AUSTIN, Texas—More than 22,000 Texans battered by flooding over the last two years settled claims with the National Flood Insurance Program for over $1 billion, disaster recovery officials said today.

Severe storms and flooding over the last two years resulted in six federal disaster declarations in Texas, affecting more than half of the state’s 254 counties, many on multiple occasions. Residents are still picking up the pieces from flood-related disaster declarations in March, April and May-June this year.

About 100,000 individuals and families registered with FEMA for federal assistance during the 2015-2016 recovery. Only a small percentage received the agency’s maximum award of $33,000, for losses likely much greater. The average FEMA grant for the May-June floods was about $6,800.

Those with flood insurance and who filed claims in the last two years received an average settlement of about $57,000.  There doesn’t have to be a federal disaster declaration to file a claim; in fact, most floods do not result in disaster declarations.

Most Texans Lack Flood Policies

Flooding is the most common U.S. disaster as well as the costliest natural disaster. Yet most Texans lack flood insurance, according to the Insurance Council of Texas. Less than 25 percent of the state’s homeowners are covered, despite the risks.

Homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flood damage, but the NFIP does. Funded by FEMA, NFIP makes flood insurance available for communities that participate in the program, regardless of whether the area is high, low, or medium risk. Check the Community Status Book to see if your community is already an NFIP partner.

NFIP carries a maximum coverage of $250,000 for homes and $100,000 for contents. Business coverage is a maximum of $500,000 for building and $500,000 for contents.

In nearly all cases, it takes 30 days after purchase for a policy to take effect, so it’s important to buy insurance before the storm approaches and the floodwaters start to rise.

To learn more about any property’s flood risk, estimate an NFIP premium or locate an insurance agent who sells flood insurance, go to www.floodsmart.gov. For flood information and safety tips visit www.ready.gov/floods. Find the Spanish-language website at www.listo.gov.

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September is National Preparedness Month. Feel free to share with your audience important tips from www.Ready.gov to prepare, plan and stay informed during any emergency.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

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Flood Insurance Settlements to Texans Top $1 Billion

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that due to the damage and displacement caused by recent flooding, the grace period to renew flood insurance policies has been extended to 120 days, for certain parishes in Louisiana.

“We’ve seen major destruction to communities across the state; thousands of Louisianans have been displaced,” said Roy Wright, deputy associate administrator for FEMA’s Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration.  “This extension will give policyholders one less thing to worry about, at a time when they are trying to focus on getting back into their homes safely and on beginning to rebuild their lives.” 

In order to avoid a lapse in coverage, there is typically a 30-day grace period to renew policies under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).  In Louisiana, the extensive damage to homes and businesses, as well as widespread disruption of power, transportation, and communication infrastructure may affect the ability of policyholders to meet the standard 30-day deadline to renew policies.

Today’s action extends the grace period to a total of 120 days, and applies to policies in the 20 parishes declared in Louisiana: Acadia, Ascension, Avoyelles, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Vermilion, Washington and West Feliciana.

The extension applies to all NFIP flood insurance policies in those parishes with a current grace period ending August 11, 2016, through September 10, 2016.  Affected policyholders should note that the NFIP cannot pay a flood claim that occurs after the expiration date, unless the policyholders renew their premium with their insurance carriers on or before the last day of the grace period.

As of today, more than 25,000 National Flood Insurance Program policyholders have submitted claims for flood loss.  FEMA authorized and issued more than $15 million in advance payments to NFIP policyholders in Louisiana who sustained flood-related damages to provide expedited relief to disaster survivors.  FEMA continues advising those who would like to file a claim to call their individual insurance carrier, or go to Floodsmart.gov and review the “File Your Claim” section.

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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 Extends Grace Period to Renew Flood Insurance Policies in Declared Louisiana Parishes

PHILADELPHIA Residents of the City of Baltimore, Maryland have received a reduction in their flood insurance premiums through implementation of floodplain management measures encouraged by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) oversees the NFIP, which administers a program called the Community Rating System (CRS). The CRS is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities that exceed minimum NFIP requirements. The program includes 10 different class rating levels based on the number and type of activities voluntarily initiated by the participating community. Each level corresponds to a percentage discount on National Flood Insurance policy premiums within the municipality.

