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One Week Left to Apply for South Napa Earthquake Disaster Assistance

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Individuals and business owners in Napa and Solano counties who had damages or losses as a result of the South Napa Earthquake have one week left to register for disaster assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Officials with FEMA and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) urge anyone who still needs help to register before the deadline – Dec. 29, 2014.

After serving more than 2,700 homeowners, renters and business owners who had damages from the South Napa Earthquake, FEMA’s presence at the Napa Earthquake Local Assistance Center at 301 1st St. in Napa will conclude at 6 p.m. on Mon., Dec. 29. But help is still available in person, online and over the phone.

Until then, the Local Assistance Center will operate on its existing schedule: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and closed Sunday. In observance of Christmas, however, the center will also be closed Dec. 24-26.

Disaster assistance includes grants for homeowners and renters to help pay for rent, essential home repairs and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other sources.

FEMA offers three ways to register for disaster assistance: log on to DisasterAssistance.gov, screen tap m.fema.gov on a smartphone or tablet, or call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. People who use 711-Relay or VRS may call 800-621-3362.

Phone lines remain open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (PST) seven days a week until further notice. Multilingual phone operators are available in 93 various languages to take registrations, answer questions about disaster assistance, or check the status of an application. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages.

Low-interest disaster loans are also available from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations. 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 about disaster loans, applicants may call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or (TTY) 800-877-8339, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may go to https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela to file an electronic SBA loan application.

To be eligible for federal disaster assistance, at least one member of a household must be a U.S. citizen, Qualified Alien or non-citizen national with a Social Security number. Disaster assistance may be available to a household if a parent or guardian applies on behalf of a minor child who is a U.S. citizen or a Qualified Alien. FEMA will only need to know the immigration status and Social Security number of the child.

Disaster assistance grants are not taxable income and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid, medical waiver programs, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Social Security Disability Insurance.

For unmet disaster-related needs, the United Way operates 2-1-1 that covers Napa and Solano Counties. Available 24/7 in 150 languages, the Bay Area 211 helpline connects callers with hundreds of programs to help people find food, housing, healthcare, senior services, childcare, legal aid and more.

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For more information on the California disaster recovery, go to http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4193.

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.

The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) protects lives and property, builds capabilities and supports our communities for a resilient California. Cal OES achieves its mission by serving the public through effective collaboration in preparing for, protecting against, responding to, recovering from, and mitigating the impacts of all hazards and threats.

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations 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.

Originally from:

One Week Left to Apply for South Napa Earthquake Disaster Assistance

FEMA Announces Launch of the Interim Office of the Flood Insurance Advocate

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate today announced the launch of the Interim Office of the Flood Insurance Advocate, led by the Acting Flood Insurance Advocate, David Stearrett. The Interim Flood Insurance Advocate office will stand up effective December 22, 2014.

The Interim Office will begin work on specialized assistance to citizens and policyholders on National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) issues; as well as regional mapping outreach and education support. The Interim Office will operate until a permanent Office of the Flood Insurance Advocate is established pursuant to Section 24 of the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 (subject to budget resources). To best carry out its mission, duties and responsibilities, the Interim Office will be an independent office within FEMA with direct alignment to the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (FIMA) Associate Administrator and the FEMA Administrator.

“Floods are the most common disaster affecting communities in America,” said David Miller, Associate Administrator for the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration. “Through the National Flood Insurance Program, FEMA is working hard to ensure that families are able to protect themselves from flood damage and accelerate efforts to recover should something happen. As someone who has worked tirelessly on behalf of policyholders for many years, I know Mr. Stearrett will fight each day to ensure that policyholders have the information they need to navigate the flood insurance process and ensure any concerns are addressed.”

Until funding is available to establish the permanent office, a number of FEMA employees will be detailed to the Interim Office. FEMA spent several months developing options to implement this new provision, and met with a number of Advocate and Ombudsman offices at other federal agencies and identified areas of greatest policyholder and property owner needs. These findings were leveraged to build the interim office.

