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Disaster Information Available for Texans During July 4 Holiday

AUSTIN, Texas. – Texans affected by the May 4 through June 19 severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding can call the FEMA Helpline to have their questions answered or check the status of their claims seven days a week, including the July 4 holiday weekend.

Although all State/Federal Disaster Recovery Centers in Texas will be closed Friday through Sunday, July 3-5, applicants can call the Helpline at 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Multilingual phone operators are available.

People who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services can call 800-621-3362 during these same hours.

Individuals also can get status updates online at www.disasterassistance.gov. For more information, visit the Texas Disaster website www.fema.gov/disaster/4223.

The deadline to register is July 28.

The National Flood Insurance Program hotline will operate under normal hours – 8 a.m. to

6 p.m., local time, Friday, July 3. The hotline will close Saturday and Sunday. The phone number is 800-621-3362, press option 2.

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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.

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.

Visit www.fema.gov/texas-disaster-mitigation for publications and reference material on rebuilding and repairing safer and stronger.

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Disaster Information Available for Texans During July 4 Holiday

Flood Insurance Policyholders have until September 15 to Request their Hurricane Sandy Claims be Reviewed

WASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is committed to ensuring every National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholder who filed a claim as a result of Hurricane Sandy receives every dollar they are due under their policy. The NFIP established a process for Hurricane Sandy survivors who feel they were underpaid to have their claims reviewed. Where warranted, additional payments will be made to those policyholders.

On May 18, FEMA began mailing letters to approximately 142,000 NFIP policyholders who filed claims resulting from Hurricane Sandy, offering them an opportunity to have their files reviewed. While extensions may be granted on a case by case basis, FEMA set a Sept. 15, 2015 deadline for policyholders to begin the intake process by either phoning the call center and speaking to a claims review specialist or downloading the claims review request form from the website and submitting it via email or by fax. In the coming weeks, FEMA will use a number of communications channels to remind the all 142,000 policyholders of the Fall deadline.

Establishing this review is just one step in FEMA’s effort to improve the program. The Sandy claims review process is intended to be simple, navigable by the policyholder and does not require paid legal assistance. Additionally, there are several nonprofit service providers ready to offer free advice and answer questions policyholders may have. A list of these advocacy groups can be found on the claims review website at www.fema.gov/sandyclaims

To be eligible for the review, policyholders must have experienced flood damage between Oct. 27, 2012 and Nov. 6, 2012, as a result of Hurricane Sandy. Policyholders can call the NFIP’s Hurricane Sandy claims center at 1-866-337-4262 or go online to www.fema.gov/sandyclaims to download a form requesting a review. The downloaded form may be filled out and emailed to FEMA-sandyclaimsreview@fema.dhs.gov to start the review process.

FEMA will request the policyholder’s claim file from their insurance company and forward it to the NFIP review office within two business days. Files will be assigned to a highly qualified, NFIP-certified adjuster who will serve as a caseworker for the insured. Caseworkers will contact policyholders to guide them through the process. The caseworker will make a recommendation after a thorough review of the claim file and any new information provided. If the policyholder does not agree with the recommendation, the policyholder will have the opportunity to obtain an additional review of the file by a third party neutral. The entire process should take less than 90 days.

For individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability using 711 or VRS, please call 866-337-4262. For individuals using a TTY, please call 800-462-7585 to begin the review process. Before contacting the claim center, policyholders are asked to have their flood insurance carrier name and policy number at hand.

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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.

Source:

Flood Insurance Policyholders have until September 15 to Request their Hurricane Sandy Claims be Reviewed

National Flood Insurance Program Call Center Opens for Policyholders and Disaster Survivors Nationwide

WASHINGTON – Today, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) launched a National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) call center pilot program to serve and support policyholders with the servicing of their claims.

Flood insurance claims can be complicated, and policyholders may have questions in the days and weeks following a disaster.

The NFIP call center is reachable at 1-800-621-3362, and will operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (CDT) Monday through Friday. Specialists will be available to assist policyholders with the servicing of their claims, provide general information regarding their policies, and/or offer technical assistance to aid in recovery.

For those who prefer to put their concerns in writing, a “Request for Support” form is posted at www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program, which can be filled out and emailed to FEMA-NFIP-Support@fema.dhs.gov or faxed to 540-504-2360.

Call center staff will be able to answer questions, such as “How do I file a flood insurance claim? What type of documentation is needed? Can I still obtain disaster assistance even though I have a flood policy?” as well as more complicated insurance questions about the extent of coverage, policy ratings, and more. The call center will also be open to disaster survivors who have general questions about the NFIP.

