Three Disaster Recovery Centers to close; help is still available

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in White Sulphur Springs and Rainelle in Greenbrier County, and the Clendenin DRC in Kanawha County will close at      5 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016.

The two Greenbrier County DRCs are located at:

  • 65 West Main Street, White Sulphur Springs

  • 1233 Kanawha Ave., Rainelle

The Kanawha County DRC is located:

  • Across the street from Dollar General,

    120 Maywood Ave., Clendenin

As a survivor of the June storms and floods, you can still get the help you need with just a phone

call. The deadline to register for disaster assistance from FEMA is Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016.

Many of the services that were available at the DRCs are still available on the FEMA helpline. The helpline operates from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. EDT, seven days a week, until further notice. By calling 800-621-3362 (voice, 711 or video relay services) or 800-462-7585 for TTY users, you can use the helpline to:

  • Register with FEMA.

  • Provide a change of address, telephone and bank account numbers and insurance information.

  • Receive information about FEMA home inspections.

  • Get other questions answered about federal disaster assistance.

  • Ask questions about a letter from FEMA.

  • Learn how to appeal a FEMA decision. All applicants may appeal.

You can also register with FEMA online at DisasterAssistance.gov.

If you want to discuss your application, you should have your nine-digit FEMA registration number and zip code.

For more information about the Small Business Administration (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.

SBA disaster low-interest loans are available to businesses of all sizes, homeowners and renters for their recovery needs.

The deadline to apply for a physical damage disaster loan from the SBA is Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016.

Additional information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery can be found by visiting fema.gov/disaster/4273, twitter.com/femaregion3, twitter.com/FEMA and fema.gov/blog.

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Three Disaster Recovery Centers to close; help is still available

Two weeks left for West Virginia survivors to apply to FEMA, SBA

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – There are only two weeks left to apply for disaster assistance grants from FEMA and to submit applications for physical disaster loans to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). West Virginia survivors eligible for federal assistance, because of the June 22-29 storms and flooding, have until Wednesday, Sept. 7 to file their applications.

Two months after President Obama signed the June 25 disaster declaration making West Virginia residents eligible for federal assistance, nearly 9,000 homeowners and renters have applied to FEMA for help in recovering from the severe storms and flooding, landslides and mudslides that ravaged 12 West Virginia counties.

Storm survivors have been approved for FEMA housing grants totaling more than $39 million to date, while SBA has approved 682 loans to homeowners, renters and businesses for more than $44.2 million. Federal grants and loans are available to residents of the 12 counties that have been designated for assistance: Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Roane, Summers, and Webster.

The registration deadline was extended to Sept. 7 at the request of West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, citing a continued flow of new applications to receive federal assistance in the wake of the storms.

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.

Registering with FEMA is the first step in qualifying for assistance. Wednesday, Sept. 7 is the last day for survivors to register. 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 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

Three of the state’s and FEMA’s Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) remain open until Aug. 31 in Greenbrier and Kanawha counties. Operating hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Closed Sundays. An easy-to-use DRC Locator is available at http://asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm .

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. SBA has staff on hand at all FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) to assist survivors, one-on-one.

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.

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 FEMA registration or who have not yet registered for assistance should call the FEMA Helpline (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. (TTY users should call 800-462-7585) or visit DisasterAssistance.gov . The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. EDT 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 .

Originally posted here:  

Two weeks left for West Virginia survivors to apply to FEMA, SBA

Louisiana, FEMA Provide Manufactured Housing Units to Some Survivors

The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and FEMA are making manufactured housing units (MHUs) available to some survivors displaced by the recent severe storms and floods.

