OKLAHOMA CITY – Two Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) will reopen to help people in Oklahoma who were affected by the severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding and tornadoes occurring May 5 through June 4.

The mobile DRCs officially open Tuesday, July 7, 2015 at 7 a.m., in Johnston County and one in Kiowa County. The addresses are:

Johnston County

Tishomingo High School (Band Room)

1300 East Main Street

Tishomingo, OK 73460

and

Kiowa County

James Blaine Field House/Snyder High School

304 10th Avenue

Snyder, OK 73566

The hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Friday.  The mobile DRCs close on Friday, July 10, at 7 p.m.

DRCs are one-stop shops where survivors can get information and guidance on what disaster assistance may be available.  Information from the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Small Business Administration and other federal agencies and volunteer organizations is available at recovery centers.

Survivors can apply for state and federal assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services can call 800-621-3362 to register.

Individuals with disabilities and others with access and functional needs who require help registering, can contact FEMA using any of the above methods.

For more information on Oklahoma disaster recovery, click http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4222 or visit OEM at www.oem.ok.gov

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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.

The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) prepares for, responds to, recovers from and mitigates against emergencies and disasters. The department delivers services to Oklahoma cities, towns and counties through a network of more than 350 local emergency managers.

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 us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners, and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

 

 

Continued:

State/FEMA Recovery Centers Reopen in Johnston and Kiowa Counties

What is an SBA disaster loan?

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loans are the primary source of federal long-term disaster recovery funds for disaster damages not fully covered by insurance or other compensation.

SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance is working in conjunction with the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help business owners and residents recover, as much as possible, from this declared disaster.

Who is eligible for SBA low-interest loans?

When a federal disaster is declared, the SBA is authorized to offer low-interest loans to businesses of all sizes (including landlords) and to individual homeowners, renters, and private nonprofit organizations that have sustained damage in a disaster.

What’s the most common misunderstanding about SBA loans?

The most common misunderstanding about an SBA loan is the assumption that SBA disaster loans are only for businesses. While SBA offers loans to businesses of all sizes (including landlords), low-interest loans are always available to individual homeowners, renters, and to private nonprofit organizations alike.

When should survivors apply?

Residents and business owners should apply right away with SBA as part of the overall federal disaster recovery process, and not wait for insurance claims to settle.

Why should survivors apply?

Survivors who do not follow through with the SBA application process because they feel they cannot afford or do not want a loan may end the recovery assistance process for themselves and lose out on additional FEMA dollars.

Whether a loan is wanted or not, the SBA loan application may trigger additional grant assistance through FEMA’s Other Needs Assistance (ONA) program. The State of Texas

administers the ONA grant funding.

Some of these additional FEMA grants could include reimbursement for lost personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, moving and storage expenses.

What is available as part of the SBA low-interest loan programs?

Eligible homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 for home repair or replacement of primary residences and eligible homeowners and renters up to $40,000 to replace disaster-damaged or destroyed personal property. 

Businesses of all sizes can qualify for up to $2 million in low-interest loans to help cover physical damages.

Small businesses and most private nonprofits suffering economic impact due to the severe weather and flooding can apply for up to $2 million for any combination of property damage or economic injury under SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.

What are the deadlines to apply?

Texas survivors have until July 28, 2015, to apply for SBA loans. Eligible small businesses applying for only the EIDL program have until February 29, 2016.

Disaster survivors who are notified by the SBA that they may be eligible for low-interest disaster loans should work directly with the SBA to complete the application.

How do I apply?

Disaster survivors are urged to call 800-621-FEMA (3362) to register by phone. They may also go into a local Mobile Registration Intake Center or a Disaster Recovery Center to register with FEMA where they also may talk with SBA representatives. Register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362. TTY users should call           800-462-7585, with Video Relay Service survivors calling 800-621-3362.

What happens after I apply?

Most survivors who register with FEMA are automatically referred to the SBA. They will then be contacted directly by SBA or via an automated call back.

What are the loan terms?

Interest rates for SBA disaster loans can be as low as 1.688 percent for homeowners and renters, 4 percent for businesses and 2.625 percent for private nonprofit organizations, with terms up to 30 years.

Where do I get specific information about the SBA process?

If you have questions about SBA or the process, or need help to complete the SBA application, help is available. Applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by:

  • Calling 800-659-2955
  • Emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov
  • Visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster
  • Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339
  • Survivors may also visit with an SBA representative at any State/FEMA/SBA recovery center.

