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Federal Aid for Alabama Reaches More Than $29 Million

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — More than $18 million has been approved through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Individuals and Households Program. The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved more than $11 million through its low-interest disaster loan program.

The following numbers, compiled June 19, provide a snapshot of the Alabama/FEMA disaster recovery to date:

Funds approved

$15 million for Housing Assistance grants to help with recovery rental expenses and home repair costs.
$3.4 million for Other Needs Assistance to cover essential disaster-related needs, such as medical expenses and lost personal possessions.
$11 million approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration for low-interest loans to eligible homeowners, renters or business owners.

Survivor Recovery

14,035 damaged homes and property have been inspected (99 percent of requests).
4,592 visits have been made to the 11 Disaster Recovery Centers located in designated counties. (All centers have closed; five have transitioned to Disaster Loan Outreach Centers, operated by the SBA.)
9 counties designated for Individual Assistance.
21 counties designated for Public Assistance.

FEMA works with many volunteer agencies and the private sector to speed the recovery effort. Those affected by the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding need to register with FEMA for disaster assistance.

No matter the degree of loss or insurance status, survivors are urged to apply for help. They can use the following methods:

By phone, call 800-621-3362 (FEMA) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., local time. Operators are multilingual. TTY 800-462-7585.
By computer, go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
By smartphone or tablet, use m.fema.gov.

County-by-County approved breakdown of Individual Assistance:

	Approved Registrations	Housing Assistance	Other Needs Assistance
Baldwin	1,863	$7,009,138.94	$1,228,108.08
Blount	24	138,544.00	9,189.78
DeKalb	24	70,327.76	20,674.77
Etowah	55	423,654.46	52,307.04
Jefferson	407	1,047,685.38	185,538.87
Lee	52	262,661.60	54,150.10
Limestone	286	889,358.37	475,760.43
Mobile	3,668	4,904,206.19	1,364,776.16
Tuscaloosa	59	270,328.58	66,951.64
Total:	6,438	$15,015905.28	$3,457,456.87

Recovery officials urge all Alabama residents who have registered for assistance to stay in close contact with FEMA throughout the recovery process. This is especially true during the first weeks after registering when FEMA housing inspectors must contact applicants to view damages. Those with mobile phones should provide that number to FEMA during the registration.

Affected survivors and business owners in the nine designated counties may apply for assistance from FEMA and/or the SBA. Those counties are: Baldwin, Blount, DeKalb, Etowah, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone, Mobile and Tuscaloosa.

Disaster Loan Outreach Centers, operated by the SBA to assist survivors with questions about federal loans, are located in Baldwin, Jefferson, Limestone and Mobile counties. The locations are:

Elberta Town Hall, 10352 Main Street, Elberta, AL 36540.
Fairhope Civic Center (Delchamps Room), 161 North Section Street, Fairhope, AL 36532.
Graysville Public Library, 315 South Main Street, Graysville, AL 36073.
Ripley Woodmen Of the World Hall, 11281 Ripley Road, Athens, AL 35611.
Old Navy/Marine Corps Reserve Center, 4851 Museum Drive, Mobile, AL 36608.

These facilities, which also are staffed with a FEMA specialist, are open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. until further notice.

The deadline to register is Tuesday, July 1.

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Federal Aid for Alabama Reaches More Than $29 Million

Six Weeks After Disaster, Federal Aid for Alabama Totals More Than $27 Million

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — More than $17 million has been approved through FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program. The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved nearly $10 million through its low-interest disaster loan program.

The following numbers, compiled June 12, provide a snapshot of the Alabama/FEMA disaster recovery to date:

Funds approved

$14.5 million for Housing Assistance grants to help with recovery rental expenses and home repair costs.
$3.1 million for Other Needs Assistance to cover essential disaster-related needs, such as medical expenses and lost personal possessions.
$9.6 million approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration for low-interest loans to eligible homeowners, renters or business owners.