“The CRS program provides a strong incentive for communities to take flood risk reduction into their own hands,” stated FEMA Region III Regional Administrator MaryAnn Tierney. “Mitigation actions that reduce the impact of future floods on communities are to be championed, and the City of Baltimore has taken strong steps in this direction.”

As a member of the CRS, the City of Baltimore is within an elite group of 14 Maryland communities that have received this recognition. With the continued steps taken by the City of Baltimore to protect its citizens and increase its resiliency, it has entered the Community Rating System program as a Class 5 participant. The Class 5 rating qualifies eligible National Flood Insurance Program policy holders in floodprone areas an average of $213 savings on their annual premium. In total, entry into the program accounts for a total savings of over $400,000 annually for citizens of Baltimore.

Under the CRS, local officials are asked to meet three goals: (1) reduce flood losses; (2) facilitate accurate insurance rating; and (3) promote the awareness of flood insurance. Communities can earn a CRS rating by submitting an application explaining the projects they have in place or development. Once the information is verified and approved, FEMA provides flood insurance premium discounts through the NFIP. The amount of a property owner’s policy discount is based on the community’s CRS rating.

For each class that a community moves up to, it provides its residents with an additional 5% reduction in their flood insurance premiums up to the 45% reduction that a Class 1 community receives. As a Class 5 community, the City of Baltimore enables its residents to receive a 25% reduction on eligible flood insurance premiums.

For information about flood insurance, property owners should contact their insurance agent, visit floodsmart.gov, or call the NFIP’s toll-free information line at 800-427-4661. To learn more about the CRS, visit floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/pages/crs/community_rating_system.jsp.

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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City of Baltimore Enters Voluntary Floodplain Management Program

DENTON, Texas –– New flood maps become effective in Clay County on Aug. 3, 2016. Residents are encouraged to examine so they can determine the need to buy flood insurance. By knowing their risks, individuals and community leaders can make informed decisions about building and development.

The effects of flooding are not covered by most homeowner insurance policies. Anyone without flood insurance risks uninsured losses to their homes, personal property and businesses. Flood insurance is available either through a private policy, or through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The NFIP is a voluntary program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Residents with federal mortgages must have flood insurance if the structures are in flood hazard areas. Flooding is the #1 natural disaster in the U.S. and only flood insurance covers these unexpected, damaging and sometimes fatal events.

To learn if your community participates in the NFIP and to review the new flood maps, contact your local floodplain administrator. “We all need to learn what our risks are and prepare for them,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “Floods can happen anywhere.”

FEMA map specialists and flood insurance experts also are available to answer questions. They can be reached by phone and online chat.  

•    To use the live chat service, visit http://go.usa.gov/r6C.  Click on the “Live Chat” icon.
•    To contact a FEMA Map Specialist, call 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or send an email to FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com.
•    To view a Preliminary Interactive Flood Map: http://maps.riskmap6.com/AR/Clay/

FEMA encourages communities not currently participating in the NFIP to look at the benefits of joining the program. Contacting a local insurance agent is the first step to obtaining information about insurance. Folks can visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-379-9531 to locate an agent in their area.

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 www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov. 

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Clay County Arkansas Flood Maps Become Final

ATLANTA –The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recognized Louisville-Jefferson County, Ky as a premier participant in the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS). With additional steps the community has taken, Louisville-Jefferson County is now the first community in Kentucky, and only the second in the eastern US, to receive a CRS Class 3 rating. Jesse Munoz, FEMA Region IV mitigation division director, presented Metro Council President David Yates a plaque recognizing Louisville-Jefferson County’s achievement at the April 14 Metro Council Meeting.

The CRS rewards communities that voluntarily take steps to reduce flood risks beyond the minimum requirements of the NFIP, such as increasing flood protection and implementing preparedness and mitigation activities. As a result, property owners and renters in CRS-participating communities enjoy a reduction in flood insurance premiums.

