ATLANTA – September 5 marks 10 years since Hurricane Frances hit Florida and brings timely reminders to be prepared for hurricanes.

Floridians were still recovering from Hurricane Charley as Frances bore down on the east coast of Florida three weeks later. Frances was as big as the state of Texas and twice the size of Charley. As Frances moved slowly over the ocean and approached the coast, orders were given and 2.8 million residents of 41 Florida counties evacuated—the largest evacuation in Florida’s history since Hurricane Floyd in 1999. Frances made landfall on Florida’s east coast as a Category 2 hurricane early on September 5, crossed the Florida Peninsula, and later that night made a second landfall in the Big Bend region.

While Hurricane Frances is remembered for the evacuation, situations requiring people to leave their homes, can happen without warning. Hurricanes may give residents a day or two to move to a safer location, but a fire, chemical spill or transportation accident may require immediate evacuation. Many disasters allow little time for people to gather even the most basic necessities, which is why planning now is essential.

Be Disaster Aware, Take Action to Prepare

September marks National Preparedness Month, and this week’s anniversary of Hurricane Frances is an opportune time to plan how to ‘Reconnect and Reunite with Family Following a Disaster.’ Take time this week to talk with your family about where you will meet and how you will contact each other if separated. Develop plans, including knowing your evacuation zone and routes, ahead of the next severe storm. Information to help you make a family emergency plan is at www.ready.gov or www.listo.gov. Start your plan today! National Preparedness Month culminates on September 30 with America’s PrepareAthon! Check out the information and plan to participate.

Following Hurricane Frances, FEMA provided:

  • Nearly $412 million in grants to more than 229,500 applicants through the Individuals and Households Program for lodging expenses, rental assistance, minor home repairs and other needs assistance;
  • Nearly $2.5 million for Disaster Unemployment Assistance;
  • More than $649 million for emergency protective measures, or for the repair or replacement of public infrastructure and public utilities;
  • More than $99 million in funding for mitigation projects to help reduce damage from future storms.

The U.S. Small Business Administration provided:

  • More than $227 million in low-interest disaster loans to nearly 11,000 renters and homeowners;
  • More than $200 million to nearly 2,000 businesses.

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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Ten Years Later: Remembering Hurricane Frances

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

Little Rock, Ark. – Effective immediately, the State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) in Vilonia and Mayflower will have new Saturday hours.

The centers will be open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. The centers will continue to be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday–Friday.

Disaster Recovery Center Locations:

600 Hwy 365

Mayflower, AR 72106

 

1122 Main Street

Vilonia, AR 72173

Disaster Recovery Centers gather different state and federal agencies and programs under one roof, offering survivors convenient access to guidance from a number of resources. Recovery centers are one-stop shops for eligible survivors from the severe storms, floods and tornadoes of April 27, to get help as quickly as possible. U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) representatives are available at both centers to provide information and answer questions about SBA low-interest disaster assistance loans to help homeowners, renters and businesses recover.

Survivors can continue to register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. They may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585.  Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

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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 http://twitter.com/#!/femaregion6, the R6 Hurricane Preparedness website at www.fema.gov/about/regions/regionvi/updates.shtm and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps 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 information about SBA programs, applicants can go to www.sba.gov/disaster or call (800) 659-2955 (TTY 1-800-977-8339).

Original article – 

New Saturday Hours for Arkansas Disaster Recovery Centers

 

FEMA’s New Youth Preparedness Council Includes a Texan

DENTON, Texas – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced the members of the 2014-2015 Youth Preparedness Council, which includes the Region 6 member from Texas, Obie Jones.

Jones is 16-years-old and is from the Austin area. He started a Teen Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program at his school. He’s also an Eagle Scout, a member of the Austin Police Department Explorer program and supported recent flooding response efforts in Austin by helping rescue and shelter affected animals.

FEMA’s Youth Preparedness Council was formed in 2012 to bring together youth leaders from across the country who are interested in advocating on behalf of youth preparedness and making a difference in their communities. The Council furthers FEMA’s commitment to involve youth in preparedness-related activities. It also provides an avenue to get their perspectives, feedback and opinions.

The 2014 application process produced a large number of highly-qualified applicants. The 12 newest members of the Council were chosen based on their dedication to public service, community involvement and potential to expand their effectiveness as national advocates for youth preparedness.

