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After the SR 530 slide: long-term recovery in the Evergreen state

A visit to hurricane-battered Louisiana inspired prompt digital planning after the SR 530 Slide that will sustain communications needs for the long haul.

EVERETT, Wash. – A visit to hurricane-battered Louisiana in October 2013 gave seven members of the state of Washington’s Coalition of Recovery Planners a first-hand look at extensive long-term recovery projects taking place. At the time, at least one member of the tour group, Snohomish County Planning and Development Services Director Clay White, had no idea how quickly he would need to tap into his newly acquired knowledge. Then, the State Route 530 Slide happened in Oso. Everett, Wash. — June 10, 2014 – Members of the Snohomish County Planning and Development Services, Planning and Technology Division, discuss their part in a larger public outreach and communications effort accomplished by Snohomish County officials after the SR 530 Slide. Immediately after the slide, Office Supervisor Lori Lollis, (left); Planner Eileen Canola, (middle) and Associate Planner Christina Ghan (right) quickly set to work organizing digital communications for Planning and Development Services that will help support long-term recovery. Photo courtesy of Snohomish County Planning and Development Services

“When I went to Louisiana, I never knew I would need this information,” White said, “but then, a few months later, the SR 530 Slide happened.”

Rather than responding by going directly to the site of the slide, White gathered staff with Snohomish County Planning and Development Services at their office in Everett. Among other things, they started organizing a digital information portal to help streamline digital communications for Planning and Development Services needs.

Within four days after the slide, the team established a Web page on the Snohomish County site that addressed the influx of public records inquiries they were receiving while filing digital information in one spot that would provide access to the public for the long term.

The informational Web page includes maps showing where building permits were issued in relation to the slide, as well as key facts and important dates that will remain available to the public in the future. The Web page is just one piece in the digital communications efforts accomplished by many groups and officials with Snohomish County after the SR 530 Slide.

“The building and land use documents that we gathered and posted provide a glimpse into historical decisions and processes that can help inform future policy decisions,” said Planner Eileen Canola.

The team’s digital communications planning was just one example of how long-term recovery has been a priority – even since the very first hours after the slide. The team also worked together to create an organizational chart related to responsibilities for assignments. They made sure departmental responsibilities were covered and then started assigning tasks. Together, they developed a strategy for going forward.

“Looking back, I think the training Clay received in St. John the Baptist Parish during his visit to Louisiana really helped,” said Barb Mock, a division manager with Snohomish County Planning and Development Services. “First, immediately after the slide, he remained calm, called a select team to a conference room and, even though we had numerous meetings that day, he added one first thing in the morning, one at lunch, and one at the end of the day. He had learned that communications and chain of command and roles and responsibilities are important.”

The trip to Louisiana was a collaborative effort between the state of Washington; the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Disaster Recovery Support (NDRS) group; the State of Louisiana Office of Community Development; and representatives from St. John the Baptist and Terrebonne parishes.

During the tour, seven emergency managers from Washington listened in on long-term recovery teams as they collaborated and discussed funding proposals and other important planning aspects.

“To see officials working together so well allowed us to see how the community had faced adversity and how they could come out on the other side,” White said.

White and the others who visited Louisiana long-term recovery groups soon realized that, while long-term recovery begins immediately after a disaster, the process continues for years to come.

“While dealing with today, focus on what you’re going to be doing in a few months,” White said. “The visit to Louisiana helped me understand how the long-term response is just as important as the initial response. There is a need to think ahead, to prioritize the recovery. There is recovery, and then there is something called long-term recovery.”

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After the SR 530 slide: long-term recovery in the Evergreen state

FEMA Specialists Reach Out to Survivors in Hard-Hit Alabama Communities

CLANTON, Ala. – Specialists with the Federal Emergency Management Agency are reaching out to survivors in Alabama’s hardest hit communities to help individuals register for assistance. Survivors may meet a specialist in their neighborhood or speak to one on the phone.

Crews of FEMA disaster survivor assistance specialists and FEMA Corps members are canvassing affected areas to provide on-site registration assistance, address immediate and emerging needs, and answer any questions specific to the registration process. Specialists can also provide referrals to additional resources.

FEMA crews are visiting homes, businesses, local organizations and churches in Baldwin, Blount, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone and Tuscaloosa counties.

Using tablets, crew members can help a survivor fill out an application for assistance on the spot – collecting information in person. Crew members can be identified easily by their photo badges and either FEMA or FEMA Corps clothing. Alabama residents are reminded to ask for federal identification before providing personal information.

Survivors in designated counties may also receive a phone call from FEMA Individual Assistance specialists if they have already registered for disaster assistance.

If called, applicants could be asked to verify their identity with some of the following information:

The last four digits of their Social Security number.
The address of their damaged home.
The applicant’s current mailing address.
The applicant’s current phone number.

