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FEMA Public Assistance Grants to Help Washington Communities Recover from Wildfires

CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – Specialists from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Washington State Emergency Management Division (EMD) are working closely with local and tribal officials to help Washington communities recover from this summer’s devastating wildfires.

The assistance comes through the Public Assistance (PA) program, which reimburses state and local governments, federally recognized tribes and certain private nonprofit organizations for eligible expenses they incurred in protecting lives and property ahead of and during the fires, and in cleaning up and rebuilding afterward.

The presidential disaster declaration stemming from the Aug. 9 to Sept. 10, 2015, wildfires makes FEMA PA grants available to eligible applicants in Chelan, Ferry, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Whatcom, and Yakima counties and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.

“This program is important to Washington taxpayers,” said State Coordinating Officer Kurt Hardin of EMD. “It provides financial assistance that enables our communities to repair and rebuild without putting an additional burden on residents. We welcome partnering with FEMA to assist communities impacted by the historic wildfires. ”

“The PA program strengthens communities that do not have the resources to bounce back from a disaster,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Thomas Dargan of FEMA. “The funds help to repair the roads people use every day getting to work and school, put utilities and water systems back in order, and ensure a community’s other important public needs are met.”

To date, 34 potential applicants have filed a Request for Public Assistance (RPA) to initiate a disaster claim under the Oct. 20 disaster declaration. Applicants have until Nov. 19 to file RPAs with the Washington Emergency Management Division.

The EMD, with FEMA support, is holding a series of briefings for potential applicants to provide a general overview of the grant program, outline program deadlines and answer any questions.

Also taking place are initial meetings among applicants and project officers from EMD and FEMA to discuss which types of emergency expenses and projects are federally reimbursable. They also discuss the process of rebuilding structures to resist damage in the future.

These meetings are an important step in getting assistance dollars back into the communities.

Under the PA program, FEMA reimburses applicants for 75 percent of their eligible expenses, while the other 25 percent is the nonfederal share. The federal portion is paid directly to the state, which then makes disbursements to the local and tribal jurisdictions and organizations that incurred costs.

More information about the PA program is available at www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit and on the Washington EMD website at http://mil.wa.gov/emergency-management-division/.

Additional information regarding the federal response to the wildfire disaster, including funds obligated, is available at www.fema.gov/disaster/4243.

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FEMA Public Assistance Grants to Help Washington Communities Recover from Wildfires

Three Years after Sandy: Recovery by the numbers

Total Federal Assistance

Federal agencies have provided $6.8 billion in total funding to applicants in New Jersey

FEMA Individual Assistance

The Individuals and Households Program (IHP) approved 61,441 households for assistance to help with housing and disaster-related expenses. This program disbursed $422.9 million to survivors. Of that total, $369.7 million was for housing assistance. Maximum grants of $31,900 were given to 1,931 applicants. New Jersey survivors received $5.3 million in disaster unemployment assistance

FEMA Public Assistance

There were a total of 1,724 agency requests for Public Assistance, and 5,208 projects were written. The Public Assistance program has obligated $1.809 billion in PA funds for debris removal, emergency work and permanent work. 1,469 PW closeouts have been requested by the state to-date, and 1,095 PWs have been closed

FEMA 406 Mitigation

The 406 Mitigation program has written $497.2 million in grants for projects to protect against future disaster damage

Hazard Mitigation Grants and Planning

Hazard Mitigation Grants and Planning has obligated $258,456,164 million for acquisition, energy allocation initiative, retail fuel, infrastructure, elevation, and planning update programs

National Flood Insurance Program claims

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $3.5 billion in claims to flood insurance policyholders

Small Business Administration

The Small Business Administration has approved 10,732 individuals and 1,719 businesses for SBA disaster loans totaling $847.9 million

