More Than $2 Million Approved In Federal Disaster Assistance 

Release Date: April 6, 2012
Release Number: 4058-023

» More Information on Indiana Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, and Tornadoes

INDIANAPOLIS – More than $2 million in federal funding has been approved for homeowners, renters and business owners since the president issued a major disaster declaration for Indiana. Individual Assistance was made available March 9 to augment state and local recovery efforts after severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes caused extensive damage Feb. 29 to March 3 in Clark, Jefferson, Ripley, Scott, Warrick and Washington counties.

As of close of business April 5, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials report

$1,170, 415.94 has been approved to fund expenses not covered by insurance or other programs. Such expenses include temporary rental assistance, repair and replacement of essential household items, and disaster-related medical, dental or funeral costs. FEMA reports 1,339 registrations have been received. Field inspectors are completing home inspections within 36 hours of registration, and 533 inspections have been completed.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) reports $990,800 in low interest disaster loans have been approved thus far to homeowners, renters, businesses and non-profits. SBA has issued 813 home loan applications and 171 business loan applications, and urges those receiving applications to return them as soon as possible.

Sellersburg Disaster Recovery Center

A Disaster Recovery Center at Ivy Tech College in Sellersburg will remain open until 6 p.m. on Friday, April 13. Hoosiers have just a few days left to meet with federal specialists about recovery assistance. More than 660 Hoosiers have visited the center, where specialists to answer questions about FEMA recovery programs and customer service representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) help individuals complete SBA low interest disaster loan applications. The center, which was opened through a FEMA-state partnership March 13, will be closed on Easter. Otherwise, it will remain open from

9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through April 13.

FEMA Mitigation community outreach events schedule

FEMA specialists spoke with 1,066 Hoosiers during community outreach events in building supply stores this week. FEMA specialists explained simple steps to reduce future storm damage Tuesday and Wednesday at Ryan’s Ace Hardware in Evansville. Specialists will continue meeting with Indiana residents through next week at building supply stores in Clarksville, Evansville, Madison, New Albany, Newburgh and Sellersburg.

Public Assistance for infrastructure recovery in five counties

FEMA Public Assistance Coordinators discussed damage, needs and recovery plans with Public Assistance applicants during kick-off meetings this week in Clark, Jefferson, Ripley, Scott and Washington counties. State and local governments and certain non-profit organizations in these counties are eligible to apply for federal assistance to pay 75 percent of the approved cost of debris removal, emergency services related to the disaster and repairing or replacing damaged public facilities, such as roads, buildings and utilities. The remaining costs are the responsibility of state and local government and, in some cases, non-profit organizations.

Public Assistance funding also covers partial or complete repair of schools and other critical functions such as public water tanks or sewer systems. Projects will be approved only if they are necessary as a direct result of storm damage during the designated timeframe.

Register with FEMA

The first step for homeowners, renters and business owners to obtain federal disaster assistance is to register with FEMA. One easy way to apply is to call the telephone registration and help line, (800) 621-FEMA (3362). For speech-or hearing-impaired applicants, the TTY number is (800) 462-7585 and Video Relay Service may be accessed at (800) 621-3362. These lines are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

Registration is also possible in the following ways:

May 8 is the last day to register for assistance.

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.

Last Modified: Friday, 06-Apr-2012 14:18:30

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More Than $2 Million Approved In Federal Disaster Assistance

Jefferson Parish Playgrounds Benefit From Flexible FEMA Grant 

Release Date: April 6, 2012
Release Number: 1603-972

» More Information on Louisiana Hurricane Rita
» More Information on Louisiana Hurricane Katrina

NEW ORLEANS – The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced today a consolidated grant totaling approximately $559,000 to Jefferson Parish for the replacement of playground contents damaged during Hurricane Katrina.

“This grant best supports Jefferson Parish’s efforts to restore an essential element of their recreational system—their playgrounds,” said FEMA’s Louisiana Recovery Office Deputy Director of Programs Andre Cadogan. “Our funding enables Jefferson Parish to pool together contents funding from all of their playground facilities and distribute it as best needed.”

Prior to this grant, FEMA funded these damages through nine separate project worksheets, all the result of “content assessments” across eight of Jefferson Parish’s damaged playgrounds and other facilities, including the Recreational Department’s East Bank Administration Building. The eight playgrounds include the Johnny Bright Playground, Terrytown Playground, Harvey Playground, Pontiff Playground, Girard Playground, Lakeshore Playground and Jefferson Playground.

FEMA’s recent grant, as requested by Jefferson Parish, will fund contents under the following six major categories—information technology, parks and recreational building equipment and supplies, athletic equipment and supplies, furnishings, office equipment and supplies, and kitchen equipment and supplies.

