Seattle, WA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Chiwaukum Fire, burning in Chelan County, Washington.

FEMA Region X Regional Administrator, Kenneth D. Murphy determined that the Chiwaukum Fire threatened such destruction as would constitute a major disaster.  Murphy approved the state’s request for federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) on July 16, 2014 at 11:54 p.m. PDT.

On July 16, 2014, the State of Washington submitted a request for a fire management assistance declaration for the Chiwaukum Fire burning in Chelan County.  At the time of the request, 800 primary homes were threatened, but the number increased to 2,000 when the spreading fire began to threaten the Lake Wenatchee area.  Approximately 7,200 people have been evacuated, including campgrounds and recreational homes.  Two shelters have been opened, one by the County at Cascade High School, and another by the American Red Cross at the Baptist Church.  Both are operating around the clock at the time of the request.  Highway 2 is closed in directions, as well as local roads and bridges, and railroad lines within the threatened areas. The fire has damaged or threatened electrical distribution lines and substations, with the potential to shut off power to the area. Impacts to irrigation facilities, wildlife and cultural resources are a concern in and around the fire perimeter. The fire started on July 15, 2014, and currently at least 10 fires are burning uncontrolled and have consumed approximately 4,500 acres of Federal, State, and private land. Firefighting resources fighting the fire include: Type 2 Incident Management Team, mixed air platforms, helicopters (although limited because of visibility due to smoke in some areas), engines, water tenders and fire hand crews. The Federal Principal Advisor has confirmed the threat to homes. The fire is currently is uncontained.  

A state of emergency was declared by the Governor late Tuesday, July 14 in 20 Eastern Washington counties in response to multiple wildfires threatening homes, businesses, public infrastructure, and natural resources in many parts of the state as fire crews face continued severe fire weather conditions.

The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of Washington State’s eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires. These grants provide reimbursement for firefighting and life-saving efforts. They do not provide assistance to individuals, homeowners or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.

Fire Management Assistance Grants are provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

 

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Federal funds authorized to help fight Chiwakum Fire

Seattle, WA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Carlton Complex Fire, burning in Okanogan County, Washington.

FEMA Region X Regional Administrator, Kenneth D. Murphy determined that the Carlton Complex Fire threatened such destruction as would constitute a major disaster.  Murphy approved the state’s request for federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) on July 17, 2014 at 12:25 a.m. PDT.

On July 16, 2014, the State of Washington submitted a request for a fire management assistance declaration for the Carlton Complex Fire burning in Okanogan County.  At the time of the request,

no homes had been burned, but 80 primary homes were threatened and approximately 80 people had evacuated the area.  One shelter in the Twisted Community Center was operating around the clock at the time of the request.  State highway 153 and local roads were closed, as well as bridges. The fire has damaged or threatened electrical distribution lines and substation, with the potential to shut off power to the area. Impacts to irrigation facilities, wildlife and cultural resources were a concern in and around the fire perimeter. The fire started on July 15, 2014, and has burned approximately 3,500 acres of Federal, State, and private land.  The fire is about one mile from the Town of Charlton.  Firefighting resources committed to this incident include: mixed air platforms, helicopters, although limited because of visibility due to smoke, engines, water tenders and a Type 2 Incident Management Team. The Federal Principal Advisor confirmed the threat to homes. The fire is at approximately 40 percent contained.  

A state of emergency was declared by the Governor late Tuesday, July 14 in 20 Eastern Washington counties in response to multiple wildfires threatening homes, businesses, public infrastructure, and natural resources in many parts of the state as fire crews face continued severe fire weather conditions.

The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of Washington State’s eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires. These grants provide reimbursement for firefighting and life-saving efforts. They do not provide assistance to individuals, homeowners or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.

Fire Management Assistance Grants are provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

 

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Federal funds authorized to help fight Carlton Complex Fire

Seattle, WA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Moccasin Hill Fire, burning in Klamath County, Oregon.

FEMA Region X Regional Administrator, Kenneth D. Murphy determined that the Moccasin Hill Fire threatened such destruction as would constitute a major disaster.  Murphy approved the state’s request for federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) on July 14, 2014 at 11:16 a.m. PDT.