The Top Ten Obligated Projects in New Jersey as of October 9, 2015

	10/9/2015					$773,753,097.90
#	Applicant Name	County	PW Number	Damage Category Code	Application Title	Federal Share Obligated
1	Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission	Statewide	4701	F – Public Utilities	UHBAJ37 Substations & Cables	$366,294,965.67
2	Ocean (County)	Ocean	2337	A – Debris Removal	9902901 Debris Removal Ocean County	$71,912,887.06
3	Middlesex County Utilities Authority	Middlesex	5061	F – Public Utilities	U04NE05 Sayreville Pump Station Permanent Repairs	$66,490,056.22
4	Dept. Of Environmental Protection	Statewide	3932	A – Debris Removal	UCT2E40 Debris Removal	$59,741,908.65
5	Dept. Of Environmental Protection	Statewide	4846	A – Debris Removal	UCT2E39 Navigable Channels	$55,417,971.87
6	New Jersey Office Of Emergency Mgmt.	Statewide	457	Z – State Management	324SMC Section 324 Management Costs	$54,676,032.00
7	Dept. Of Environmental Protection	Statewide	2470	A – Debris Removal	UCT2E39 Debris Removal	$27,792,056.65
8	Dept. Of Environmental Protection	Statewide	5035	A – Debris Removal	UCT2E57 Debris Removal	$27,288,778.10
9	New Jersey Dept. Of Human Services	Statewide	1	B – Protective Measures	U4BK201 Emergency Responders Accommodations	$22,480,000.00
10	Long Branch	Monmouth	3226	G – Recreational Or Other	4131008 Boardwalk and Roadway	$21,658,441.68

	Top Twelve PA Applicants – DR 4086 – NJ
	10/9/2015		Total	$1,121,197,593.66
#	Applicant Name	Applicant ID	County	Federal Share Obligated
1	PASSAIC VALLEY SEWERAGE COMMISSION	000-UHBAJ-00	Statewide	$443,288,036.84
2	DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION	000-UCT2E-00	Statewide	$232,038,911.20
3	OCEAN (COUNTY)	029-99029-00	Ocean	$95,426,680.41
4	MIDDLESEX COUNTY UTILITIES AUTHORITY	023-U04NE-00	Middlesex	$94,873,721.79
5	NEW JERSEY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MGMT	000-UF7ER-00	Statewide	$58,241,859.87
6	NEW JERSEY DEPT. OF HUMAN SERVICES	000-U4BK2-00	Statewide	$33,947,638.06
7	BAYSHORE REGIONAL SEWERAGE AUTHORITY	025-UGW92-00	Monmouth	$31,886,005.54
8	PORT AUTHORITY OF NY AND NJ	000-U6L13-00	Statewide	$31,629,321.03
9	LONG BRANCH	025-41310-00	Monmouth	$27,903,463.30
10	NEW JERSEY STATE DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION	000-UZCCE-00	Statewide	$26,479,553.95
11	BELMAR	025-04930-00	Monmouth	$24,033,816.08
12	TOMS RIVER	029-73110-00	Ocean	$21,448,585.59

For an interesting video, please watch 100 Days after Sandy at http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/82034

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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.

For more information on New Jersey’s disaster recovery, visit http://fema.gov/SandyNJ. Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/FEMASandy,www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/fema, www.fema.gov/blog, and www.youtube.com/fema.Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

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

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Three Years after Sandy: Recovery by the numbers

Texas Panhandle Partnership Implements Regional Alert System

FEMA and the state of Texas are highlighting Texas communities that have taken steps to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property.

POTTER COUNTY, Texas – A multi-county initiative that began five years ago in the Texas panhandle provides residents an effective emergency alert system that helped save lives and property during the historic May 2015 floods.

The system, which has grown to include 150 counties, got its start in 2010 at the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission (PRPC). Funding was provided through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

“We found that only two of our 26 counties had any kind of mass notification capability,” said John Kiehl, regional services director of the PRPC. Established in 1969, the PRPC assists local governments in planning, developing and implementing programs designed to improve the general health, safety and welfare of the citizens in the Texas Panhandle.

“We discovered the other counties could not afford the cost of getting an alert system, much less maintain one,” said Kiehl, “but with help from FEMA and other partners, we were able to establish a reverse calling system to serve a wide array of emergency management purposes at a highly affordable cost.”

After considering different options, the PRPC decided to work with other jurisdictions that shared the need for mass notification. The result was the creation of the Alliance for Community Solutions (ACS), a group of stakeholders with a common interest in developing and implementing cost-effective, technology-based emergency management tools that benefit the group.

The PRPC applied for a grant from FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) to fund the project so that all counties in the region could affordably obtain and maintain notification capabilities.

“We submitted a proposal for a system that would serve the entire 26,000-square-mile region,” said Kiehl.

The PRPC received about $785,000 from FEMA toward the project cost of more than $1 million. Most of the balance came from donations from individuals and private foundations. HMGP funds were used to purchase licenses at a cost of $600 per license. Each jurisdiction contributed $200 toward the cost of its license.