“Flood insurance provides residents with the ability to protect themselves financially against the most common disaster we see in America,” said Roy Wright, Deputy Associate Administrator for the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration. “We’re providing this new resource to ensure that the people we serve have another way get information they may need to understand how flood insurance works and how to navigate the claims process. This hotline also provides us with a direct connection to policyholders themselves should they have concerns to report about how their claims are being handled and enabling us to take prompt action to ensure that they receive every dollar they are owed under their policies.”

Flood insurance plays a critical role in assisting survivors on their road to recovery. Like other types of insurance, it does not cover all losses, but it is the first line of defense against a flood. While the policy payouts won’t make the insured whole, our top priority is to ensure policyholders get what they are due under their coverage. This initiative is part of FEMA’s ongoing commitment to effective, long-term improvements to the NFIP.

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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.

Excerpt from:

National Flood Insurance Program Call Center Opens for Policyholders and Disaster Survivors Nationwide

FEMA Launches New Data Visualization Tool

WASHINGTON – Today, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) launched a new data visualization tool that enables users to see when and where disaster declarations have occurred across the country. As hurricane season kicks off, the tool helps provide important information about the history of hurricanes and other disasters in their communities and what residents can do to prepare.

The data visualization tool is accessible at fema.gov/data-visualization and allows users to view and interact with a wide array of FEMA data. Through an interactive platform, users can view the history of disaster declarations by hazard type or year and the financial support provided to states, tribes and territories, and access public datasets for further research and analysis. On the site, you can see compelling visual representations of federal grant data as it relates to fire, preparedness, mitigation, individual assistance and public assistance.

“We have a wealth of data that can be of great use to the public,” said FEMA’s Deputy Administrator of Protection and National Preparedness Tim Manning. “By providing this information in a way that is visual and easy to understand, people will be moved to action to prepare their families and communities.”

The data visualization tool builds on FEMA’s commitment to transparency by making it easy to convert historical data – already available via the OpenFEMA initiative – into a readable and interactive map. Users can see the types of disasters that have occurred in their community and FEMA’s support to build and sustain the capabilities needed to prevent, protect, mitigate against, respond to, and recover from those threats and hazards in the future. The tool also provides ways for users to take action to prepare for future disasters by supporting community preparedness planning, providing information on individual preparedness actions people can take, or joining a local Citizen Corps program.

FEMA encourages all individuals to interact with the tool, learn more about the emergency management process, and provide feedback. FEMA will continue to develop additional visualizations based on feedback and the availability of public data.

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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.

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FEMA Launches New Data Visualization Tool

FEMA Reminds Residents to be Ready for the 2015 Hurricane Season

WASHINGTON – Today, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) urges residents across the nation to prepare for the 2015 Atlantic Hurricane season, which begins today and runs through November 30.

Hurricanes and tropical systems can cause serious damage on both coastal and inland areas. Their hazards can come in many forms including: storm surge, heavy rainfall, inland flooding, high winds, and tornadoes. To prepare for these powerful storms, FEMA is encouraging families, businesses, and individuals to be aware of their risks; know your sources of reliable information; prepare your home and workplace; and be familiar with evacuation routes.

“One hurricane hitting where you live is enough to significantly disrupt your life and make for a very bad hurricane season,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “Every person has a role to play in being prepared – you should know if you live or work in an evacuation zone and take time now to learn that route so you’re prepared to protect yourself and your family from disaster.”

This year, FEMA is placing an emphasis on preparing communities to understand the importance of evacuations, which are more common than many people realize. When community evacuations become necessary, local officials provide information to the public through the media. In some circumstances, other warning methods, such as, text alerts, emails, or telephone calls are used. Information on evacuation routes and places to stay is available at www.ready.gov/evacuating-yourself-and-your-family.

Additionally, knowing and practicing what to do in an emergency, in advance of the event, can make a difference in the ability to take immediate and informed action, and enable you to recover more quickly. To help communities prepare and enhance preparedness efforts nationwide, FEMA is offering two new products.

FEMA launched a new feature to its App, available for free in the App Store for Apple devices and Google Play for Android devices. The new feature enables users to receive weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations anywhere in the United States, including U.S. territories, even if the mobile device is not located in the weather alert area. The app also provides information on what to do before, during, and after a disaster in both English and Spanish.
The Ready campaign and America’s PrepareAthon! developed a social media toolkit that you can download and share with others at www.ready.gov/ready2015. The kit contains information on actions communities can take to practice getting ready for disasters.