On July 13, 2014, the State of Oregon submitted a request for a fire management assistance declaration for the Moccasin Hill Fire burning in Klamath County.  At the time of the request, the fire had burned six homes and was threatening 125 homes in and around the subdivision of Moccasin Hill north of the Town of Sprague River. Approximately 100 people had evacuated the area.  The fire started on July 13, 2014, and has burned approximately 2,900 acres of private land. Firefighting resources on scene include: approximately 200 personnel, five air platforms, five helicopters, 10 engines, water tenders and a Type 2 Incident Management Team. There are two other large fires burning uncontrolled within the State.  The Federal Principal Advisor confirmed the threat to homes. The fire is at approximately zero percent containment.

The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of Oregon eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires. These grants provide reimbursement for firefighting and life-saving efforts. They do not provide assistance to individuals, homeowners or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.

Fire Management Assistance Grants are provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

 

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Federal funds authorized to help fight Moccasin Hill Fire

Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas Receive More Than $1.3 Million in FEMA Preparedness Grants

DENTON, Texas — Emergency management agencies in four states – Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas – have been awarded more than $1.3 million in preparedness grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

In Arkansas, the grants total $303,459 and cover 10 Power Lift Cots and Stretchers for the Washington County Regional Ambulance Authority Central Emergency Medical Services in Fayetteville; and firefighting gear for the Lone Rock Volunteer Fire Department in Norfork, the North Pulaski Fire Protection District 15 in Jacksonville, the Sherwood Fire Department and the city of Vilonia.

In Louisiana, the grants total $470,203 and cover firefighting gear for the Allen Parish Fire District 5 in Oberlin, the Lafourche Crossing 308 Volunteer Fire Department in Thibodaux and the Marksville Fire Department.

In Oklahoma, the grants total $166,588 and cover communications equipment for the Country Corner Fire District in Sperry; a wellness and fitness program for the Drumright Fire Department; and firefighting equipment for the Boise City Volunteer Fire Department.

In Texas, the grants total $390,449 and cover firefighting equipment for the Sudan Fire/Emergency Medical Services, the Lancaster Fire Department, the 3N1 Volunteer Fire Department in Rosanky and the Kountze Volunteer Fire Department, Inc.; power stretchers and a wellness and fitness program for the Jersey Village Fire Department; and training for the Amarillo Fire Department.

The federal grants are part of the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) program. The primary goal of the AFG is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and non-affiliated emergency medical service organizations. Since 2001, AFG has helped firefighters and other first responders get critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources needed to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.

For more information on the AFG program, visit http://www.fema.gov/assistance-firefighters-grant.

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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.  Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.                                                                                    

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Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas Receive More Than $1.3 Million in FEMA Preparedness Grants

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

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

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

Here’s how to take action today:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

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America’s PrepareAthon! First National Day of Action

For Immediate Release:  March 28, 2014
Media Contact:  Mary Simms, mary.simms@fema.dhs.gov, 510-627-7006 or
Kelly Hudson, kelly.hudson@fema.dhs.gov, 510-207-4011

FEMA Launches New Initiative to Increase Preparedness,
Community Resilience Following Disasters
FEMA hosts April 1 workshop in Oakland with local leaders from San Francisco Bay Area

Oakland, Calif., — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) invites you to join us for the 1st ever FEMA Region 9 Whole Community Workshop in Oakland, Calif., on April 1, 2014.  The event will provide representatives of the public, private and non–profit worlds the opportunity to listen, ask questions, and participate in preparedness activities they could then share with their respective communities.  The panelists will share their stories on how to improve community resilience before a disaster strikes.

Weather-related disasters in the United States continue to increase in size, frequency and impact, and experience repeatedly demonstrates that communities are better prepared to withstand an emergency and recover more quickly when everyone is involved.   The workshop is being held as part of a new initiative, America’s PrepareAthon!, a nationwide, community-based campaign for action to increase emergency preparedness and resilience.

FEMA’s Acting Regional Administrator Karen Armes will be joined by preparedness partners from the Bay Area and greater Region 9 area.  The workshop will include a presentation from San Francisco’s Daniel Homsey, Director of Neighborhood Resilience, to discuss San Francisco’s Empowered Communities Program, Building Resilient Cities One Neighborhood at a Time.  Divya Saini, a FEMA Region 9 Youth Member from Palo Alto, Calif., will also discuss local preparedness engagement strategies and activities.