FEMA is designating an Acting Flood Insurance Advocate and an interim Office of the Flood Insurance Advocate as part of its commitment to immediately begin providing assistance to homeowners and policyholders. At launch, the Acting Advocate and staff will focus on assisting the public as they navigate through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) processes by leveraging FEMA resources to address specific public inquiries or concerns. The Acting Advocate will also develop a long-term regional mapping outreach and education strategy to maximize support to the public. The Interim Flood Insurance Advocate office will operate with existing resources and further expansion is subject to future funding, as FEMA is operating under a Continuing Resolution.

The Flood Insurance Advocate will be an independent office within FEMA and have direct access on an advisory basis to the FEMA Administrator.

Initially, the public can reach the Acting Flood Insurance Advocate by email, at insurance-advocate@fema.dhs.gov. In the next month, the Flood Insurance Advocate will establish a phone number to receive inquiries from the public. FEMA recommends that policyholders continue to also work with their insurance agents to resolve any questions or concerns that they have related to flood insurance, or contact Floodsmart at 1-888-379-9531.

The NFIP is a Federal program created by Congress to mitigate future flood losses nationwide through sound, community-enforced building and zoning ordinances and to provide access to affordable, federally backed flood insurance protection for property owners. The NFIP is designed to provide a way for Americans to address the escalating costs of repairing damage to buildings and their contents caused by floods.

Continued here:

FEMA Announces Launch of the Interim Office of the Flood Insurance Advocate

FEMA Announces Second Meeting of the Technical Mapping Advisory Council

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced the second public meeting of the Technical Mapping Advisory Council (TMAC), scheduled for December 4 – 5, 2014, in Arlington, Virginia. The public meeting will be held at the FEMA South Arlington Office on December 4 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and December 5 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (EST) located at 1800 South Bell Street, Arlington, Virginia 20598.

Authorized under the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 and Homeowners Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014, the TMAC was established to review and make recommendations to FEMA on matters related to the national flood mapping program. The TMAC is tasked with developing recommendations for FEMA’s flood mapping program to ensure that flood insurance rate maps reflect the best available science and are based on the best available methodologies for considering the impact of climate change and future development on flood risk. They will also be required to produce a Review of the Mapping Program Report; a Future Conditions Risk Assessment and Modeling Report; and an Annual Report on Activities to include recommendations.

During the public meeting, members will continue to discuss current and future possibilities for the flood mapping program to support the development of their recommendations and required reports. In addition, TMAC members will receive briefs from FEMA officials on the current mapping program and related activities and receive presentations from invited subject matter experts addressing the overall production of mapping components, future conditions, and examples of next generation mapping.

TMAC members will also discuss current and future possibilities for map development by considering how mapping data is acquired, maintained, and distributed; how maps are produced; how risk is accessed and communicated; how maps of risk are translated into insurance ratings; federal agency coordination and delegation of responsibility; and identify opportunities to emphasize mitigation throughout the process.

A public comment period will also be held on December 4 from 11:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. EST and on December 5 from 9:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. EST. Comments should be specifically related to and addressed to the TMAC. Those interested in speaking during the public comment period must contact FEMA by email at FEMA-TMAC@fema.dhs.gov or by calling 202-646-3432 to register as a speaker by November 25, 2014. Those not attending and who wish to submit written comments on issues to be considered by the TMAC can do so via one of the following methods:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
E-mail: Address the email to FEMA-RULES@fema.dhs.gov and cc: fema-tmac@fema.dhs.gov. Include the docket number FEMA-2014-0022 in the subject line of the message. Include name and contact detail in the body of the email.
Mail: Regulatory Affairs Division, Office of Chief Counsel, FEMA, 500 C Street SW., Room 8NE, Washington, DC 20472-3100.

All submissions received must include the words “Federal Emergency Management Agency” and docket number, FEMA-2014-0022. Comments received will be posted without alteration at http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided.

