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Centro de recuperación por desastre abre en Sicily Island para ayudar a los sobrevivientes de Louisiana

BATON ROUGE, La. – Un Centro de Recuperación por Desastre (DRC, por sus siglas en inglés) abrirá el domingo 17 de abril, en Sicily Island, Parroquia de Catahoula, para ayudar a los sobrevivientes de las inundaciones en Louisiana. El centro abre de 8:00 a.m. a 6:00 p.m., lunes a sábado y de 12:00 p.m. a 5:00 p.m. los domingos.

El DRC estará localizado en la siguiente dirección:

Old Martin Junior High School
825 Highway 8
Sicily Island, La.

Los sobrevivientes pueden visitar la página web http://asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm para encontrar el centro más cercano, o pueden llamar al 800-621-3362.

Representantes de la Oficina del Gobernador de Seguridad Nacional y Preparación para Emergencias, la Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias, la Agencia Federal para el Desarrollo de la Pequeña Empresa de los EE.UU. (SBA, por sus siglas en inglés), grupos voluntarios y otras agencias están en los centros para contestar preguntas relacionadas con la asistencia por desastre y los préstamos por desastre a bajo interés para dueños de vivienda, inquilinos y negocios. Ellos pueden también ayudar a los sobrevivientes a solicitar la asistencia por desastre federal.

Los Equipos de Asistencia a Sobrevivientes del Desastre (DSAT) están visitando las parroquias designadas y pueden ayudar a las personas a inscribirse con FEMA. Muchas veces los puede encontrar en lugares convenientes para su comunidad, como bibliotecas y la oficina del alcalde. Cuando los residentes requieren ayuda adicional, los equipos pueden referirlos al DRC más cercano.

No es necesario visitar un centro para inscribirse y recibir la asistencia por desastre federal. Si es posible, los sobrevivientes deben inscribirse con FEMA antes de visitar un centro de recuperación.

Para inscribirse por Internet, vaya a DisasterAssistance.gov/es o llame a la línea de ayuda de FEMA al 800-621-3362. Hay ayuda disponible en la mayoría de los idiomas y las líneas telefónicas operan de 7:00 a.m. a 10:00 p.m. siete días a la semana, hasta nuevo aviso.

Los sobrevivientes de desastre que son sordos, que tienen problemas de audición o del habla y que usan TTY pueden llamar al 800-462-7585 para inscribirse. Aquellos que usan 711 o el Servicio de Retransmisión de Video (VRS, por sus siglas en inglés) o requieren algún servicio particular mientras visitan un centro pueden llamar al 800-621-3362. Todos los centros de recuperación por desastre son accesibles y están equipados con herramientas de comunicación para sobrevivientes de desastres con discapacidades. Para reunirse con un intérprete de Lenguaje de Señas Americano (ASL, por sus siglas en inglés) en los centros, llame al 225-382-1739 (servicio solamente disponible en inglés).

Hay préstamos por desastre a bajo interés de la SBA disponibles a negocios de todos tamaños, incluyendo arrendadores, además de organizaciones privadas sin fines de lucro, propietarios de viviendas e inquilinos. Los préstamos por desastre cubren pérdidas no compensadas totalmente por el seguro u otros fondos de asistencia.

Para más información, los solicitantes pueden ponerse en contacto con el Centro de Servicio al Cliente de SBA llamando al 800-659-2955, enviando un correo electrónico a DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov o visitando la página web del SBA en sba.gov/disaster. Las personas sordas y con problemas de audición pueden llamar al 800-877-8339.

Para mayor información llame a la línea de ayuda de FEMA al 800-621-3362 o vaya en línea a www.DisasterAssistance.gov/es o www.fema.gov/es/disaster/4263.

