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Public Assistance is For Infrastructure Recovery

HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Public Assistance program is for infrastructure recovery. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) emphasizes the differences between the Individual Assistance and Public Assistance programs. Unlike Individual Assistance, through which individuals and households may apply for federal funding to help recover from disasters, Public Assistance provides funding for eligible projects to recover elements of the infrastructure. As an example, damaged public roads, bridges, culverts are elements of the infrastructure.

Through the Public Assistance program, FEMA provides supplemental federal disaster grant assistance for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities and the facilities of certain private nonprofit organizations. The Public Assistance program also encourages protection of these damaged facilities from future events by providing assistance for hazard mitigation measures during the recovery process.

Applicants for Public Assistance typically include organizations that provide public service, such as municipalities, townships and school districts. Other applicants might include volunteer fire fighter organizations; sewer authorities; emergency management offices; and regional police departments.

Public Assistance funding may cover costs incurred to return elements of the infrastructure to as close to their pre-disaster condition as possible.

Expenses may include costs for work such as debris removal and repair or replacement of damaged roads, bridges and other public components.

FEMA Public Assistance specialists work closely with individual applicants to review specifics of each project to determine which expenses may be covered.

For a list of frequently asked questions about the federal Public Assistance process, see: http://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-frequently-asked-questions.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. FEMA Region III’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts are available at http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary and www.youtube.com/fema. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion3.

Original article:

Public Assistance is For Infrastructure Recovery

FEMA Seeks Applicants for National Advisory Council

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is requesting individuals who are interested in serving on the National Advisory Council (NAC) to apply for appointment. The NAC is an advisory committee established to ensure effective and ongoing coordination of federal preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation for natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters.

The NAC advises the FEMA Administrator on all aspects of emergency management frameworks, strategies, and plans while incorporating the whole communities input through appointed council members.

The NAC will have a position open for applications and nominations in the following disciplines:

Emergency Management Field (one representative appointment)

State Non-Elected Official (one representative appointment)
Standards Setting (one representative appointment)
Public Health (one Special Government Employee (SGE) appointment)
Functional Accessibility (one representative appointment)
Emergency Medical Providers (one SGE appointment)
Tribal Non-Elected Officials (one representative appointment)
Tribal Elected Officials (one representative appointment for a one-year term)
Emergency Response (one representative appointment for a one-year term)
Department of Defense (Ex Officio representative)

The NAC consists of up to 35 members, all of whom are experts and leaders in their respective fields. The members of the NAC are appointed by the FEMA Administrator and are composed of federal, state, tribal, local, and private-sector leaders and subject matter experts in law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, hospital, public works, emergency management, state and local governments, public health, emergency response, standard settings and accrediting organizations, representatives of individuals with disabilities, infrastructure protection, cyber security, communications, and homeland security communities.

Appointments are for three-year terms to June 15, 2016, unless otherwise noted. The Administrator may also appoint additional candidates to serve as a FEMA Administrator Selection for three-year terms.

Individuals interested in serving on the NAC are invited to apply for appointment by submitting a Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV) to the Office of the National Advisory Council by fax, email, or mail. Letters of recommendation may also be provided, but are not required. Applications and/or nominations must also include the following information: the applicant’s full name, home and business phone numbers, preferred e-mail address, home and business mailing addresses, current position title and organization, and the discipline area of interest (i.e., Emergency Management). Applications will be accepted until Friday, March 8, 2012, 5:00 p.m. EST.

Members selected for the council serve without compensation from the federal government; however, consistent with the charter, members receive travel reimbursement and per diem under applicable federal travel regulations. Registered lobbyists, current FEMA employees, Disaster Assistance Employees, Reservists, FEMA Contractors, and potential FEMA Contractors will not be considered for NAC Membership.

For more information: www.fema.gov/national-advisory-council.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. FEMA Region III’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts are available at http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary and www.youtube.com/fema. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion3.