For those planning to attend in person and for additional information on facilities or services for individuals with disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact FEMA at FEMA-TMAC@fema.dhs.gov. Attendees must contact FEMA and register by December 2, 2014 to receive important information on the meeting location.

FEMA is excited to be a part of the TMAC and is looking forward to the expertise and recommendations they will provide. For more information on the TMAC meeting, visit http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-11-19/pdf/2014-27396.pdf or www.fema.gov/TMAC.

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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.

Excerpt from:

FEMA Announces Second Meeting of the Technical Mapping Advisory Council

FIRC, Local Organizations Team Up On Long-Term Recovery Efforts

EATONTOWN, N.J. – The process of recovering from a disaster begins almost as soon as the threat has passed and responders have arrived. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people will need help immediately as well as for the foreseeable future. Non-governmental volunteer groups, churches and faith-based organizations are often among the first to step in and help, but also have limited resources to sustain their presence.

In 13 New Jersey counties affected by Hurricane Sandy, many of these organizations came together to form long-term recovery groups (LTRGs), and Federal Disaster Recovery Coordination (FDRC; regionally referred to as Federal Interagency Regional Coordination) connects these groups to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA Voluntary Agency Liaisons (VAL) support the LTRGs as they address the unmet needs of individuals that they can help with, in contrast to FIRC’s emphasis on communities as a whole.

While a few groups had come into existence after Hurricane Irene struck in 2011, many LTRGs were formed in the immediate aftermath of Sandy. The VALs assisted in getting some of the groups launched, using the VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) manual and other toolkits to bring representatives together.

There are 14 active groups in New Jersey in 13 counties (Atlantic City has its own group separate from Atlantic County). These long-term recovery groups mainly consist of and represent faith-based and nonprofit organizations that have resources to assist survivors.

“Survivors that are still not back in their homes need things like rental assistance, construction assistance and help filling funding gaps, and members of the LTRGs seek to provide those resources and guidance,” said Susan Zuber, VAL for the New Jersey Sandy Recovery Field Office. She also said that one advantage of having religious organizations involved in the LTRGs is “they can reach up to the national level and potentially get funds and resources.”

Along with investigating the issues communities are facing during recovery, FIRC coordinates information and resources to affected survivors, so they can determine where help is available.

“The LTRG disaster case managers strive to make sure various resources get to the people they know need help, and FIRC helps them ensure that there is no duplication of benefits,” Zuber said. “We assist in being the best stewards possible of limited available funds.”

FIRC VAL Lori Ross says that nearly two years after Sandy struck, the LTRGs are still actively helping survivors with some serious issues.

“New Jersey 211 (the state’s resource hotline) is receiving (an average of) 44 new referrals for help every week,” she said. “The Ocean and Monmouth county groups have started receiving requests for rental assistance” as people who had been renting properties while their homes were repaired or rebuilt are in need of more money to pay their rent and mortgage, she added. Mold in homes that wasn’t dealt with properly initially continues to be an issue.

Not all of the problems survivors are facing are of a physical nature, either.

“We’re also seeing more cases where people are asking for mental and emotional assistance,” Zuber said. “We’re getting requests for clergy and mental health treatment. There’s a real emotional and spiritual care element as it relates to the impact of the storm.”

Ross added that even caregivers and case workers are feeling the pressure of what is now a two-year process. “This (the anniversary) is a very critical time,” she said, noting that requests for this type of aid increased at this time last year as well.

Rebuilding after a disaster the magnitude of Hurricane Sandy takes years. FEMA, the FIRC, and the long-term recovery groups of New Jersey are using coordinated teamwork and resources to help people put their lives back together.

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.”

Source article:

FIRC, Local Organizations Team Up On Long-Term Recovery Efforts

FEMA Housing Team Concludes Successful Mission in New Jersey

EATONTOWN, N.J. — Nearly two years after Hurricane Sandy, FEMA officials marked the conclusion of their housing mission in New Jersey.

