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Be Disaster Aware. Take Action To Prepare

ATLANTA – September is National Preparedness Month, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) encourages everyone to make disaster preparedness a priority.

“National Preparedness Month reminds us that we all need to be ready for disasters and emergencies,” said FEMA Region IV Acting Regional Administrator Andrew Velasquez III. “September is also the height of hurricane season, so preparing now is even more critical for families and businesses in the Southeast.”

Across the Nation, disasters are occurring with greater frequency, and are larger and more complex. Severe weather and other emergencies can strike with little or no warning and can have disastrous impacts. Already this year, states across the Southeast have experienced destructive severe storms, including the winter storms that affected Alabama, Georgia and North and South Carolina. Spring tornadoes and flooding also affected several states. Four named tropical cyclones, Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, and Dolly have already formed this summer, and they serve as a reminder to be ready for hurricanes.

“Take the steps necessary to make preparedness a part of your everyday life,” said Velasquez. “Prepare for the hazards that are most likely to occur where you live and work. Talk to your family and make a family disaster plan. But don’t stop there. Practice your plan. Practicing in advance of a disaster makes you better prepared to handle any emergency you may encounter.”

Make disaster readiness manageable by taking one step at a time— start by learning your specific risks, then gather supplies for an emergency kit, and finally develop a family communications plan. By taking these small, but critical steps, over time you can be prepared for disasters. A useful guide to prepare for hurricanes is located at FEMA’s America’s PrepareAthon! website.

Throughout the month, FEMA will offer tips to help you be disaster ready, including ways you can stay safe during a disaster. Follow FEMA Region IV online at twitter.com/femaregion4 and www.facebook.com/fema, to receive the latest preparedness updates.

For detailed information about how to be ready for severe weather in your area, including a list of items you will want to have in your emergency kit, visit http://www.ready.gov/, or our Spanish site at www.listo.gov.

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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Be Disaster Aware. Take Action To Prepare

FEMA Honors Achievement in Community Preparedness

2014 Individual and Community Preparedness Award Winners Announced

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced the winners of the 2014 FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness Awards, recognizing the outstanding efforts of individuals, programs and organizations throughout the country working to prepare their communities for emergencies.

“Strong emergency management requires teamwork, community engagement, innovation and strong relationships at all levels before disasters occur,” FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate said. “This year, we recognize individuals and organizations that exemplify this approach, and I congratulate them on their dedication to make our nation stronger and safer.”

This year’s honorees developed and implemented innovative tools, programs and resources, which provided opportunities for a wide variety of stakeholders to make their communities better prepared and more resilient. Some examples include:

The Mississippi State University Extension Service launched the Mississippi Youth Preparedness Initiative (MyPI), a grassroots effort to train and educate approximately 3,500 teens annually about emergency preparedness. Participating youth also completed service projects to prepare families in their communities for disaster.
The Delaware State Citizen Corps Council, Partnerships in Assistive Technologies, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Office of Preparedness and Emergency Management supported the development of smartphone apps to enhance communications between professional responders and people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.
The Smyrna Emergency Management Agency in Georgia became the nation’s first municipality to participate in America’s PrepareAthon!, conducting a community-wide tornado drill involving 200 businesses.
The New York City Office of Emergency Management’s Ready New York for Seniors Program conducted approximately 200 presentations to more than 8,000 older Americans living in the city.

This year’s winners of FEMA’s Individual and Community Preparedness Awards are:

Outstanding State Citizen Corps Council Initiatives: Delaware State Citizen Corps Council (DE)
Outstanding Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Initiatives: MOCERT1 (Southwestern Missouri Regional CERT) (MO)
Outstanding Local Citizen Corps Council Initiatives: Albany County Citizen Corps (NY)
Outstanding Achievement in Youth Preparedness: The Mississippi Youth Preparedness Initiative (MyPI) (MS)
Community Preparedness Heroes: Lieutenant Brian K. Rand (MA) and the Coalition for the Upper South Platte (CUSP) (CO)
Awareness to Action: Do 1 Thing (MI)
Technological Innovation: Partnerships in Assistive Technologies (PATHs, Inc.) (WV)
Survivor Empowerment and Integration: Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Office of Preparedness and Emergency Management (MA)
Fourth Annual Recipients of the John D. Solomon Whole Community Preparedness Award: Smyrna Emergency Management Agency (GA) and New York City Office of Emergency Management: Ready New York for Seniors (NY)

