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Know Your Risk, Take Action & Be a Force of Nature during Flood Safety Awareness Week

DENTON, Texas – Severe weather season is just around the corner, which brings with it the possibility of tornadoes and flooding.

Flooding is the most common natural disaster in the United States and can happen anywhere at any time. That’s why National Flood Safety Awareness Week, which runs from March 15-21, is the perfect time to know your risk, take action and be a force of nature.

“Everyone should take steps now to prepare for flooding and any potential adverse situation,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “Getting ready before something happens can save your life and the lives of your loved ones. It also helps neighborhoods and communities become more resilient, recovering more quickly from disasters.”

Know Your Risk Before a Flood:

• Do your homework. Be aware of the potential flooding risks for the particular area where you live.

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.
•   Be aware that flash flooding can occur. If it does, immediately move to higher ground.
•   Be aware of streams, drainage channels, canyons and other areas known to suddenly flood.
•   Do not drive into flooded areas. Turn Around; Don’t Drown. Two feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles.

Be a Force of Nature:

•   Help your community by sharing your weather and emergency preparedness story. You may inspire others to take action.
•   Write a post on Facebook or tweet about how you’ve gotten ready for floods.
•   Look for ways to help your neighborhood, town or community prepare such as joining a Community Emergency Response Team.
•   Register for America’s PrepareAthon! to learn how to stay safe during disasters.

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

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Know Your Risk, Take Action & Be a Force of Nature during Flood Safety Awareness Week

Next Meeting of National Advisory Council

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be holding the next National Advisory Council (NAC) public meeting in New Orleans, LA from March 4 – 5, 2015.

WHAT: NAC Meeting

WHERE: Jackson Barracks
6400 St. Claude Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70117

WHEN: March 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (CST)
March 5 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (CST)

During the meeting, the NAC will meet with the FEMA Administrator, Deputy Administrator, and leadership to receive program briefings, and it will review the progress and potential recommendations of its three subcommittees: Preparedness and Protection, Response and Recovery, and Federal Insurance and Mitigation.

The NAC will also discuss other topics to include:

•   Hurricane Katrina Recovery
•   FEMA Office of Response and Recovery Activities and Updates
•   Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration Activities and Updates
•   America’s PrepareAthon!

Members of the public are invited to provide public comments after each subcommittee report- out and between 4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST on Wednesday, March 4, 2015. Directions on how to submit public comments can be found on the NAC webpage.

The NAC was established to ensure effective and ongoing coordination of Federal preparedness, protection, response, recovery, mitigation for natural disasters, acts of terrorism and other man-made disasters. The NAC advises the FEMA Administrator on all aspects of emergency management and incorporates federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, and non-profit and private sector partners’ input into the development and revision of FEMA policies and strategies.
For those planning to attend in person and for additional information on facilities or services for individuals with disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, please contact the Office of the NAC by email at FEMA-NAC@fema.dhs.gov.

More information on the NAC is available at www.fema.gov/national-advisory-council.

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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Next Meeting of National Advisory Council

Pulaski County, Arkansas Flood Maps Become Final in July

DENTON, Texas ––In early July, new flood maps for Pulaski County will become effective.

Local, state and federal officials encourage everyone to view the maps before Monday, July 6, 2015 in order to understand their flood risk and then consider buying flood insurance.

Most property insurance policies do not cover the effects of flooding. People without flood insurance, either through a private policy or through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a voluntary protection program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), risk uninsured losses to their homes, personal property and businesses.

To learn if your community participates in the NFIP and to review the new flood maps, contact your local floodplain administrator.

FEMA map specialists and flood insurance experts also are available to answer questions. They can be reached by phone and online chat.

•   To use the live chat service, visit http://go.usa.gov/r6C. Click on the “Live Chat” icon.
•   To contact a FEMA Map Specialist, call 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or send an email to FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com.
•   To view a Preliminary Interactive Flood Map: http://maps.riskmap6.com/AR/Pulaski/

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Pulaski County, Arkansas Flood Maps Become Final in July

Pittsburg County, Oklahoma Flood Maps Become Final in June

DENTON, Texas –– New flood maps become effective in Pittsburgh County on June 2, 2015.