On September 11, 2014, FEMA returned the last of the Fort Monmouth properties that have housed displaced survivors of Hurricane Sandy since December of 2012. All of the 115 families who occupied the apartments and duplexes on the main post and in the Megill Commons area in Tinton Falls had either returned to their own homes or found a suitable housing alternative.

FEMA, the Governor’s Office of Recovery and Rebuilding, the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA), and long term recovery groups worked diligently to provide one-on-one assistance to help individuals and families who lived in FEMA direct housing to move back home or find temporary housing.

Additionally, DCA staff actively worked with those families who have received rebuilding funds through the DCA’s Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation (RREM) Program to ensure that they were moving through the program as efficiently as possible. The goal was to make sure everyone still living in FEMA direct housing were able to either return home or had temporary housing in place before the August 31, 2014, deadline that FEMA had set on closing out its direct housing program in New Jersey.

Under the Stafford Act approved by Congress, FEMA is authorized to provide direct housing to disaster survivors for up to 18 months following the date of a declared disaster. During that period, households participating in the housing program pay no rent or other fees.

The 18-month period expired on April 30, 2014. At the request of Governor Christie, the federal government granted a four-month extension of the housing program.

Starting May 1, 2014, the households who remained in FEMA-provided units were required to begin paying rent at the fair market rate for the region as determined by the federal Housing and Urban Development Agency. Those households who could not afford to do so were able to submit documentation of assets and expenses in order to qualify for a reduced rental payment.

In addition to those families housed at Fort Monmouth, FEMA also provided 89 mobile housing units for eligible applicants in New Jersey. With the exception of one mobile home that was placed on private property, the units were installed in 10 commercial mobile home parks in the state’s hardest-hit counties All of the residents of the mobile housing units have also either returned to their own homes or found suitable alternate accommodations.

Each household faced individual challenges that often required creative problem-solving. FEMA caseworkers met with each on a regular basis for assistance in developing a suitable long term housing plan. State agencies collaborated with FEMA as well as community and faith-based charities to help secure housing for the families. FEMA, DCA, long term recovery groups, the NJ Department of Human Services, Catholic Charities, the NJ Department of Banking and Insurance and the NJ Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency regularly held meetings for months to discuss the individual cases of people who were living in FEMA direct housing, to pool resources to triage cases and to identify temporary housing solutions. On a number of occasions, these individuals and families were driven to look at rental opportunities and meet with landlords to see if the housing unit met their needs.

“It’s very important to have good, strong, compassionate people,” to assist survivors experiencing some of the most trying periods of their lives, noted FEMA Individual Assistance Branch Director Annette Monet.

In some cases, age, illness, financial concerns or family size complicated the task of finding appropriate housing.

With extraordinary efforts and advocacy by the housing team on behalf of survivors, however, all the families were eventually able to secure alternative housing or return to their own homes.

“It took a bunch of very experienced people working together who were very knowledgeable about how things should work to find solutions for all of our families,” noted Monet. “They put all of their ideas together and worked as a team. That’s what you need when it gets down to helping the families help themselves.”

The leasing of the units at the former military base marked an unusual chapter in the history of FEMA’s housing program.

Mayor Gerald Tarantolo of Eatontown was among those who championed the idea of housing survivors displaced by the storm at the former army base. Tarantolo contacted the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority to inquire as to whether that would be feasible. The state Economic Development Authority oversees FMERA.

With FMERA support, the Monmouth County Office of Emergency Management began discussions with the Army and FEMA, which would fund the lease, and an agreement was formulated.

After four weeks of renovations FEMA contracted with the Army Corps of Engineers, move-ins at two buildings on the main post and in larger units in the Megill Commons area of the fort began on December 21, 2012.

On September 16, 2014, the Chief of Staff for the Sandy Recovery Office Chris Hartnett and Carl Kahn of the FEMA acquisitions team presented Lt. Col. John Occhipinti, site manager for Fort Monmouth, with a certificate of appreciation for all his efforts on behalf of Sandy survivors housed at the fort.