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FEMA Seeks Applicants for National Advisory Council

New York recovery from Hurricane Sandy: By the Numbers

NEW YORK — Disaster assistance to New York survivors of Hurricane Sandy by the numbers:

$2.3 billion in National Flood Insurance Program payments made to policy holders
$904 million in FEMA grants approved for individuals and households
- $785 million for housing assistance
- $119 million for other needs
$1 billion in SBA disaster loans approved for homeowners, renters and businesses
$668 million approved in FEMA Public Assistance grants to communities and some nonprofit organizations that serve the public
5.3 million cubic yards of debris removed (95 percent)
267,970 people contacted FEMA for help or information
179,230 housing inspections completed
158,023 visits to Disaster Recovery Centers
More than 500 voluntary agencies involved in recovery
25 languages used to communicate assistance information to survivors

Individuals can register with FEMA online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-3362 (Voice, 7-1-1/Relay) or TTY 800-462-7585. The toll-free telephone numbers operate 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. EST, seven days a week.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/SandyNY, www.twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

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New York recovery from Hurricane Sandy: By the Numbers

A Disaster Recovery Center in NY relocates and another ceases operation

NEW YORK – A Disaster Recovery Center is moving to a new location. Another center is ending service.

The center at the Lindenhurst Memorial Library, 1 Lee Avenue in Lindenhurst, NY, 11757, will end service at that location at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, and will reopen at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013 at the Copiague Memorial Public Library, 50 Deauville Blvd., Copiague, NY, 11726.

The center’s hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

The recovery center at the storefront at 1001 Beach 20th St., Far Rockaway, Queens, NY, 11691, will end service at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013.

The State of New York and the Federal Emergency Management Agency closely monitor visitor traffic at all New York recovery centers. Traffic at the two centers has slowed, indicating the information needs of survivors in those areas have mostly been met. So far, there have been more than 14,000 visits to the two centers.

Survivors who need help may still visit any of the other centers that remain open throughout New York, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

To find the nearest center, the following options are available:

Text DRC and a Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA), and a text message will be sent back with the address.

The Disaster Recovery Center locator is available online at www.FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers.

Individuals also can find a recovery center – and register for FEMA help – online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet by going to m.fema.gov or by downloading the FEMA app.

Survivors who have questions or want to register with FEMA can also call 800-621-3362 (Voice, 7-1-1/Relay) or (TTY) 800-462-7585. The toll-free telephone numbers operate 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. EST, seven days a week until further notice.

Hurricane Sandy survivors in New York have until Feb. 27, 2013, to register for federal disaster assistance, which can include money for rent, essential home repairs, personal property losses and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/SandyNY, www.twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

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A Disaster Recovery Center in NY relocates and another ceases operation

Less than two weeks to register for disaster assistance

NEW YORK – Disaster help begins with registering with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Feb. 27 deadline is coming up soon.

Less than two weeks remain for Hurricane Sandy survivors to register for help from FEMA. That’s the same deadline for returning the disaster loan application to the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Since Sandy made landfall in late October, FEMA and SBA have approved more than $1.8 billion for survivors in New York. FEMA has approved nearly $900 million for individuals and households (at the close of business Feb. 13).

Registering for help is as easy as calling the FEMA helpline, which operates from

7 a.m. to 1 a.m. EST, seven days a week until further notice. Hurricane Sandy survivors can register by calling 800-621-3362 (7-1-1 Relay or Video Relay Services are available) or (TTY) 800-462-7585.

To register online, go to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or on smartphone at m.fema.gov.

SBA has approved almost $912 million in low-interest disaster loans to homeowners and renters and more than $62 million in disaster businesses loans.

More information is available by calling the SBA Disaster Customer Service Center toll-free number, 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339). Assistance is also available by sending an email to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or by visiting www.sba.gov.

A simple and fast way to complete an SBA application is online. Go to https://DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ELA.