“Initially, we had difficulty sending short message system (SMS) text messages. We’d send out the first 25 calls, which would go through without a problem,” said Kiehl. “But after that, they started bottlenecking and bouncing back. We went through a period of time where people were getting their severe weather alerts a day and a half after the storm had passed.”

The issue was resolved by installing a new smartphone application called Fully Connect. Because it bypasses cell phone service provider servers, Fully Connect lets local officials send messages more quickly and reliably.

Kiehl said the system has been improved beyond its original design with enhancements funded by the PRPC and other ACS members. In addition to the common suite of tools that can send alerts by text, voice and email, the PRPC has included an English-Spanish translation. Other ACS partners have added more language modules including French, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese and German to better serve their non-English speaking residents.

The PRPC is now working on the last major FEMA-funded improvement: integrating the PRPC system with the federal Integrated Public Alert Warning System (IPAWS). When that happens, there will be seven different ways for emergency managers and authorized users to send alerts and notices to residents when their safety is at risk.

In May 2015, historic storms swept through central and south Texas over Memorial Day weekend, dumping up to 10 inches of rain over parts of previously drought-stricken Texas.

Medina County, an ACS partner more than 500 miles from the Panhandle, had funded a system enhancement that connected the county’s flood gauges to the mass notification system. As the river rose, automated notices were sent to keep county responders and residents aware of the situation. The PRPC is now looking to take advantage of this enhancement in the Panhandle.

What the PRPC did in the region is now serving 150 other counties in Texas because they are all working with the same provider. Every enhancement put into the system by any one of the counties is available to all other counties and jurisdictions within those counties, at no additional cost.

“FEMA has invested a lot of money in this initiative and we wanted the return to be as great as possible,” said Kiehl. “One of the best outcomes of this project is the partnership that’s been forged through ACS.

“Together, we’ll continue to cost-effectively improve this system long after our HMGP project has been closed out,” Kiehl said. “And anytime an ACS partner adds a system enhancement, all ACS members will benefit from it.”

For additional information about the Texas Panhandle Partnership Regional Alert System, visit: Panhandle Regional Planning Commission.

To learn more about how cities and towns across Texas are building stronger, safer communities, visit Best Practice Stories | FEMA.gov.

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Texas Panhandle Partnership Implements Regional Alert System

Three Years after Sandy: FEMA Funding for Recovery in New Jersey Exceeds $6.8 Billion

EATONTOWN, NJ. — In the three years since Hurricane Sandy scored a direct hit on New Jersey, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been actively engaged in the recovery effort, providing $6.8 billion to date to help the state recover and rebuild.

This money has helped to restore critical facilities, clear debris, replace boardwalks along the Jersey Shore, rebuild public infrastructure, and reimburse municipalities throughout the state for the enormous costs of clearing debris and restoring public safety in the immediate aftermath of the storm.

FEMA’s National flood Insurance program has paid out more than $3.5 billion in claims to flood insurance policyholders whose homes were damaged or destroyed by the storm. Through FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program (IHP), the agency approved $422.9 million in payments to Sandy survivors.

FEMA Public Assistance, which provides funds for repair and rebuilding of infrastructure and public facilities as well as necessary work such as debris removal and emergency response, has obligated $1.809 billion in Public Assistance funds towards repair and rebuilding projects in New Jersey.

As the work of rebuilding continues, FEMA is helping to strengthen the state’s capacity to withstand a future disaster. Thirty-nine percent of all Public Assistance (PA) projects have accompanying mitigation projects. FEMA is funding projects that protect vulnerable facilities from inundation by storm waters, raise homes above the flood plain and convert neighborhoods that have experienced repeated and devastating flooding to public, open space. Eighty-six percent of all New Jersey PA projects over a half-million dollars have a mitigation component.

To date, the FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program has obligated $258,456,164 million for a series of mitigation measures that includes voluntary property acquisitions in communities subject to repetitive flooding, energy allocation, retail fuel, infrastructure, home elevations and planning projects, including $30.9 million for home elevations in flood-prone areas and $9.7 million for the Retail Fuel Station Program. The RFS is a voluntary grant program designed to enhance the operational resiliency of retail fuel stations statewide by funding the installation of back-up generators capable of operating fuel pumps when power outages occur.

Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/FEMASandy,www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/fema, www.fema.gov/blog, and www.youtube.com/fema.Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

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

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Three Years after Sandy: FEMA Funding for Recovery in New Jersey Exceeds $6.8 Billion

Hurricane Wilma: Ten Years Later

ATLANTA — Ten years ago October 24, Hurricane Wilma slammed ashore near Naples, Fla., as a Category 3 storm with a 50-mile-wide eye. Wilma was the most intense hurricane on record in the Atlantic Basin, with wind speeds reaching 175 mph over the Gulf of Mexico.