  • You may be able to live temporarily in an MHU if you’re eligible for FEMA help, but are unable to utilize rental assistance due to a lack of places to rent in your area.
  • The models are different from housing units used following other Louisiana federal disaster declarations.
  • All units are constructed in accordance to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and FEMA standards.
  • Units range from one to three bedrooms to suit your family’s size.
  • Eligible survivors who have access and functional needs will receive accommodating units to include modifications like ramps or platform steps.
  • If you’re eligible to receive an MHU, you and your family may be able to place a unit on your property or a commercial park.
  • FEMA may provide you a unit for up to 18 months. However, it’s important to show a continued housing need and progress toward a permanent housing plan in order to continue living in a unit.
  • FEMA can only consider helping you with a place to stay after you apply for federal disaster assistance. You can apply two ways:

 

  • Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov.
  • If you cannot access the website call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use TTY, call 800-462-7585. If you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

 

                                                ###

Link to original:  

Louisiana, FEMA Provide Manufactured Housing Units to Some Survivors

Partnerships and progress: West Virginia severe storms, flooding, mudslides and landslides 60 days later

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia is taking significant steps toward recovery following the severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides that occurred June 22-29, 2016.

Recovery takes the Whole Community. Affected communities and disaster survivors are repairing and rebuilding better, stronger and safer with the help of neighbors, friends, family members, voluntary groups, faith- and community-based organizations and local, county, state and federal governments.

The following highlights recovery progress made in the 60 days since the June 25 presidential disaster declaration and how disaster survivors and affected communities are overcoming challenges:

Initially three counties were designated as eligible for federal assistance. Since then, the presidential disaster declaration has been amended six times, making survivors in 12 counties eligible to apply for help under FEMA’s Individual Assistance (IA) program.

The deadline for survivors to register for federal aid under the IA program is Wednesday,     Sept. 7, 2016.

In addition, local, county and state government infrastructure and certain private nonprofit organizations in 18 counties became eligible to receive funding through FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program to repair and rebuild certain eligible disaster-damaged facilities. Local, county and state government expenses related to debris removal, saving lives, providing security, and managing the immediate response also became eligible for reimbursement.

The PA program benefits everyone in the affected communities because essential services like roads, utilities, schools and hospitals are often restored stronger than they were before the disaster. FEMA relieves burdens of local and county governments and the state by paying 75 percent of the eligible costs.

So far, more than 8,732 West Virginia households have contacted FEMA for IA help.

To date, survivors have received more than $111 million in federal disaster assistance for a variety of recovery purposes.

  • More than $32.7 million in grants has been approved for a place to stay for homeowners and renters whose residences were uninhabitable and to make essential repairs for homes to be safe, secure and functional.

  • More than $6.2 million in grants has gone to homeowners and renters to repair and replace certain household items and for disaster-related burial, medical and dental expenses.

  • Homeowners, renters and businesses have received more than $44.2 million in low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to repair, rebuild and replace damaged property and contents. Disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other sources.

  • NFIP policyholders have received more than $20 million in claims to repair and rebuild flood-damaged property.

  • The total Public Assistance Grants obligated as of Aug. 23 is more than $7.8 million

The SBA may call you after you register with FEMA. If they do, advise SBA on how you want to apply and submit your disaster low-interest loan application.  As a business, homeowner or renter, you can submit your SBA disaster loan application in one of three ways: 

FEMA and SBA encourage homeowners, renters and business owners to submit your SBA loan application to help fund recovery and to ensure the federal disaster recovery process continues.

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 damage.

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

Disaster recovery officials are still on the ground in West Virginia and interacting with survivors in a variety of ways to help them recover:

  • FEMA specialists have attended more than 30 community organization events in West Virginia to discuss and answer questions about federal disaster assistance.

  • More than 9,100 survivors have visited 15 Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs). The first centers opened three days after the presidential disaster declaration.

  • More than 7,100 FEMA housing inspections have been completed.

  • FEMA disaster survivor assistance specialists canvassed the affected communities to encourage survivors to register for help, provide recovery information and listen to their concerns.

  • Free consultations on building hazard-resistant homes have been given to more than 2,800 survivors at DRCs and more than 5,300 at West Virginia home improvement stores.

The West Virginia Chief Recovery Officer, Maj. Gen. James Hoyer of the National Guard; the West Virginia State Disaster Recovery Officer, Keith Burdette, who is Secretary of Commerce for the State of West Virginia; and Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator Kevin Snyder are coordinating a team of state and federal disaster recovery specialists to restore, redevelop, revitalize and better prepare affected communities.

