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FEMA Continues to Closely Monitor Hermine and Lester

FEMA Urges Residents in Potentially Affected Areas to Take Direction from State, Local, and Tribal Officials

WASHINGTON – FEMA, through its regional offices in Atlanta, Georgia, and Oakland, California, and its Pacific Area Office in Honolulu, Hawaii, continues to closely monitor Tropical Storm Hermine and Hurricane Lester. FEMA remains in close coordination with state emergency managers in Hawaii, Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, and other potentially impacted Atlantic states, as well as our federal partners at the National Weather Service forecast offices.

Tropical Storm Hermine

According to the National Weather Service, Tropical Storm Hermine is moving north-northeast of Tallahassee, Florida. The center of Hermine will move farther inland across southeastern Georgia today and into the Carolinas tonight and Saturday. Tropical storm conditions are expected to begin along the Atlantic coast later today, and spread northward through the weekend.

Tropical Storm Hermine may cause localized flooding and flash flooding possible, along with storm surge and tide could produce potentially life-threatening inundation along the Florida Gulf Coast up through the Carolinas. Hermine is expected to produce rainfall totals of five to ten inches over the southeastern. United States from northwest Florida through southern and eastern Georgia. There are possible isolated maximum rainfall amount of 15 inches.

FEMA liaison officers are deployed to emergency operations centers in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina to help coordinate any requests for federal assistance. A FEMA liaison officer will arrive in the Virginia Emergency Operations Center Saturday morning. A FEMA Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) is deployed to the Florida Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee to support response activities and ensure there are no unmet needs.

FEMA’s Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC) in Atlanta, Georgia, is activated to help coordinate any requests for assistance from potentially impacted states and tribes. One FEMA IMAT is deployed to the RRCC to support response activities and ensure there are no unmet needs. Through the National Business Emergency Operations Center (NBEOC), FEMA is actively engaged with national level private sector partners across the nation as businesses also prepare for the storm system threatening the Southeast United States.

Hurricane Lester

According to the National Weather Service, Hurricane Lester was located about 515 miles east of Hilo, Hawaii, with maximum sustained winds were 110 mph. The hurricane is moving west-northwest with gradual weakening expected over the next several days. A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Hawaii County, Maui County and Oahu. Hurricane conditions are possible over Hawaii and Maui County Friday night into Saturday, and over Oahu Saturday and Sunday night. Heavy rainfall may affect the Big Island and Maui into Saturday and Oahu Saturday and Saturday night.

FEMA is working with its federal partners at the National Response Coordination Center in Washington, D.C. and the RRCC in Oakland, California, to help coordinate any requests for assistance from Hawaii. These centers bring together partners from the federal family to closely coordinate federal resources that may be requested from the state.

FEMA established a Federal Staging Area in Kona, Hawaii, to pre-position supplies closer to impacted areas, should they be needed and requested by the state, for distribution by state and local officials. 45,000 liters; 2 generators; over 37,000 meals, and other materials are in the Kona Staging Area. One IMAT is on the ground in FEMA’s Pacific Area Office in Honolulu, Hawaii, to support response activities and ensure there are no unmet needs.

An additional IMAT has been placed on alert, and is prepared to deploy to Hawaii if necessary. Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) personnel and pre-positioned communications caches are deploying to the FEMA Pacific Area Office at Fort Shafter, in Honolulu, to support emergency response communications needs. Through the NBEOC, FEMA is actively engaged with national level private sector partners across the nation as businesses also prepare for the storm systems threatening Hawaii.

Safety Tips

FEMA encourages residents and visitors in areas potentially affected by Tropical Storm Hermine or Hurricane Lester to monitor local radio or TV stations for updated emergency information, and follow the instructions of state, local, and tribal officials.

Storm tracks can change quickly and unexpectedly, so coastal residents should monitor weather conditions and take steps to prepare their home, family, and business. Those in potentially affected areas should be familiar with evacuation routes, have a communications plan, keep a battery-powered radio handy and have a plan for their pets.