By the time Wilma exited the state near Palm Beach, it had spawned 10 tornadoes, left five people dead and six million people without power. Rainfall exceeded seven inches in some parts of the state. The President’s Oct. 24, 2005, disaster declaration made federal funding available to disaster survivors in Brevard, Broward, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Indian River, Lee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties.

In addition, federal funding was made available to the state and eligible local governments for debris removal, emergency protective measures and other public assistance in Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, De Soto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Indian River, Lee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Osceola, Palm Beach, Polk, Sarasota and St. Lucie counties.

To help disaster survivors FEMA obligated $342.5 million to 227,321 disaster applicants for the Individual and Household Program. Of that amount, $150.8 million was provided for housing (including temporary rentals and repairs) and $191.5 million for other serious disaster-related needs, such as personal property losses and moving and storage, medical or funeral expenses.

FEMA also has obligated more than $1.4 billion in Public Assistance to the state of Florida, local governments and eligible nonprofit organizations for eligible projects. Of that amount:

$956.3 million reimbursed for debris clearance and emergency measures to protect public health and safety immediately after the storm;
$477.5 million reimbursed the work needed to make permanent repairs.

To date, more than $141.5 million has been obligated by FEMA for 119 Hazard Mitigation

Grant Program projects to build stronger, safer more resilient communities in Florida since Hurricane Wilma. A total of 111 mitigation projects are completed of which 90 are to retrofit public structures to protect against wind damage and 11 drainage projects to protect the public from flooding events.

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Original article:

Hurricane Wilma: Ten Years Later

Leading Cancer Center Weathers Storms in Multiple Ways

FEMA and the state of Texas are highlighting Texas communities that have taken steps to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property.

HOUSTON – For the last 25 years, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston has consistently ranked among the top two cancer care hospitals in the nation, according to a survey published by U.S. News & World Report. The hospital’s staff of more than 19,000 treat an average of 114,000 patients each year from around the world.

The center’s ranking reflects the expertise and accomplishments of the physicians, researchers, nurses, staff and volunteers in treating patients. Safeguarding staff, patients and property is essential and the reason for multiple disaster mitigation and notification initiatives at the facility.

“It’s important that we be here for the patients. We don’t want to close. If there is a significant event, we want to be up and running as soon as possible to minimize down time,” said MD Anderson Executive Director of Environmental Health and Safety Matthew Berkheiser. “Patients wanting their treatment are literally knocking on our door as soon as the storm is over. If you have a broken leg, you could probably wait a few days to get it checked. Our patients are very serious and committed to getting in here.”

In 2001, Tropical Storm Allison caused catastrophic damage to the center. They undertook a major mitigation project to protect the center from another flood. “We came up with a list of things that we felt we could do better. Money was made available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to enhance mitigation already in place.

“We used the funds to enhance our floodgate system,” said Director of Environmental Health and Safety Devina Patel. “Now we have 70-80 floodgates, a combination of different kinds of gates as well as submarine doors.”

FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program helped to fund the flood mitigation project. The work consisted of building interior and exterior flood walls and relocating critical mechanical and electrical life-saving equipment above the 50-year floodplain – floods that have a two percent probability (1 in 50) of being equaled or exceeded in any year. A concrete wall was constructed around the entire facility.

The project also called for the installation of 25 floodgates (located at entrances and drives), submarine doors, and a series of valves and lift stations to isolate the sanitary and storm systems.

“We have annual unannounced drills to test the flood gate system as well as the competency of the people who are installing the gates,” said Patel.

“A lesson learned from Tropical Storm Allison was that we needed a stationary command center,” said Patel. “Depending on who was in charge, the command center kept moving making communication an issue. Now we have one that’s stationary and fully staffed.”

To learn more about how cities and towns across Texas are building stronger, safer communities visit Best Practice Stories | FEMA.gov.

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Leading Cancer Center Weathers Storms in Multiple Ways

What to Expect After South Carolina Survivors Call FEMA

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Registering with the Federal Emergency Management Agency is the first step to getting federal disaster assistance.

After you apply, FEMA will send you a copy of your application and a copy of “Help After a Disaster: Applicant’s Guide to the Individuals and Households Program,” which will answer many of your questions.

