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.

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:

 

 

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

 

 

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.                             

        

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.

Read original article: 

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

Little Rock, Ark. – Survivors of the April 27 severe storms, tornadoes and floods have until      2 p.m. Saturday, June 14, to visit the Disaster Recovery Centers in Mayflower and Vilonia.

The state and FEMA have closely monitored visitor traffic at the centers in Arkansas. Traffic to these centers has significantly decreased, indicating the information needs of survivors in the area have been met. 

Survivors can visit the remaining Disaster Recovery Centers from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at:

  • 600 Highway 365, Mayflower, AR 72106

  • 1122 Main St., 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 tornado survivors to get help as quickly as possible. In addition to state and FEMA personnel, 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.

The registration deadline for Arkansas survivors is June 30, 2014.

Survivors can continue to register and check the status of their applications 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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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.

The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) is the state’s homeland security and preparedness agency. The agency works to identify and lessen the effects of emergencies, disasters and threats to Arkansas by developing effective prevention, preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery actions for all disasters and emergencies.  For additional information, contact ADEM at (501) 683-6700 or visit the website at www.adem.arkansas.gov.

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.

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).

 

Link to article: 

Last Chance to Visit FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers in Arkansas

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — More than $16 million has been approved through FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program. The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved more than $7 million through its low-interest disaster loan program.

The following numbers, compiled June 5, provide a snapshot of the Alabama/FEMA disaster recovery to date:

Funds approved

  • $13.7 million for Housing Assistance grants to help with recovery rental expenses and home repair costs.
  • $2.9 millionfor Other Needs Assistance to cover essential disaster-related needs, such as medical expenses and lost personal possessions.
  • $7.6 million approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration for low-interest loans to eligible homeowners, renters or business owners.

Survivor recovery

  • 12,194 damaged homes and property have been inspected (98 percent of requests).
  • 3,976 visits have been made to the eight disaster recovery centers located in designated counties.
  • 9 counties designated for Individual Assistance.
  • 21 counties designated for Public Assistance. Most recently, Bullock, Houston and Washington counties have been added.

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 800-621-3662 (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

1,729

$6,596,255.81

$1,049,181.31

Blount

22

106,144.00

4,879.54

DeKalb

24

70,327.76

20,674.77

Etowah

49

419,199.49

38,049.04

Jefferson

394

1,030,823.74

164,657.17

Lee

50

255,097.11

53,860.11

Limestone

261

811,612.92

405,121.86

Mobile

3,134

4,254,685.70

1,111,002.92

Tuscaloosa

50

213,218.68

58,583.49

Total:

5,713

$13,757,365.21

$2,906,010.21

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. Those counties are: Baldwin, Blount, DeKalb, Etowah, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone, Mobile and Tuscaloosa.

Alabama/FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers are located in Baldwin, Jefferson, Limestone and Mobile counties. These centers are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

One of the DRCs in Jefferson County, located at the Lawson State Community College, 1098 9th Ave., SW, Bessemer, AL, will close today, June 6 at 6 p.m. This center will transition from a DRC to an SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center on June 7 with hours of 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, then 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, June 12.

The deadline to register is Tuesday, July 1.

Original link: 

Federal Aid for Alabama Disaster Totals More Than $24 Million

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Disaster Recovery Center in Tuscaloosa will close Saturday, May 31 at 6 p.m.  An SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center will open in the same location on Monday, June 2, at 9 a.m.

The Recovery Center is located at the Salvation Army Building, 1601 University Blvd. East, Tuscaloosa, 35404. The FEMA center will be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through the final day.

The SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Friday, June 6 at 6:00 pm. The Center will have both SBA and FEMA staff on hand.

After the center closes, survivors will still be able to contact FEMA online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone at  m.fema.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362; TTY 800-462-7585.  Multilingual operators are available. Survivors may also visit any of the open Recovery Centers.

Recovery Centers in Alabama are currently open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the following locations:

·    Baldwin County

o Elberta Town Hall,10352 Main St., Elberta, 36530

o Fairhope Civic Center (Delchamps Room), 161 North Section St., 3653

·    Blount County:

o Oneonta Recreation Park – City Depot, Chamber of Commerce Room, 28161 State Highway 75, Oneonta, 35121

(Closes May 31, 6 p.m.)

·    Jefferson County:

o Maurice C. West Community Center, 171 2nd St. SW, Graysville 35073

o Lawson State Community College, 1100 9th Ave SW, Bessemer, 35022

·    Limestone County:

o Ripley Woodmen of the World Hall, 11281 Ripley Road, Athens, 35611

·    Mobile County:

o Old Navy/Marine Corps Reserve Center, 4851 Museum Drive, Mobile, 36608

·    Tuscaloosa County:

o Salvation Army Building, 1601 University Blvd. East, Tuscaloosa, 35404

(Closes May 31, 6 p.m.)

The deadline to register for disaster assistance is July 1, 2014

The SBA offers low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations for losses not covered by insurance. The SBA may lend up to $200,000 to repair or replace homes and up to $40,000 to repair or replace personal property.