FEMA received more than 230 applications for the Individual and Community Preparedness Awards from public, private, tribal and nonprofit organizations as well as from individuals. Leadership from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the American Red Cross, Target and FEMA selected winners from among applicants from 43 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

The eleven recipients of FEMA’s Individual and Community Preparedness Awards will be recognized at a ceremony being held during National Preparedness Month in Washington, D.C. During the ceremony, recipients will share their perspectives, insights, experiences, success stories and lessons learned with fellow emergency management leaders.

More information on this year’s award recipients, along with details on the honorable mentions, is available at www.ready.gov/citizen-corps/citizen-corps-awards.

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FEMA Honors Achievement in Community Preparedness

Race the Wave 5K fun run/walk to practice tsunami evacuation routes.

September 2, 2014
News Release

Race the Wave 5K fun run/walk to practice tsunami evacuation routes.

Cannon Beach, OR – September is National Preparedness Month and Pacific Northwest coastal communities are leading by example. Cannon Beach, Oregon will host Race the Wave, their first hazard-themed fun run designed to blend awareness and action into a single activity.

Race the Wave is a 5k tsunami fun run/walk that follows an actual tsunami evacuation route in Cannon Beach. On September 28, participants will learn about earthquake and tsunami hazards so they can make informed decisions and take actions to be better prepared, creating a more resilient community. The race route begins on the beach and finishes at the higher ground of one of the community’s evacuation meeting points, where Cannon Beach will host a preparedness fair with interactive booths for all to learn more about how to prepare for emergencies and disasters.

Cannon Beach, OR is a community long committed to ensuring its citizens and visitors are prepared for a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami. Race the Wave uses the National Preparedness month themes of being disaster aware and taking action to prepare and makes those themes relevant for their community.

Know the Plan: Make a plan with your family about where you will meet. Know if you need to pick your kids up from school. Know where you need to go and what to bring with you.
Take the Route: Become familiar with signage in your area. Learn the evacuation route from where you live, work, and play. Evacuate on foot and avoid traveling by car if possible.
Race the Wave: Natural warnings are the best sign of a tsunami. If you feel the ground shaking, move quickly inland or to a higher elevation. Listen to the radio to learn of tsunami warnings originating from non-local causes.

The Community of Cannon Beach, Clatsop County Office of Emergency Management, Oregon Office of Emergency Management, Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI), Oregon Office on Disability & Health at Oregon Health & Science University and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region X office are coming together to support Race the Wave.

FEMA is encouraging everyone to take steps to become better prepared for an emergency. Whether it’s at home, at work, at school, or in the community, there’s a lot that you can do to be ready and help others be ready too. This September, take time to get disaster prepared and take action to prepare.

For more information and to participate in Race the Wave visit the community Facebook page.

Follow FEMA online at twitter.com/femaregion10, 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

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Race the Wave 5K fun run/walk to practice tsunami evacuation routes.

A Decade After 2004 Storms, FEMA Urges Hurricane Preparedness

ATLANTA – September’s National Preparedness Month reminds us of the importance of preparing for hurricanes. While the southeast is no stranger to life-changing hurricanes, this September marks 10 years since hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne affected Florida and other states, 15 years since Hurricane Floyd crossed North Carolina’s coast and 25 years since Hurricane Hugo in South Carolina. Each storm left its own unpredictable mark on the people and communities they touched. Some hurricanes brought fierce winds that tore through everything in their path, and others, storm surge and flooding that destroyed coastlines and infrastructure. Several had the wicked combination of dangerous wind and rain.

The most valuable lesson each of those storms provides for us today is that – the time to prepare for the next hurricane is now. Each week in September, FEMA will focus on a specific area of preparedness. National Preparedness Month culminates on September 30 with America’s PrepareAthon!, a national day of action to encourage individuals, businesses, organizations and communities to take part in preparedness activities.