“Louisville-Jefferson County is the only community in the commonwealth and among only a handful of communities nationwide that has achieved Class 3, which is a notably high rating,” said Gracia Szczech, regional administrator for FEMA Region IV. “I am pleased that we can recognize Louisville-Jefferson County for taking steps to make their community safer, more resilient and save their residents money.”

Policyholders in Louisville-Jefferson County first began receiving flood insurance discounts under the CRS program in 1991. Currently, there are more than 5,194 flood insurance policies in force in Louisville-Jefferson County, representing more than $880 million in flood insurance coverage. Policyholders located in the high risk areas of flooding, or Special Flood Hazard Areas, can now receive a 35 percent discount on their policy premium, which is an average savings of $505 per policy. Some policyholders in the lower risk areas are eligible for a 10 percent discount. In total, policyholders realize an annual savings of $2,054,687 because of the community’s participation in the CRS program.

For more information on the NFIP’s CRS program visit https://www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program-community-rating-system. For more information about the NFIP, a program administered by FEMA, visit www.floodsmart.gov.

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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.

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Kentucky Community Recognized for Reducing Flood Risks

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri homeowners, renters and business owners are eligible and encouraged to purchase National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policies even if their home or business isn’t located in a flood plain or high-risk zone.

The NFIP aims to reduce the impact of flooding on private and public structures. It does so by providing affordable flood insurance and encouraging communities to adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations.

NFIP insurance is available to homeowners, renters, condo owners/renters, and commercial owners/renters. But in order to purchase a policy the residence or business must in a community that participates in the NFIP. Missouri communities in the program are listed here — http://www.fema.gov/cis/MO.html. Other communities can request to be added if they meet certain criteria.

More than 70 private insurance agents or agencies in Missouri are certified to sell and service NFIP policies, including all of those listed on this link — http://www.fema.gov/wyo_company

Residents can also contact their own insurance agent or company to find out more about federal flood insurance or find an agent serving their area by filling out the One-Step Flood Risk Profile on the FloodSmart.gov home page (www.floodsmart.gov).

Costs vary depending on how much insurance is purchased, what is covered and the property’s level of flood risk. Those in moderate- to low-risk areas can purchase a special Preferred Risk Policy (PRP) that provides building and contents coverage for one low-price. Typically, there’s a 30-day waiting period from date of purchase before your policy goes into effect.

Why is an NFIP policy necessary if federal aid is available after a flood? Federal disaster assistance typically comes in the form of small grants or low-interest loans to help cover flood damage, not to fully compensate for losses. Even then, those grants and loans are only available if the president formally declares a disaster. NFIP policies are not dependent on a federal disaster declaration.

Flooding occurs in moderate- to low-risk areas as well as in high-risk areas due to factors like poor drainage systems, rapid accumulation of rainfall, snowmelt, and broken water mains. In addition to floods, NFIP policies also cover damage from mudflows. In fact, over 20-percent of all flood insurance claims come from areas outside of mapped high-risk flood zones.

NFIP policyholders who have questions about their flood insurance policy or the claims process, as well as disaster survivors who have general questions about the program, can contact the support hotline by calling toll-free 800-621-3362. For individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability using 711 or VRS, please call 866-337-4262. For individuals using a TTY, please call 800-462-7585.

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

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders and 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.

For real-time disaster updates, follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion7 and turn on mobile notifications.

 

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National Flood Insurance Program — Who’s Eligible?

DENTON, Texas ––New flood maps for Socorro County will become effective in May and be used for rating flood insurance policies. Local, state and federal officials encourage residents to view the maps before May 2, 2016, in order to understand their flood risk and then consider buying flood insurance. New flood risk maps have been created for the city of Socorro, unincorporated areas of Socorro County, and communities in the Navajo Nation and Pueblo of Acoma within the boundaries of Socorro County.