Local, state and federal officials encourage everyone to view the maps before Tuesday, June 2, 2015 in order to understand their flood risk and then consider buying flood insurance.

Most homeowner insurance policies do not cover the effects of flooding. People in the special flood hazard areas (SFHA) and with a federally backed mortgage are required to insure their structure and contents, either through a private policy or through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). This is a voluntary program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). NFIP policies are available to anyone living in a participating community, including business owners.

Flooding is the #1 natural disaster in the U.S. and only flood insurance covers these unexpected, damaging and sometimes fatal events. “It is critical that everyone is prepared for the hazards and risks in their communities. Knowing your risk of flooding is the first step in taking the appropriate actions to prepare,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. To learn if your community participates in the NFIP and to review the new flood maps, contact your local floodplain administrator (FPA). Randy Gropp is the FPA for the Town of Kiowa and can be reached at (918) 432 5841. Richard Howry is the FPA for Pittsburg County, his phone number is (918) 423-4726.

FEMA map specialists and flood insurance experts also are available to answer questions. They can be reached by phone and online chat.
•   To use the live chat service, visit http://go.usa.gov/r6C. Click on the “Live Chat” icon.
•   To contact a FEMA Map Specialist, call 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or send an email to FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com.
•   To view a Preliminary Interactive Flood Map: http://maps.riskmap6.com/OK/Pittsburg;

FEMA encourages communities not currently participating in the NFIP to look at the benefits of joining the program. Contacting a local insurance agent is the first step to obtaining information about insurance. Folks can visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-379-9531 to locate an agent in their area.

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.

Pittsburg County, Oklahoma Flood Maps Become Final in June

FEMA 2014 Funding for Louisiana Tops $554 Million

DENTON, Texas —The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided more than $554 million in 2014 funding to the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) and community partners for disaster recovery, mitigation and preparedness.

“FEMA in partnership with GOHSEP, continues to provide funding to assist communities in recovering from and mitigating against future damage,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “We are committed to helping Louisiana residents strengthen their resilience.”

The $554 million includes more than $4 million from FEMA’s Individual Assistance program, $301 million in Public Assistance dollars for repair and replacement of infrastructure, $225 million in Hazard Mitigation funding, and more than $24 million in Preparedness grants for projects to mitigate damage from future disasters.

“It is exciting to see the progress made over the past year,” said Kevin Davis, GOHSEP Executive Director. “Our team realizes the importance of working with FEMA in order to help Louisiana citizens recover.”

Some highlights from FEMA’s 2014 federal funding in Louisiana for disasters dating back to 2005 include:
•   The city of New Orleans received more than $79 million for road repairs and American with Disabilities (ADA) ramps for damage incurred after Hurricane Katrina.
•   Plaquemines Parish School Board was funded over $3 million for Phoenix High School repairs to campus facilities damaged by Hurricane Katrina.
•   St. John the Baptist Parish received $26.3 million to fund repairs to five East St. John High School buildings and the Lake Pontchartrain Elementary School following Hurricane Isaac.
•   Jefferson Parish received $2 million for the elevation of 16 homes, severely damaged by previous storms and flooding including Hurricane Gustav.
•   GOHSEP’s statewide generator project was awarded $2.1 million from Hurricane Gustav for the purchase and installation of permanent and portable generators at 19 critical facilities, including Covington, East Baton Rouge, and Jefferson parishes’ fire and police departments, lift stations, and Caddo Parish Child & Family Services.

In addition to providing federal funding, FEMA’s Environmental and Historic Preservation team in partnership with the Louisiana State Historic Preservation Office helped to facilitate the new listing of New Orleans’ Edgewood Park Historic District to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.

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FEMA 2014 Funding for Louisiana Tops $554 Million

FEMA 2014 Funding for Texas Exceeds $211 Million

DENTON, Texas — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided more than $211 million in 2014 funding to the Texas Department of Emergency Management (TDEM) and community partners for disaster recovery, mitigation and preparedness.

“FEMA, in partnership with TDEM, continues to provide funding to assist communities recovering from and mitigating against future damage,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “We are committed to helping Texas residents strengthen their resilience.”