Visit www.ready.gov or www.listo.gov for emergency preparedness resources such as a family emergency plan and a guide on building emergency kits. Find events near you, and register your preparedness activity at www.ready.gov/prepare.

Below is a recap of the storms:

The Florida Four—August 13, September 5, 16, and 26, 2004

Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne, known as the “Florida four in ‘04,” had widespread impact beyond just the Sunshine State. However, their impact on Florida was particularly unique. It was the first time four hurricanes hit a single state in one year since the 1886 Texas hurricane season.

Hurricane Charley, a fast and windy storm, struck Punta Gorda, Fla. on Friday, Aug. 13 and later moved through South Carolina. Hurricane Frances was a slow-moving, large storm that made landfall on Sept. 5 and brought notable storm surge to both Florida coasts. In addition to creating more than 100 tornadoes, Frances dumped heavy rain across the eastern U.S. causing near-record flooding.

On Sept. 16, Hurricane Ivan made landfall just west of Gulf Shores, Ala., with its strongest winds over the southern Alabama/western Florida panhandle border. The storm also brought significant rain and tornadoes across much of the southeastern United States. Ten days later, on Sept. 26–seven weeks after Hurricane Charley–Hurricane Jeanne made landfall just east of Stuart, Fla. Jeanne moved across central Florida then across Georgia with heavy rain.

In Florida alone, FEMA provided nearly $4 billion to individuals and communities for the recovery from the four storms. This included grants for rental assistance, home repair, and other disaster related expenses, crisis counseling, disaster legal services, disaster unemployment assistance, manufactured housing, debris removal, and the repair or replacement of infrastructure. At the time, FEMA’s response to the four hurricanes was the largest in the agency’s 26-year history.

Hurricane Floyd—September 16, 1999

Slow-moving and massive, Hurricane Floyd hit the North Carolina coast near Cape Fear weakening from a Category 4 to a Category 2 hurricane just before landfall. Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina experienced the largest evacuation effort in American history at that time. Traffic engineers estimated 3 million people took to the highways creating the largest, longest, and most incredibly snarled traffic jam ever known.

Whole North Carolina towns, such as Princeville in Edgecombe County and Seven Springs in Wayne County, were inundated. Water rose to rooftops and traffic lights and stayed there for weeks. In all, it is estimated that Floyd’s floodwaters damaged 57,000 structures in North Carolina — 7,000 of which were destroyed, and 17,000 classified as uninhabitable. The state opened 230 shelters and housed up to100,000 homeless flood survivors. Two-thirds of the state was declared a disaster.

Floyd continued along the coast of the Mid-Atlantic into New England bringing significant flooding to areas already saturated by Tropical Storm Dennis two weeks earlier. In addition to North Carolina, 12 states received federal disaster declarations from Florida to Maine. FEMA provided more than $2.4 billion for recovery in the 13 states.

Hurricane Hugo—September 21, 1989

Hurricane Hugo made landfall just north of Charleston, South Carolina, at midnight Sept. 21, 1989, as a Category 4 hurricane with 135 mph winds and rolled through South Carolina on a northwest path.

The storm’s high winds extended far inland and storm surge inundated the South Carolina coast from Charleston to Myrtle Beach. Hours later, the storm tore through much of North Carolina. It was

the strongest hurricane on record to hit South Carolina, and the second strongest hurricane (since reliable records began in 1851) to hit the East Coast north of Florida. Only Hurricane

Hazel of 1954 (Category 4, 140 mph winds) was stronger.

More deadly and destructive than Hurricane Hugo’s 135 mph winds were the surging tides accompanying landfall. The combination of high tide, the tidal surge preceding Hugo and waves generated by the storm inundated a wide area of coastal plain.

In Charlotte, North Carolina, residents lost power for up to 18 days as thousands of trees, broken limbs and debris severed power lines.

In South Carolina alone, FEMA provided $82 million to individuals and families for housing and other disaster-related expenses and $236 million for debris removal, public utility and infrastructure repair or replacement and emergency protective measures.

These storms remind us that the time to prepare for the next hurricane is now. Visit www.ready.gov or www.listo.gov for a wealth of emergency preparedness resources, including how to create a family emergency plan, build an emergency kit and take part in a community preparedness event.

