800-427-4661. To learn more about the CRS, visit floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/pages/crs/community_rating_system.jsp.

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City of Baltimore Enters Voluntary Floodplain Management Program

Federal Aid Programs for the state of Maryland Decleration

Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Obama’s disaster declaration issued for the State of Maryland.

Assistance for the State and Affected Local Governments Can Include as Required:

Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for emergency work and repairing or replacing damaged public facilities, such as roads, bridges, utilities, buildings, schools, recreational areas and similar publicly owned property, as well as certain private non-profit organizations engaged in community service activities. (Source: FEMA funded, state administered.)
Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for removing debris from public areas and for emergency measures taken to save lives and protect property and public health. Emergency protective measures assistance is available to the state and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures, including snow assistance, for a continuous 48-hour period during or proximate to the incident period. (Source: FEMA funded, state administered.).
Payment of not more than 75 percent of the approved costs for hazard mitigation projects undertaken by state, tribal, and local governments to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural or technological disasters. (Source: FEMA funded, state administered.)

How to Apply for Assistance:

Application procedures for state, local and tribal governments will be explained at a series of federal/state applicant briefings with locations to be announced in the affected area by recovery officials. Approved public repair projects are paid through the state from funding provided by FEMA and other participating federal agencies.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders and 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.

Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts available at www.fema.gov/medialibrary and www.youtube.com/fema ; follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fema and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fema.

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Federal Aid Programs for the state of Maryland Decleration

President Declares Disaster for State of Maryland

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to the State of Maryland to supplement state, and local recovery efforts in the area affected by a severe winter storm and snowstorm during the period of January 22-23, 2016.

The President’s action makes federal funding available to state, local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe winter storm and snowstorm in Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, Kent, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, Washington, Worcester counties and the Independent City of Baltimore.

Federal funding is available to the state tribal, and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis for snow assistance for a continuous 48 hour period during or proximate to the incident period in Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, Kent, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, and Washington counties and the Independent City of Baltimore.

Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for the State of Maryland.

Donald L. Keldsen has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Keldsen said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the State and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

Follow FEMA online at http://blog.fema.gov, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.

Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only.

FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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President Declares Disaster for State of Maryland

FEMA Announces Grant Awards for Fiscal Year 2015 Homeland Security National Training Program/Continuing Training Grants Program

WASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency today announced the award of five training grants for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Homeland Security National Training Program (HSNTP) Continuing Training Grants (CTG) totaling $11,521,000. These awards will provide additional FEMA certified training and certification for first responders, emergency managers, technical specialists, local government and community leaders, preparing them for all types of emergencies. The period of performance for the FY 2015 CTG program is 36 months.

The FY 2015 CTG program focuses on the following four areas: Cybersecurity, Hazardous Materials, Countering Violent Extremism and Rural Preparedness. Rural Preparedness includes the following topics: school-based incidents, mass fatality planning and response, the development of emergency operation plans, rail car safety, media engagement strategies for first responders, agro-terrorism, food and animal safety and hazardous materials.

Grants were awarded to the following organizations:

Cybersecurity: The University of Arkansas Criminal Justice Institute – $3,000,000
Hazardous Materials: The International Association of Fire Fighters – $2,000,000
Countering Violent Extremism: University of Maryland START Consortium – $1,319,405
Countering Violent Extremism: Virginia Center for Policing Innovation – $1,701,595
Rural Preparedness: The Center for Rural Development – $3,500,000

Information on the FY 2015 CTG program can be found on www.grants.gov by searching under Homeland Security Grants, CFDA #97.005.

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FEMA Announces Grant Awards for Fiscal Year 2015 Homeland Security National Training Program/Continuing Training Grants Program

Additional West Virginia County Approved For Disaster Aid

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Jackson County is now eligible to receive federal assistance for some of their costs incurred during the severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides, and mudslides occurring July 10-14, 2015.

On August 7, 2015, President Obama issued a major disaster declaration for the State of West Virginia triggering the release of Federal funds to help communities recover from the severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides, and mudslides. The disaster declaration for Braxton, Clay, Lincoln, Logan, Nicholas, Roane, Webster, and Wood counties made state, county, and local governments, as well as certain non-profit organizations, eligible to receive reimbursement for repairing infrastructure damage caused by the storms, as well as the cost of responding to them.

FEMA’s Public Assistance Programs provide state and local governments and eligible private non-profit organizations, in the nine designated counties, with federal funds to pay 75 percent of the approved cost of debris removal, emergency services related to the disaster, and for repairing or replacing damaged public facilities such as roads, bridges, buildings and utilities.

The State, which distributes the FEMA funds to local governments and qualified non-profits, must review Public Assistance projects, along with FEMA, to ensure compliance with regulations.

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Additional West Virginia County Approved For Disaster Aid

Over $31 Million Provided to West Virginia for March, April Storms

Charleston, W.Va. – State and federal officials say that more than $31 million in combined state and federal disaster assistance has been delivered to the State of West Virginia to help cover the costs of the severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides in March and April that damaged infrastructure across the State.

“We continue to work with FEMA to ensure that eligible projects are completed,” said State Coordinating Officer Jimmy Gianato. “These incidents caused heavy damage to our State. This funding represents our strong partnership and ongoing efforts in recovering from the severe weather in March and April.”

“I am proud of the work we have completed so far in coordination with West Virginia and our partners,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Regis Phelan. “We remain committed to this process and to West Virginia’s recovery from these incidents.”

FEMA’s Public Assistance Programs provide state and local governments and eligible private non-profit organizations, in designated counties, with federal funds to pay 75 percent of the approved cost of debris removal, emergency services related to the disaster, and for repairing or replacing damaged public facilities such as roads, bridges, buildings and utilities. Hazard Mitigation funding is for cost-effective measures that would prevent or reduce the threat of future damages.

The State, which distributes the FEMA funds to local governments and qualified non-profits, must review Public Assistance projects, along with FEMA, to ensure compliance with regulations.

Media Contact: FEMAR3NewsDesk@fema.dhs.gov

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Over $31 Million Provided to West Virginia for March, April Storms

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