FEMA and SBA representatives are available to answer questions at each Disaster Recovery Center. To find the nearest disaster recovery center, use the locator at www.FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or, with a tablet or smartphone, go to m.fema.gov.

You may also text “DRC” and your Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA). For example, if you lived in Staten Island, you would text: DRC 10301. Or call 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585).

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/SandyNY, www.twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

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 public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

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Less than two weeks to register for disaster assistance

Philadelphia County Added to Hurricane Sandy Disaster Declaration for Pennsylvania

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Philadelphia County has been added to the Public Assistance declaration for Hurricane Sandy recovery in Pennsylvania, according to officials from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

This announcement makes categories A-G of the federal Public Assistance program available to eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations in Philadelphia County.

To be eligible for federal Public Assistance, applicants must show that their project is required as a direct result of Hurricane Sandy during the period from October 26 to November 8, 2012.

Public Assistance funding may cover costs incurred to return elements of the infrastructure to as close to their pre-disaster condition as possible.

Expenses may include costs for work such as debris removal and repair or replacement of damaged roads, bridges and other public components.

FEMA Public Assistance specialists work closely with individual applicants to review specifics of each project to determine which expenses may be covered.

FEMA manages the Public Assistance program, approves grants and provides technical assistance to the Commonwealth and applicants. The Commonwealth educates potential applicants, works with FEMA to manage the program and is responsible for implementing and monitoring the grants awarded under the program. Local officials are responsible for identifying damage, providing information necessary for FEMA to approve grants and managing each project funded under the program.

The addition of Philadelphia County brings the total number of counties in Pennsylvania eligible to apply for federal assistance for Hurricane Sandy recovery to 18. The 16 counties in the major disaster declaration signed by President Obama on January 10 include: Bedford, Bucks, Cameron, Dauphin, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Monroe, Northampton, Pike, Potter, Somerset, Sullivan and Wyoming. Montgomery County was the 17^th county added to the disaster declaration on January 17.

All counties within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Mitigation funding may cover costs of eligible projects to lessen the impact of disasters.

For a list of frequently asked questions about the federal Public Assistance process, see: http://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-frequently-asked-questions.

Original article:

Philadelphia County Added to Hurricane Sandy Disaster Declaration for Pennsylvania

New Jersey Disaster Recovery Centers To Close For Presidents Day

TRENTON, N.J. — Disaster recovery centers in New Jersey will close for Presidents Day Monday, Feb. 18. Small Business Administration disaster loan outreach and business recovery centers also will be closed.

The centers will resume normal hours Tuesday, Feb. 19.

Help and information are always available online or by phone. Survivors can check on the status of their disaster assistance applications at DisasterAssistance.gov, by using a smartphone or tablet at m.FEMA.gov, or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), TTY 800-462-7585 or 711/VRS. They also can call those numbers to inquire about rental recertification.

Survivors can ask questions about their SBA disaster home or business loan applications by calling 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339 or emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

Additional resources are available online at FEMA.gov/SandyNJ and SBA.gov/Sandy.

Survivors who have questions about flood insurance claims and the appeals process can call toll-free 888-379-9531.

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.

SBA’s Disaster Assistance Program provides long term, low-interest loans to homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes. For more information, visit www.sba.gov. All SBA’s program and services are provided on a nondiscriminatory basis.

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New Jersey Disaster Recovery Centers To Close For Presidents Day

FEMA hires 500 New York residents for recovery operation

NEW YORK – More than 500 residents from New York City’s five boroughs and Long Island have been hired by FEMA in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

Within the first weeks of the storm, FEMA deployed nearly 3,800 reservists from all over the country. These reservists came from every walk of life and professional background. For example, in External Affairs, a former TV broadcaster from Tennessee may work alongside a retired Navy public affairs officer from Missouri.

As some of the reservists begin to return home, FEMA’s practice on large-scale disasters is to hire some of its workforce from the local community. These are full-time, temporary positions.