In addition to the Direct Housing Mission, FEMA also provided $189 million in Rental Assistance payments to eligible applicants who were displaced by Hurricane Sandy. FEMA also provided 19,321 households with funds for repairs totaling $172.7 million.

In the immediate aftermath of the storm, FEMA provided more than 5,500 families with short-term accommodations in 435 hotels and motels around the state through its Transitional Sheltering Assistance program. The program provided 253,425 room nights for displaced survivors at a cost of $34 million. The TSA program ended on April 30, 2013.

The Rental Assistance program ended April 30, 2014.

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

Originally posted here –

FEMA Housing Team Concludes Successful Mission in New Jersey

More than $3.6 Million in Disaster Aid Approved for June Storms

SIOUX FALLS, SD – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that more than $3.6 million in federal disaster aid has been approved to help communities in twelve counties and two tribal nations in South Dakota recover from a series of June storms. Those storms produced a tornado that struck Wessington Springs along with heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding in western, north central and southeast South Dakota.

According to FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Gary Stanley, “This figure represents only the first round of approved projects. We hope to have all applicants’ projects reviewed and approved by mid-November. While the final dollar total will change as we gather more information, it appears total Federal assistance will be greater than the $6.1 million originally estimated by the time all the projects are reviewed.” FEMA reimburses applicants not less than 75 percent of the cost of eligible projects and the State of South Dakota provides an additional ten percent cost share.

The disaster funds reimburse applicants for a variety of disaster recovery costs such as emergency work, removal of storm related debris, road and bridge repair and the restoration of electrical utilities. To date 89 applicants including city, county and tribal governments, state agencies and some private non-profits are working with FEMA and the South Dakota Office of Emergency Management (SDOEM) to document their eligible disaster related costs.

On July 28, 2014 President Obama issued a major disaster declaration for the state making Butte, Clay, Corson, Dewey, Hanson, Jerauld, Lincoln, Minnehaha, Perkins, Turner, Union and Ziebach counties and the Cheyenne River Sioux and Standing Rock Sioux tribal nations eligible for federal disaster aid. The presidential declaration came in response to a request from Governor Dennis Daugaard following a series of storms that hit the state in mid-June.

The Public Assistance Program provides funding to local government jurisdictions and eligible private non-profits for the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged infrastructure as well as costs incurred for disaster cleanup or emergency actions taken to protect lives or property.

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More than $3.6 Million in Disaster Aid Approved for June Storms

Know Your Evacuation Routes For Emergency Departures

Eatontown, N.J.– When an incident reaches the point that it’s unsafe for people to remain in the immediate area, getting everyone evacuated as safely and quickly as possible becomes crucial. One of the most – if not the most – important part of an evacuation is figuring out how to get out of the affected area.

Coastal Evacuation Route Signs Are Posted Along the RoadwayCoastal Evacuation Routes exist in states that border the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. They are often denoted by signs featuring some combination of blue and white. In New Jersey, they are white signs with a blue circle on them, filled with white text. Because of New Jersey’s small size and its proximity to water on three sides, many of the state’s major highways also serve as coastal evacuation routes. Most of New Jersey’s routes come from the shore (south and west) and move inward, mainly westbound.

The Garden State Parkway in Cape May County, for example, is the main evacuation route out of the county to the north, along with Routes 47 and 50. Also in Cape May and Atlantic counties, the barrier islands have multiple access points connecting the towns on those islands with the Parkway and other roads headed inland.

The Atlantic City Expressway is the main east-west route through the southern part of New Jersey. When Hurricane Sandy arrived in New Jersey, state officials reversed traffic on the Atlantic City Expressway, forcing all traffic on the highway to go west, away from the coast.

Unlike the barrier islands in Cape May and Atlantic counties, there is only one way on and off of Long Beach Island – Route 72. Route 37 serves the southern half of the Barnegat Peninsula in Ocean County, and Route 35 leads to access to inland roads in the northern half, including Routes 88 and 34, as well as Routes 36 and (indirectly) 18 in Monmouth County.

