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News You Can Use: Make your home more flood resistant

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Mitigation experts at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) say there is no better time than now for Missouri homeowners to start thinking about how to prepare for the next flood.

For the big jobs, homeowners will want to hire a reputable licensed contractor. FEMA mitigation officials suggest getting bids from two or three contractors. And ask for references. Minor repairs and renovations may be easy work for experienced do-it-yourselfers. However, tasks such as relocating basement appliances and electrical equipment may require the help of a professional.

Start with the main circuit breaker or fuse box. Move it up to at least 12 inches above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) for your home. Your insurance agent or local flood plain administrator will be able to tell you what that level is. Check with your local building department. If the electrical code allows, raise electrical outlets and switches above flood level.

If you need to replace a flood-damaged furnace, water heater or air conditioner, have the new one installed on a higher floor. If your air conditioner or heat pump is outdoors, install it on a raised platform. Place washers and dryers on blocks, making sure they will not vibrate off the blocks during use. A one- or two-foot-high waterproof floodwall around appliances will protect them from shallow flooding.

More do-it-yourself tips for repairing flood-damaged buildings:

Walls: If the wallboard and insulation were removed, wash and disinfect the exposed vertical wooden studs and the horizontal wooden sills at their base. If rebuilding, consider metal studs and sills, as they are less damaged by water than wooden ones.
Wallboard: If you install the wall board horizontally (four feet high), you’ll only have to replace half the wall if the next flood is less than four feet deep. Leave the wall open one inch above the sill. The baseboards will hide the gap, and all you have to do after the next flood is remove the baseboard and the wall cavity will drain freely and air will circulate better.
Floors: Particle board or plywood fall apart when wet for lengthy periods. Floor joists and some wood floors regain their shape when naturally dried. Use screws or screw nails on floors and stairs to minimize warping. Completely dry subflooring before laying new flooring or carpeting. Re-nail, then sand or place a new underlayment for a new floor.
Paints: Completely dry the surface before painting. This may take several weeks, but paint will peel if applied over a damp surface. Coat concrete surfaces with penetrating sealer for easier future cleanup.
Windows and Doors: When appropriate, replace flood damaged windows with vinyl or metal framed windows. Hollow core or polystyrene foam filled metal doors are water resistant.

Despite all that you have done, natural disasters are unpredictable, and even the best preparations may not hold up in the next flood. So it’s strongly recommended that homeowners look into purchasing a National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policy, especially if your home or business is located in a flood plain or high-risk area.

NFIP insurance is available to homeowners, renters, condo owners/renters, and commercial owners/renters in communities that participate 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 75 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.

For more ideas on reducing flood loss, check out the FEMA booklet “Protecting Your Home and Property from Flood Damage” at https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/21471.

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For breaking news about flood recovery, follow FEMA Region 7 on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion7 and turn on mobile notifications or visit the FEMA webpages dedicated to this disaster at www.fema.gov/disaster/4250.

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.

All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).

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News You Can Use: Make your home more flood resistant

Give the Gift of Awareness and Preparedness This Holiday Season

WARREN, Mich. – The holiday season is here, and the state of Michigan and FEMA wish you all the best during this special time of the year. The heavy demands of the holiday season can be a busy time for all. Managing family obligations and handling seasonal preparations along with regular day-to-day activities can make disaster awareness and preparedness less of a priority.

Officials want to remind you that the holidays can also bring out scam artists and other criminals who want to prey on vulnerable survivors. The most common types of fraud after disaster strikes are contractor fraud and price gouging.

Be wary of contractors who solicit work door-to-door or who promise –“I’ll do it right away and cheap.”
Get estimates from more than one licensed, bonded, and reputable contractor.
Get a contract in writing.
Don’t make final payment until the job is finished.
Don’t sign over an insurance settlement check to a contractor.

Gift giving is also on the minds of many this time of year. We would like to offer some gift suggestions for those family members who might not be prepared for disasters or emergencies. While these may not be the fanciest gifts to give, they may save a life, protect property or make dealing with a disaster a little easier.

NOAA weather radios and extra batteries.
A home disaster kit that could include items such as a flashlight and batteries, a battery-powered radio, a first aid kit, bottled water, and canned goods with a manual can opener. Place the items in a plastic tub or backpack.
Car emergency kits such as flares, a shovel, an ice scraper, flashlight and fluorescent distress flags.
Pet disaster kit that could include extra food, a leash, food dish, pet toys that would fit in a bag or backpack.