Recovery has significantly progressed because of voluntary, faith and community-based groups that are donating their time and skills to help survivors muck out, repair and rebuild their homes. These groups are always the first and last presence to help disaster survivors recover.

Whole community partners continue to collaborate to find solutions to enable West Virginia’s recovery and will be here as long as it takes.

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         7 a.m. to 10 p.m. EDT seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

Additional information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery can be found by calling the FEMA Helpline 800-621-3362 or visiting: www.DisasterAssistance.gov; www.WVflood.com; fema.gov/disaster/4273; twitter.com/femaregion3; and fema.gov/blog.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia is taking significant steps toward recovery following the severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides that occurred June 22-29, 2016.

Recovery takes the Whole Community. Affected communities and disaster survivors are repairing and rebuilding better, stronger and safer with the help of neighbors, friends, family members, voluntary groups, faith- and community-based organizations and local, county, state and federal governments.

The following highlights recovery progress made in the 60 days since the June 25 presidential disaster declaration and how disaster survivors and affected communities are overcoming challenges:

Initially three counties were designated as eligible for federal assistance. Since then, the presidential disaster declaration has been amended six times, making survivors in 12 counties eligible to apply for help under FEMA’s Individual Assistance (IA) program.

The deadline for survivors to register for federal aid under the IA program is Wednesday,     Sept. 7, 2016.

In addition, local, county and state government infrastructure and certain private nonprofit organizations in 18 counties became eligible to receive funding through FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program to repair and rebuild certain eligible disaster-damaged facilities. Local, county and state government expenses related to debris removal, saving lives, providing security, and managing the immediate response also became eligible for reimbursement.

The PA program benefits everyone in the affected communities because essential services like roads, utilities, schools and hospitals are often restored stronger than they were before the disaster. FEMA relieves burdens of local and county governments and the state by paying 75 percent of the eligible costs.

So far, more than 8,732 West Virginia households have contacted FEMA for IA help.

To date, survivors have received more than $111 million in federal disaster assistance for a variety of recovery purposes.

  • More than $32.7 million in grants has been approved for a place to stay for homeowners and renters whose residences were uninhabitable and to make essential repairs for homes to be safe, secure and functional.

  • More than $6.2 million in grants has gone to homeowners and renters to repair and replace certain household items and for disaster-related burial, medical and dental expenses.

  • Homeowners, renters and businesses have received more than $44.2 million in low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to repair, rebuild and replace damaged property and contents. Disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other sources.

  • NFIP policyholders have received more than $20 million in claims to repair and rebuild flood-damaged property.

  • The total Public Assistance Grants obligated as of Aug. 23 is more than $7.8 million

The SBA may call you after you register with FEMA. If they do, advise SBA on how you want to apply and submit your disaster low-interest loan application.  As a business, homeowner or renter, you can submit your SBA disaster loan application in one of three ways: 

FEMA and SBA encourage homeowners, renters and business owners to submit your SBA loan application to help fund recovery and to ensure the federal disaster recovery process continues.

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 damage.

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

Disaster recovery officials are still on the ground in West Virginia and interacting with survivors in a variety of ways to help them recover:

  • FEMA specialists have attended more than 30 community organization events in West Virginia to discuss and answer questions about federal disaster assistance.

  • More than 9,100 survivors have visited 15 Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs). The first centers opened three days after the presidential disaster declaration.

  • More than 7,100 FEMA housing inspections have been completed.

  • FEMA disaster survivor assistance specialists canvassed the affected communities to encourage survivors to register for help, provide recovery information and listen to their concerns.

  • Free consultations on building hazard-resistant homes have been given to more than 2,800 survivors at DRCs and more than 5,300 at West Virginia home improvement stores.