Survivor Recovery

13,312 damaged homes and property have been inspected (98 percent of requests).
4,539 visits have been made to the 11 disaster recovery centers located in designated counties. (By 9 a.m. Saturday, June 14, all centers have been closed, five have transitioned to Disaster Loan Outreach Centers, operated by the SBA.)
9 counties designated for Individual Assistance.
21 counties designated for Public Assistance.

No matter the degree of loss or insurance status, survivors are urged to apply for help. They can use the following methods:

By phone, call 800-621-3362 (FEMA) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., local time. Operators are multilingual. TTY 800-462-7585.
By computer, go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
By smartphone or tablet, use m.fema.gov.

County-by-County approved breakdown of Individual Assistance:

County	Approved Registrations	Housing Assistance	Other Needs Assistance
Baldwin	1,797	$6,769,925.27	$1,136,381.21
Blount	23	138,544.00	8,659.79
DeKalb	24	70,327.76	20,674.77
Etowah	54	422,530.39	52,307.04
Jefferson	402	1,041,335.23	173,912.30
Lee	51	259,892.40	53,860.11
Limestone	277	863,464.41	431,775.50
Mobile	3,464	4,664,254.57	1,244,435.76
Tuscaloosa	54	264,644.81	60,675.78
Total:	6,146	$14,494,918.84	$3,182,682.26

Alabama/FEMA’s last remaining Disaster Recovery Center in Jefferson County will be open until 6 p.m. today. That center is located at the Maurice C. West Community Center, 171 Second Street SW, Graysville, AL 35073.

Disaster Loan Outreach Centers, operated by the SBA to assist survivors with questions about federal loans, are located in Baldwin, Jefferson and Limestone and Mobile counties. The locations are:

Elberta Town Hall, 10352 Main Street, Elberta, AL 36540.
Fairhope Civic Center (Delchamps Room), 161 North Section Street, Fairhope, AL 36532.
Graysville Public Library, 315 South Main Street, Graysville, AL 36073.
Ripley W.O.W. Hall, 11281 Ripley Road, Athens, AL 35611.
Old Navy/Marine Corps Reserve Center, 4851 Museum Drive, Mobile, AL 36608.

These facilities, which also are staffed with a FEMA specialist, are open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. until further notice.

The deadline to register is Tuesday, July 1.

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Six Weeks After Disaster, Federal Aid for Alabama Totals More Than $27 Million

Bullock County in Alabama Now Eligible for FEMA Public Assistance

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – County and local governments and certain nonprofit organizations in Bullock County, Alabama may now apply for federal disaster assistance under the Public Assistance program for eligible response and recovery expenses related to this spring’s violent weather.

Bullock County was added Thursday to the May 2 major disaster declaration issued by President Barack Obama for the April 28 to May 5 severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding that struck Alabama.

Bullock County and local governments and certain nonprofit entities located in the county are now eligible to apply for all seven categories (Categories A-G) listed under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance program.

Categories A and B cover debris removal and emergency protective measures such as search and rescue and provision of shelters or emergency care, while categories C through G include more permanent work on infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, public buildings and contents, as well as water facilities, public utilities and parks.

Under the Public Assistance program, FEMA reimburses applicants a minimum of 75 percent of their eligible expenses. The remaining 25 percent non-federal share comes from state and local sources. The state manages the grants for all projects.

The 21 total counties in Alabama now eligible for Public Assistance categories A through G are Baldwin, Blount, Bullock, Butler, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Geneva, Houston, Jefferson, Lamar, Lee, Limestone, Mobile, Perry, Pickens, Tuscaloosa and Washington.

More information about FEMA’s Public Assistance program is available at fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit.

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Bullock County in Alabama Now Eligible for FEMA Public Assistance

Two Additional Alabama Counties Now Eligible For FEMA Public Assistance

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – State and local governments and certain nonprofit organizations in two additional Alabama counties may now apply for federal disaster assistance under the Public Assistance program for eligible response and recovery expenses.

Houston and Washington Counties were added Monday to the May 2 major disaster declaration issued by President Barack Obama for the April 28 to May 5 severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding that struck Alabama.

The two additional counties are now eligible to apply for all seven categories (Categories A-G) listed under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance program.