The $211 million includes more than $262,000 from FEMA’s Individual Assistance program, $26.9 million in Public Assistance dollars for repair and replacement of infrastructure after a disaster, $57.7 million in Hazard Mitigation, and more than $126.6 million in Preparedness funding to mitigate damage from future disasters.

The 2014 federal funding covered numerous projects in Texas including:
•   More than $14 million to assist in the construction of a new high school in West, TX which included the construction of a tornado shelter within the school.
•   Over $23.1 million was awarded through the Operation Stonegarden preparedness program. The intent of this program is to enhance coordination among local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to secure the borders.
•   $1.8 million was provided for the construction of two safe rooms in Quanah, TX. When completed, these safe rooms will provide protection to 1,757 nearby residents during the threat of tornadoes.

In addition to providing federal funding, FEMA’s Mitigation Division has taken steps to improve the on-line resources for communities. In 2014 the Risk Communications Guidebook was updated to include the most recent information on the National Flood Insurance Program reform.

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FEMA 2014 Funding for Texas Exceeds $211 Million

Revised Preliminary Flood Maps in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana Ready for Public View

DENTON, Texas – Homeowners, renters and business owners in Lafayette Parish are encouraged to look over newly-revised preliminary flood maps in order to determine their flood risks and make informed decisions.

Parish officials and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are presenting the revised preliminary maps to communities and unincorporated areas in order to help leaders and residents identify known flood risks in their area. Residents and business owners can use this information to make decisions about buying flood insurance and other building decisions. Community leaders can use this information to identify how the community should move forward with any development.

“We have worked with our state and local partners to bring this critical information to the parish and hope that everyone reviews the maps to understand what flood risks are involved,” said Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “It is very important to have the community as an active partner in the flood mapping process.”

To view the revised flood maps, please contact your local floodplain administrator who may be located at City Hall or the local parish government building. You can also visit http://msc.fema.gov/portal or http://maps.riskmap6.com. To contact a FEMA Map Specialist, call 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or send an email to FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com.

Once a flood risk is identified, the next step is to consider the purchase of a flood policy from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-379-9531 to locate an agent in your area.

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 http://twitter.com/#!/femaregion6, and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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Revised Preliminary Flood Maps in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana Ready for Public View

FEMA Funding in New Jersey Exceeds $6.9 Billion

EATONTOWN, N.J. — In the two years and three months since Hurricane Sandy scored a direct hit on New Jersey, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has remained engaged in the recovery effort, providing $6.9 billion to date to help the state recover and rebuild.

This money has helped to rebuild critical facilities, clear debris from navigable channels, restore boardwalks along the Jersey Shore, rebuild Atlantic Highlands harbor, and reimburse municipalities throughout the state for the enormous costs of clearing debris and restoring public safety in the immediate aftermath of the storm.

FEMA’s National Flood Insurance program has paid out more than $3.5 billion in claims to flood insurance policyholders whose homes were damaged or destroyed by the storm.

Through FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program (IHP), the agency approved $422.9 million in payments to Sandy survivors.

FEMA Public Assistance, which provides funds for repair and rebuilding of infrastructure and public facilities as well as necessary work such as debris removal and emergency response, has contributed $1.525 billion towards repair and rebuilding projects in New Jersey. Eighty-seven percent of all PA projects in New Jersey have total project costs of over a half-million dollars.

As the immediate work of rebuilding continues, FEMA is helping to strengthen the state’s capacity to withstand a future disaster. Forty percent of all Public Assistance (PA) projects have accompanying mitigation projects attached to them. FEMA is funding projects that protect vulnerable facilities from inundation by storm waters, raise homes above the flood plain and convert neighborhoods that have experienced repeated and devastating flooding to public, open space.

To date, the FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program has allotted $162 million for voluntary property acquisitions in communities subject to repetitive flooding. It has allocated $51 million for home elevations in flood-prone areas and $9.7 million for the Retail Fuel Station Program. The RFS is a voluntary grant program designed to enhance the operational resiliency of retail fuel stations statewide by funding the installation of back-up generators capable of operating fuel pumps when power outages occur.