We wish you and your family a very happy and safe holiday season.

Those who suspect price gouging and fraud may call the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721. Complaints may also be made to local law enforcement or through the Michigan Attorney General’s office at 877-765-8388 or online at www.michigan.gov/ag.

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Give the Gift of Awareness and Preparedness This Holiday Season

Be Proactive About Flood Insurance

DENVER-Whether you own a home or a business, you need to be proactive when it comes to flood insurance. With heavy snowpack this year, there is strong potential for spring flooding. In addition, wildfires devastated Colorado over the last few years destroying vegetation. The burn areas are more susceptible to flooding, because there is no vegetation to absorb the moisture or slow down the flow of sediment and mud in rainstorms.

Do not delay in obtaining flood insurance coverage. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has a 30-day waiting period from the time the flood insurance policy is written and the premium is paid until it goes into effect. A policy purchased even a few weeks from now might not be in effect for spring runoff.

Know your insurance policy and what it covers. NFIP covers the structure of your building only. It is recommended that you also carry a basic NFIP policy on your contents. A basic policy covers the following:

Up to $250,000 for a home; up to $500,000 for a building.
Up to $100,000 for personal contents; up to $500,000 for business; up to $100,000 for renters.

NFIP covers ONLY the depreciated value of your household goods. It does not include replacement value.
Fine art, collectibles, jewelry, and furs up to $2,500.
NFIP does not cover such items as autos, machinery, non-household related items, such as yard tools, livestock, lawns, trees, shrubbery, fences, business supplies and equipment.

To protect yourself in the event of a flood:

Inventory your home. Assign everything a value, so that you have a starting point in case of disaster.
Document any purchases. Keep receipts in a safe flood-proof place.

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) offers flood insurance to homeowners, renters, and business owners in communities that are part of the NFIP program. NFIP is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which works closely with 90 private insurance companies.

Contact an agent or your county or city floodplain administrator to find out whether your community is participating in NFIP. Your agent can advise you on whether you have adequate coverage for your home and valuables. For more information on flood insurance, visit floodsmart.gov.

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Be Proactive About Flood Insurance

Business License, Building Permit: Tools to Protect Against Rip Off Contractors

AURORA, IL –State and federal recovery officials are cautioning Illinoisans to protect themselves against rip off artists posing as contractors as they rebuild and repair from storms and severe flooding of last spring.

Legitimate contractors should have a license, be able to display one at their place of business or to show a copy of one to a prospective customer. Having a website does not necessarily mean one is licensed to do business no matter how professional it appears. Local permit offices can provide consumers important information about how to select a licensed contractor and how to protect themselves from unscrupulous contractors.

But having a license to do business is usually not enough to proceed with the work. A permit from a local or county government is required to begin building and to do extensive repairs. Repairs and building begun without proper permits may be subject to stop work orders, fines and penalties, depending on the local ordinances enforced by communities. Permits assure residents and communities that all proposed work complies with current codes, standards, flood ordinances and recommended construction techniques; they can also serve as a form of protection for the homeowner against an unlicensed or unscrupulous contractor who might offer to do the work without a permit.

Securing the correct local building permit is the homeowner’s responsibility. Those who agree to have their contractors secure permits on their behalf should follow up with building officials to verify. Permits may be required for repairs to roofs, walls, siding, wallboard, plaster, insulation, paneling, cabinets, flooring, electrical wiring, plumbing, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems.

Permits will ensure that the local government knows what work is occurring in their area and that it will be done to their standards. Residents who make repairs without a permit could find out after the fact that the repairs are not up to local ordinances and they may have to spend more money on additional repairs to their property.

FEMA and IEMA are not permitting agencies and do not authorize rebuilding or repair simply by providing disaster grants, loans or, in FEMA’s case, settling flood-insurance claims. The agencies do not recommend or endorse any contractors, and recovery officials warn people to be wary of any contractors who claim they are authorized by FEMA or IEMA. They are not.

Anyone with knowledge of fraud, waste or abuse may call the FEMA Fraud Hotline at 1-800-323-8603. You may also send an email to DHSOIGHotline@dhs.gov. Complaints may also be made via the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362 (TTY 1-800-462-7585) or with state or local law enforcement officials or consumer agencies.