The twenty total counties in Alabama now eligible for Public Assistance categories A through G are Baldwin, Blount, Butler, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Geneva, Houston, Jefferson, Lamar, Lee, Limestone, Mobile, Perry, Pickens, Tuscaloosa and Washington.

More information about FEMA’s Public Assistance program is available at fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit.

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Two Additional Alabama Counties Now Eligible For FEMA Public Assistance

One Month Later: Recovery Continues in Alabama

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabama emergency managers kept one eye on the destruction occurring in Mississippi as they prepared for supercell storm systems to enter their state during the afternoon and early evening of April 28.

Alabamians heeded meteorologists’ dire warnings that this system appeared to be “a particularly dangerous situation” by closing schools and government offices in the early afternoon. Gov. Robert Bentley issued a state of emergency for all 67 counties because of the threat.

Storms Enter the State at 1 p.m.

All the ingredients for tornado development were parked over Alabama as the storms rolled into the northwest region of the state at about 1 p.m. When the outbreak subsided at 6:30 p.m., 29 tornadoes were recorded, homes and buildings were destroyed by high winds of up to 88 mph and hail the size of baseballs damaged roofs and vehicles.

The damage was widespread with roads impassable, trees and electrical wires down and several reports of people trapped in their homes. Five people died, 16 were injured.

In the southern part of the state, flooding was a major problem with 23.67 inches of rain recorded in Mobile. Search and rescue teams were dispatched for door-to-door searches to find trapped survivors throughout the state.

At the height of the storm, more than 126,000 power outages were reported by the state. The American Red Cross opened five shelters in hardest-hit counties. Some 65 community safe rooms were utilized, saving countless lives.

Later, meteorologists pronounced that the April 28^th storms spawned the fourth highest number of tornadoes in a single event. According to the National Weather Service, the outbreak left a swath of damage almost 200 miles long across the state. The weather service also confirmed four EF-3 tornadoes (the Fujita Scale of tornado strength ranges from EF-0 to EF-5), severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding affecting 31 counties.

At the state Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Clanton, staff compiled and analyzed reports coming in from the counties. With more than $6.7 million in damages and knowing that amount surpassed the state’s ability to absorb, State Emergency Manager Art Faulkner reported to Gov. Bentley that he should seek federal assistance.

The governor asked for the help of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. President Obama expedited a major disaster declaration on May 2, opening the doors for federal aid.

Initially, four counties were declared for Individual Assistance and five counties for Public Assistance. Following a declaration amendment on May 8, another five counties were added for Individual Assistance, which provides grants for individuals and households.

On May 12, 13 counties were added for Public Assistance, which includes emergency reimbursements for protective measures, repairs to roads and bridges, public buildings and infrastructure as well as debris removal.

Counties designated for Individual Assistance include: Baldwin, Blount, DeKalb, Etowah, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone, Mobile and Tuscaloosa.

Counties designated for Public Assistance include: including Baldwin, Butler, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Geneva, Jefferson, Lamar, Lee, Limestone, Mobile, Perry, Pickens and Tuscaloosa.

Recovery Begins

FEMA, one of Alabama’s federal partners, prepositioned a mobile command center at the Alabama EOC to assist in the response effort.

Within 24 hours of the declaration, preliminary damage assessments for Public Assistance had been completed for Baldwin, Jefferson and Limestone counties. Individual Assistance preliminary damage assessments were started in Blount, DeKalb, Etowah, Mobile and Tuscaloosa counties.

Meanwhile, FEMA staff worked to prepare for and deploy equipment for three Disaster Recovery Centers – two in Jefferson and one in Lee counties, while teams of Disaster Survivor Assistance specialists traveled to the state EOC. These teams would fan out across the state to assess, inform and report the situation in communities, as well as going door-to-door to provide on-the-spot FEMA registration for survivors.

The U.S. Small Business Administration, another federal partner, dispatched its staff to Alabama to assist in the outreach to survivors and offer low-interest rate loans to individuals and businesses.