Continued here: 

SBA Provides Low-Interest Loans to Businesses, Private Nonprofits, Homeowners, and Renters

AUSTIN, Texas – A Mobile Registration Intake Center (MRIC) has opened in Athens, Texas, to serve homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage as a result of the ongoing severe storms and flooding.

Specialists from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are there to answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available to survivors.

Location and dates of operation

Cain Center
915 S. Palestine
Athens, TX 75751
 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily until further notice

People who had storm damage in Bastrop, Blanco, Caldwell, Denton, Eastland, Fort Bend, Gaines, Guadalupe, Harris, Hays, Henderson, Hidalgo, Johnson, Milam, Montague, Navarro, Rusk, Smith, Travis, Van Zandt, Wichita, Williamson and Wise counties can register for FEMA assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or call 800-621-3362 toll free from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily until further notice. Multilingual operators are available.

Disaster assistance applicants who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY should call 800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call   800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

Flood survivors statewide should call and report their damage to give the state and FEMA a better idea of the assistance that is needed in undesignated counties.

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. Low-interest disaster loans from SBA also may be available to cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

Eligible survivors should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but under-insured applicants may receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.

 

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All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).

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 us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion6.

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

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: 

Mobile Registration Intake Center Opens in Henderson County for Texas Flood Survivors

AUSTIN, Texas – Two Mobile Registration Intake Centers (MRIC) have opened in San Marcos, Texas, to serve homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage as a result of the ongoing severe storms and flooding.

Specialists from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are there to answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available to survivors.

Location and dates of operation:

Parking lot between San Marcos Activity Center and San Marcos Public Library
501 E. Hopkins
San Marcos, TX 78666
9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily until further notice
 

Blanco Gardens Neighborhood
801 River Rd.
San Marcos, TX 78666
9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily until further notice

People who had storm damage in counties designated for individual assistance can register for FEMA assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or web-enabled device at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Multilingual operators are available. Flood survivors statewide can call and report their damage to give the state and FEMA a better idea of the assistance that is needed in undesignated counties.

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. Low-interest disaster loans from SBA also may be available to cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.                                                     

Eligible survivors should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but under-insured applicants may receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.

 

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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 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 us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

More here – 

Two Mobile Registration Intake Centers Open in San Marcos

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – With the potential for severe weather across the plains and several Midwestern states this week, staff at the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Region VII office are coordinating with state and local officials in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska and urge the public to be prepared and stay informed.

“As the threat of severe weather develops, we urge residents to listen to NOAA Weather Radio and local newscasts, monitor digital media feeds for updates and follow the  instructions provided by local emergency officials,” said FEMA Region VII Administrator Beth Freeman. “This severe weather threat is a reminder that everyone needs a family emergency plan as we can’t always anticipate when or where a disaster might strike.”

For more information on creating your family’s emergency plan, visit http://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan.

Preparing for Severe Weather Now

To prepare for power outages and the disruption of essential services, FEMA urges families to prepare an emergency supply kit for their homes and cars. For more information, visit http://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit.  When preparing a kit, remember water, medications, and items needed for the well-being of your pets.

Staying informed is equally important when preparing for any emergency, particularly severe weather threats. In addition to monitoring the guidance and reports of local emergency and weather officials, monitor social media before, during and after emergencies. Consider following the Facebook, Twitter or Instagram handles of your local emergency management office as well as hospitals, schools and voluntary organizations that serve your community. More information on building your own preparedness list is available from @FEMARegion7 on Twitter, using the hashtag #preplist, or by visiting www.twitter.com/femaregion7/lists.

Responding to Severe Weather

If you have severe weather in your area, keep in mind these safety tips:

  • Become familiar with the terms used to identify a severe weather hazard and discuss with your family what to do if a watch or warning is issued. Terms used to describe weather hazards include the following:
  • Watch: Meteorologists are monitoring an area or region for the formation of a specific type of threat (e.g. flooding, severe thunderstorms, or tornados).
  • Warning: Specific life and property threatening conditions are occurring and imminent. Take appropriate safety precautions.
  • Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection from tornadoes and should be abandoned. A mobile home can overturn very easily even if precautions have been taken to tie down the unit. Residents of mobile homes must plan in advance and identify safe shelter in a nearby building.
  • While community safe rooms offer significant reassurance and protection during a severe weather event, always make the safe and certain choice about where to seek shelter – particularly if there is little time to travel to the location of the community safe room. It is always best to seek shelter in your basement or in the lowest possible structure in your residence if time and warning are limited when severe weather hits.
  • Know your surroundings and your structures if you’re planning to attend an event, take vacation, visit family, or if you are staying in a location other than your home like a hotel, campground or cabin. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the facility’s emergency plans including sirens and warnings, how to shelter in place, and steps to be taken in the event of an evacuation. 
  • 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.
  • After a disaster, be aware of possible structural, electrical or gas-leak hazards in 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. They may also offer suggestions on finding a qualified contractor to do work for you. 
  • Injury 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.

Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.  Find regional updates from FEMA Region VII at www.twitter.com/femaregion7. 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.

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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See original article – 

In Anticipation of Severe Weather, FEMA Monitors and Encourages Residents to Prepare Now

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Community Emergency Response Teams prepare for the worst, then when disaster strikes, they help themselves, their families, their neighborhoods and their communities.

Begun in Los Angeles in 1985, the CERT program consists of specially trained volunteers who are called into action during and immediately following major disasters before first responders can reach the affected areas. They work closely with fire and emergency management departments in their communities.

More than 2,200 CERT programs are available in the United States. In Alabama, 10 counties offer CERT training and maintain teams. During a disaster, Alabama CERT members may self-deploy in their neighborhoods, be mobilized by a sheriff’s office or report to a pre-determined location.  

“CERT groups provide immediate assistance to people in their areas and lead spontaneous volunteers before we can get to the area and inform emergency management of what the needs are,” said Art Faulkner, director of Alabama Emergency Management.

Billy Green, Deputy Director of Emergency Management for Tuscaloosa County, had just finished a training class for Hispanic CERT volunteers the week before the tornado outbreak of April 2011 in Alabama.

“We finished on the Saturday before the tornadoes hit,” he said. “These Spanish speakers took exactly what they learned and put it out in the field. The City of Holt has a high Hispanic population, and this team was able to go out there and do search and rescues.”

Holy Spirit Catholic Church set up its own shelter for the Hispanic population, he added. “Those guys were in that shelter helping and making sure everyone was all right.”

This April’s severe weather and flooding caught many Mobile County residents by surprise, said Mike Evans, Deputy Director of Mobile County Emergency Management Agency.

“Mobile gets the most rainfall of anywhere in the continental United States with 67 inches per year,” he said. “This wasn’t like during hurricane season; getting a lot of rain and thunderstorms is pretty common. But areas that normally flood didn’t, it was urban areas.”

Since the ground was already saturated, the rain had nowhere to go so roads that were low flooded, he said.

“People tried to drive through and we had to get them out,” Evans said.

CERTs distributed commodities and one team knocked on doors asking who was going to leave the area and who was going to stay, he said. After the storm, his teams notified people who left the area of the status of their property.

CERTs can also work with crowd and traffic control, work at water stations at large events, help community members prepare for emergencies, and assist with fire suppression and medical operations as well as search and rescue operations.

Initially, CERT members take training classes that cover components of disaster activities, including disaster preparedness, fire suppression, medical operations, search and rescue and disaster psychology and team organization. Additional training occurs twice a year with mock disasters. Refresher courses are also held. The Federal Emergency Management Agency supports CERT by conducting or sponsoring train-the-trainer and program manager courses for members of the fire, medical and emergency management community, who then train individual CERTs.

CERTs are organized in the Alabama counties of Dale, DeKalb, Shelby, Morgan, Tallapoosa, Jefferson, Colbert, Calhoun, Russell and Coffee.

To join an existing CERT program in your community, go online to www.fema.gov/community-emergency-response-teams. Click on the “find nearby CERT programs” link and enter your zip code. If there is a team near you, you will see the name and phone number of a contact person as well as pertinent information about the local program.

That site can also provide information on how to build and train your own community CERT, the curriculum for training members as well as how to register the program with FEMA.

Aside from providing a vital community service, CERT members receive professionally recognized training and continue to increase their skills.

“CERTs complement and enhance first-response capabilities by ensuring safety of themselves and their families, working outward to the neighborhood and beyond until first responders arrive,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer Albie Lewis. “They are one of the many volunteer organizations that we rely on during a disaster.”

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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

 

 

See more here – 

CERT: Prepared for the Worst When Disaster Strikes

Tuesday, July 15 is the deadline in Alabama to register with FEMA and to return an application for physical damage to the SBA.

Persons who suffered damage in the spring storms of April 28 through May 5 who have yet to register with FEMA should do so as soon as possible. The registration process takes about 30 minutes. The ways to register are:

  • Go online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
  • Visit m.fema.gov from a Smartphone,
  • Dial 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585,
  • For those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services, call 800-621-3362.