Loans to businesses, including non-profits are available up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster damaged real estate, and other business assets.  Eligible businesses and non-profits can apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. The deadline for Economic Injury Disaster Loans is February 2, 2015.

Read more: 

Recovery Center in Tuscaloosa to Close May 31; Re-Opens June 2 as SBA Center

JACKSON, Miss. – The Canton Disaster Recovery Center in Madison County will be open until 8 p.m. Friday, May 16, to assist Mississippi residents affected by the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding from April 28 to May 3.

The center will be open at 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Friday at:

Madison County Road Department

3137 S. Liberty St.

Canton, MS 39046

After Friday, disaster survivors can still get help by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362

(TTY 800-462-7585) or by visiting any of the other eight disaster recovery centers still open. Other locations can be found at FEMA.gov/DRCLocator or by calling the FEMA helpline.

Disaster Recovery Centers are staffed by specialists from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration. Survivors are able to:

  • Discuss their individual disaster-related needs.
  • Submit any additional documentation needed, such as occupancy or ownership verification documents and letters from insurance companies.
  • Find out the status of an application.
  • Obtain information about different types of state and federal assistance.
  • Get help from SBA specialists in completing low-interest disaster loan applications for homeowners, renters and business owners.
  • Receive referrals to the American Red Cross and other voluntary organizations to help with immediate disaster-related needs.

Before going to a center, if possible, survivors should register with FEMA. Apply for assistance by registering online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone at m.fema.gov or by phone at

800-621-3362. Survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability can call

(TTY) 800-462-7585.

Disaster assistance may include money to help pay for temporary housing and essential home repairs. Low-interest SBA loans may also be available for losses not covered by insurance or other sources.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, click fema.gov/disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at msema.org  or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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.

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.

 

Original article: 

Survivors have until 8 p.m. Friday to Visit the Canton Disaster Recovery Center

JACKSON, Miss. – Beginning Saturday, May 17, hours of operation of the eight Disaster Recovery Centers open in Mississippi will change. Survivors may visit any center for assistance. The new schedules are:

 

Itawamba County:

265 Tishtontee Dr., Mantachie, Miss.

8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, closed Sunday.

 

Jones County:

1425 Ellisville Blvd., Laurel, Miss.

8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily (unchanged).

 

Lee County:

320 Court St., Tupelo, Miss.

8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

 

Lowndes County:

222 Lawrence Dr. and 381 Stadium Rd., Columbus, Miss.

8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, closed Sunday.

 

Rankin County:

601 Marquette Rd., Brandon, Miss.

8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, closed Sunday.

 

Wayne County:

810 Chickasawhay St., Waynesboro, Miss.

8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, closed Sunday.

 

Winston County:

826 S. Church St., Louisville, Miss.

8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

 

Disaster survivors in Itawamba, Jones, Leake, Lee, Lowndes, Madison, Montgomery, Rankin, Simpson, Warren, Wayne and Winston counties may be eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program. If possible, they should register for FEMA assistance before visiting a Disaster Recovery Center. At a center they can check on the status of their application and learn about other recovery services available from other agencies, including the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Individuals and households in those counties can register for FEMA 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. FEMA assistance does not affect benefits from other federal programs such as Social Security, SNAP or Medicaid and is not considered taxable income.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, click fema.gov/disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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. 

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). If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

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.

 

Excerpt from: 

Disaster Recovery Center Schedule Changes Begin Saturday, May 17

Little Rock, Ark. – A State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will open Monday in Vilonia in Faulkner County, giving storm survivors there the chance to talk directly with qualified disaster assistance personnel.  

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.

At the center, visitors will be able to talk to specialists from the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the Internal Revenue Service, the American Red Cross, plus other agencies and groups. Those professionals will be available to answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available, including FEMA Individual Assistance grants and SBA low-interest disaster assistance loans for homeowners, renters and business owners.

Disaster Recovery Center Location:

Disaster Recovery Center
1122 Main St.
Vilonia, AR 72455
Hours: Monday to Saturday: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. 
Sundays: 1 to 7 p.m.

Meanwhile, Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) teams are canvassing affected areas in the county to help people register and provide information. All DSA team members wear FEMA shirts and have FEMA badges.

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.

###

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.

The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) is the state’s homeland security and preparedness agency. The agency works to identify and lessen the effects of emergencies, disasters and threats to Arkansas by developing effective prevention, preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery actions for all disasters and emergencies.  For additional information, contact ADEM at (501) 683-6700 or visit the website at www.adem.arkansas.gov.

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).

Link – 

Disaster Recovery Center Opening in Hard-Hit Vilonia

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 BaggottChris 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

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

Follow this link:

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

Little Rock, Ark. – Storm survivors in the four disaster-designated Arkansas counties have plenty of options when it comes to asking for state and federal assistance.

A State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will open in Mayflower, Ark., on Thursday, May 8. Mobile Registration Intake Centers are opening Wednesday, May 7, in newly declared Pulaski and White counties, and registration teams are going door to door in affected areas in Faulkner, Pulaski, Randolph and White counties. (A DRC will open soon in Randolph County).