Most property insurance policies do not cover the effects of flooding. People without flood insurance, whether through a private policy or through the National Flood Insurance Program, risk uninsured losses to their homes, personal property and businesses. The NFIP is a voluntary protection program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Flooding is the most frequent natural disaster in the U.S. and only flood insurance covers these unexpected, damaging and sometimes fatal events. “We all need to prepare for the hazards and risks in our communities. The first step in taking the appropriate actions to prepare for flooding is to know your risk,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson.

Contact the local floodplain administrator to learn if your community participates in the NFIP and to review the new flood maps. FEMA map specialists and flood insurance experts also are available to answer your questions. They can be reached by phone and online chat. 

FEMA encourages communities not currently participating in the NFIP to look at the benefits of joining the program. The purchase of insurance should be considered for those newly mapped into a Special Flood Hazard Area before the maps become effective. Contacting a local insurance agent is the first step to obtaining information about insurance. Visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-379-9531 to locate an agent in your area.

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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 www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov

Continued: 

Flood Maps Become Final in May for Socorro County, New Mexico

More Californians Preparing For Severe El Nino Flood Risk:  Residents Purchase 28,000 New Flood Insurance Policies in California

28,084 New National Flood Insurance Program Policies Purchased in California since August

Oakland Calif., — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today released new data on

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Policies, showing an increase of more than 20,000 new NFIP Policies written in California during the month of November 2015.

There is a 30 – 90 day waiting period for new policies to be reported to FEMA and the latest available data, released today, shows an increase of 28,084 new flood insurance policies purchased in California from August 31 – November 30, 2015.

“Flooding is the most costly and devastating disaster we face as a nation,” said FEMA Region 9 Administrator Robert Fenton.  “The major increase in flood policies show Californians are taking the threat seriously and taking powerful steps to protect their families and property.  Those who may need and not have a flood policy should act today, as policies generally take 30 days to go into effect.”  

The 12% increase is the first of its kind in recent history.  The previous reporting period showed that policies increased 3% from August 31 to October 31.  During that timeframe, 7,181 new federal flood insurance policies were written in California.   

“We are encouraged by the number of Californians that are becoming financially prepared for the flooding that is expected from El Nino,” said Janet Ruiz, California Representative for the Insurance Information Institute.   “It is crucial to protect our families and homes by preparing for catastrophes ahead of time.”

FEMA administers the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and works closely with more than 80 private insurance companies to offer flood insurance to homeowners, renters, and business owners.  In order to qualify for flood insurance, the home or business must be in a community that has joined the NFIP and agreed to enforce sound floodplain management standards.

Flooding can happen anywhere, but certain areas are especially prone to serious flooding.   Many areas in California are at increased flood risk from El Niño, as a direct result of wildfires and drought.

  • Residents should be aware of a couple things:
    • You can’t get flood insurance at the last minute. In most cases, it takes 30 days for a new flood insurance policy to go into effect. So get your policy now.
    • Only Flood Insurance Covers Flood Damage. Most standard homeowner’s policies do not cover flood damage.
    • Get all the coverage you need.  Your agent can walk you through the policy.
  • Know your flood risk.  Visit FloodSmart.gov (or call 1-800-427-2419) to learn more about individual flood risk, explore coverage options and to find an agent in your area.
  • Flood insurance covers flood, but there are other affects from flooding that may apply to you.   Damage from mudflows is covered by flood insurance; damage from landslides and other earth movements is not.   Speak to your agent.

NFIP is a federal program and offers flood insurance which can be purchased through private property and casualty insurance agents.  Rates are set nationally and do not differ from company to company or agent to agent.  These rates depend on many factors, which include the date and type of construction of your home, along with your building’s level of risk.

FEMA’s Region 9 office in Oakland, CA has established an El Niño Task Force and is working with the California Office of Emergency Services with the mission of preparing the Region and its partners for the impact of El Niño.  The task force is evaluating the core capabilities needed to protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from any flooding that occurs across the region this winter.  Last month, the FEMA Region 9 Office released its Draft Severe El Nino Disaster Response plan and convened a regional interagency steering committee meeting in Northern California to exercise the plan.