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A Decade After 2004 Storms, FEMA Urges Hurricane Preparedness

FEMA Announces Emergency Food and Shelter Program Awards for 2014

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced $120 million in federal funding to assist organizations dedicated to feeding, sheltering and providing critical resources to our nation’s hungry and homeless.

Funding was made available by Congress for the national board of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) for fiscal year 2014 to support social service agencies in cities and counties across the country.

“The Emergency Food and Shelter Program supports communities across the nation and some of their most vulnerable residents,” FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate said. “The program enables our nonprofit partners to ensure that the most basic needs of these citizens are met.”

The national board governs the EFSP. It is chaired by DHS/FEMA and has representatives from the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities USA, the Jewish Federations of North America, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, the Salvation Army and United Way Worldwide. The national board has selected United Way Worldwide to serve as secretariat and fiscal agent to the national board.

EFSP funding is allocated to qualifying jurisdictions based on thresholds involving population, unemployment and poverty levels both nationally and locally. Grants are then awarded to nonprofit community and government organizations that are chosen by local boards in the qualifying jurisdictions. This year’s award to the National Board brings the total aid disbursed in the EFSP’s 32-year history to more than $4.0 billion.

A state-by-state list of the eligible jurisdictions and award amounts is available at www.efsp.unitedway.org.

Congress placed the EFSP under FEMA in 1983 to underscore the emergency nature of the funding in getting assistance to those most vulnerable with food and shelter needs.

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FEMA Announces Emergency Food and Shelter Program Awards for 2014

Federal funds authorized to help fight Oregon Gulch Fire

August 2, 2014
News Release

Federal funds authorized to help fight Oregon Gulch Fire

Seattle, WA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Oregon Gulch Fire, burning in Jackson and Klamath Counties, Oregon.

FEMA Region X Regional Administrator, Kenneth D. Murphy determined that the Oregon Gulch Fire threatened such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. Murphy approved the state’s request for federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) on August 1, 2014 at 6:43 p.m. PDT.

On August 1, 2014, the State of Oregon submitted a request for a fire management assistance declaration for the Oregon Gulch Fire, burning in Jackson and Klamath Counties. At the time of the request, 123 homes were threatened and about 40 people had evacuated the area. Two major power transmission lines from a hydroelectric facility had been destroyed and a third transmission line was threatened. The fire was also threatening the municipal watershed area, the Pinehurst municipal airport and an elementary school. The fire started on July 31, 2014, and has fire has burned approximately 11,000 acres of Federal and private land. The Firefighting resources committed to the incident include fire crews, structural engines, helicopters, air tankers, dozers and two teams of National Guard forces. Federal Principal Advisor confirmed the threat to homes and power transmission lines. The fire is at zero percent containment.

The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of Oregon State’s eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires. These grants provide reimbursement for firefighting and life-saving efforts. They do not provide assistance to individuals, homeowners or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.

Fire Management Assistance Grants are provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies.

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Federal funds authorized to help fight Oregon Gulch Fire

Flood Insurance is an Essential Ingredient for Protecting Your Family

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – In 2013, the National Weather Service issued 332 flash flood and flood watches/warnings for the state. The state also reported one tropical storm in the Gulf Coast. More severe weather came this spring with tornadoes and more than two feet of rain.

Between the Gulf Coast’s tropical storms and the numerous rivers and streams, the potential for flooding in Alabama is ever present, according to the National Weather Service Office in Birmingham.

“Flooding due to heavy rains is a serious threat to all residents of our state,” said Alabama Emergency Management Director Art Faulkner. “Many of the homes and businesses flooded in the recent historic rain events were not in a flood zone. For the best protection, a flood policy available through the National Flood Insurance Program is a wise investment. Flood insurance will not keep rising water out of your home or business, but it will protect the investment you have in them.”

Flood insurance is important regardless of your flood zone. In fact, people outside high-risk areas file more than 25 percent of flood claims nationwide. And according to the flood insurance program, from 2003 to 2012, the agency averaged $4 billion in claims per year nationwide.

In Alabama, only 57,000 of the estimated 1.8 million households have flood insurance. Yet, the state is highly susceptible to the ravages of flooding, according to FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer in charge of Alabama’s disaster recovery Joe M. Girot.