While much attention is often given to the Atlantic Hurricane Season, there are tropical systems that can affect other U.S. interests as well. The Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season runs from May 15 through November 30. The Central Pacific Hurricane Season runs from May 15 to November 30. To learn more about each hurricane season and the geographical areas they may affect, visit www.noaa.gov.

Additional tips and resources:

Learn how to prepare for hurricane season at www.ready.gov/hurricanes
Talk with your family today about how you will communicate with each other during a significant weather event when you may not be together or during an evacuation order. Download the family communications at www.ready.gov/family-communications.
For information on how to create an emergency supply kit, visit www.ready.gov/build-a-kit
Consider how you will care for pets during an evacuation by visiting www.ready.gov/caring-animals
Use the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK) to identify your important documents, medical records, and household contracts. When completing the kit, be sure to include pictures or a video of your home and your belongings and keep all of your documents in a safe space. The EFFAK is a joint publication from Operation Hope and FEMA. Download a copy at www.ready.gov/financial-preparedness.
If you own or manage a business, visit www.ready.gov/business for specific resources on response and continuity planning.
The National Weather Service proactively sends free Wireless Emergency Alerts, or WEAs, to most cell phones for hurricanes, tornadoes, flash flooding and other weather-related warnings. State and local public safety officials may also send WEAs for severe or extreme emergency conditions. If you receive a Wireless Emergency Alert on your cell phone, follow the instructions, take protective action and seek additional information from local media. To determine if your wireless device can receive WEA alerts contact your wireless carrier for more information or visit www.ctia.org/WEA.

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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.

Continued here:

FEMA Reminds Residents to be Ready for the 2015 Hurricane Season

FEMA Announces Launch of Hurricane Sandy Flood Insurance Claims Review Process

FEMA Officials Encourage Those With Concerns about Hurricane Sandy Flood Insurance Claims to Call 866-337-4262

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) announced the start of Hurricane Sandy flood insurance claims review. The review is part of a broad process to reform NFIP claims and appeals procedures.

FEMA opened the Hurricane Sandy claims review process and began mailing letters to approximately 142,000 NFIP policyholders, offering them an opportunity to have their claims from Hurricane Sandy reviewed. In the review, policyholders who have not pursued litigation or already received the maximum amount under their policy will have an opportunity to have their files reviewed. FEMA will contact policyholders and explain how to request this review.

“Flood insurance issues arising from Hurricane Sandy are of great concern to FEMA,” said Deputy Associate Administrator for Federal Insurance Brad Kieserman. “We are committed to administering a program that is survivor-centric and helps policyholders recover from flooding in a fair, transparent, and expeditious way. I encourage anyone who suspects they may have been treated unfairly to call 866-337-4262.”

Flooding is the most common natural disaster in the United States. Between 1980 and 2013, the United States suffered more than $260 billion in flood-related damages. Flood insurance is a vital service that protects communities from the most common and costly disaster we face, and those who purchase insurance must be able to count on it being there when it is needed to help rebuild their lives.

Policyholders who incurred losses from Hurricane Sandy from Oct. 27, 2012, through Nov. 6, 2012, and want their claim reviewed may contact FEMA by:

Calling toll-free at 866-337-4262.
Email by downloading an application online and submitting it to FEMA-sandyclaimsreview@fema.dhs.gov.
Fax by downloading an application online and submitting it to 202-646-7970.
For individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability using 711 or VRS, please call 1-866-337-4262. For individuals using a TTY, please call 800-462-7585.

As FEMA reviews Hurricane Sandy claim files, the agency will also begin overhauling the claims and appeal process and improving the customer experience. FEMA’s goals are excellent customer experience, responsiveness, transparency, low risk of waste, fraud and abuse, and continuous improvement. While settling these legal matters, FEMA is instituting additional oversight of Write Your Own insurance companies to hold them accountable.

FEMA will continue to work closely with Congress and federal, state, local, tribal, and community officials to ensure policyholders are paid every dollar to which they are entitled and to improve the flood insurance program going forward.

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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.

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FEMA Announces Launch of Hurricane Sandy Flood Insurance Claims Review Process

Monitoring for Potential Flooding in Texas

DENTON, Texas – People who live in Texas are urged to get ready now for the possibility of flooding, following days of rain and with more potential rain in the forecast.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Region 6 office continues to monitor the flooding threat across parts of the state and stands ready to support state and local partners as needed and requested in any affected areas.