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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FEMA Funding in New Jersey Exceeds $6.9 Billion

AmeriCorps Helping Storm Survivors in Southeast Michigan

WARREN, Mich. – AmeriCorps, a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, serves communities across America. When the call came to assist Michiganders affected by the August flooding, more than 30 AmeriCorps members were called into action. Members are in Michigan assisting homeowners with mucking out hundreds of homes damaged during the storm.

AmeriCorps Disaster Response Team members are tearing out ruined drywall and paneling, ripping up sodden carpets and linoleum, and hauling out damaged refrigerators and cabinets. They are piling up mounds of debris from basement kitchens, bedrooms and areas where residents stored photos, heirlooms and other treasures. They are removing mold when they find it, after donning protective gear.

Some 368 cubic yards of debris was removed from homes in the first week this team was on the ground. Their work is particularly difficult as the deluge in mid-August that shut down some freeways and roadways for days also caused sewer system backups throughout Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties.

“The work AmeriCorps is doing is vital,” said Michigan State Police Capt. Chris A. Kelenske, State Coordinating Officer and Deputy State Director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. “They are helping those disaster survivors who need it most.”

Residents in need of assistance are calling 211 to request a free home cleanup.

“Priority is being given to the elderly, disabled and others whose circumstances make it difficult for them to do it themselves,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Dolph A. Diemont.

AmeriCorps members work long hours, sometimes barely stopping for lunch, although Norma Eggman, 22, said she appreciated the pizza from one thankful homeowner. Her day starts early and ends late. The work of mopping out basements and smashing ruined furniture is hard, but Eggman is proud of what she and her team are doing.

“I’m proud to serve and I’m excited to be doing this work,” Eggman said.

Eggman is an AmeriCorps member with the Arizona Conservation Corps. She and her teammates piled into a van and drove for three days to Michigan. AmeriCorps members with the Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa, Montana Conservation Corps and Texas Conservation

Corps also are in Michigan helping flood survivors. Members include residents of those five states and others from Georgia, Idaho, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, South Carolina and Wisconsin.

“The national service family is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with those in southeast Michigan,” said Kelly DeGraff, senior advisor for Disaster Services at the Corporation for National and Community Service. “AmeriCorps members are here to not only provide vital services, but hope and comfort to those in need.”

AmeriCorps members are housed at a local monastery. They will work in Michigan for about a month before returning to their jobs doing trail maintenance, stream restoration and other conservation measures. Other AmeriCorps teams rotate in so the work flow in Michigan is not interrupted.

Crew leader Alexandra Breant, 24, and her team recently mucked out a retired widow’s home. The team carried sodden items outside and then Breant sat down to talk with the woman.

“There were things she didn’t want to let go of,” said Breant of Phoenix. “I needed to be compassionate and understanding, as this was someone’s life.”

Breant echoed the sentiment of many AmeriCorps members. “It is an honor and an opportunity to be able to help Michigan residents,” she said.

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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 twitter.com/femaregion5, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

English: http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4195

Spanish: http://www.fema.gov/es/disaster/4195

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AmeriCorps Helping Storm Survivors in Southeast Michigan

The Filing Deadline for the National Flood Insurance Program is October 29

NEW YORK – The time limit to file proof of loss claims for policyholders affected by Hurricane Sandy is Oct. 29, 2014.

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) usually requires policyholders to submit a fully documented, signed and sworn proof-of-loss claim within 60 days from the date of their loss.

The magnitude of the Sandy disaster is the reason the filing deadline was extended for two years to give policyholders additional time to file claims.

The Proof of Loss document is included in the claims package that documents flood losses. The claims package should include:

photos and/or video of the flooding and resulting damage

a comprehensive, itemized list of what was damaged

receipts, if possible, for damaged items along with any other supporting documents showing the value of what you lost

As for filing, the location is dependent upon who wrote the policy. If a Standard Flood Insurance Policy was issued by a Write Your Own program-participating insurance company, the claimant should contact their insurance agent or the carrier directly to find out the proper address for submitting the Proof of Loss with supporting documentation.

To download a blank NFIP Proof of Loss document: http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=2545

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The Filing Deadline for the National Flood Insurance Program is October 29

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