Registration was underway. By close of business May 6, more than 1,800 registrations had been received via the FEMA call center, online and mobile registration. Twenty-six inspectors were in the field, with 1,195 damage inspections completed.

FEMA Grants Help Bring Relief to Survivors

By May 20, more than 300 FEMA and state employees were working in the Montgomery Joint Field Office to bring a sense of normalcy back to the lives of those affected by the storms.

Three weeks after the storm, FEMA had approved more than $11 million in Individual Assistance grants, another federal partner, the SBA, had approved $1.6 million in low-interest, long-term loans. Millions more in Public Assistance dollars will help with the impact to municipalities and government services.

At peak operations, 11 Disaster Recovery Centers were operating in affected counties. More than 3,100 visits to the centers had been made to register for FEMA assistance, ask questions of state and federal officials and learn what programs were available.

At the busiest period, 52 FEMA housing inspectors were in the field, resulting in 95 percent of home damage inspections completed within two days – a rate that remains one month from the date of the disaster.

Also one month after the disaster, federal aid for Alabama tops $20 million with $15 million approved through FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program and another $5 million through approved SBA low-interest disaster loans.

With 38 FEMA housing inspectors now in the field, 95 percent of home damage inspections are being completed within two days.

As of Monday, June 2, six Disaster Recovery Centers remain open: two centers in Baldwin, two in Jefferson, and one center in each Limestone and Mobile counties. The SBA is operating a Disaster Loan Outreach center in Tuscaloosa, which also will have FEMA registration information available.

The deadline for FEMA registration is July 1.

Survivors can register at the recovery centers from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday; by phone, call 800-621-3362 (FEMA) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, multilingual operators are available; TTY is 800-462-7585; by computer, go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov; or by smartphone and tablet, use m.fema.gov.

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One Month Later: Recovery Continues in Alabama

Closeout Process Begins For New Jersey Public Assistance Projects

LINCROFT, N.J. — The Federal Emergency Management Agency has closed its first Public Assistance projects undertaken in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

The first two large projects FEMA and the State of New Jersey closed were debris removal in Atlantic County, which was federally obligated for $169,937.65, and Category B emergency protective measures in Lower Township, Cape May County, for $40,067.20. Category B can consist of anything safety-related, from temporary traffic signs and barricades to sandbagging, deploying police and fire crews and emergency construction and/or demolition.

The State of New Jersey has submitted 63 large projects to FEMA Public Assistance that are ready to be closed. 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. Work has started on 20, said Chris Baggot, FEMA Public Assistance Task Force Leader.

More than $1.15 billion in Public Assistance grants have been obligated in New Jersey since Hurricane Sandy struck in October 2012. There have been 1,724 applicants for Public Assistance. The Public Assistance FAQ at www.fema.gov defines a large project as any incident with damage costs greater than a predetermined amount that is recalculated every fiscal year. As of February 26, 2014, the threshold was raised from $68,500 to $120,000 because of the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act of 2013. Of the estimated 5,146 Public Assistance projects in the system in New Jersey, 1,585 are considered large projects.

Through the Public Assistance program, FEMA grants state governments money 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.

“We have been able to accelerate the process to get to the point where we can close out projects and get people their money,” Baggot said.

After all project work is certified as complete, the Final Inspection Report (FIR) is initiated. Supporting documents are audited and added to the report, and amendments may be written after cost overages and/or shortfalls are reconciled. After the report is reviewed by the applicant and grantee, it is entered into the Emergency Management Mission Integrated Environment (EMMIE) grant tracking program. The project is then closed if the grantee (in this case, the state) requests it.

“If a project isn’t closed, we’re usually waiting for additional data from the applicants if the work has at least been completed,” Baggot said.

More than $762 million has been obligated for emergency projects, including debris removal and emergency protective measures, while permanent repairs to roads, bridges, water control facilities, utilities and buildings, have cost $380.5 million.

“Our goal is to have the large projects finished in two years,” Baggot 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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Closeout Process Begins For New Jersey Public Assistance Projects

FEMA Public Assistance Now Available in Four Florida Panhandle Counties

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Four Florida Panhandle counties are now eligible for additional disaster aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The aid will help the state, local and tribal governments and certain private nonprofits cover disaster-related expenses and the repair or rebuilding of critical infrastructure.

Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties were added Wednesday to the May 6 major disaster declaration for the severe storms and flooding that overwhelmed parts of the Panhandle from April 28 through May 6.

The state, local and tribal governments and certain private nonprofits can now request funding through all categories of the Public Assistance grant program to help pay for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair or rebuilding of eligible roads, bridges, water control facilities, buildings, equipment, utilities, parks and recreational facilities.

Funding under the Public Assistance program goes to the state and its agencies, local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations. The state manages the program and forwards the federal funds to eligible applicants that incurred costs.

More information about FEMA’s Public Assistance program is available at fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit.

Additionally, individuals and households in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties can register for FEMA’s Individual Assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone or tablet at m.FEMA.gov or by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362). People who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY should call 800-462-7585. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (central time) and assistance is available in multiple languages.

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FEMA Public Assistance Now Available in Four Florida Panhandle Counties

Oceanport’s Chris Baggot: From Sandy Survivor to Sandy Recovery Coordinator

LINCROFT, N.J. — As Deputy Coordinator of the Oceanport, N.J. Office of Emergency Management, Chris Baggot has weathered a lot of storms.

But nothing so profoundly altered the landscape of his community like Hurricane Sandy.

The 3.7 square mile town on the Shrewsbury River was devastated by the storm. Five hundred of the 2000 homes in this close-knit community were substantially damaged or destroyed. Oceanport also lost its police station, its borough hall, its ambulance squad building, its library and its courthouse.

Some 18 months after the Oct. 29, 2012 hurricane, 71 families were still unable to return home.

The Baggot family is among them. The Baggots have been renting a one-bedroom apartment in the nearby community of Eatontown while they await the demolition and reconstruction of their home on Blackberry Bay.

While they were approved for an RREM grant of $150,000 to underwrite the rebuilding, a rough winter delayed the start of construction on their replacement home. Once the weather improves and contractors break ground, it will be another six to nine months before Chris, his wife, Wendy, and college-age son, Zachary, will be able to enjoy life in Oceanport once again.

“I’m a Sandy survivor. We don’t use the word ‘victim,’’’ he says.

He carries A picture of Chris Baggott Chris Baggot: From Sandy Survivor to Sandy Recovery Coordinatorthat perspective into his role at the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s New Jersey Sandy Recovery Office, where he recently became a CORE employee after joining FEMA as a Local Hire in December of 2012.

It was his second time assisting his fellow New Jerseyans as a FEMA employee: Baggot was also recruited as a Local Hire in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene in 2011.

Hired initially as a project specialist for Public Assistance, Baggot moved on to become a Cost Estimating Format reviewer, Quality Assurance lead, Operations task force lead and finally, CORE Operations Task Force Lead.

In that capacity, he explains, “I oversee the life cycle of a Public Assistance project from the writing stage all the way through to obligation.”

Baggot’s personal experience with the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy has underlined his understanding of the importance of the FEMA mission in helping communities rebuild and become more resilient.

“It sure is nice when people say to you, ‘Look, we need this; we need that,’ and you can give it to them in a reasonable way,” says Baggot, “and it’s nice when you can manage expectations when people ask for the moon and stars. That’s not really what we’re there to provide. We’re there to get them back to pre-disaster conditions.”

He has plenty of praise for his colleagues at FEMA, who came here in the immediate aftermath of the storm to help the hard-hit residents of New Jersey get back on their feet.

“The FEMA people that I’ve had the opportunity to work with have really been great.” He’s also enjoyed observing their surprise at how different New Jersey is from its “What exit?” stereotype.

“They talk about how beautiful it is – they thought it was all blacktop,” Baggot says with a laugh.

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

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

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Oceanport’s Chris Baggot: From Sandy Survivor to Sandy Recovery Coordinator

FEMA Awards $1.2M to Central Texas Governments for 2013 Halloween Floods

DENTON, Texas – Federal funding totaling more than $1.2 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been approved for eligible city, county and state government agencies in central Texas following last year’s Halloween floods.