FEMA recognizes that a government-centric approach to emergency management is not adequate to meet the challenges posed by a catastrophic incident.  Utilizing a “whole community” approach to emergency management reinforces that FEMA is only one part of our nation’s emergency management team.

Visit Ready.gov for more preparedness tips and information and follow FEMARegion9 on Twitter.

 

 

 

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More Californians Preparing For Severe El Nino Flood Risk: Residents Purchase 28,000 New Flood Insurance Policies in California

DENTON, Texas ––In mid-February, new flood maps for Aransas County will become effective and be used for rating flood insurance policies. Local, state and federal officials encourage residents to view the maps before Wednesday, February 17, 2016, in order to understand their flood risk and then consider buying flood insurance.

Most property insurance policies do not cover the effects of flooding. People without flood insurance, whether through a private policy or through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), risk uninsured losses to their homes, personal property and businesses. The NFIP is a voluntary protection program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),

Flooding is the most frequent natural disaster in the U.S. and only flood insurance covers these unexpected, damaging and sometimes fatal events. “We all need to prepare for the hazards and risks in our communities. The first step in taking the appropriate actions to prepare for flooding is to know your risk,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson.

Contact your local floodplain administrator to learn if your community participates in the NFIP and to review the new flood maps. FEMA map specialists and flood insurance experts also are available to answer your questions. They can be reached by phone and online chat.  

•    To view a Preliminary Interactive Flood Map: http://maps.riskmap6.com/TX/Aransas/
•    To use the live chat service, visit http://go.usa.gov/r6C.  Click on the “Live Chat” icon.
•    To contact a FEMA Map Specialist, call 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or send an email to FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com.
•    NFIP Helpline – 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), press “2” for Flood Insurance questions
    
FEMA encourages communities not currently participating in the NFIP to look at the benefits of joining the program. The purchase of insurance should be considered for those newly mapped into a Special Flood Hazard Area before the maps become effective. Contacting a local insurance agent is the first step to obtaining information about insurance. Visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-379-9531 to locate an agent in your area.
                                                                                                    

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 www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov. 

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Aransas County, Texas Flood Maps Become Final in February

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is reminding National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholders who filed a claim as a result of Hurricane Sandy that two weeks remain to request a review if they believe their claims were underpaid for any reason. The deadline to request a review is Sept. 15, 2015.

More than 12,000 policyholders have entered the review process. FEMA has begun providing funds to policyholders who completed the review and were due additional payments on their claim.

To be eligible for the review, policyholders must have experienced flood damage between

Oct. 27, 2012 and Nov. 6, 2012 as a result of Hurricane Sandy and must have had an active NFIP flood policy at the time of the loss. Policyholders can call the NFIP’s Hurricane Sandy claims center at 866-337-4262 to request a review.

Policyholders can also go online to www.fema.gov/hurricane-sandy-nfip-claims to download a form requesting a review. The downloaded form can be filled out and emailed to FEMA-sandyclaimsreview@fema.dhs.gov or faxed to 202-646-7970 to begin the review process. For individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and use 711 or VRS, please call 866-337-4262.  For individuals using a TTY, please call 800-462-7585 to begin the review process.

When policyholders call, it is helpful if they have available as much information as possible, including the name on the policy, the address of the damaged property and the ten-digit NFIP policy number that was in effect at the time of the loss. Policyholders will be asked a series of questions to determine whether they qualify for the review. If qualified, they will be called by an adjuster to begin the review. The timing of this call may be affected by the volume of requests. Most reviews can be concluded within 90 days.

The Sandy claims review is intended to be simple for the policyholder and does not require paid legal assistance. Several nonprofit service providers are ready to offer free advice and answer questions policyholders may have. A list of these advocacy groups can be found on the claims review website at www.fema.gov/sandyclaims.

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.twitter.com/FEMASandy,www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/fema, www.fema.gov/blog, 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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Last Day to Request Hurricane Sandy Claim Review is Two Weeks Away

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