If applicants receive a phone call from FEMA representatives and question the validity of the caller, they can contact the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 to verify the source of the call. The FEMA representative will then make another attempt to call the applicant back. FEMA will not call applicants to request any banking information.

Those who suspect anyone of committing fraudulent activities should call the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline toll-free at 866-720-5721. Complaints may also be made to local law enforcement agencies and through the state’s Office of Consumer Affairs at 800-392-5658.

Survivors in the counties currently designated for Individual Assistance can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. The toll-free telephone numbers operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

For more information on Alabama disaster recovery, click fema.gov/disaster/4176. Visit the Alabama Emergency Management Agency website at ema.alabama.gov/ or Facebook page at facebook.com/AlabamaEMA.

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FEMA Specialists Reach Out to Survivors in Hard-Hit Alabama Communities

As Recovery Centers Transition, Help Continues

EVERETT, Wash. – Starting Monday, May 12, local, state and federal representatives will continue to meet individually with SR530 Slide survivors at the Snohomish County Family Resource Center in Darrington.

At the center, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will operate a Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC). SBA representatives will continue to answer questions, explain the application process, help homeowners, renters and owners of businesses of all sizes apply for low-interest disaster loans.

Address:

Snohomish County Family Resource Center
1075 Fir St.
Darrington, WA 98241

Hours of operation:

Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

SBA’s low-interest, federal disaster loans are available to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private, nonprofit organizations to repair or replace property damaged or destroyed by the disaster. So far, SBA has approved more than $700,000 in low-interest disaster loans to residents and businesses.

SBA provides federal low-interest disaster loans up to $200,000 to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.

Businesses of any size and private, nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. SBA can also lend additional funds to homeowners and businesses to help with the cost of making improvements that protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.

For small businesses and most private, nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered property damage from the explosion.

Snohomish County has opened a Disaster Information Office in Darrington. The office will be a resource information site; no services will be delivered from this location. To learn more, click: http://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/2358/Resources.

Address:

Disaster Information Center
1075 Darrington St.
Darrington, WA 98241

Hours of operation:

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Through Saturday, May 10 at 6 p.m., disaster survivors can continue to meet individually with local, state and federal representatives at the three recovery centers that have operated since April 7.

Disaster Recovery Center addresses:

Arlington Dept. of Public Works
154 West Cox Ave.
Arlington, WA 98223

Oso Fire Station (Snohomish County Fire Protection District 25 – parking lot)
21824 State Route 530 NE
Arlington, WA 98223

Darrington Ranger District Office (parking lot)
1405 Emens Ave. North
Darrington, WA 98241

Hours of operation:

Monday through Friday 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Survivors can also ask questions about the disaster assistance process and check the status of their FEMA registration by calling the Washington State Other Needs Assistance help line, (800) 688-3469, or the FEMA help line: (800) 621-3362 or TTY (800) 462-7585.

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As Recovery Centers Transition, Help Continues

New Jersey Ahead Of Schedule On Public Assistance Closeouts

LINCROFT, N.J. — When Superstorm Sandy hit New Jersey in October 2012, the damage it wreaked created the need for thousands of necessary projects ranging from debris removal to bridge reconstruction. Sixteen months later, New Jersey’s progress in managing the projects stemming from the impact of the storm has exceeded expectations.

Doug Westermann, Public Assistance Branch Chief at the FEMA New Jersey Sandy Recovery Field Office, says that New Jersey is ahead of schedule on closing out projects on a disaster of this magnitude. New Jersey is planning the final group of projects and working with the state Office of Emergency Management to start closing completed projects.

“This has really only been made possible by the efforts put forth with the State OEM and our Sandy Recovery Office to move forward and not delay the process,” Westermann said.

The closeout process begins when a project is funded and completed. The applicant must certify to the State that the work is finished and all of the allocated money was spent. Small projects are often bundled together under one applicant and can be closed as a group when they are all complete. Large projects must be closed individually. The Final Inspection Report (FIR), which consists of reconciliation of costs for the work performed in dealing with large projects, is initiated. Supporting documents are audited and added to the report, and amendments may be written after overages and/or shortfalls are reconciled. After the report is reviewed by the applicant and grantee, it is then entered into the Emergency Management Mission Integrated Environment (EMMIE) grant tracking program. After that process, the project will be closed, if requested by the grantee.

The Public Assistance FAQ at www.fema.gov defines a large project as any incident with damage costs greater than $68,500. Of the estimated 5,103 Public Assistance projects in the system in New Jersey, 1,534 are considered large projects.