The other members selected in 2014 include:

  • FEMA Region 1: Bridget Smith (Connecticut)
  • FEMA Region 2: James Collins (New Jersey)
  • FEMA Region 3: Sahara Duncan (Pennsylvania)
  • FEMA Region 4: Jonathan Salazar (Florida)
  • FEMA Region 5: Isaiah Garcia (Michigan)
  • FEMA Region 7: Austin Witt (Iowa)
  • FEMA Region 8: Weston Lee (Utah)
  • FEMA Region 8: Matthew Mayfield (Colorado)
  • FEMA Region 9: Brittany Amano (Hawaii)
  • FEMA Region 9: Navjot Hansra (California)
  • FEMA Region 10: Raylene Ensminger (Washington)

The returning Council members are:

  • Council Chairperson: Emily Rosenblum (Missouri)
  • FEMA Region 2:  Sophie Friedfeld-Gebaide (New York)
  • FEMA Region 5:  Daniel Wernsman (Wisconsin)

Each Council member completes a self-selected legacy project during his or her term.  Council members also participate in a Youth Preparedness Council Summit where they share their ideas, opinions and questions about youth disaster preparedness with the leadership of national organizations working on this critical priority.  Members also meet with FEMA throughout their term to provide input on strategies, initiatives and projects.

To learn more about FEMA’s youth preparedness efforts, please visit: www.ready.gov/youth-preparedness-council.

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

Link:  

FEMA’s New Youth Preparedness Council Includes a Texan

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is pleased to announce the members of the 2014-2015 FEMA National Youth Preparedness Council.

FEMA’s Youth Preparedness Council was formed in 2012 to bring together youth leaders from across the country interested in advocating on behalf of youth preparedness and making a difference in their communities. The Council supports FEMA’s commitment to involving youth in preparedness-related activities. It also provides an avenue to engage youth by taking into account their perspectives, feedback and opinions.

Young people play an important role in raising emergency preparedness awareness. Preparedness education empowers youth to keep themselves and others safe in an emergency; encourages them to share preparedness information with their families, schools and communities; and reduces anxiety about potential disasters. The Youth Preparedness Council members represent the youth perspective on emergency preparedness, and they share information with their communities.

The 2014 application process produced a large number of highly qualified applicants. The 12 newest members of the Council were selected based on their dedication to public service, community involvement and potential to expand their impact as national advocates for youth preparedness.

The distinguished members selected in 2014 are as follows:

• FEMA Region I: Bridget Smith (Connecticut)

• FEMA Region II: James Collins (New Jersey)

• FEMA Region III: Sahara Duncan (Pennsylvania)

• FEMA Region IV: Jonathan Salazar (Florida)

• FEMA Region V: Isaiah Garcia (Michigan)

• FEMA Region VI: Obie Jones (Texas)

• FEMA Region VII: Austin Witt (Iowa)

• FEMA Region VIII: Weston Lee (Utah)

• FEMA Region VIII: Matthew Mayfield (Colorado)

• FEMA Region IX: Brittany Amano (Hawaii)

• FEMA Region IX: Navjot Hansra(California)

• FEMA Region X: Raylene Ensminger(Washington)

The returning Council members are as follows:

• Council Chairperson: Emily Rosenblum (Missouri)

• FEMA Region II:  Sophie Friedfeld-Gebaide (New York)

• FEMA Region V:  Daniel Wernsman (Wisconsin)

Each Council member completes a self-selected legacy project during his or her term. Council members also participate in a Youth Preparedness Council Summit where they share their ideas, opinions and questions about youth disaster preparedness with the leadership of national organizations working on this critical priority. During the summit, they will determine their legacy projects and meet with FEMA community preparedness staff who will be their ongoing FEMA support contacts and mentors. Members also meet with FEMA throughout their term to provide input on strategies, initiatives and projects.

To learn more about FEMA’s youth preparedness efforts, please visit www.ready.gov/youth-preparedness.

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.

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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FEMA Announces 2014 Youth Preparedness Council Members

DENTON, Texas – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is joining its federal, tribal, state and local partners in Louisiana and Texas to commemorate Hurricane Preparedness Week by sharing critical information about the 2014 Atlantic Hurricane Season which starts on June 1 and ends on Nov. 30.

The week-long campaign not only provides an opportunity for emergency management experts to remind everyone about this year’s hurricane season outlook and how to prepare in advance, but it also gives individuals, families, and communities a chance to take action now and practice for an emergency.

“We encourage everyone to take basic steps to get ready before hurricane season begins,” said FEMA Regional Administrator Tony Robinson. “In addition to talking about what you should do and building emergency kits, people can also take part in exercises, drills and discussions about emergencies that are being held in their communities.”