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Los alentamos a que continúe con precaución en áreas donde haya todavía áreas inundadas. Siga los pasos de DOTD en su página web www.511la.org para obtener la información más reciente sobre el cierre de caminos. Esté atento a los comunicados de advertencia de sus autoridades locales y de los gerentes del manejo de emergencias. Usted puede encontrar información actualizada en la página de respuesta del estado en www.emergency.la.gov. También GOHSEP proporciona información en Facebook y Twitter. Usted puede recibir alertas de emergencia en la mayoría de los teléfonos celulares y tabletas al descargar la nueva aplicación de alerta de FM. Esta es gratuita usando el servicio básico. Usted también puede descargar la Guía para la Preparación en Emergencias de Louisiana y encontrar otra información adicional en www.getagameplan.org

La asistencia para la recuperación por desastre está disponible sin tomar en consideración raza, color, religión, nacionalidad, sexo, edad, discapacidad, dominio del inglés o nivel económico. Si usted o alguien que usted conoce ha sido discriminado, llame al número gratuito de FEMA al 800-621-3362. Para llamar al TTY use 800-462-7585.

La misión de FEMA es apoyar a los ciudadanos y a las agencias de socorristas para garantizar que trabajemos juntos como nación para desarrollar, mantener y mejorar nuestra capacidad para prepararnos, protegernos, dar respuesta, recuperarnos y mitigar todos los peligros. Síganos en Twitter en http://twitter.com/#!/femaregion6 y en el blog de FEMA en http://blog.fema.gov.

La Agencia Federal para el Desarrollo de la Pequeña Empresa (SBA, por sus siglas en inglés) es el recurso primario de fondos del gobierno federal para reconstruir a largo plazo la propiedad privada dañada por los desastres. El SBA ayuda a los propietarios de viviendas, inquilinos y negocios de todos los tamaños y privados, organizaciones sin fines de lucro a financiar la reparación o esfuerzos de reconstrucción y cubrir los costos de reemplazo por la pérdida o daño causado por el desastre a la propiedad personal. Estos préstamos por el desastre cubren pérdidas no compensadas completamente por el seguro u otras formas de recuperación y no duplica los beneficios de otras agencias u organizaciones. Para mayor información, los solicitantes deben ponerse en contacto con el Centro de Servicio al Cliente de la Asistencia por Desastre de SBA llamando al (800) 659-2955, por correo electrónico

disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, o al visitar la página web de SBA en www.sba.gov/disaster. Para personas con problemas auditivos o del habla, llamar al (800) 877-8339.

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Centro de recuperación por desastre abre en Sicily Island para ayudar a los sobrevivientes de Louisiana

Several Disaster Recovery Centers Will No Longer Be Open Sundays, But Help Remains for Louisiana Disaster Survivors

BATON ROUGE, La – All but eight disaster recovery centers will not be open on Sundays beginning April 17, but help will still be available for Louisiana disaster survivors every day.

The following centers will remain open seven days a week:

Monroe Civic Center 401 Lea Joyner Expressway Monroe, La.	Sheriff’s Office of Community Services 726 3rd Street Natchitoches, La.
National Guard Pavilion RSA 62589 Holloway Road Roseland, La.	Franklin Parish Public Works Building 8327 Highway 17 Winnsboro, La.
Dr. Charles Garrett Community Center 182 Industrial Drive Jonesboro, La.	Health Unit Building 53 N. 2nd Street Greensburg, La.
Kinder Fire Department 808 2nd Ave. Kinder, La.	Old Martin Junior High School 825 Highway 8 Sicily Island, La.

Hours of operation remain 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday for all centers. Those remaining open on Sundays will have noon to 5 p.m. hours. Survivors may visit FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or call 800-621-3362 to locate centers near them.

Survivors can register for disaster assistance or ask questions on Sundays by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Those who use 711/VRS can call 800-621-3362. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. They can also register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.

Call the helpline to:

Ask questions about FEMA determination letters.
Learn how to appeal FEMA determination letters. All applicants may appeal.
Inquire about the status of a registration.
Provide change of address, telephone and bank account numbers and insurance information to avoid processing delays.
Receive information about FEMA home inspections.
Get other questions answered about federal disaster assistance.

FEMA advises applicants to have their nine-digit FEMA registration number on hand when they call. They also will be asked to verify their identity if they want access to their information

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.

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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.