The West Virginia Chief Recovery Officer, Maj. Gen. James Hoyer of the National Guard; the West Virginia State Disaster Recovery Officer, Keith Burdette, who is Secretary of Commerce for the State of West Virginia; and Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator Kevin Snyder are coordinating a team of state and federal disaster recovery specialists to restore, redevelop, revitalize and better prepare affected communities.

Recovery has significantly progressed because of voluntary, faith and community-based groups that are donating their time and skills to help survivors muck out, repair and rebuild their homes. These groups are always the first and last presence to help disaster survivors recover.

Whole community partners continue to collaborate to find solutions to enable West Virginia’s recovery and will be here as long as it takes.

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         7 a.m. to 10 p.m. EDT seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

Additional information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery can be found by calling the FEMA Helpline 800-621-3362 or visiting: www.DisasterAssistance.gov; www.WVflood.com; fema.gov/disaster/4273; twitter.com/femaregion3; and fema.gov/blog.

Continue reading: 

Partnerships and progress: West Virginia severe storms, flooding, mudslides and landslides 60 days later

Louisiana Survivors Can Get FEMA Rebuilding Advice

Baton Rouge, La. — As Louisianans repair or rebuild their homes damaged by August floods, 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 at area Home Depots from  Aug. 25 through 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 geared for do-it-yourself work and general contractors.

FEMA advisors will be on hand at information centers in these stores 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

THE HOME DEPOT

Lafayette Parish
1700 NE Evangeline Thruway
Lafayette, La. 70501

East Baton Rouge Parish
8181 Airline Hwy.
Baton Rouge, La. 70815

St. Tammany Parish
40 Park Place Drive
Covington, La. 70433

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

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.

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.

 

 

 

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Louisiana Survivors Can Get FEMA Rebuilding Advice

Replacing Lost or Damaged Documents in Louisiana

BATON ROUGE, La. – Disasters such as the recent floods and storms commonly result in the loss of important documents, but Louisiana residents have ways to replace them. Here is a list of useful websites and telephone numbers:

SNAP Cards:

(Food Stamps): Phone: 1-888-524-3578

Website: www.dcfs.la.gov/DSNAP

Green Cards:

Phone: 800-375-5283

Website: https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/after-green-card-granted/replace-green-card

Birth and Death Certificates:

Phone: 225-342-9500

Website: http://new.dhh.louisiana.gov/index.cfm/page/635

Louisiana Driver’s Licenses:

Phone: 888-214-5367

Website: http://omv.dps.state.la.us/

Bank Checks, ATM/Debit Cards or Safe Deposit Boxes:

Phone: 877-275-3342

Website: https://www.fdic.gov/

Credit Cards – Contact the appropriate issuing institution:

American Express: 800-327-1267

https://www.americanexpress.com/us/content/help/lost-stolen-card.html

Discover: 800-347-2683

https://www.discover.com/credit-cards/help-center/

MasterCard: 800-627-8372

https://www.mastercard.us/en-us/consumers/get-support.html

Visa: 800-847-2911

https://usa.visa.com/support/consumer/lost-stolen-card.html

Credit Reports: Equifax, Experian or TransUnion

Phone: 877-322-8228

Website: https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action

Social Security Cards:

Phone: 800-772-1213

Website: https://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/

Fraud Alerts or a Credit Freeze:

Website: http://www.fightidentitytheft.com/security_freeze_louisiana.html

Other support:

Identity Theft Resource Center:

Phone: 888-400-5530

Website: http://www.idtheftcenter.org/ 

Email: info@fightidentitytheft.com.

Medicare Cards:

Phone: 800-772-1213

https://faq.ssa.gov/ics/support/kbanswer.asp?deptID=34019&task=knowledge&questionID=3708 

Passports:

Phone: 877-487-2778

Website: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/lost-stolen.html

U.S. Savings Bonds:

Phone: 844-284-2676 (toll-free)

Website: https://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/research/indepth/ebonds/res_e_bonds_eereplace.htm

Tax Returns:

Phone: 800-829-1040

Website: https://www.irs.gov/uac/About-Form-4506T

Military Records:

Phone: 866-272-6272

Website: https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/

Insurance Documents:

Phone: Check with your insurance agent.