Those in hurricane-prone areas are urged to visit www.ready.gov/prepare to learn about America’s PrepareAthon! and get involved in local training sessions. Basic hurricane preparedness tips include:

  • Before a hurricane
  • Prepare an evacuation kit; you can find more information on what you need in the kit at www.ready.gov or www.listo.gov.
  • Secure any important papers in a waterproof container.
  • Fill your vehicle’s tank up with gas.
  • Get any necessary prescription medications refilled.
  • Have enough cash on hand to last for several days.
  • Make sure you have enough extra food and water for your pet.
  • During a hurricane
  • Listen to the radio or TV for information.
  • If you are directed by local authorities to evacuate, be sure to follow their instructions.
  • Stay indoors during the hurricane and away from windows and glass doors.
  • After a hurricane
  • Safety is a primary issue, as is physical and mental well-being.

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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.

See more here: 

May 25-31 is Hurricane Preparedness Week. Be Prepared. Get a Plan. Know Your Evacuation Zone

WASHINGTON — Today is the first national day of action for America’s PrepareAthon! Today, individuals, families, workplaces, schools and organizations are coming together to practice simple activities to stay safe before, during, and after four types of hazards−floods, wildfires, tornadoes and hurricanes.

It’s not too late to join the more than 5 million people expected to participate in events across the country today and in the coming weeks and be counted in the movement.

The goal of America’s PrepareAthon! is to build a more secure and resilient nation by increasing awareness about what disasters could happen in communities and what to do to be safe and prepared. The campaign is focused on getting people to take action to increase their level of emergency preparedness and participate in community resilience planning. Resources to help you get started are available at www.ready.gov/prepare.

Here’s how to take action today:

  • Be Smart: Download guides to learn how to prepare for a tornado, hurricane, flood or wildfire
  • Take Part: Plan activities and host an event locally in the coming weeks.
  • Prepare: Practice a drill or have a discussion about preparedness
  • Share: Promote activities, events and best practices with national preparedness community members. Register an event at www.ready.gov/prepare.
  • Alerts and warnings: Timely information about severe weather or disasters can make all the difference in an emergency. Sign up for local alerts and warnings and check your mobile device to see if it is capable of receiving free Wireless Emergency Alerts by contacting your cellular service provider or visiting www.ctia.org/WEA.
  •  Safeguard critical documents: Following a disaster, having access to personal financial, insurance, and medical records is crucial for starting the recovery process. 

America’s PrepareAthon! events are happening around the country. Here is just a sampling:

May Day Houston – Hosted by the Houston Community Preparedness Collaborative, this citywide event has designated May 1 as the city’s official preparedness day. Individuals, companies, and groups join together to celebrate and promote preparedness.

#Petpared Twitter Challenge – Complete pet preparedness actions, like creating a pet emergency kit and taking pets on an emergency drill. After finishing, take a picture of your pet and yourself and tweet it with the hashtag #Petpared by April 30.

Colorado Federal Employee PrepareAthon! Exercise – All federal agencies in Colorado are participating in a tornado and evacuation drill on April 30.

Jefferson County Lunch and Learn Session (West Virginia) hosts a “lunch and learn” session on personal financial preparedness for national disasters on April 30 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Finger Lakes Disaster Volunteer Campaign (Rochester, NY) – Finger Lakes Regional Volunteer Center are kicking off a nine county virtual event to recruit non-medical disaster volunteers on April 30.

Red Cross Community Presentation (Culver City, CA) – Community ambassadors for the American Red Cross are hosting a quarterly meeting to discuss community support for the Red Cross mission to prepare, respond and recover from disaster on April 30 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Local AM Radio Station Hosts Preparedness Talk – WINY1350 in Putnam, Connecticut are hosting a one hour presentation on preparedness education airing April 30 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center National Preparedness Awareness – On April 30, Brookdale are educating staff, communities, patients and their families of the importance of being prepared.

Learning protective actions and taking time to practice them, you, your family and your community can be ready to respond.

America’s PrepareAthon! participants commit to taking at least one concrete step to prepare for a hazard they might face in their community. The America’s PrepareAthon! website, www.ready.gov/prepare, provides Day of Action guides, How to Prepare guides, and customizable promotional materials designed to help Americans take action and join the growing number of individuals who recognize that preparing for disasters is a shared responsibility.