Through the Public Assistance program, FEMA grants state governments the funds to reimburse municipalities, county governments and eligible private nonprofit agencies for the repair or replacement of damaged roads and bridges, water-control facilities, public buildings and their contents, publicly owned utilities, and parks and recreation areas. It also includes funds for emergency services and eligible debris-removal costs related to the disaster. FEMA reimbursed these applicants 90 percent of the eligible cost.

Nearly $1.1 billion in Public Assistance grants have been obligated in New Jersey since Sandy struck. Emergency projects, including debris removal and emergency protective measures, have accounted for $729.25 million, while permanent repairs to roads, bridges, water control facilities, utilities and buildings, have cost $359.5 million.

Westermann said FEMA has received 63 projects from the State that are ready to be closed.

Many of the completed projects were short-term emergency projects in which the money was allocated and governmental issues were addressed. Westermann says that Congress mandated several critical changes that have affected how much time applicants have to spend allocated funds, placing greater emphasis on getting the money to them. The Applicants’ Handbook at www.fema.gov/applicant-handbook states that applicants have six months to complete emergency projects and 18 months for permanent projects.

“In order to keep money flowing to the applicants, it is critical to work on closing things out so the state can release the funds that FEMA had obligated during the project development phase,” he said.

http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4086/updates/sandy-one-year-later

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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New Jersey Ahead Of Schedule On Public Assistance Closeouts

Disaster Fraud: Filing A False Claim With FEMA is a Felony

LINCROFT, N.J — The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s primary mission is to help citizens and first responders prepare for, respond to and recover from all manner of disasters. To that end, FEMA takes the disbursement of necessary funds to the proper parties very seriously.

People who intentionally try to defraud the government are taking money away from those who truly need assistance. FEMA must ensure that taxpayer dollars go only to people who incurred legitimate losses. This may include prosecuting anyone who makes a fraudulent claim.

People who are caught trying to claim false losses can be charged with a felony and, if convicted, face a maximum five- to 10-year prison term and up to $250,000 in fines.

If you know of someone who is filing false damage claims with FEMA, you should report this or other instances of fraud, waste or abuse to the Fraud Hotline at 1-800-323-8603. The line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Caller identification will remain confidential.

Calls may be answered by a recorded message. The caller will be asked a few questions. The information will be entered into the data system and assigned to a field investigator. If the caller left a name and phone number, it will be the investigator who will call back, not the person who took the call. An inspector has 90 days to verify the complaint. Calls can be taken in both English and Spanish.

You can also fax a complaint to 1-202-254-4292, fill out an online form on the Office of Inspector General website (www.oig.dhs.gov) or send mail to: Office of Inspector General/MAIL STOP 0305, Department of Homeland Security, 245 Murray Drive SW, Building 410, Washington, DC 20528.

Special agents from the Office of Inspector General use a number of methods to detect fraud. An automated system cross-checks information with other agencies and insurance companies to weed out duplicate applications. Field inspections are conducted to verify losses and damages for every person who applies to FEMA for individual assistance. Potential cases of fraud or misuse are referred for prosecution as federal offenses.

Conducting audits and investigating possible fraudulent activities is standard procedure in all federal disaster operations. The U.S. Department of Justice prosecutes cases that result in criminal charges.

Any applicant who has made a mistake when reporting damage or has misrepresented losses has the opportunity to correct or cancel their claim. Individuals need to call FEMA’s Helpline, 1-800-621-FEMA, to withdraw or correct an application and prevent prosecution.

For more information on New Jersey’s disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/SandyNJ, twitter.com/FEMASandy, facebook.com/FEMASandy and fema.gov/blog.

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.

Link to article –

Disaster Fraud: Filing A False Claim With FEMA is a Felony

FEMA Announces Next Meeting of National Advisory Council

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be holding the next National Advisory Council (NAC) public meeting on Wednesday, March 19, 2014. The public meeting will be 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (EDT) at the FEMA Region III Office in Pennsylvania located at 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

The NAC was established to ensure effective and ongoing coordination of Federal preparedness, protection, response, recovery, mitigation for natural disasters, acts of terrorism and other man-made disasters. The NAC advises the FEMA Administrator on all aspects of emergency management and incorporates federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, and non-profit and private sector partners’ input into the development and revision of FEMA policies and strategies.

During the meeting, the NAC will meet with the FEMA Administrator to review the progress and/or potential recommendations of its three subcommittees: Preparedness and Protection; Response and Recovery; and Federal Insurance and Mitigation.

The NAC will also discuss:

FEMA’s Strategic Plan;
National Preparedness Grant Program;
National Preparedness System;
America’s PrepareAthon!;
Disability Inclusive Emergency Management; and
Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Initiative.

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, please contact the Office of the NAC by email at FEMA-NAC@fema.dhs.gov.

For more information on the NAC please visit www.fema.gov/national-advisory-council.