Website: http://insurance.lawyers.com/natural-disasters/replacing-personal-documents-lost-in-a-disaster.html

Real Estate and Property Records (Mortgage Documents, Deeds, etc.):

Phone: Contact your agent.

http://insurance.lawyers.com/natural-disasters/replacing-personal-documents-lost-in-a-disaster.html  

Medical and Prescription Records:

Call your doctor; medical and prescription records are tracked electronically.

Proof of Address/Residency:

Contact your local utility company to obtain a recent bill.

National Archives Records:

Phone: 866-272-6272

Website: General: http://www.archives.gov/preservation/records-emergency/public.html

Website: Saving family records: http://www.archives.gov/preservation/disasterresponse/guidelines.html

NOTE: FEMA does not endorse any specific products or services.

###

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.

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.

Link to original: 

Replacing Lost or Damaged Documents in Louisiana

Atlantic County Fire Company Awarded Grant for Larger, Safer Aerial Ladder Truck

NEW YORK — The Minotola Fire Company in Buena Borough, N.J. will purchase a new aerial ladder truck to replace a smaller, 23-year-old truck that is out of service for repairs 20 percent of the time, it was announced here today.

 

One of Minotola’s fire commissioners, Jeffrey Pace, said today that the current vehicle has been out of service “for a week and a half, leaving our firefighters with only one engine to respond to an incident.” Commissioner Pace said, in addition, that “repairs to the truck’s hydraulic system had recently cost taxpayers nearly $20,000, or almost 10 percent of our entire fire district’s operating budget for just one repair.” 

 

He said also that the new, 100-foot-long vehicle will allow the company’s volunteer firefighters to stay further away from a blaze than its predecessor, which, he pointed out, was unable to meet the criteria of either the National Fire Protection Association or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

 

The federal funds providing most of the cost for the new vehicle come from an Assistance to Firefighters Grant, which is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “The grant totals $794,000, with the federal share coming to $756,191,” said Dale McShine, Grants Director for FEMA’s Region II. “The local share is $37,809, or five percent of the total,” she added. The grant will become effective August 26, 2016.

 

The Town of Minotola comprises part of Buena Borough with a sister city, Landisville, having a population of some 5,000 over eight square miles. Commissioner Pace reported that the Fire Company’s 32 volunteers firefighter respond to roughly 125 calls annually.

 

Commissioner Pace expressed his appreciation for the FEMA grant. “We are a small borough in western Atlantic County. We simply could not have asked our taxpayers to fund an expenditure of this size, as valuable as it is to our entire community. This is a most practical grant. It will be put to very good use while saving a good deal of taxpayer money.”

 

The new truck will be able to pump 2,000 gallons of water per minute and will be equipped with a 500-gallon water tank and a 30-gallon foam system, identical to the capabilities of the truck it will replace. The new ladder, though, will be able to rise 35 feet higher than the old one, which also had small structural cracks on its rungs in addition to unsafe railings.

 

Other new safety features will include appropriate handrails and NFPA-compliant seat belts with a warning system to notify the driver if passengers’ seat belts are not buckled.

 

“We also have a comprehensive training course,” said Commissioner Pace, “that will put all of our firefighters in compliance with NFPA regulations.”

 

Tania Hedlund, FEMA’s Region II Chief for grants, reports that in fiscal year 2014, the region awarded 273 grants totaling $95.6 million.

View this article:

Atlantic County Fire Company Awarded Grant for Larger, Safer Aerial Ladder Truck

Federal Aid to Rebuild Infrastructure Following Three Texas Disasters Nears Quarter Billion Dollars

AUSTIN, Texas—Three major disaster declarations affecting dozens of Texas counties—some on multiple occasions—will result in nearly one quarter-billion dollars in federal assistance to repair or replace damaged infrastructure.

FEMA said today that combined federal aid for severe weather disasters in May-June 2015; October 2015, and January 2016 will help fund recovery efforts for 3,087 individual projects among 569 applicants for Public Assistance.