“Jefferson Parish is grateful for the assistance from FEMA, which will allow us to move forward in the ongoing recovery from hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Our playgrounds are an essential part of the quality of life our children and families enjoy in Jefferson Parish. This recent grant will ensure repairs and restoration at eight of our playgrounds so that our citizens can continue to benefit from these outstanding recreational facilities,” said Jefferson Parish President John Young.

In total, FEMA has provided approximately $529.8 million for recovery work throughout Jefferson Parish related to hurricanes Katrina and Rita, of which $50.8 million—including FEMA’s recent grant for playgrounds—was provided specifically for the restoration of recreational facilities within the parish.

When FEMA approves projects through its supplemental Public Assistance grant, the funds are made available to the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness, who disburses them to the applicant for eligible work completed.

The Public Assistance program works with state and local officials to fund recovery measures and the rebuilding of government and certain private nonprofit organizations’ buildings, as well as roads, bridges and water and sewer plants. In order for the process to be successful, federal, state and local partners coordinate to draw up project plans, fund these projects and oversee their completion.

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.

Last Modified: Friday, 06-Apr-2012 11:42:22

Continued:

Jefferson Parish Playgrounds Benefit From Flexible FEMA Grant

State, FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers Will Be Closed Sundays Beginning April 8 

Release Date: April 4, 2012
Release Number: 4059-017

» More Information on West Virginia Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, And Lanslides
» More Information on West Virginia Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, And Landslides

CHARLESTON, W. Va. — The five state and federal Disaster Recovery Centers open in West Virginia to assist individuals, households and businesses that suffered damage from the recent storms will be closed Sundays beginning April 8.

The regular hours of operation are: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at:

Lincoln County
Duval Fire Company
5237 Straightfork Road
Griffithsville, WV

Logan County
Verdunville Volunteer Fire Department
Rte. 5, 2270 Mud Fork Road
Logan, WV

Marion County
City Public Safety Office
500 Quincy Street
Fairmont, WV

Wayne County
Cabwaylingo Presbyterian Church
1475 Left Fork Dunlow Bypass Road
Dunlow, WV

Wayne County Health Department
217 Kenova Ave.
Wayne, WV

The centers are staffed with disaster-recovery specialists who can provide information and answer questions about storm-related assistance, according to FEMA. 

“Before stopping by at the disaster recovery centers, people seeking assistance are strongly urged to register with FEMA,” said Charleston-based FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Deanne Criswell.
By phone, call the FEMA Hotline at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For those with speech or hearing disabilities, use the TTY number, 800-462-7585. Applicants can also register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or with any web-enabled device at m.fema.gov.

Also on hand at the Disaster Recovery Centers are representatives from the Small Business Administration who can explain the low-interest disaster loans available to homeowners, renters, private nonprofits and businesses of any size. These loans are for the repair or replacement of real estate and/or personal property damaged by the storms and related flooding, officials said.  People who register with FEMA may be sent a loan application from the SBA. No one is obligated to take out a loan, according to the SBA.

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.

Last Modified: Wednesday, 04-Apr-2012 09:21:03

Source article: 

State, FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers Will Be Closed Sundays Beginning April 8

FEMA’s ‘Rambo’ Ready To Expedite Fire Management Grants 

Release Date: March 29, 2012
Release Number: 4029-108, 1999-018

» More Information on Texas Wildfires
» More Information on Texas Wildfires

AUSTIN, Texas — As wildfires raged throughout Texas in 2011, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) declared a record 55 Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAGs) to help local governments and other applicants recoup some of their firefighting costs. Now FEMA wants to help those applicants get their money.

Through an innovative pilot program called Recovery Assistance Mobile-Based Operations (RAMBO), FEMA Public Assistance teams can work with the applicant much the way a tax preparer works with a client during tax season — and RAMBO is available to go right to the applicant’s office.

“Contacting a RAMBO team leads to expedited assistance,” said FEMA Public Assistance Branch Director Karri DuBois. “Not only is a checklist provided beforehand to help the applicants know the kind of paperwork to collect, we then save everyone time by reviewing the documentation and helping them work through the process.”

The team goes over receipts and other documents with the applicant, making sure that all paperwork is in order and asking and answering questions so that the final project worksheet can be completed and funds quickly obligated.

In Kimble County, for instance, the RAMBO team helped get funds obligated within a couple of weeks rather than the normal timeframe of several months or longer.

“We worked closely with our state partner, the Texas Division of Emergency Management, to find a way to expedite the FMAG process, and RAMBO was the answer,” said Kevin L. Hannes, FEMA’s federal coordinating officer for the Texas wildfire disasters. “Our goal is to get local governments reimbursed as quickly as possible so they can focus on the current wildfire season.”

An FMAG is federal assistance approved while a fire is burning uncontrolled and threatens such destruction as to constitute a major disaster. It offers 75 percent reimbursement for eligible expenses such as overtime labor, equipment and supplies, provisions for shelters, safety items for firefighters and mutual aid. The grant recipient for an FMAG is the state. State agencies and local entities apply to the state for subgrants.