“Here are two important points people need to understand,” he said. “First, homeowner insurance policies do not cover flooding. Second, flood insurance policyholders can file a claim even if a storm doesn’t trigger a federal disaster declaration.

“Flood insurance is available to homeowners, business owners and renters in communities that participate in the National Flood Insurance Program and enforce their local flood damage prevention ordinances,” Girot said.

Homeowners in a floodplain (or Special Flood Hazard Area) must buy flood insurance if they have a mortgage from a federally regulated lender. An interactive guide to determine your flood risk is available online at FloodSmart.gov. The site also provides information on the NFIP.

Flood insurance, with an average premium running about $600 per year, can save homeowners thousands of dollars in repairs. Just three inches of floodwater in a home will require replacing drywall, baseboards, carpets, furniture and other necessary repairs that can cost an estimated $7,800, according to the National Flood Insurance Program.

The deeper the floodwater, the more it will cost – 18 inches of water means repairs to the electrical system and the heating and cooling system. It also means replacement of doors, appliances and cabinetry, adding another $26,000 to the bill.

Homeowners can insure their homes for up to $250,000 and contents for up to $100,000. Renters can cover their belongings for up to $100,000. Nonresidential property owners can insure a building and its contents for up to $500,000 each.

There is normally a 30-day waiting period when purchasing a new policy. Flood insurance is sold through private companies and agents and is backed by the federal government.

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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 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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Flood Insurance is an Essential Ingredient for Protecting Your Family

Disaster recovery going strong 10 months after flooding

Almost 10 months ago, heavy rains brought flooding, landslides and mudslides to several counties along Colorado’s Front Range. Since that time, nearly $449 million in grants, reimbursements, low-interest loans and insurance payments to individuals, businesses and communities has been approved by the State of Colorado, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

In all, Individual Assistance was extended to 11 counties, while 18 counties were eligible for Public Assistance. The counties receiving IA were Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Clear Creek, El Paso, Fremont, Jefferson, Larimer, Logan, Morgan and Weld. The counties designated for PA were Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Clear Creek, Crowley, Denver, El Paso, Fremont, Gilpin, Jefferson, Lake, Larimer, Lincoln, Logan, Morgan, Sedgwick, Washington and Weld.

Ten months later, FEMA and the Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator continue to work closely with the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and Colorado Recovery Office. Going forward, the FDRC will continue to manage the coordination of recovery programs with other federal agencies as well as on-going FEMA recovery programs.

A few milestones from the Colorado flood disaster:

• One month after the disaster, more than $60 million dollars was in the hands of survivors to help with the cleanup and rebuilding of their homes and lives. One hundred days after the disaster, more than $204 million was helping survivors recover.

• FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams canvassed hundreds of neighborhoods, visiting more than 62,000 homes and 2,741 businesses to provide information on a vast array of services and resources available to eligible applicants and made follow-up contacts in hundreds of cases.

• More than 21,500 survivors were able to visit 26 State/federal Disaster Recovery Centers to get one-on-one briefings on available assistance, low-interest loans and other information.

• Transitional Sheltering Assistance was activated Sept. 22 to house applicants in 177 hotels. That program closed Dec. 15 after sheltering a total of 1,067 households. Following TSA, the housing mission provided 54 Manufactured Housing Units to house 47 households. Twenty-three households have vacated 27 units since the onset of the program.

• Nearly 54 percent of Public Assistance permanent repair work and more than 65 percent of large (more than $67,500) Public Assistance projects contain mitigation measures to lessen the impact of similar disasters on publicly owned infrastructure.

• Public Assistance worked closely with state and county officials not only to reimburse for repairs or replacement of infrastructure, but also to remove hazards from streams. PA also implemented new Alternative Procedures (PAAP) pilot program created by the Sandy Recovery and Improvement Act to streamline the reimbursement process for permanent repairs to or replacement of disaster-damaged infrastructure.