Sometimes there is a misconception that FEMA only hires local people who have been affected by the disaster, but that is not the case. The agency hires people based on experience and qualifications.

Those hired work in a range of departments and positions.

While local hires often have a sense of mission working for the agency, FEMA benefits from their cultural and geographic knowledge. In the Brighton Beach area of Brooklyn, where many in the Russian-Jewish population have a limited proficiency in English, FEMA has benefited from hiring several employees from the community.

Another advantage to FEMA is that many local hires go on to have a successful career in emergency management. Some even go all the way to the top. Justo Hernandez started as a housing inspector for the agency in 1989 during Hurricane Hugo and went on to become a Federal Coordinating Officer, which is the top federal executive position in a disaster operation.

To learn more about Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts in New York, visit www.FEMA.gov/SandyNY.

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.

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FEMA hires 500 New York residents for recovery operation

FEMA Specialists Provide Free Repair and Rebuilding Advice

TRENTON, N.J. — Getting free advice on how to repair or rebuild your home to minimize future disaster damage is as easy as visiting your local home improvement store. Specialists from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will offer their expertise on building techniques that can help protect your home, business or other property.

This free service also offers information and publications on topics such as:

Ridding a home of mold and mildew.
Understanding flood- and wind-resistant building methods.
Knowing the benefits of flood insurance.
Elevating or anchoring utilities.

FEMA specialists are available daily from Tuesday, Feb. 12, to Friday, Feb. 15, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 16, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the following home improvement stores:

Atlantic County—Home Depot, 421 Absecon Blvd., Absecon, NJ 08201
Hudson County—Lowe’s, 400 Bayonne Crossing Way, Bayonne, NJ 07002
Monmouth County—Lowe’s, 118 Highway 35, Eatontown, NJ 07724
Monmouth County—Home Depot, 310 Highway 36, West Long Branch, NJ 07764
Middlesex County—Home Depot, 373 Route 9, Woodbridge, NJ 07095
Middlesex County—Home Depot, 1090 Route 9, Old Bridge, NJ 08857
Union County—Home Depot, 399-443 Springfield Ave., Newark, NJ 07103

For additional information on rebuilding stronger, visit fema.gov/SandyNJ and click on “Mitigation Resources.”

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

Original article:

FEMA Specialists Provide Free Repair and Rebuilding Advice

Survivors have until Saturday to visit 4 disaster recovery centers in New York

NEW YORK – Hurricane Sandy survivors in New York have until 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013, to visit four disaster recovery centers.

The State of New York and the Federal Emergency Management Agency closely monitor visitor traffic at all New York recovery centers. Traffic at the four centers has slowed, indicating the information needs of survivors in those areas have mostly been met. So far, there have been more than 13,000 visits to the four centers combined.

Survivors who need help may still visit any of the other centers that remain open throughout New York, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Also, all recovery centers will suspend service Monday, Feb. 18, 2013, in observance of Presidents’ Day. The centers will reopen at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19.

The four centers that are discontinuing service Feb. 16 are located at:

American Legion

209 Cross Bay Blvd.

Broad Channel, NY, 11693

Jewish Community Center

YM-YWHA

3300 Coney Island Ave.

Brooklyn, NY, 11235

Sheepshead Bay Club

3076 Emmons Ave.

Brooklyn, NY, 11235

Gerristen Beach Volunteer Fire Department Training Hall

43 Seba Ave.

Brooklyn, NY, 11229

To find the nearest center, the following options are available: Text DRC and a Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA), and a text message will be sent back with the address. Also, the Disaster Recovery Center locator is available online at www.FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers.

Survivors who have questions or want to register with FEMA can also call 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585). People who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) should call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. EST, seven days a week until further notice.

Hurricane Sandy survivors in New York have until Feb. 27, 2013, to register for federal disaster assistance, which can include money for rent, essential home repairs, personal property losses and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/SandyNY, www.twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

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Survivors have until Saturday to visit 4 disaster recovery centers in New York

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