There is the potential for flooding and storm surge with Tropical Storm Hermine and Hurricane Lester. Driving through a flooded area can be extremely hazardous. Nearly half of all flash flood deaths happen in vehicles. Stay safe when in your car, by watching for flooding in low lying areas, at bridges and highway dips. As little as six inches of water may cause you to lose control of your vehicle. Storm surge poses a significant threat for drowning and can sometimes cut off evacuation routes, so do not delay leaving if an evacuation is ordered for your area.

Visit www.ready.gov or www.listo.gov to learn more about preparing for hurricanes and severe weather.

FEMA made available time lapse footage of the NRCC in Washington, D.C., which can be viewed here: http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/123252.

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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.

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FEMA Continues to Closely Monitor Hermine and Lester

5 Years Later, FEMA Remembers Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee

PHILADELPHIA – In late August 2011, Hurricane Irene caused destruction and flooding across the eastern United States, including historic levels of flooding in communities across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Within a weeks time, Tropical Storm Lee would move through many of those same communities, bringing additional flooding to communities still responding to the aftermath of Irene.

Five years later, FEMA Region III is remembering the storms and their impact to communities, as well as the response and recovery efforts that in many communities continue to this day. “All disasters are local, and with Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, we have many communities who continue to recover from these disasters and are finding ways to mitigate future storms,” stated FEMA Region III Regional Administrator MaryAnn Tierney. To encourage individuals and communities to prepare for future hurricanes, FEMA Region III created products to remember Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee and to provide a retroactive view on the storms impacts on communities across the region.

‘5 Years Later: Remembering Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee’ is a video which looks back on the impacts and recovery efforts undertaken in response to the storms, including efforts to get people into housing and the resilience of people faced with hardship. The video includes interviews with local, state, and federal officials who looked back at their role in responding to Irene and Lee and what mattered most in helping communities to recover back stronger than before.

In addition, FEMA Region III created ‘before and after’ photos which reveal just how much water certain communities received from the two storms. The photos are available in FEMA’s Multimedia Library at www.FEMA.gov/media-library by searching for “Tropical Storm Lee Pennsylvania” in the search bar at the top of the page. For additional information on Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, visit www.FEMA.gov/disasters. This before and after compilation photograph shows a water rescue on Hersheypark Drive in Hershey, PA and the same area today.

FEMA Region III also created a map journal, which includes the before and after photos, an interactive map feature highlighting federal assistance to communities, and additional information demonstrating the scope and impact the two storms had on communities across the country.

Want to share? Tweet or share using the hashtags #Irene5yrslater, #Lee5yrslater, and #ItOnlyTakesOne. Take time to prepare for hurricanes now, before the next storm hits. It only takes on storm to have a significant impact on a community. For more information on how to prepare, please visit https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.

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 fema.gov/medialibrary and youtube.com/fema. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion3.

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5 Years Later, FEMA Remembers Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee

Discarding Your SBA Loan Packet Could be Like Throwing Away Money

BATON ROUGE, La. — Disaster recovery officials have a key message for homeowners, renters and business owners in the 20 Louisiana parishes approved for Individual Assistance as a result of the severe August storms and flooding. Complete your U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loan application.

Discarding it could be like throwing away money.

After survivors register with the FEMA, they may receive an application for a low-interest disaster loan from the SBA. The number one mistake people make is assuming these loans are only for businesses or simply choosing to ignore the application because they do not want to take out a loan.

Applicants should know:

Filling out the SBA loan application is a necessary step for homeowners and renters to be considered for various forms of disaster assistance.
If the SBA is unable to approve a loan, the applicant may be referred back to FEMA for some other types of disaster aid, such as assistance to repair or replace destroyed personal items, like clothing and vehicles.
Homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 to repair/replace primary residences if not fully compensated by insurance or some other source.
Homeowners and renters may borrow up to $40,000 to repair/replace personal property.
Businesses may borrow up to $2 million for any combination of property damage or economic injury.
Some small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations may also utilize Economic Injury Loans to meet financial obligations after the severe storms and flooding; but in order to do so, they must be located within the declared disaster area or next door to those areas.
The term of a low-interest disaster loan can be up to 30 years.