Meanwhile, storm survivors may continue to register online at www.disasterassistance.gov and by phone at 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585.    

At the DRC, visitors will be able to talk to specialists from the state of Arkansas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the Internal Revenue Service, the American Red Cross, plus other agencies and groups. Those professionals will be available to answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available to survivors.

“Some folks prefer to meet face to face rather than do business over the phone or online,” said State Coordinating Officer David Maxwell. “The recovery center gives Arkansans that opportunity.”

Disaster Recovery Center Location:

Disaster Recovery Center

(Old Pawn Shop)

600 Highway 365

Mayflower, AR 72106

Monday to Saturday: 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Sundays: 1 to 6 p.m.

Meanwhile, Mobile Registration Intake Centers (MRIC) continue to assist survivors in Vilonia and Mayflower, and will open today in Pulaski and White counties. Survivors can register for state and federal assistance and check the status of their applications at an MRIC.

“Disaster Recovery Centers put the federal and state personnel a survivor might want to meet under one roof, and MRICs offer a quick way for people to register,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO) Timothy J. Scranton. “Both the fixed and mobile centers – and of course, our door-to-door outreach – are designed to offer the most convenience to tornado and storm survivors here in Arkansas.”

Mobile Registration Intake Center Locations:

Pulaski County:

Pleasant Grove Baptist Church

27025 Kanis Road, Little Rock, AR 72223

White County:

4103 Highway 36 West
Searcy, AR 72143

(This is an open parking lot across highway from a volunteer fire department)

Hours for both:

Monday to Saturday: 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sundays: 1 to 6 p.m.

Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams are canvassing neighborhoods to help people register and provide information. All team members wear FEMA shirts and have FEMA badges.

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.

Read this article: 

Storm Survivors Have Many Ways to Register for Federal and State Help

LINCROFT, N.J. – In the weeks after a federally declared disaster, emergency teams from government agencies, nonprofits and volunteer organizations work together to help survivors make their way out of danger and find food, clothing and shelter.

After the immediate emergency is over, the long work of recovery begins.

And as New Jersey survivors of Hurricane Sandy have learned over the past 18 months, full recovery from a devastating event like Sandy may take years.

Communities throughout New Jersey have been working hard to repair, rebuild and protect against future storms. In many cases, the challenges they face are formidable.

At the invitation of individual communities and in partnership with the state, FEMA’s office of Federal Disaster Recovery Coordination works with residents and municipal officials in impacted municipalities to develop a strategy for full recovery.

For communities that require assistance, the FDRC can provide a team of recovery specialists with a broad array of skills. Among them: civil engineering, architecture, land-use planning, economic development, environmental science and disabilities integration.

The FDRC is activated under the National Disaster Recovery Framework, which provides a structure for effective collaboration between impacted communities, federal, state, tribal and local governments, the private sector, and voluntary, faith-based and community organizations during the recovery phase of a disaster.

Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator consult with impacted municipalities and assist with long-term planning, helping these communities determine what their priorities are and what resources they will need to achieve a full recovery.

In major disasters or catastrophic events, the FDRC is empowered to activate six key areas of assistance known as Recovery Support Functions.

The RSFs are led by designated federal coordinating agencies: Housing (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development); Infrastructure Systems (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers); Economic (U.S. Department of Commerce); Health and Social Services (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services); Natural and Cultural Resources (U.S. Department of Interior); and Community Planning and Capacity Building (FEMA).

Working in partnership with a State Disaster Recovery Coordinator and a Hazard Mitigation Adviser, the FDRC oversees an assessment of impacted communities and helps to develop a recovery support strategy. That strategy helps these hard-hit communities gain easier access to federal funding, bridge gaps in assistance, and establish goals for recovery that are measurable, achievable and affordable.

Here in New Jersey, approximately 12 communities have partnered with FDRC to prioritize their goals for recovery, locate the resources needed to achieve those goals and rebuild with resiliency.

In the Borough of Highlands, FDRC has assisted this severely impacted community in developing a plan for a direct storm water piping system that will decrease flooding in the low-lying downtown area. FDRC has also collaborated with the community on designing a more resilient, attractive and commercially viable central business district called the Bay Avenue Renaissance Project. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has initiated a feasibility study on their plan to protect the town from future flooding via a mitigation effort that includes installing floodwalls, raising bulkheads and building dune barriers.

In the devastated Monmouth County town of Sea Bright, FDRC worked with the community to create a plan for the construction of a beach pavilion that will serve as a year-round community center, library, lifeguard facility and beach badge concession. FDRC is also working with Sea Bright officials to develop a grant application to fund streetscape improvements in the downtown area of this beachfront municipality

In Tuckerton, FDRC worked with municipal officials on a plan to relocate its heavily damaged police station and borough facilities to a former school building that is much less vulnerable to flooding.

In partner communities throughout the state, FDRC subject matter experts are working to help residents envision a future that incorporates a strong infrastructure, increased storm protection and an enhanced environment that reflects the vision of the community.

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

Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator Helps Communities Plan for the Future

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