Know Your Risk Before a Flood:

• Do your homework. Be aware of the potential flooding risks for the particular area where you live.
• Familiarize yourself with the terms used to identify a flooding hazard. Some of the more common terms used are:

A Flash Flood Watch: Flash flooding is possible. Be prepared to move to higher ground; monitor NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information.
A Flash Flood Warning: A flash flood is occurring; seek higher ground on foot immediately.

Take Action Before and During a Flood:

•   Build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan.
•   Listen to local officials and monitor your local radio or television for information.
•   Do not drive into flooded areas. Turn Around; Don’t Drown. Two feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles.
•   Do not walk through flowing water. Six inches of swiftly moving water can knock you off your feet.
•   Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) are now being sent directly to many cell phones on participating wireless carriers’ networks. WEAs sent by public safety officials such as the National Weather Service are designed to get your attention and to provide brief, critical instructions to warn about imminent threats like severe weather. Take the alert seriously and follow instructions. More information is available on WEA at www.fema.gov/wireless-emergency-alerts.

Visit www.ready.gov or www.nws.noaa.gov for more information on preparing for floods or other disasters.

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Monitoring for Potential Flooding in Texas

America’s PrepareAthon! National Day of Action Set for Thursday

DENVER – Thursday, April 30, is America’s PrepareAthon! National Day of Action, a grassroots campaign for action to get families, organizations and whole communities better prepared for emergencies. The campaign offers easy-to-use preparedness guides, checklists, and resources to help individuals prepare for common natural hazards and to take action, including downloading alerts and warnings, holding a drill, or safeguarding critical documents.

Despite the devastation that tornadoes, wildfires, and other natural disasters have caused in recent years, nearly 60 percent of surveyed Americans have not participated in a preparedness drill or exercise at their workplace, school, or home in the past year. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Denver-based regional office joins the states of Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming in encouraging the whole community to participate in the America’s PrepareAthon! campaign by performing one of these simple preparedness actions:

Sign up for local text alerts and warnings and download weather apps to your smartphone.
Stay aware of worsening weather conditions. Visit ready.gov/prepare and download Be Smart: Know Your Alerts and Warnings to learn how to search for local alerts and weather apps relevant for hazards that affect your area.
Gather important documents and keep them in a safe place.
Have all of your personal, medical, and legal papers in one place, so you can evacuate without worrying about gathering your family’s critical documents at the last minute. Visit ready.gov/prepare and download Be Smart: Protect Your Critical Documents and Valuables for a helpful checklist.
Create an emergency supply kit.
Bad weather can become dangerous very quickly. Be prepared by creating an emergency supply kit for each member of your family. Visit ready.gov/kit for information on what to include in your kit.
Develop an emergency communication plan for your family.
It’s possible that your family will be in different locations when a disaster strikes. Come up with a plan so everyone knows how to reach each other and get back together if separated. Visit ready.gov/make-a-plan for communication plan resources.

Every state in FEMA Region VIII has shown support for America’s PrepareAthon! this spring by aligning a variety of preparedness activities with the campaign. The National Weather Service in North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming held statewide tornado drills to prepare residents for severe spring and summer weather; nearly one million Utahns participated in earthquake drills during the Great Utah ShakeOut; and communities throughout Colorado and Montana will hold wildfire preparedness events on May 2 for Wildfire Community Preparedness Day, an America’s PrepareAthon! partner event.

For more information about America’s PrepareAthon!, visit ready.gov/prepare. Follow America’s PrepareAthon! on Twitter using the handle @Prepareathon and #PrepareAthon.

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America’s PrepareAthon! National Day of Action Set for Thursday

FEMA Launches New Feature to Mobile App Empowering Users to Follow Weather Alerts Across the Country

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) launched a new feature to its free app that will enable users to receive weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations across the nation. This new feature allows users to receive alerts on severe weather happening anywhere they select in the country, even if the phone is not located in the area, making it easy to follow severe weather that may be threatening family and friends.

“Emergency responders and disaster survivors are increasingly turning to mobile devices to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters,” said Craig Fugate, FEMA administrator. “This new feature empowers individuals to assist and support family and friends before, during, and after a severe weather event.”

“Every minute counts when severe weather threatens and mobile apps are an essential way to immediately receive the life-saving warnings provided by NOAA’s National Weather Service,” said Kathryn Sullivan, Ph.D., NOAA administrator. “These alerts are another tool in our toolbox as we work to build a ‘Weather Ready Nation’ – a nation that’s ready, responsive, and resilient to extreme weather events.”

According to a recent survey by Pew Research, 40 percent of Americans have used their smartphone to look up government services or information. Additionally, a majority of smartphone owners use their devices to keep up to date with breaking news, and to be informed about what is happening in their community.