Federal assistance and obligations by county:

Adams

Individual Assistance

Housing Assistance: $1,111,231

Other Needs Assistance: $136,457

Total IA Assistance: $1,247,688

Small Business Administration Assistance:

Homeowner Loans: $1,634,200

Business Loans: $80,500

Total SBA Assistance: $1,714,700

Public Assistance: $6,092,859

Arapahoe

Individual Assistance

Housing Assistance: $3,279,187

Other Needs Assistance: $295,250

Total IA Assistance: $3,574,437

Small Business Administration Assistance

Homeowner Loans: $3,769,300

Business Loans: $252,800

Total SBA Assistance: $4,022,100

Public Assistance: $2,205,031

Boulder

Individual Assistance

Housing Assistance: $32,868,721

Other Needs Assistance: $2,307,482

Total IA Assistance: $35,176,203

Small Business Administration Assistance

Homeowner Loans: $50,300,100

Business Loans: $14,430,600

Total SBA Assistance: $64,730,700

Public Assistance: $82,041,560

Clear Creek

Individual Assistance

Housing Assistance: $244,111

Other Needs Assistance: $2,674

Total IA Assistance: $246,785

Small Business Administration Assistance

Homeowner Loans: $142,200

Business Loans: $29,600

Total SBA Assistance: $171,800

Public Assistance: $1,134,005

Crowley

Public Assistance: $239,576

Denver

Public Assistance: $2,405,472

El Paso

Individual Assistance

Housing Assistance: $1,578,069

Other Needs Assistance: $194,261

Total IA Assistance: $1,772,330

Small Business Administration Assistance

Homeowner Loans: $1,785.900

Business Loans: $370,100

Total SBA Assistance: $2,156,000

Public Assistance: $7,186,433

Fremont

Individual Assistance

Housing Assistance: $59,352

Other Needs Assistance: $1,950

Total IA Assistance: $61,302

Small Business Administration Assistance

Homeowner Loans: $45,400

Total SBA Assistance: $45,400

Public Assistance: $799,341

Gilpin

Public Assistance: $448,147

Jefferson

Individual Assistance

Housing Assistance: $38,442

Other Needs Assistance: $1,561,089

Total IA Assistance: $1,599,531

Small Business Administration Assistance

Homeowner Loans: $2,662,600

Business Loans: $450,000

Total SBA Assistance: $3,112,600

Public Assistance: $7,692,622

Lake

Public Assistance: $156,570

Larimer

Individual Assistance

Housing Assistance: $6,547,742

Other Needs Assistance: $396,376

Total IA Assistance: $6,944,118

Small Business Administration Assistance

Homeowner Loans: $9,053,400

Business Loans: $11,265,000

Total SBA Assistance: $20,318,400

Public Assistance: $49,302,684

Lincoln

Public Assistance: $96,737

Logan

Individual Assistance

Housing Assistance: $491,539

Other Needs Assistance: $42,875

Total IA Assistance: $534,414

Small Business Administration Assistance

Homeowner Loans: $1,312,100

Business Loans: $179,200

Total SBA Assistance: $1,491,300

Public Assistance: $590,548

Morgan

Individual Assistance

Housing Assistance: $82,381

Other Needs Assistance: $8,292

Total IA Assistance: $90,673

Small Business Administration Assistance

Homeowner Loans: $65,400

Total SBA Assistance: $65,400

Public Assistance: $3,403,673

Sedgwick

Public Assistance: $20,618

Washington

Public Assistance: $277,783

Weld

Individual Assistance

Housing Assistance: $8,676,604

Other Needs Assistance: $1,502,403

Total IA Assistance: $10,179,007

Small Business Administration Assistance

Homeowner Loans: $9,541,600

Business Loans: $1,179,400

Total SBA Assistance: $10,721,000

Public Assistance: $17,918,448

Statewide Agencies

Public Assistance: $31,220,892

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Disaster recovery going strong 10 months after flooding

Being Alert to Fraud Helps Both Recovery and the Taxpayer

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The great majority of people registering with Federal Emergency Management Agency for help have genuine needs.

Unfortunately, the rush to get assistance by those affected by the Alabama tornadoes, severe storms and flooding of April 28 through May 5 also may present opportunities to defraud taxpayers.

Fraud increases the cost of recovery after a disaster and gives money to those without disaster-related losses, say emergency management officials.