Follow FEMA online at twitter.com/femaregion5, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

Media Contact: 571-408-1835

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Business License, Building Permit: Tools to Protect Against Rip Off Contractors

Corps Teams with Volunteer Agencies to Help Bring Stability to New Jersey

LINCROFT, N.J. — FEMA, the state of New Jersey, volunteer agencies and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, working out of the State-FEMA Joint Field Office in Lincroft, NJ, began a Shelter In Place Assistance Program Nov. 14 to help New Jersey residents recover following Hurricane Sandy.

The program provides training, mentoring, and materials by Army engineers to Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) members, such as the Southern Baptist Convention, Mennonite and Methodist Men.

“The most important part of recovery is helping those affected by Hurricane Sandy get back to a sense of normalcy,” said Joel Hendrix, South Atlantic Division, Chief Readiness and Contingency Operations, who is leading the Corps efforts. “Nothing brings more stability to someone affected by disaster than getting back into their home.”

The program seeks to give VOAD groups the skills and materials necessary to make minor, temporary repairs to homes, such as boarding up windows with plywood. Allowing people to return to their homes so quickly after a disaster, said Hendrix, not only gives them time to make more permanent repairs but also minimizes the number of people seeking temporary shelter.

About 500 homes, many of which suffered water damage, will be assessed for possible repairs.

“Our job is to support the governor and the volunteers,” Hendrix said.

The Corps’ team is working in close coordination with FEMA, and state and locals officials.

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.

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Corps Teams with Volunteer Agencies to Help Bring Stability to New Jersey

Summer Fire Safety Tips From FEMA

Release Date: July 2, 2012
Release Number: R10-12-015

» 2012 Region X News Releases

SEATTLE, Wash. — As skies clear and weather turns warmer, Pacific Northwest residents are hoping for glorious weather this Fourth of July. But however the weather turns out, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) warn that careless handling of fireworks and outdoor grills can ruin parties and picnics — and entire summers. New data released by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows that last year, during the 30 days surrounding July 4, these fireworks sent about 1,900 injured consumers to emergency rooms. CPSC’s statistics show that about 8,600 consumers ended up in hospital emergency rooms due to injuries involving legal and illegal fireworks. About 40 percent of the injuries that occurred during this time period were related to firecrackers, bottle rockets, and sparklers.

“When celebrating the Fourth of July, Americans need to remember to use fireworks, fires and barbecues with care. The best way to enjoy fireworks is to visit public displays held by trained professionals,” said Loper. “Summer holidays should be fun and generate good memories, not pain and remorse. Have fun, but be safe.”

FIREWORKS SAFETY TIPS:

If fireworks are legal where you live and you decide to set them off on your own, be sure to follow these important safety tips:

Observe local laws.
Keep a bucket of water handy in case of a malfunction or fire.
Read and follow all warnings and instructions.
Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks.
Be sure other people are out of range before lighting fireworks. Never shoot a firework at or near another person.
Only light fireworks on a smooth, flat surface away from the house, dry leaves, and flammable materials.
Never try to relight fireworks that have not fully functioned. Douse and soak them with water and throw them away.
Never ignite fireworks in a container, especially a glass or metal container.
Keep unused fireworks away from firing areas.
Store fireworks in a dry, cool place. Check instructions for special storage directions.

GRILLING FIRE SAFETY TIPS

Propane and charcoal BBQ grills must only be used outdoors. If used indoors, or in any enclosed spaces such as tents, they pose a fire hazard and a risk of exposing occupants to deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.
Place the grill a safe distance from lawn games, play areas, and foot traffic. Grills should be positioned at least 10 feet away from siding, deck railing, and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
Keep matches, lighters, and starter fluid out of the reach of children in a locked drawer or cabinet.
Keep children and pets away from the grill area: declare a three-foot “kid-free zone” around the grill.
Use long barbeque mitts and long-handled grilling tools to protect the chef from heat and flames when cooking.
Periodically remove grease or fat buildup in trays below the grill so it cannot be ignited by a hot grill.

USFA, part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, serves the American public and the nation’s fire services through training, data collection and analysis, public fire education, and fire protection technology research. For more information, visit: www.usfa.fema.gov. For wildfire preparedness tips, sample preparedness plans and emergency checklists, visit firewise.org or www.fema.gov.

Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema. Social media links are provided for reference only. FEMA does not endorse non-government websites, companies or applications.

FEMAs 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.

Last Modified: Monday, 02-Jul-2012 16:38:35

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Summer Fire Safety Tips From FEMA