Storm survivors who have questions about the application should call the SBA Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 or email DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Individuals who are deaf or are hard of hearing can call TTY 1-800-877-8339. Survivors can also apply online using an electronic loan application. That website is https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

SBA specialists are also working at the fixed and mobile Disaster Recovery Centers that are operating throughout the affected areas. They can answer questions regarding the disaster loan process, help residents fill out loan applications and accept the completed forms. To find a DRC location, click on http://asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm.

Louisiana homeowners, renters, and business owners can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or by telephone via FEMA’s toll-free numbers: 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services can call 800- 621-3362. Disaster recovery specialists are available by phone daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

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We urge everyone to continue to use caution in areas where floodwaters remain. Monitor DOTD’s www.511la.org website for updated road closure information. Look for advisories from your local authorities and emergency managers. You can find the latest information on the state’s response at www.emergency.la.gov. GOHSEP also provides information on Facebook and Twitter. You can receive emergency alerts on most smartphones and tablets by downloading the new Alert FM App. It is free for basic service. You can also download the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find other information at www.getagameplan.org.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

The U.S. Small Business Administration 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 SBA.gov/disaster Deaf and hard-of- hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

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Discarding Your SBA Loan Packet Could be Like Throwing Away Money

Update: Digital Preliminary Flood Maps for St. Johns County Ready for Public Viewing

Update: Due to Tropical Storm Hermine, the public open house at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall scheduled for 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, September 1 is postponed until further notice.

ATLANTA, Ga. –Newly revised preliminary digital flood insurance rate maps for St. Johns County and its municipalities will be available for residents to review at public open houses at 4 p.m. on August 31, and at 10 a.m. on September 1. Flood maps show the extent to which areas are at risk for flooding, and when updated maps become effective, they are used to help determine flood insurance and building requirements.

The open houses provide residents of these coastal areas the opportunity to see the preliminary maps, learn about their risk of flooding and ask questions about what the new maps will mean for their property. Residents can meet one-on-one with specialists who will be available to talk about flood insurance, engineering, building permits and more. Home and business owners, renters, real estate agents, mortgage lenders, surveyors and insurance agents are encouraged to attend the open house.

The open house dates, times and locations are:

August 31, 2016

4:00-7:00 pm

St. Johns County Building Department Permit Center

4040 Lewis Speedway

St. Augustine, Florida 32084

September 1, 2016

10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Ponte Vedra Concert Hall

1050 A1A

North Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida 32082

The new preliminary maps were developed through a partnership among the county, its municipalities and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. They are based on updated modeling data and show more accurate flood hazard risk better than older maps. The ultimate goal is protecting property owners and the community from the risks associated with flooding. Over time, flood risks change due to construction and development, environmental changes, watershed conditions and other factors. Flood maps are updated periodically to reflect these changes.

By law, federally regulated or insured mortgage lenders require flood insurance on buildings that are located in areas at high risk of flooding. Standard homeowners, business owners, and renters’ insurance policies typically don’t cover flood damage, so flood insurance is an important consideration for everyone. Flood insurance policies can be purchased from any state licensed property and casualty insurance agent. Visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 888-379-9531 for more information about flood insurance and to locate a local agent.

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Update: Digital Preliminary Flood Maps for St. Johns County Ready for Public Viewing

Want to Help Your Community Recover? Come Work for FEMA!

BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana residents looking for temporary work have an opportunity to lead in their communities’ recovery process by working with the Federal Federal Emergency Management Agency.

FEMA is advertising through the Louisiana Workforce Commission to fill open positions at its disaster recovery offices in Louisiana. These are full-time jobs, but of temporary duration, with benefits including health insurance, sick leave and holiday pay. Job duration varies, but some may last as long as FEMA is locally involved in the recovery. Benefits end when the job ends.

To apply, visit www.laworks.net, the website for “Louisiana Workforce Commission – Helping Individuals Reach Employment.”

Click in the “DISASTER RELIEF WORK” box at the top of the screen.
The list may be longer than the screen shows, so scroll to the bottom. It also may extend over multiple pages.
Click on a job description to open detailed requirements and a link to apply.

FEMA is seeking a wide variety of skilled workers, including administrative assistants, construction cost estimators, construction tradespersons, drivers, environmental experts, facilities workers, historic preservation specialists, travel agents and workers in many other specialties. Once hired, applicants will receive appropriate on-the-job training.