This publication explains how FEMA’s disaster assistance program works; describes additional kinds of help you may qualify for from other federal, state and voluntary agencies; and gives you many important tips on how best to make all these programs work for you.

After You Register

If your home or its contents are damaged and you are uninsured or underinsured, verifying disaster damage is part of the process to establish the amount and type of damage you suffered.

You will get a call from an inspector who has construction background and is fully qualified to do the job. Inspectors are private contractors who wear official FEMA ID badges. If you have concerns with the legitimacy of a FEMA housing inspector, you should contact your local law enforcement as they will be able to validate their identification.

Authorized inspectors will only confirm personal detailed information that you previously provided during the registration process, such as your registration number. They never charge for an inspection.

The U.S. Small Business Administration and various insurance companies also have inspectors in the field. You may also see preliminary damage assessment teams in your area.

Inspector’s Call

After you register – either online at DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585) or visiting a disaster recovery center – a nine-digit application number is assigned. An inspector will then call to schedule an appointment to visit your damaged property – generally no longer than 10 days after registration.

Inspector’s Visit

Keep the scheduled appointment to make sure the assistance process moves quickly. The inspection should take typically 10 to 20 minutes. You – or someone who is 18 or older and lived in the household prior to the disaster – must be present for the scheduled appointment. Inspectors will review both structural and personal property damage and file a report, but they do not determine eligibility or determine the value of damage or losses.

A FEMA inspection is not an insurance inspection. If you are covered by insurance, you should contact your insurance company immediately as FEMA cannot duplicate payments.

Proof of Ownership or Occupancy

The inspector will ask for identification and proof of ownership and occupancy (for homeowners) and occupancy only (for renters). You can speed up the process by having the appropriate documents on hand:

A photo ID to prove identity, such as driver’s license or passport.
Proof of occupancy, such as a lease, rent payment receipt or utility bill.

Proof of ownership, such as a deed, title, mortgage payment book, property insurance policy or tax receipts.

After the Inspector’s Visit

You will receive a letter from FEMA containing a decision within 10 days of the inspector’s visit. If you are eligible for assistance, the letter will be followed by a check or an electronic funds transfer. The letter explains how the money can be used. You may receive a low-interest disaster loan application in the packet from the SBA. You do not have to accept a loan. However, you must complete the application and return it to SBA to remain eligible for other types of federal assistance, such as FEMA grants.

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 temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

Continued –

What to Expect After South Carolina Survivors Call FEMA

Unique Wildfire Mitigation Efforts in Bastrop County Trim Risks

During September, National Preparedness Month, the Austin Joint Field Office is releasing a series of stories highlighting FEMA’s support of Texas communities as they take steps to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property.

AUSTIN, Texas – On Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011, a firestorm engulfed Bastrop County, Texas, destroying 1,688 homes, burning more than 34,000 acres, and claiming two lives. The Bastrop County Complex Fire was the most devastating wildfire in Texas history and steps are being taken to protect residents and prevent history from repeating itself.

Reducing the amount of vegetative debris that fuels wildfires is one action the county is taking to minimize the fire threat, said Michael Fisher, Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management Coordinator. As dead vegetation and trees accumulates on the ground, it creates a continuous source of fuel. When ignited, the resulting fire burns hotter, spreads faster, lasts longer and covers more ground. When fuel is reduced, fires are less intense.

Fisher said the county decided to reduce this understory fuel using non-traditional mechanical means as opposed to prescribed burning. According to Fisher, it’s a unique approach that’s never been used.

The county received a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) to fund the mitigation project.

“We targeted nearly 4,000 acres, which we are developing into a north project and a south project,” says Fisher. “For each project, we identified the line, area or zone where structures and other human development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wild land or vegetative fuels.”

Fisher said the developed areas feature a mix of houses located on small, medium and large lots. While homes in those neighborhoods have varying degrees of fire resistance and space that can be defended, the adjacent areas have a history of large destructive fires and a high-density concentration of understory fuel.

The north project cost is just over $1.6 million; FEMA contributed more than $1.2 million. The south project cost is $2.1 million; FEMA contributed almost $1.6 million. The HMGP grant has a two-year performance period so Fisher says the county is focusing on what it can do in that time period.

With the funds, the county has designed a mechanical thinning process that uses skid steers, which are low-impact machines with a mulching head on the front with teeth. Operators grind up the understory and remove undesirable species growing under the tree canopy. In a wildfire outbreak, the fire stays on the ground and does not rise into the trees.