FMAGs were declared in 2011 for specific fires in Archer, Bastrop, Bexar, Bosque, Brewster, Cass, Clay, Coke, Eastland, Ector, Ellis, Fisher, Grimes, Harris, Howard, Hutchinson, Jack, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Kent, Kimble, King, Knox, Marion, Midland, Mitchell, Montgomery, Motley, Nolan, Palo Pinto, Potter, Presidio, Randall, Shackelford, Somervell, Stephens, Stonewall, Tom Green, Travis, Walker, Waller, Webb, Wichita, Wilbarger, Williamson and Young counties.

Applicants wanting assistance from RAMBO should contact their state Public Assistance coordinator.

Follow FEMA tweets about the Texas disaster at www.twitter.com/femaregion6. Other online resources are blog.fema.gov, www.facebook.com/fema and www.youtube.com/fema.

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.

Last Modified: Thursday, 29-Mar-2012 11:46:09

This article is from – 

FEMA’s ‘Rambo’ Ready To Expedite Fire Management Grants

FEMA, State Open Disaster Recovery Center in Logan County Saturday 

Release Date: March 23, 2012
Release Number: 4061-005

» More Information on West Virginia Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, And Lanslides

CHARLESTON, W. Va. — A state and federal Disaster Recovery Center will open in Logan County to assist individuals, households and businesses that suffered damage from the recent flooding, Federal Emergency Management Agency officials said Friday. The facility will begin to serve the public officially at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 24, at:

Verdunville Volunteer Fire Department
Rte. 5, 2270 Mud Fork Road
Logan, WV 25601

The center is staffed with disaster-recovery specialists who can provide information and answer questions about flood-related assistance, according to FEMA. Operating hours after Saturday are 8:00 am to 8:00 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

“Before stopping by at the disaster recovery centers, people seeking assistance are strongly urged to register with FEMA first,” said Charleston-based FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Deanne Criswell. “Having spoken with or otherwise having contacted state or local officials does not count. You must register with FEMA in order to apply for help.”

Registration is fast and easy, Criswell said. By phone, call the FEMA Hotline at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For those with speech or hearing disabilities, use the TTY number, 800-462-7585. Applicants can also register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or with any PDA device at m.fema.gov.

Information needed when registering with FEMA includes the address of the damaged property, names of those living in the household, a general description of the damage, the Social Security Account number of any family member living in the home, the extent of insurance coverage and certain other information needed to expedite the process.

Also on hand at the Disaster Recovery Centers are representatives from the Small Business Administration who can explain the low-interest loan packages available to individuals, private nonprofits and businesses of any size. These loans are for the repair or replacement of real estate and/or personal property damaged by the storms and related flooding, officials said. People who register with FEMA may be sent a loan application from the SBA. No one is obligated to take out a loan, according to the SBA.

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

Centers already in operation are:

Marion County
City Public Safety Office
500 Quincy Street
Fairmont, WV

Lincoln County
Duval Fire Company
5237 Straightfork Road
Griffithsville, WV
The DRC in Griffithsville will be closed on Saturday, March 24, for one day only and will reopen on Sunday at 8 a.m.

Wayne County
Cabwaylingo Presbyterian Church
1475 Left Fork Dunlow Bypass Road
Dunlow, WV

Wayne County Health Department
217 Kenova Ave.
Wayne, WV 25570

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.

Last Modified: Friday, 23-Mar-2012 16:11:57

Link: 

FEMA, State Open Disaster Recovery Center in Logan County Saturday

Seven More Kentucky Counties Designated For Disaster Assistance 

Release Date: March 22, 2012
Release Number: 4057-026

» More Information on Kentucky Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding

FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Federal Emergency Management Agency has announced that the disaster declaration for the Commonwealth of Kentucky has been amended to include an additional seven counties that will receive Public Assistance. The declaration is for damage caused by the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding occurring Feb. 29 through March 3.

On March 16, Kentucky’s disaster declaration was amended to add Public Assistance for seven counties: Grant, Laurel, Lawrence, Magoffin, Martin, Menifee, and Morgan. The amendment announced today by FEMA provides Public Assistance for Ballard, Johnson, Kenton, Larue, Pendleton, Trimble and Wolfe counties.

Public Assistance is available to the Commonwealth and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations in designated counties on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair of damaged, or replacement of destroyed, taxpayer-owned infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, utilities, schools and similar facilities.

Individual Assistance has been awarded to 21 Kentucky counties previously. Individual Assistance for homeowners and renters can include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses not met by insurance or other assistance programs. Also low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration are available to cover residential and business losses not fully compensated by insurance.

Federal funding for Kentucky also is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

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.

Last Modified: Thursday, 22-Mar-2012 11:49:53

Original article: 

Seven More Kentucky Counties Designated For Disaster Assistance

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