Candidates must be U.S. citizens, 18 years or older and have a valid government identification card such as driver’s license or military ID. Candidates will be subject to a complete background investigation.

FEMA is committed to employing a highly qualified workforce that reflects the diversity of our nation. The federal government is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, political affiliation, non-disqualifying physical handicap, sexual orientation or other non-merit factor.

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Want to Help Your Community Recover? Come Work for FEMA!

Louisiana Flood Survivors Can Get FEMA Rebuilding Advice in Gonzales

BATON ROUGE, La. — As Louisianans repair or rebuild their homes damaged by the August floods, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and local hardware and home improvement stores have teamed up to provide free information, tips and literature on making homes stronger and safer.

FEMA mitigation specialists will be on hand to provide information in an Ascension Parish Home Depot store from Sept. 1 to Sept. 10. They will be available to answer questions and offer home improvement tips and proven methods to prevent and lessen damage from future disasters. Most of the information is aimed at both do-it-yourselfers and general contractors.

FEMA advisors will be on hand from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.

Ascension Parish
Home Depot
2740 S. Cajun Ave.
Gonzales, La. 70737

Additional information on Louisiana’s disaster recovery can be found by visiting fema.gov/disaster/4277, twitter.com/femaregion6, twitter.com/FEMA, facebook.com/FEMA, fema.gov/blog and www.fema.gov/louisiana-disaster-mitigation.

Survivors who have questions about their flood insurance policies and coverage should contact the National Flood Insurance Program call center at 800–621-3362 (Option 2) between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday. Specialists can help service claims, provide general information regarding policies, and offer technical assistance to aid in recovery.

Free reference booklets, in English and Spanish, with information on protecting your home from flood damage, will be available at the Gonzales location. More information about strengthening property can be found at http://www.fema.gov/what-mitigation.

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Louisiana Flood Survivors Can Get FEMA Rebuilding Advice in Gonzales

Disaster Recovery Center to Open in East Baton Rouge Parish for Louisiana Survivors

BATON ROUGE, La. – A disaster recovery center is opening Wednesday, August 31, in East Baton Rouge Parish to assist Louisiana flood survivors. The center is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice.

The disaster recovery center is operating at the following address and hours:

East Baton Rouge Parish Location: Celtic Studios

10000 Celtic Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Monday through Sunday)

Survivors may locate other centers near them by visiting fema.gov/disaster-recovery- centers, calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362, or downloading the FEMA mobile app.

To register with FEMA, go online with any computer, smartphone or tablet to DisasterAssistance.gov, call the FEMA Helpline, or download the FEMA mobile app. Help is available in most languages and the FEMA Helpline is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice.

Disaster recovery centers are staffed by representatives from the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Small Business Administration, National Flood Insurance Program specialists, volunteer groups and other agencies. These representatives are available to provide information about disaster assistance, flood insurance, personal and property risk reduction and low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters and businesses. They can also help survivors apply for federal disaster assistance.

Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) teams are canvassing many affected areas and are able

Disaster Recovery Center to Open in East Baton Rouge Parish, Page 2

to register people for FEMA assistance if needed. Sometimes these teams will remain in certain locations convenient to the community, such as a library or mayor’s office. When residents require further assistance the teams may refer them to a disaster recovery center nearby.

It is not necessary to visit a center to register for and receive federal disaster assistance. If possible, survivors should register with FEMA before visiting a recovery center.

Disaster survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585 to register. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service or require accommodations while visiting a center may call 800-621-3362. All disaster recovery centers are accessible and equipped with tools to accommodate disaster survivors who need disability-related communication aids. Each disaster recovery center has assistive technologies for people with disabilities. To arrange to have an ASL interpreter at the DRC when you visit, call 225-382-1739.

Low-interest disaster loans from the SBA are available for businesses of all sizes including landlords, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters. Disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries.

For more information, applicants may contact the SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or visiting the SBA’s website at sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

For information call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362, download the FEMA mobile app, or go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or www.fema.gov/disaster/4277.