Fisher said the project has sparked excitement, curiosity and some reservations among residents. Most of the acreage targeted for mitigation is private property. According to Fisher, the most challenging part of the project has been getting homeowner buy-in, but the county has succeeded in gaining right of entry from each property owner.

What could have been another potential hurdle has become a windfall for a resident amphibian and surrounding habitat.

The project sites are home to the endangered Houston toad, protected by the Endangered Species Act. Both the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were consulted before work began. Toads in the project area have been captured and given to a biologist for safekeeping until it is deemed safe to return them to their habitat.

“We are learning that thinning out the forest actually creates a better environment for the Houston toad,” says Fisher. “In addition to mitigating wildfires in the neighborhoods, the project is helping to create a healthy forest because it returns the ecosystem back to the way it was intended.”

Fisher says Bastrop is happy to tell its story. “If we don’t get it right, we’ll tell that story, too. Disasters are non-traditional. Sometimes it takes a non-traditional approach to do what needs to be done in terms of mitigation. You can’t be timid.”

The website www.co.bastrop.tx.us has additional information about nontraditional wildfire mitigation.

To learn more about how cities and towns across Texas are building stronger, safer communities visit Best Practice Stories | FEMA.gov.

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Unique Wildfire Mitigation Efforts in Bastrop County Trim Risks

Washington Wildfire Survivors Urged to Act Now on Flood Insurance

SEATTLE – Flood risk is higher this year as a direct consequence of the wildfires that burned thousands of acres in eastern and central Washington. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is urging residents in areas affected by the wildfires to consider purchasing flood insurance now.

When fire burns away trees and other vegetation, healthy roots that soak up rainwater are lost. Heavy rains on burn scars can cause flash flooding or debris flows that can severely damage homes and businesses.

While properties burned in the blazes face the highest risk of wildfire-related flooding, the risk also increases for homes downstream or below scorched areas. Such conditions are one reason flooding is America’s most common natural disaster.

Yet, most homeowner insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

A flood insurance policy is the best option for property owners and renters to safeguard their homes and belongings from flood losses. Most flood insurance is written through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which is administered by FEMA. The NFIP offers flood insurance to property owners and renters in communities that participate in the program.

Due to the waiting period, NFIP policies become effective 30 days after the premium is paid.

Less than half of the floods in the U.S. result in a federal disaster declaration, while NFIP pays claims even if a disaster is not declared. What’s more, one out of every four claims paid is from an area at medium-to-low risk of flooding.

Most Washingtonians can obtain flood insurance from the agent who handles their homeowners or renters insurance policy, or they can go to the NFIP website at www.floodsmart.gov to get a list of the agents in their area who sell the policies. The interactive website also offers an easy way to get the estimated annual cost of flood insurance for a specific address.

Link:

Washington Wildfire Survivors Urged to Act Now on Flood Insurance

Disaster Recovery Center will have assistance for survivors with disabilities, seniors and families next week

Main Content

Release date:

September 24, 2015

Release Number:

DR-4235-CNMI-0033

SAIPAN, CNMI – The Disability Network Partners on Saipan will be at the Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Susupe on Sept. 28-30. They will be there to provide extra technical support and resources to individuals with disabilities, senior citizens and their families who are seeking FEMA and or other disaster assistance. They will be on hand from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., which is within but not the same hours that the DRC is open.
Representatives from one or more of these groups will be available at the DRC:
-The Council on Developmental Disabilities (CDD)
-The University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD)
-The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR)
-The Center for Living Independently (CLI)
-The Independent Living Group (ILG)
-State Rehabilitation Council (SRC), Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC)
-The Autism Society of the CNMI (ASCNMI)
-The Northern Marianas Protection & Advocacy Systems, Inc. (NMPASI)
-The VOICES Self Advocacy Group of the CNMI
-The Commonwealth Respite Service Program (CRSP)
-The Trankilu Alternative Financing Program (TAFP)
-The Commonwealth Coalition on Anti-Stigma of Mental Illness (CAMI).
-The CNMI Office of Transportation Authority (COTA)
-Commonwealth Advocates for Relief Efforts (C.A.R.E.)
Anyone needing reasonable accommodation at any time, please call 235-7273/4 or visit NMPASI.

Last Updated:

September 25, 2015 – 14:28

State/Tribal Government or Region:

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Related Disaster:

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Typhoon Soudelor

Source:

Disaster Recovery Center will have assistance for survivors with disabilities, seniors and families next week

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