Getting to the main routes can sometimes involve traveling through residential areas and on lower-capacity streets and roads that can get crowded. www.ready.gov recommends keeping your car’s gas tank at least half full in case you have to leave immediately.

Once an evacuation order has been issued, leave as soon as possible to avoid traffic congestion and ensure access to routes. Have a battery-powered radio to listen for emergencies and road condition changes. During Sandy, not only was contraflow lane reversal (alteration of traffic patterns on a controlled-access highway so all vehicles travel in the same direction) implemented on the Atlantic City Expressway, but the southbound Garden State Parkway was closed to traffic.

During evacuations, people should follow instructions from local authorities on which roads to take to get to the main evacuation routes. Don’t take shortcuts, as they may be blocked. Know more than one nearby evacuation route in case the closest or most convenient one is blocked or otherwise unpassable. Don’t drive into potentially hazardous areas, such as over or near other bodies of water during a hurricane or other flood event. Barrier island residents should take the quickest possible route to the mainland.

Emergency evacuations are stressful moments. But knowing where you’re going and how to get there can help make the whole experience a little easier to handle.

Evacuation routes for the state of New Jersey are posted on the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management website. Go to http://ready.nj.gov/plan/evacuation-routes.html to find the route for your region.

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

Originally posted here:

Know Your Evacuation Routes For Emergency Departures

When You See the Yellow School Bus, Think Preparedness

Eatontown, N.J. — September is the time of year when those big yellow school buses start making their rounds, offering safe passage to school for millions of kids across the nation.

For parents, teachers and school administrators, keeping children safe and protected is a priority.

That’s why it’s important to let your children know that life may throw some surprises their way, but with a little planning and support, we can handle them.

The most important thing families can do to keep their balance when something upsets the family routine is to create a communications plan so that all members of the family know how to reconnect during a storm or other disaster.

Here are a few tips on reducing the worry and stress that naturally arises when you’re unable to get in touch with those you love:

Complete a contact form for each member of your family that includes name, address, home phone numbers and work and cell numbers for family members. Include the name of a neighbor or relative who is willing to respond in an emergency.

Agree on a meeting place in your neighborhood as well as out of town, where family members can gather should you be unable to go home.

Identify a family member or friend who lives out-of-state who can act as a central contact for household members to notify that they are safe. It may be easier to make an out-of-town call than to get a local connection.

Be sure that every member of your family knows the phone number of that contact person, has a cell phone or carries change or a prepaid phone card to be used in an emergency.

Each member of the family can program an “ICE” (In Case of Emergency) number in their phone. If you or are a family member is injured, emergency personnel can use that number to contact your family or friends. Be sure to alert the person you choose that you are designating him or her as your emergency contact.

Teach family members how to use text messaging (also known as SMS or Short Message Service) on their cell phones. Text communications can often get through when phone calls do not.

Subscribe to alert services. Many communities relay emergency messages to residents via phone calls, e-mails and text alerts. Check with your local Office of Emergency Management to sign up for the service.

Once you have created your family communication plan, practice your plan once or twice a year. That way, should an actual disaster happen, they’ll be comfortable with the routine and ready to act.

A little preparation can go a long way in helping your family stay safe and connected during an emergency. So when you see that yellow school bus, think of it as a reminder to plan and practice your family communications plan for emergencies.

For downloadable emergency contact cards and more information on developing a Family Communication Plan, view http://www.ready.gov/family-communications.

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

Taken from:

When You See the Yellow School Bus, Think Preparedness

FEMA Urges Caution Following California Earthquake

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through its Regional Office in Oakland, California, is monitoring the situation following the U.S. Geological Survey report of a 6.0 magnitude earthquake that occurred this morning six miles south southwest of Napa, California. FEMA remains in close coordination with California officials, and its Regional Watch Center is at an enhanced watch to provide additional reporting and monitoring of the situation, including impacts of any additional aftershocks.

FEMA deployed liaison officers to the state emergency operations center in California and to the California coastal region emergency operations center to help coordinate any requests for federal assistance. FEMA also deployed a National Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT West) to California to support response activities and ensure there are no unmet needs.