The toll-free numbers are operated from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Centers remain open in Baldwin and Mobile counties 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays through tomorrow, Tuesday, July 15. These disaster centers are located in:

 

  • Baldwin County
  • Elberta Town Hall,10352 Main St., Elberta, AL 36530
  • Fairhope Civic Center (Delchamps Room), 161 North Section St., Fairhope, AL 36532
  • Mobile County
  • Old Navy/Marine Corps Reserve Center, 4851 Museum Dr., Mobile, AL 36608
  • Specialists from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the SBA will be on hand to answer questions.

Survivors also can reach the SBA:

  • To complete an online application at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
  • Call the SBA customer service center with questions at 800-659-2955.
  • If you use 711-Relay or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-877-8339.
  • For more information, visit www.sba.gov.

If you have registered with FEMA already but have questions about your application for assistance, about the eligibility letter you received from FEMA after you registered or any other questions, or if you have information FEMA has requested or that you wish to add to your application, dial 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585.  Persons who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services also should dial 800-621-3362.

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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

 

View original article:

FEMA Registration Period in Alabama Closes Tuesday

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

 

Excerpt from – 

Disaster Federal Aid for Alabama Reaches $34.5 Million

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – If your household is getting rental assistance from FEMA and repairs to your home are taking longer than expected, don’t forget you have to recertify your need to continue aid.

Alabama households currently receiving rental assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency because of damage from the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding from April 28 through May 5 must provide the necessary paperwork to recertify for continued rental help.

FEMA may pay, through its Individuals and Households program, up to 18 months of rental assistance to both qualified homeowners and renters if they need to relocate while repairs are being made to their disaster-damaged residences.

An application for continued temporary housing will be sent to applicants who have received initial rental assistance approximately two weeks after the first rental award.

The application reaffirms that applicants have an ongoing financial need for temporary housing, either because disaster-related repairs are not completed or they have been unable to find permanent replacement housing.

Documents required to be submitted for recertification include:

  • The completed application,
  • A copy of the current lease or rental agreement signed by the applicant,
  • Rental receipts, canceled checks or money orders showing proper usage of previous rental assistance,
  • Current income statements from family members living in the rental.

The form must be completed in full and turned in on time for each rental cycle to apply for continued assistance.

FEMA will evaluate the information each cycle to determine if the applicant qualifies for ongoing federal rental assistance, based on financial need.

An applicant’s current monthly rent is compared to the person’s housing costs before the disaster. Income for all household members, ongoing homeowner mortgage, insurance and utility costs for the damaged home, and other housing commitment costs are all taken into consideration when determining continued eligibility.

Residents of Baldwin, Blount, DeKalb, Etowah, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone, Mobile or 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.

The deadline to register for FEMA assistance is Tuesday, July 15, 2014.

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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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Recertify to be Eligible for Continued Rental Help from FEMA

Those who received a letter from the Federal Emergency Management Agency should take note of the date the letter was written. Appeals or submission of missing documents must be made within 60 days of that date.

Disaster survivors may request an appeal to review their cases regarding the amount or type of federal disaster assistance available.

The appeal must be in writing and explain why you disagree with a decision. Attach any new or additional documents supporting the appeal.

Appeal letters for the April 28 through May 5 severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding should also include:

  • Federal disaster declaration number, 4176-DR-AL, on all pages of documents.
  • Applicant information including:
    • The nine-digit FEMA application number on all pages of documents,
    • Applicant’s name,
    • Applicant’s date and place of birth, and
    • Address of the damaged dwelling.
  • Copies of verifiable documentation that supports the appeal. All receipts, bills and estimates must include contact information for the service provider. Keep all originals for your records.
  • A copy of a state-issued identification or driver’s license, unless the letter is notarized or includes the following statement: “I hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.”
  • The applicant’s signature.

Applicants can call the Disaster Legal Services hotline phone number, 888-857-8571. The service is available from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday for free legal help with insurance claims.

In the Huntsville area of Limestone County, call 256-539-2275. Those in Mobile and Baldwin counties can call 855-997-2857.

Mail the appeal letter to:  FEMA National Processing Service Center, P.O. Box 10055, Hyattsville, MD 20782-7055.

Applicants also may fax their appeal letter to: 800-827-8112, Attention: FEMA.   

###

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

 

Read article here:  

Don’t Forget That Date; Appeals Must be Submitted to FEMA Within 60 Days

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