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

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Several Disaster Recovery Centers Will No Longer Be Open Sundays, But Help Remains for Louisiana Disaster Survivors

Help Remains for Louisiana Disaster Survivors after Disaster Recovery Centers Close in Colfax, Grant Parish and Winnfield, Winn Parish

BATON ROUGE, La. – The Colfax and Winnfield disaster recovery centers will close Saturday, April 16, at 6 p.m.

The centers are located at the following addresses:

Grant Parish Civic Center
1208 Main St.
Colfax, La.

Winn Parish Library
200 N. St. John St.
Winnfield, La.

Louisiana disaster survivors in Colfax and Winnfield may still visit other centers to meet with recovery officials. For other locations go to fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or call 800-621-3362.

Residents can still register for disaster assistance or ask questions by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY) 800-462-7585. Those who use 711/VRS can call 800-621-3362. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. They can also register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or FEMA.gov.

Call the helpline to:

Ask questions about FEMA determination letters.
Learn how to appeal FEMA’s determination. All applicants may appeal.
Inquire about the status of a registration.
Provide change of address, telephone and bank account numbers and insurance information to avoid disaster assistance processing delays.
Receive information about FEMA home inspections.
Get other questions answered about federal disaster assistance.

FEMA advises applicants to have their nine-digit FEMA registration number on hand when they call. They also will be asked to verify their identity if they want access to their information.

We urge everyone to continue to use caution in areas where floodwaters remain. Monitor DOTD’s 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 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 Getagameplan.org.

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 SBA’s customer service, or visiting SBA’s website. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

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Help Remains for Louisiana Disaster Survivors after Disaster Recovery Centers Close in Colfax, Grant Parish and Winnfield, Winn Parish

A Disaster Recovery Center Is Scheduled To Close in Stephenville

AUSTIN, Texas – The disaster recovery center, located at Erath County Fire Station, 830 A East Road, Stephenville, will close at 2 p.m. this Saturday, April 16.

DRCs are operated jointly by FEMA and the state. After the center closes, Texans whose homes or businesses were affected by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that occurred March 7-29, can still register for assistance, get questions answered and check on the status of their claim the following ways:

Go online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
Call 800-621-3362 (FEMA or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may call 800-621-3362. The toll-free numbers are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, seven days a week. The deadline to register for federal assistance is May 18, 2016.

Recovery officials encourage Texans, who registered for disaster assistance with FEMA, to “stay in touch.” If survivors change their address or phone number they should update FEMA with the information. Missing or erroneous information could result in delays in getting a home inspection or receiving assistance.

Disaster survivors can visit any DRC. There may be another recovery center nearby. To find the closest one, go online to the Disaster Recovery Center locator at http://asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm.

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A Disaster Recovery Center Is Scheduled To Close in Stephenville

Help Remains After Greene County Recovery Center Closes

JACKSON, Miss. – The disaster recovery center operated by the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Greene County will close permanently Saturday, April 16, at 6 p.m. However, disaster survivor assistance teams continue to canvass the area with information on available assistance. Survivors also may call the FEMA helpline listed below or visit the center in Forrest County.

The Forrest County disaster recovery center is open this week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Beginning Saturday, April 16, center hours will be Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.,

Saturday 10 a.m.to 3 p.m. Closed Sundays.

Centers are located at:

Forrest County

Forrest County Community Disaster Shelter Facility

946 Sullivan Drive

Hattiesburg, MS 39401

Greene County (Closing at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 16)

McLain Town Office

106 Church Ave.

McLain, MS 39456

Anyone affected by the storms and flooding in a designated county may visit any of the centers. Survivors can locate the nearest center by visiting fema.gov/drc or by calling the FEMA helpline.

Many services available at disaster recovery centers are also available by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. Survivors with questions regarding the application or the appeals process, or who need to register for assistance, may visit online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. (TTY users should call 800-462-7585.) The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

If you require a reasonable accommodation (ASL interpreting, Braille Large Print, etc.) while visiting a disaster recovery center, call the appropriate Helpline number above.