The new weather alert feature adds to the app’s existing features to help Americans through emergencies. In addition to this upgrade, the app also provides a customizable checklist of emergency supplies, maps of open shelters and Disaster Recovery Centers, and tips on how to survive natural and manmade disasters. The FEMA app also offers a “Disaster Reporter” feature, where users can upload and share photos of disaster damage.

Some other key features of the app include:

Safety Tips: Tips on how to stay safe before, during, and after over 20 types of hazards, including floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes
Disaster Reporter: Users can upload and share photos of damage and recovery efforts
Maps of Disaster Resources: Users can locate and receive driving directions to open shelters and disaster recovery centers
Apply for Assistance: The app provides easy access to apply for federal disaster assistance
Information in Spanish: The app defaults to Spanish-language content for smartphones that have Spanish set as their default language

The latest version of the FEMA app is available for free in the App Store for Apple devices and Google Play for Android devices. Users who already have the app downloaded on their device should download the latest update for the weather alerts feature to take effect. The new weather alerts feature in the FEMA app does not replace Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) function available on many new smartphones. WEAs have a special tone and vibration and are sent for emergencies such as extreme weather, AMBER alerts, or Presidential Alerts.

To learn more about the FEMA app, visit: The FEMA App: Helping Your Family Weather the Storm.

Graphic with a brief summary of a few features in the FEMA app. A brief summary of a few features in the FEMA app.

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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.

Source:

FEMA Launches New Feature to Mobile App Empowering Users to Follow Weather Alerts Across the Country

Flood Map Meeting to Take Place in Paulsboro on March 26, 2015

EATONTOWN, N.J. – Gloucester County residents and property owners will be able ask questions and obtain information on their property’s flood hazard risk at an Open House scheduled to take place in Paulsboro on Thursday, March 26 at the Paulsboro Fire House, 1502 Swedesboro Ave. from 4 to 8 p.m.

During the past year and a half, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region II office has released updates to the flood hazard maps, known as Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), for New Jersey’s coastal communities. The FIRMs identify areas of flood risk in these coastal communities.

Community and county officials in Gloucester County have arranged for the Flood Risk Open House to assist residents and property owners with questions and concerns regarding flood hazards and flood insurance rate maps.

If you think you may be in a flood zone, or already know you are, feel free to attend the open house between the hours of 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. No formal presentation will be made and no appointment is necessary.

The preliminary flood hazard maps that will be shared at the Open House are an update of the existing FIRMs. These preliminary FIRMs and the associated Flood Insurance Study (FIS) provide the basis for flood risk education and floodplain management measures. Each community is required to adopt updated maps to continue participating in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which makes flood insurance available to the community.

Insurance companies use FIRMs to determine flood insurance rates for buildings, and lenders utilize this information to determine flood insurance requirements. Residents and property owners in these areas are encouraged to learn more about their flood risk and the updates shown on the preliminary flood hazard maps by entering their property’s address in the “What’s my BFE?” tool at www.region2coastal.com.

Using interactive flood hazard maps at this Open House, representatives from the State, County, FEMA and their mapping partners will be available to answer flood risk and insurance questions and explain the preliminary flood hazard maps. Residents are encouraged to bring their elevation certificates and/or flood insurance policies to the event in order to get the best information about how their flood insurance rates may change as a result of the new preliminary flood maps and legislative reforms.

The Open Houses will cover flood hazard and FIRM map information only. No information will be available concerning outstanding insurance claims or disaster-related recovery efforts.

Please plan to attend this event if your property is currently mapped within a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), newly mapped into an SFHA, or if you are unsure of your flood risk and/or you have any questions on flood insurance. If you cannot attend or want to learn more about your flood risk, please refer to the Preliminary FIRMs which are available on the FEMA Map Service Center website, https://msc.fema.gov/portal, call the FEMA Map Information eXchange (FMIX) at 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or call your local flood plain administrator or building official.

If you are in a high-risk flood zone, known as the SFHA, you may be required by your lender to carry flood insurance. FEMA staff will be available at the Open House to talk about these changes.

Flooding is the number one natural disaster in the United States. It is vital for property owners to understand their risk and taking advantage of tools and programs available to them. Property owners can take action by purchasing flood insurance and implementing mitigation actions to help reduce future flooding impacts.

For additional information on flood hazard risk and the mapping process, please visit www.region2coastal.com

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.”

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Flood Map Meeting to Take Place in Paulsboro on March 26, 2015

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