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We urge everyone to continue to use caution in areas where floodwaters remain. Monitor DOTD’s www.511la.org website for updated road closure information. Look for advisories from your local authorities and emergency managers. You can find the latest information on the state’s response at www.emergency.la.gov. GOHSEP also provides information on Facebook and Twitter. You can receive emergency alerts on most smartphones and tablets by downloading the new Alert FM App. It is free for basic service. You can also download the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find other information at www.getagameplan.org.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (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

SBA.gov/disaster Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

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Disaster Recovery Center to Open in East Baton Rouge Parish for Louisiana Survivors

One week left for West Virginia survivors to apply to FEMA, SBA

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – There is only one week left to apply for disaster assistance from FEMA and to submit applications for physical low-interest disaster loans to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). West Virginia survivors eligible for federal assistance, who were impacted by the June 22-29 storms, floods, landslides and mudslides, have until Wednesday, Sept. 7 to file their applications.

More than two months after President Obama signed the June 25 disaster declaration making West Virginia residents in Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Roane, Summers and Webster counties eligible for federal assistance, 8,791 households have applied to FEMA for help.

Storm survivors in the 12 designated counties have been approved for FEMA grants under the Individuals and Households program totaling more than $39.2 million to date, while SBA has approved 714 loans to homeowners, renters and businesses for more than $46.7 million.

Disaster assistance for individuals may include grants to help homeowners and renters with temporary housing, essential home repairs, personal property replacement, and disaster-related needs. Disaster assistance grants are not taxable income and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicare and other federal and state programs. Grants do not have to be repaid to the federal government.

Registering with FEMA is the first step in qualifying for assistance. Sept. 7 is the last day for survivors to file an application. FEMA encourages all survivors who sustained disaster-related damage or losses to apply by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362 (TTY users should call 800-462-7585) or online at DisasterAssistance.gov. The toll-free lines are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. EDT seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

The SBA, one of FEMA’s partners in disaster recovery, offers low-interest disaster loans to businesses, homeowners and renters. SBA disaster loans may cover repairs, rebuilding, as well as the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged real estate and personal property.

For more information about SBA loans, call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit http://www.sba.gov/disaster. TTY users may call 800-877-8339. Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. The deadline to file an SBA physical disaster loan application is Wednesday, Sept. 7.

You are not required to accept a loan even if you qualify for one.

If SBA determines you aren’t eligible for a home loan, they will refer you back to FEMA. This could make you eligible for more FEMA aid.

If your SBA loan application is approved, you may be eligible to borrow additional funds to cover the cost of improvements that will protect your property against future damage. Examples include elevating utilities, water heaters and furnaces, and installing retaining walls and sump pumps. Applicants may be eligible for an SBA loan increase, for mitigation purposes, of up to 20 percent of their physical damages.

Survivors with questions regarding their application or who have not yet registered for assistance should call the FEMA toll-free Helpline (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. (TTY users should call 800-462-7585) or visit DisasterAssistance.gov. The lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

West Virginia homeowners and renters who have registered for disaster assistance with FEMA are encouraged by recovery officials to “stay in touch.” If survivors change their address or phone numbers they should update that information with FEMA. Missing or erroneous information could result in delays getting a home inspection or in receiving assistance.

Additional information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery can be found by visiting fema.gov/disaster/4273, twitter.com/femaregion3, twitter.com/FEMA, facebook.com/FEMA, fema.gov/blog and the flood information pages at http://wvflood.com/Pages/default.aspx.

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One week left for West Virginia survivors to apply to FEMA, SBA

FEMA Awards $11,447,584 grant to City of Des Plaines

CHICAGO – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released $11,447,584 in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds to Des Plaines, Ill., for the acquisition and demolition of 47 flood-prone homes.

“The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides funding for mitigation activities that reduce disaster losses and protect life and property from future disasters,” said Andrew Velasquez III, regional administrator, FEMA Region V. “This project will help to eliminate future structural losses in Des Plaines by permanently removing these 47 buildings from the floodplain and will also greatly reduce the financial impact on individuals and the community.”

“This grant is great news for the city of Des Plaines and the residents who have endured repeated flood damage,” said IEMA Director James K. Joseph. “Removing homes such as these from flood-prone areas not only helps residents avoid the heartache of dealing with future flood losses, it also reduces flood response and recovery costs for the local governments.”