“I urge residents and visitors to follow the direction of state, tribal and local officials,” FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate said. “Aftershocks can be strong enough to cause additional damage to weakened structures and can occur in the first hours, days, weeks or even months after the quake.”

When disasters occur, the first responders are local emergency and public works personnel, volunteers, humanitarian organizations and numerous private interest groups who provide emergency assistance required to protect the public’s health and safety and to meet immediate human needs.

Safety and Preparedness Tips

Expect aftershocks. These secondary shockwaves are usually less violent than the main quake but can be strong enough to do additional damage to weakened structures and can occur in the first hours, days, weeks or even months after the quake.
During an earthquake, drop, cover and hold on. Minimize movements to a few steps to a nearby safe place. If indoors, stay there until the shaking has stopped and exiting is safe.
If it is safe to do so, check on neighbors who may require assistance.
Use the telephone only for emergency calls. Cellular and land line phone systems may not be functioning properly. The use of text messages to contact family is the best option, when it is available.
Check for gas leaks. If you know how to turn the gas off, do so and report the leak to your local fire department and gas company.

More safety tips can be found at www.ready.gov/earthquakes.

Originally posted here:

FEMA Urges Caution Following California Earthquake

FEMA Has Provided More Than $1.1 Million to Governments for Alabama Storm Repairs, Response Costs

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The federal government has already put more than $1.1 million in the hands of state, county, and local governments to reimburse them for their costs associated with the April 28 to May 5 severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding that struck Alabama.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance (PA) program provides states, counties, municipalities, federally-recognized tribes and certain private nonprofit organizations with funding for clean-up, repairing public infrastructure and the cost of responding to declared disasters.

“We are working as hard as we can to get these funds out to the affected communities,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Albie Lewis, the head of FEMA’s disaster recovery mission in Alabama. “But we have to follow the process and its safeguards to ensure that the taxpayers’ money is spent properly.”

FEMA’s Public Assistance program provides funding to repair roads and bridges, put water systems and utilities back in order, and pay for the cost of emergency response as well as debris removal in some cases.

Of the funding obligated so far, roughly half of it – $491,982 – has been allocated for debris removal. Another $169,104 will cover expenses related to responding to the storms, and $259,019 has been obligated for reimbursement of infrastructure repair work.

The total PA costs for the state of Alabama are estimated at just under $30 million.

“Obviously, it will take some time to process the paperwork for the more than 300 projects we expect to receive applications for,” Lewis said. “FEMA will be here for the duration and we hope the state, counties and municipalities will be patient as we continue our work.”

FEMA’s PA program typically reimburses 75 percent of the eligible cost of these projects, with the state and local government sharing the remainder.

“Our staff is working as diligently as our partners at FEMA to get these funds out the door to the organizations, counties and towns that need them,” said Alabama’s State Coordinating Officer, Jeff Byard.

The PA funding program process includes the following steps:

Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAs) are conducted by local, state and federal officials after a disaster has struck.
The governor requests federal assistance.
The president then grants a disaster declaration for counties within the affected state.
The state holds applicant briefings to explain eligibility
The public entity makes a formal request to the state for Public Assistance (RPA).
At the “Kick-off” meeting, FEMA assigns a Public Assistance Coordinator (PAC) to work with the applicant to prepare project worksheets.
FEMA coordinates with the State’s Office of Emergency Management and Regional Planning Commissions to schedule applicant meetings and site visits.
FEMA documents the damage, identifies the scope of work and estimates the costs.
FEMA then reviews the project to ensure it complies with program eligibility guidelines and is cost effective.
If the project is approved, federal funds are obligated to the state which in turn provides funding to the applicant.
There is a closeout process that reviews the entire project to ensure compliance with all applicable regulations.

You can learn more by visiting: http://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit

Originally from:

FEMA Has Provided More Than $1.1 Million to Governments for Alabama Storm Repairs, Response Costs

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