Survivors also can use the helpline to:

Ask questions about a letter from FEMA.
Learn how to appeal a FEMA decision. All applicants may appeal.
Inquire about the status of a registration.
Provide change of address, telephone and bank account numbers and insurance information to avoid disaster assistance processing delays.
Receive information about FEMA home inspections.
Get other questions answered about federal disaster assistance.

Applicants should have their nine-digit FEMA registration number and ZIP code if they want to discuss their application.

For the latest information on Mississippi disaster recovery operations, go online to msema.org and fema.gov/disaster/4268.

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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.

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. People who are referred to SBA by FEMA will be contacted by SBA and provided options for the application process. Completed applications must be submitted to SBA officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

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Help Remains After Greene County Recovery Center Closes

Disaster Assistance Is for Texas Renters, Too

AUSTIN, Texas – Renters in Texas counties whose homes and property were damaged by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding may be eligible for federal disaster assistance. Aid is available to residents of Erath, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Hood, Jasper, Limestone, Marion, Newton, Orange, Parker, Shelby and Tyler counties.

Federal grants can help pay for temporary housing not covered by insurance. These rental grants are initially for two months.

Also, the U.S. Small Business Administration offers low-interest disaster loans to help Texas renters repair or replace disaster-damaged personal property, including automobiles. Loan rates are as low as 1.813 percent; terms can be as long as 30 years and survivors may be eligible for up to $40,000, depending on their losses.

Both renters and homeowners may qualify for grants for other disaster-related necessary expenses and serious needs, such as clothing, child care, room furnishings and appliances, medical and dental costs, vehicles and moving and storage expenses. Eligibility for some grants is determined only after completing and returning an SBA application. There is no requirement to take out a loan should it be approved.

The first step is to register with FEMA at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone (voice, 711 or video relay service) at 800-621-3362, TTY 800-462-7585. Toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week and multilingual operators are available.

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Disaster loan information and application forms are also available online at http://www.sba.gov/disaster, from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955 or by emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Meet with an SBA Representative at a Disaster Recovery Center to learn more about disaster loans, the application process, or for help completing the SBA application. Individuals who are deaf or hard‑of‑hearing may call 800-877-8339. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

For more information on Texas recovery, visit the disaster webpage at fema.gov/disaster/4266, Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion6 and the Texas Division of Emergency Management website, txdps.state.tx.us/dem.

Visit fema.gov/texas-disaster-mitigation for publications and reference material on rebuilding and repairing safer and stronger.

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Disaster Assistance Is for Texas Renters, Too

Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Jonesboro, Jackson Parish and Greensburg, St. Helena Parish for Louisiana Survivors

BATON ROUGE, La. – Disaster recovery centers will open Wednesday, April 13, in Jonesboro, Jackson Parish and Greensburg, St. Helena Parish to help Louisiana flood survivors. The centers are open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. The Jonesboro center will be open six days only and will close on Monday, April 18.

The disaster recovery centers are located at the following addresses:

Dr. Charles Garrett Community Center
182 Industrial Drive
Jonesboro, La.

Health Unit Building
53 N. 2nd St.
Greensburg, La.

More centers are planned to open in other parishes. Survivors may locate centers online at fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or by calling 800-621-3362.

Representatives from the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Small Business Administration, volunteer groups and other agencies are at the centers to answer questions about disaster assistance 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 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.

To register, go online to DisasterAssistance.gov or call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. Help is available in most languages and phone lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

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 or go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or www.fema.gov/disaster/4263.

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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 Web site at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800)877-8339.

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Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Jonesboro, Jackson Parish and Greensburg, St. Helena Parish for Louisiana Survivors

Free FEMA Advice Available at Local Home Improvement Stores

JACKSON, Miss. – Those whose homes were damaged during the storms and tornadoes beginning March 9 can get advice and pamphlets on how to make cost-effective repairs as well as information on how to make their homes stronger and safer at several local home improvement stores.

FEMA mitigation specialists will be available at booths to answer questions. Most of the information is geared toward do-it-yourself workers and general contractors.