Link:

FEMA Announces Next Meeting of National Advisory Council

FEMA Awards $2 Million for Jefferson Parish Elevations

DENTON, Texas — A federal grant totaling more than $2 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will help fund the elevation of 16 additional homes in Jefferson Parish.

The grant covers $2,063,418 of the total project costs of $2.7 million. FEMA grants pay the federal share of the eligible costs for the work. Under a cost-sharing formula, FEMA reimburses the state for 75 percent of the total costs, while the state and/or applicant cover the remaining 25 percent.

“The elevation of these structures will significantly reduce the potential for flooding during future weather events,” said FEMA’s Regional Administrator Tony Robinson.

This project was initially awarded in April 2011 to mitigate 45 properties for a federal share of more than $5.7 million. Given the high concentration of repetitive loss properties in this parish, additional funds were allocated by the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. Jefferson Parish will utilize all available funds to mitigate these properties benefiting both the property owners and National Flood Insurance Program.

“The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program helps communities rebuild stronger after a disaster,” Robinson said. “This elevation project in Jefferson Parish is a perfect example of what our mitigation program aims to accomplish – rebuilding from past disasters in a way that better protects properties against future disasters.”

Once the structures are elevated, individual homeowners will be required to maintain flood insurance on their newly elevated homes for the life of the properties.

The federal funding for this project was made available after Hurricane Gustav made landfall in Louisiana in September 2008.

You can follow FEMA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.

Link –

FEMA Awards $2 Million for Jefferson Parish Elevations

FEMA Pitches In To Collect Toys For Vermont Children

WILLISTON, Vt. – As the Federal Emergency Management Agency wraps up its mission in Vermont, its personnel are trying to leave behind some holiday cheer for the state’s less fortunate children.

As part of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, staffers at FEMA’s Joint Field Office in Williston have collected new toys to be distributed on Christmas to area children.

“Some FEMA staffers have been in Vermont since before Tropical Storm Irene,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Mark Landry, the head of FEMA’s Vermont operations. “This state has been their home away from home, and the way its people have welcomed us it only seems right to give back in this way.”

This is the second holiday season that FEMA has participated in the Toys for Tots Program, which collects new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distributes those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community.

The toys collected by the roughly 30 FEMA staffers in Williston will be delivered to Toys R Us in Williston, which is the collection point for the local campaign.

“It’s always fun to see the box fill up as people bring in their toys, and then to see folks taking a peek at what’s on top and playing with some toys,” said Robin Anderson, a FEMA staffer from Kenmore, Washington who organized the collection. “It really brings out the kid in all of us, and gets everyone in the spirit of the season, which is all about giving.”

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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders and 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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FEMA Pitches In To Collect Toys For Vermont Children

Boulder Disaster Recovery Center to Close

DENVER – The last Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) for the September Colorado severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides is closing permanently at 3 p.m., MST, Saturday, Dec. 21.

BOULDER COUNTY

Premier Credit Union Building

5495 Arapahoe Ave.

Boulder, CO 80303

Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., MST

After the center closes, disaster survivors can call the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at 800-621-3362 to have questions answered about their disaster assistance registration, check their application status, or update their insurance claim or contact information. A FEMA representative is available at the toll-free number from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., MST, seven days a week.

Anyone with questions concerning a loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) or for information about SBA programs, go to sba.gov/disaster or call (800) 659-2955, press 2 for Spanish (TTY 1-800-977-8339).

Small businesses and most private nonprofits without physical losses have until June 16, 2014, to apply for Economic Injury Loans only.

In all, 24 DRCs were opened to help Colorado residents who had damage due to the severe weather in September.

DRCs are operated by the Colorado Office of Emergency Management and FEMA in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), county and local governments.

Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA Helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages. People who have a speech disability or are deaf or hard of hearing may call (TTY) 800-462-7585.

m.fema.gov in the browser.

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Boulder Disaster Recovery Center to Close

Disaster Recovery Center in Larimer County Will Close

DENVER – The Loveland Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Larimer County will permanently close at 3 p.m., MST, on Wednesday, Nov. 27.

LARIMER COUNTY

Rocky Mountain Center for Innovation and Technology

815 14th St. SW.

Loveland, CO 80537

DRCs are operated by the Colorado Office of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), county and local governments.

To find the DRC closest to you, go to fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers

Survivors with losses from the storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides will save time by registering for help from FEMA before going to the DRCs.

Register with FEMA by phone, 800-621-3362, from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., MST, seven days a week. Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA Helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages. People who have a speech disability or are deaf or hard of hearing may call (TTY) 800-462-7585; users of 711 or Video Relay Service can call 800-621-3362.

Register online: DisasterAssistance.gov or by Web-enabled device, tablet or smartphone: type m.fema.gov in the browser.

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Disaster Recovery Center in Larimer County Will Close

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