HMGP provides grants to state and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures. Through HMGP, FEMA will pay 75 percent of the $15,263,445 eligible project cost. The remaining 25 percent of the funds, $3,815,861, will be provided by the City of Des Plaines.

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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.

Media Contact: Cassie Ringsdorf, 312-408-4455

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FEMA Awards $11,447,584 grant to City of Des Plaines

Flood Survivors Urged to Avoid Fraud and Other Scams

BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana recovery continues with the energy and work of businesses, voluntary, faith-based, and community-based organizations along with government agencies and committed citizens.

Unfortunately, disasters also bring out criminals looking to prey on survivors who appear to be rich targets for their fraudulent services.

Being cautious is essential to preventing rip-offs. Don’t offer personal financial information over the phone. Know who you are dealing with. Never be shy about asking for identification. Government workers will never ask for a fee or payment. They always wear an official government photo ID.

Homeowners and registered FEMA applicants should watch out for housing inspectors claiming to represent FEMA or the U.S. Small Business Administration. Inspectors already have each applicant’s nine-digit registration number and a FEMA inspector will not ask for this number. FEMA inspectors never require banking or other personal information. The job of FEMA housing inspectors is to verify damage. Inspectors do not hire or endorse specific contractors to fix homes or recommend repairs. They do not determine eligibility for assistance.

Watch out for middlemen who promise you will receive disaster grants or money, especially if they ask for an upfront payment.

Many survivors have been living in damaged homes or in hotels and motels or other emergency accommodation while their primary residences are being repaired and rebuilt.

Keep these consumer safety tips in mind when working with contractors:

Verify the license or registration number with the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors at www.lacontractor.org or call 800-256-1392.
Get three written estimates for repair work. Then check credentials and contact your local Better Business Bureau or Chamber of Commerce to learn about any complaints against the contractor or business.
Before work begins, make sure you get a written contract detailing all the work to be performed, the costs, a projected completion date, and how to negotiate changes and settle disputes.
Louisiana, Attorney General Jeff Landryencourages you to use the following tips:
- Take a picture of your contractor, his/her vehicle, and its license plate.
- Take a picture of the contractor’s business card and his/her driver’s license.
- Photograph or scan his/her contracting license and insurance.
- Photograph or scan the contract made with him/her.
- Photograph or scan all checks and money orders made as payments to the contractor.
- Preserve all these photographs by emailing them to yourself and a trusted companion and/or by saving them in a cloud-based application.
If you suspect anyone – an inspector, disaster survivor, or someone posing as one of these – of fraudulent activities, call the FEMA toll-free Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or your local law enforcement officials.
To report a scam or sign up for consumer alerts, call Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-351-4889 or visit www.AGJeffLandry.com.

Charity scams take many forms, including emails containing links or attachments that direct users to phishing or malware-infected websites. Donation requests from fraudulent charitable organizations commonly appear after major natural disasters.

US-CERT encourages users to take the following measures to protect themselves:

Review the Federal Trade Commission warning at FTC alert and its information on Charity Scams.

Do not follow unsolicited web links or attachments in email messages.
Keep antivirus and other computer software up-to-date.
Check this Better Business Bureau (BBB) list for helping Louisiana flood victims before making any donations to this cause.
Verify the legitimacy of any email solicitation by contacting the organization directly through a trusted contact number. You can find trusted contact information for many charities on the BBB National Charity Report Index.

There is no fee to apply for FEMA disaster assistance or to receive it. The only ways to register for FEMA help are to:

Call 800-621-3362 (TTY: 800-462-7585)
Visit www.DisasterAssistance.gov or speak to a FEMA employee at a Discovery Recovery Center.

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

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (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 Web site at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800)877-8339.

Download the FEMA mobile app for disaster resources, weather alerts, and safety tips. The app provides a customizable checklist of emergency supplies, maps of open shelters and weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations across the Nation. The latest feature of the app allows you to send notifications to your device to remind you to take important steps to prepare your home and family for disasters. Go to Ready.gov for more details.

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Flood Survivors Urged to Avoid Fraud and Other Scams

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