Advisers will be available April 14-19 at the following locations between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.:

Lowe’s Store, 1135 Highway 6 East, Batesville, MS 38606
Lowe’s Store, 1886 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Greenville, MS 38701

For more information on Mississippi’s flood recovery, go to fema.gov/disaster/4268 or visit the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency site at msema.org.

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Free FEMA Advice Available at Local Home Improvement Stores

Mississippi Storm Damage Assistance Tops $5.1 million

Mississippi Storm Damage Assistance Tops $5.1 million

JACKSON, Miss. – More than $5.1 million in state and federal disaster assistance has been disbursed to help those affected by the storms and flooding in Mississippi that began March 9, 2016.

Of this amount, more than $4 million was for housing assistance for repairing/rebuilding homes and rental assistance to provide more than 650 people a temporary place to live. An additional more than $1 million in other needs assistance was delivered to help cover the costs of replacing lost contents, medical, dental and other disaster-related expenses.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has been contacted by more than 2,900 people for help or information regarding disaster assistance.

In addition to FEMA grants for individuals and families, other forms of disaster assistance are provided by partner agencies such as the U.S. Small Business Administration and voluntary agencies. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and FEMA often refer survivors to those agencies. All businesses are also referred to the SBA.

No matter the degree of loss or insurance coverage, survivors who sustained damage in the 16 disaster-designated Mississippi counties are urged to apply for help. The Individual Assistance-designated counties are Bolivar, Clarke, Coahoma, Forrest, George, Greene, Jones, Marion, Panola, Pearl River, Perry, Quitman, Sunflower, Tunica, Washington and Wayne.

Individuals and businesses in any of the 16 designated Mississippi counties begin the disaster assistance process by registering online at disasterassistance.gov. Survivors also can call 800-621-3362; TTY 800-462-7585; 711 or Video Relay Service should call 800-621-3362. Helpline hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, seven days a week until further notice.

Survivors can speak in person with state, federal and voluntary agency representatives by visiting a disaster recovery center. Centers are open in Bolivar, Coahoma, Forrest, Greene, Quitman, Tunica and Washington counties. Centers are planned in additional counties in the coming days. To locate the nearest center, call the FEMA helpline or go to fema.gov/drc.

For more information on Mississippi’s recovery, go to fema.gov/disaster/4268 or visit the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency site at msema.org.

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Mississippi Storm Damage Assistance Tops $5.1 million

FEMA, State Grants Will Not Affect Social Security Or Other Federal Benefits

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas residents affected by the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding in March will not lose Social Security benefits, pay additional taxes, or give up income-based benefit programs if they accept federal or state disaster aid. This includes homeowners, renters and businesses in Erath, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Hood, Jasper, Limestone, Marion, Newton, Orange, Parker, Shelby and Tyler counties who register for disaster assistance.

In most cases, the Social Security Administration does not count federal or state disaster aid as income, according to recovery officials from the state of Texas and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

A few questions that often come up following a disaster declaration are:

FEMA Grants

Question: I’m between 62 and 65 years of age, and have chosen to receive Social Security benefits. If my income is more than a certain amount each year, I must reimburse a portion of my Social Security payment. Will FEMA grants add to my income and require me to repay Social Security?

Answer: No. FEMA grants for housing and other disaster assistance are not counted as income.

Taxes

Question: I’m over 65, but if I earn more than a certain amount, I must pay tax on my Social Security income. Will FEMA grants boost my income and require me to pay tax on my Social Security income?

Answer: No. The IRS does not count FEMA grants for housing and other disaster assistance as income.

Other Assistance

Question: Will receiving a grant cause my income to increase to the point that I am no longer eligible for Medicaid, welfare assistance or food stamps?

Answer: No. Grants for housing and other disaster assistance are not counted as income in determining eligibility for income-tested benefit programs that the U.S. government funds.

Apply for assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585. Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may call 800-621-3362. The toll-free numbers are open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Visit fema.gov/texas-disaster-mitigation for publications and reference material on rebuilding and repairing safer and stronger.

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FEMA, State Grants Will Not Affect Social Security Or Other Federal Benefits

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