Follow the discussion on Twitter by following @PrepareAthon or #PrepareAthon. For questions about America’s PrepareAthon! contact PrepareAthon@fema.dhs.gov. For more information, go to www.ready.gov/prepare.

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. 

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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America’s PrepareAthon! First National Day of Action

DENTON, Texas — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded more than $1.2 million to the state of Texas for construction of a community safe room in the city of Little Elm in Denton County, Texas.

The concrete safe room, which will also serve as a community center, will be 6,442 square feet with interior usable space of 5,025 square feet, and should provide protection from storms and tornadoes for the people of Little Elm. 

FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) will pay 75 percent of the more than $1.6 million total cost for the project.

HMGP provides grants to states, and tribal and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures that reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters.

The grants also enable mitigation measures to be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster. Learn more about this assistance program online at http://go.usa.gov/D6D. 

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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 http://twitter.com/femaregion6, the R6 Preparedness website at www.fema.gov/about/regions/regionvi/updates.shtm and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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FEMA Awards more than $1.2 Million for Community Safe Room in Little Elm, Texas

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is pleased to announce that the application period for the 2014 Individual and Community Preparedness Awards is now open.

The awards highlight innovative local practices and achievements by recognizing individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions toward making their communities safer, stronger, better prepared, and more resilient.

To be considered for this year’s awards, all submissions must be received by May 30, 2014, at 11:59 P.M. EST and must feature program activities taking place between January 1, 2013, and May 30, 2014.

FEMA will review all entries and select the finalists. A distinguished panel of representatives from the emergency management community will then select winners in each of the following categories:

  • Outstanding State Citizen Corps Initiatives
  • Outstanding Local Citizen Corps Initiatives
  • Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) in Action
  • Community Preparedness Heroes
  • Outstanding Youth Preparedness Initiatives
  • Awareness to Action
  • Survivor Empowerment and Integration
  • Preparing the Whole Community
  • Technological Innovation

Winners will be announced in fall 2014 and will be FEMA’s honored guests at a community preparedness roundtable event. The winner of the Preparing the Whole Community category will receive the John D. Solomon Whole Community Preparedness Award.

Emergency management is most effective when the whole community is engaged and involved. Faith-based organizations, voluntary agencies, the private sector, tribal organizations, youth, older adults, people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs, and all individual citizens can make a difference in their communities before, during, and after disasters.

These awards are an opportunity to acknowledge the work an individual or organization has done to build a more resilient nation. More information about the awards is available at http://www.ready.gov/citizen-corps/citizen-corps-awards. Applications should be submitted to citizencorps@fema.dhs.gov and are due by May 30.

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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. 

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.

Originally posted here:

2014 FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness Award Application Period Now Open

PHILADELPHIA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will evaluate a Biennial Emergency Preparedness Exercise at the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station.  The exercise will occur during the week of April 7th to assess the ability of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of Maryland to respond to an emergency at the nuclear facility.

“These drills are held every other year to evaluate government’s ability to protect public health and safety,” said MaryAnn Tierney, Regional Administrator for FEMA Region III.  “We will assess state and local emergency response capabilities within the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone as well as the adjacent support jurisdictions.”

Within 90 days, FEMA will send its evaluation to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for use in licensing decisions.  The final report will be available to the public approximately 120 days after the exercise.

FEMA will present preliminary findings of the exercise in a public meeting at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 11th, 2014 at the Homewood Suites, 200 Granit Run Drive, Lancaster, PA 17601.  Scheduled speakers include representatives from FEMA, NRC, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  

At the public meeting, FEMA may request that questions or comments be submitted in writing for review and response.  Written comments may also be submitted after the meeting by emailing FEMAR3NewsDesk@fema.dhs.gov or by mail to:

MaryAnn Tierney

Regional Administrator

FEMA Region III

615 Chestnut Street, 6th Floor

Philadelphia, PA 19106

FEMA created the Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) Program to (1) ensure the health and safety of citizens living around commercial nuclear power plants would be adequately protected in the event of a nuclear power plant accident and (2) inform and educate the public about radiological emergency preparedness.

REP Program responsibilities cover only “offsite” activities, that is, state and local government emergency planning and preparedness activities that take place beyond the nuclear power plant boundaries. Onsite activities continue to be the responsibility of the NRC.

Additional information on FEMA’s REP Program is available online at FEMA.gov/Radiological-Emergency-Preparedness-Program.

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.

Media Contact: FEMAR3NewsDesk@fema.dhs.gov or 215-931-5597

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FEMA to Evaluate Readiness of Pennsylvania and Maryland

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