The grant money reimburses eligible entities for costs incurred during the Oct. 30-31, 2013 flooding in Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Freestone counties for their response activities and repairs to flood-damaged infrastructure.

More than $303,000 was approved for administrative costs associated with disaster response and recovery efforts; another $369,671 reimburses for debris removal and emergency protective measures; and $619,930 pays for eligible repairs to road systems, bridges, water control facilities and public buildings, contents and utilities, and parks and recreational facilities.

Additional funding is expected in the coming weeks, as FEMA continues to work with its local and state partners to review and approve eligible projects. The funding is authorized under a Dec. 20, 2013 federal disaster declaration, which designated the four counties eligible for Public Assistance. The agency’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program was approved statewide.

The mission of FEMA’s Public Assistance Grant Program is to provide assistance to state, tribal and local governments, and certain types of nonprofit organizations so that communities can quickly respond and recover from major disasters or emergencies declared by the president.

Through the program, FEMA provides supplemental federal disaster grant assistance for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities of certain nonprofit (PNP) organizations.

For more information on FEMA’s Public Assistance Grant Program, visit http://go.usa.gov/kq55.

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FEMA Awards $1.2M to Central Texas Governments for 2013 Halloween Floods

Disaster Assistance for SR530 Slide Expanded to Include More Funding for Public Facilities and Infrastructure

EVERETT, Wash. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Washington Emergency Management Division today announced that more financial assistance for local and state agencies and certain nonprofit organizations has been approved for eligible public facilities affected by the SR530 Slide. The new provisions for public facilities expand the funding that is already available for eligible costs of debris removal and emergency measures.

The additional assistance is for repair and replacement of:

Roads and bridges;
Water-control facilities;
Public buildings and their contents;
Public utilities, both government and privately owned; and
Parks, recreational resources and similar facilities that serve the public.

“This funding will help us escalate the recovery work we have already been accomplishing with local, tribal and federal partners,” said State Coordinating Officer Kurt Hardin. “We will continue to work with FEMA and our other partners for as long it takes.”

Federal assistance for debris removal and emergency measures became available on April 2 for eligible state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis in Snohomish County – including the Sauk-Suiattle, Stillaguamish, and Tulalip tribes. This money will allow for further recovery efforts.

“This funding will help us to continue supporting recovery from the SR530 Slide,” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Michael J. Hall. “FEMA remains dedicated to doing all we can.”

The Public Assistance program is for recovery of infrastructure and public entities. Unlike Individual Assistance –which is a separate program that assists individuals and households affected by the SR530 slide – Public Assistance is a federal program to provide funding for infrastructure and public facilities. FEMA covers 75 percent of the costs of eligible projects.

Immediately following the disaster, the state of Washington and FEMA extended support for debris removal and measures to protect further human injury and damage to property.

Public Assistance funding may cover costs incurred to return elements of the public facilities to as close to their pre-disaster condition as possible. Types of entities that may be eligible for Public Assistance include:

State government agencies;
Local governments and special districts;
Certain private nonprofit organizations; and
Federally recognized tribes.

Eligible private nonprofits that might qualify for assistance include schools, utilities, emergency medical and custodial care operations, irrigation systems, museums, zoos, community centers, libraries, shelters, health services and other organizations that provide essential services of a governmental nature.

Nonprofits that supply critical services – power, water, sewage treatment, communications and emergency care – can apply directly to FEMA for help. All others must first apply to the U.S. Small Business Administration, which works hand-in-hand with FEMA, for a low-interest loan. If such a loan is denied or is inadequate for the nonprofit’s needs, the organization can apply to FEMA for a grant, federal officials said.

The Public Assistance program also encourages protection of facilities from future events by providing assistance for hazard-mitigation measures during and after the recovery process.

To learn more about the Public Assistance program, visit: http://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit/categories-work.

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Disaster Assistance for SR530 Slide Expanded to Include More Funding for Public Facilities and Infrastructure

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