The Inspector General for FEMA investigates complaints of fraud, waste or abuse involving FEMA contracts, programs or personnel.

The office of the Inspector General maintains a toll-free Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721.

Potential cases of fraud or misuse can be referred to the U.S. Justice Department for prosecution. Penalties for felony offenses can be severe.

Here are some examples of complaints that are typically filed with the FEMA Office of the Inspector General:

Applicants used false names and multiple and/or fictitious addresses;
Applicants claimed losses they didn’t sustain or to which they were not entitled;
Applicants did not use FEMA grant money for the intended purposes;
Municipal officials used FEMA grant money for their own benefit;
FEMA checks were stolen; and
Applicants received duplicate payments from FEMA and their insurance companies.

Complaints also may be filed by writing to:

National Center for Disaster Fraud

Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4909

Those who visit the Office of the Inspector General website at www.fema.gov/ig/hotline.shtm will find an option to submit a complaint using internet electronic mail. Those who submit complaints via email must waive confidentiality because of the non-secure nature of Internet electronic mail systems.

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Being Alert to Fraud Helps Both Recovery and the Taxpayer

July Anniversaries are an Important Reminder to Prepare for Wildfires

DENVER – This month marks two key wildfire anniversaries which serve as an important reminder that families need to take proactive steps to protect themselves and their property against wildfires.

Twenty years ago on July 2, 1994, lightning sparked a fire on Storm King Mountain, just west of Glenwood Springs, Colorado. The South Canyon Fire started out slowly, covering just three acres over two days. Then due to several factors including available vegetation, slope of the terrain and wind, the fire began a high-intensity, fast-moving front. While fighting the blaze, 14 firefighters lost their lives.

July 9, 2014 marked the 25th Anniversary of the Black Tiger Fire in Boulder County, Colorado. The human-caused fire swept through residential areas, destroying 44 homes and burning almost 2,100 acres. At the time, the Black Tiger Fire was the worst wildland fire loss in Colorado history. As people continued to build in the Wildland Urban Interface, the Black Tiger Fire underscored the importance of homeowners taking steps to protect their homes against wildfires. The lessons learned from the Black Tiger Fire were a catalyst for many of the current recommended mitigation measures established by firefighting organizations.

In recognition of both anniversaries, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region want you to prepare yourself, your family and your property for wildfires. Taking steps to mitigate not only protects you and your family, but also helps reduce risk to firefighters and other first responders.

Understand your Risk:

To determine your property’s risk, contact your local fire department. They will be able to provide specific information about your community’s hazards, and may be able to offer an individual assessment on your home.
If you live in Colorado, you may also check your property’s risk at the Colorado Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal

Protect your Property:

Create defensible space around your property:
- Clear leaves and other debris from gutters, eaves, porches and decks – and don’t use these areas for storage of flammable items. This helps prevent embers from igniting these materials.
- Keep lawns hydrated and maintained. Dry grass and shrubs are fuel for wildfire.
- Remove flammable materials within five feet of the home’s foundation and outbuildings, including garages and sheds. If it can catch fire, don’t let it touch the house, deck or wood fencing.
- Reduce vegetation surrounding the home’s perimeter from a 5 foot to 30 foot area and manage vegetation there to 200 feet or the property line, depending on the area’s wildfire risk.
- The National Fire Protection Association’s “basics of defensible space and the home ignition zone” page on the Firewise site provides these and other steps to help homeowners prepare their properties to resist wildfire.

Prepare Yourself and Your Family:

Build an Emergency Kit and make a Family Communications Plan. Visit www.ready.gov for preparedness checklists.
During a wildfire, listen to local evacuation orders. Do not wait to see what will happen! Due to many variables, including winds, wildfires can change course and speed quickly.

For information on the current wildfire threat, visit the National Interagency Fire Center’s Monthly Wildland Fire Potential Outlook. For additional information on wildfire mitigation resources, visit FEMA Region VIII’s Wildfire Mitigation Resources Page or www.firewise.org/wildfire-preparedness.

A timeline of some of the most significant wildfires within the six-state region covered by FEMA’s Denver regional office is available at FEMA Region VIII’s Wildfire Timeline Page.

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July Anniversaries are an Important Reminder to Prepare for Wildfires

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