Public Assistance is an element of FEMA’s disaster response that benefits everyone—neighborhoods, cities and states, as well as certain private nonprofit organizations—by reimbursing eligible work on damaged publicly-owned infrastructure.

PA dollars:

  • clean up the community and repair bridges

  • put water systems and utilities back in order

  • repair hospitals and emergency services

  • rebuild libraries and replace damaged books

  • rebuild schools and universities and

  • restore damaged public parks so families can enjoy them again.

FEMA provides a minimum of 75 percent of the cost to repair or replace disaster-damaged infrastructure.

PA projects are developed and approved by local, state, and federal officials and work is continuing on many. Payments are usually made on a reimbursement basis.

Public Assistance funding applicants can include:

  • state agencies

  • local and county governments

  • private nonprofit organizations that own or operate facilities that provide essential government-type services

Recovery work also continues on disasters resulting from storms this year in March, April and May-June.

Summary of Public Assistance to Three Texas Disasters

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds and Flooding

Counties

Applicants

Projects

Federal Share*

May-June 2015

110

381

2,265

$175.9 million

October, 2015

57

85

486

$40.1 million

January, 2016

51

103

336

$32.5 million

TOTALS

178

569

3,087

$248.5 million

*Current estimate

# # #

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.

Link: 

Federal Aid to Rebuild Infrastructure Following Three Texas Disasters Nears Quarter Billion Dollars

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

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. and 4 p.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 and 4:00-7:00 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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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.

Read this article:

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

Every West Virginia disaster applicant has the right to appeal

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – If you registered for help from FEMA and got a letter (often called a “determination letter”), you may want to appeal the decision made regarding your application for federal assistance. Here are some tips to help you:

  • Every disaster survivor has a right to appeal. Read your letter carefully all the way through to understand FEMA’s reason for its decision. This will allow you to know exactly why to appeal. Appeals must be made in writing and sent by mail or fax to FEMA within 60 days of receiving the letter.

  • It’s important to submit insurance information. If your coverage is not enough to make essential home repairs, provide a place to stay, or replace certain contents, FEMA can review your application. But you must provide documents from your insurance company that detail your settlement. Remember also that FEMA cannot duplicate homeowners’ or renters’ insurance benefits.

    • Contact your insurance company if you need settlement documents.

  • Prove occupancy. If you’re a homeowner or renter, FEMA can reconsider you for grants if you provide documents that prove the damaged structure was your main residence. You can prove this was your main home with utility bills, a driver’s license or a copy of your lease. You cannot receive federal disaster assistance for secondary or vacation homes.

  • Prove ownership. If you can prove you own the home, FEMA can reconsider you for grants to make a structure safe, sanitary and functional. Documents you can submit to prove ownership may include mortgage or insurance documents, tax receipts or a deed. If you don’t have a deed handy, speak to your local or county officials about obtaining a copy.

  • There are many other reasons you may disagree with a decision. If you registered you should have received a booklet called “Help after a Disaster” that details how FEMA determines who’s eligible for assistance. You can also access the booklet online at www.fema.gov/help-after-disaster. The booklet lists what information you need to include when appealing.

Mail or fax appeal documents within 60 days of receiving your FEMA determination letter to the address below:

  • FEMA National Processing Service Center

        P.O. Box 10055

        Hyattsville, MD 20782-7055

  • Fax documents to 800-827-8112.

If you have any questions about your determination letter or any other disaster recovery issues you may always call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 (voice, 711 or video relay services) or 800-462-7585 (TTY). Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. EDT seven days a week until further notice. Or you may:

West Virginia disaster survivors are reminded that the deadline to register for FEMA assistance is Wednesday, Sept 7.

Additional information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery can be found by calling the FEMA Helpline 800-621-3362 or visiting: www.DisasterAssistance.gov; the flood pages at wvflood.com; fema.gov/disaster/4273; twitter.com/femaregion3; and fema.gov/blog.

This article is from: 

Every West Virginia disaster applicant has the right to appeal

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