The Emmy award-nominated documentary, “A Village Called Versailles” by San Francisco based documentary filmmaker Leo Chiang will also be screened during the workshop.

Twice yearly through drills, group discussions and exercises America’s PrepareAthon! will provide a national backdrop for individuals, organizations and communities to prepare for local hazards, and practice actions to stay safe.

The goals of America’s PrepareAthon! are to increase the number of citizens who:
• Understand the hazards most relevant to their community;
• Know the corresponding action to stay safe;
• Practice a real-time behavior to increase their preparedness; and
• Contribute to increased whole-community preparedness planning

WHEN:                            Tuesday April 1st, 2014 – 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM*
*Please RSVP to the listed media contacts to request an agenda and media access in advance.
WHERE:                          FEMA Region 9 – 1111 Broadway, Suite 1200, Oakland, CA 94607
COST:                             Free

Members of the media:  Please email Mary Simms at mary.simms@fema.dhs.gov or Kelly Hudson at Kelly.hudson@fema.dhs.gov for additional details and to coordinate attendance and interview requests in advance.
Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/femaregion9.

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FEMA Launches New Initiative to Increase Preparedness, Community Resilience Following Disasters; FEMA hosts April 1 workshop in Oakland with local…

DENTON, Texas –   Do you know what to do before, during and after a flood? Find out during Flood Safety Awareness Week, March 16-22. Emergency management experts will be reminding the public about the dangers related to flooding, ways to prepare for flood events and to prevent future damage from floods.

“Flooding is the nation’s number one natural disaster and it can happen in any of our regional states,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson.  “Homeowners, renters and business owners should find out if their home or business is at risk for flood and then take steps to address that risk.”

Before a Flood
• Avoid building in a floodplain unless you elevate and reinforce your home.
• Elevate the furnace, water heater and electric panel if susceptible to flooding.
• Build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan.

During a Flood
• Listen to local officials and monitor your local radio or television for information.
• Be aware that flash flooding can occur. If it does, immediately move to higher ground. 
• Be aware of streams, drainage channels, canyons and other areas known to suddenly flood.
• Do not drive into flooded areas. Turn Around; Don’t Drown. Two feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles.

After a Flood
• Avoid floodwaters; water may be contaminated by oil, gasoline or raw sewage.
• Water may also be electrically charged from underground or downed power lines.
• Be aware of areas where floodwaters have receded. Roads may have weakened.
• Return home only when authorities indicate it is safe.

Find more information on flooding, flood hazards, and flood insurance at www.floodsmart.gov, http://www.ready.gov/floods and www.nws.noaa.gov/floodsafety/.

 

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.    Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

Link – 

March 16-22 Is Flood Safety Awareness Week

DENTON, Texas — A federal grant totaling more than $2 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will help fund the elevation of 16 additional homes in Jefferson Parish.

The grant covers $2,063,418 of the total project costs of $2.7 million. FEMA grants pay the federal share of the eligible costs for the work. Under a cost-sharing formula, FEMA reimburses the state for 75 percent of the total costs, while the state and/or applicant cover the remaining 25 percent.

“The elevation of these structures will significantly reduce the potential for flooding during future weather events,” said FEMA’s Regional Administrator Tony Robinson.

This project was initially awarded in April 2011 to mitigate 45 properties for a federal share of more than $5.7 million. Given the high concentration of repetitive loss properties in this parish, additional funds were allocated by the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. Jefferson Parish will utilize all available funds to mitigate these properties benefiting both the property owners and National Flood Insurance Program.

“The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program helps communities rebuild stronger after a disaster,” Robinson said. “This elevation project in Jefferson Parish is a perfect example of what our mitigation program aims to accomplish – rebuilding from past disasters in a way that better protects properties against future disasters.”

Once the structures are elevated, individual homeowners will be required to maintain flood insurance on their newly elevated homes for the life of the properties.

The federal funding for this project was made available after Hurricane Gustav made landfall in Louisiana in September 2008.

You can follow FEMA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.  Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

Link – 

FEMA Awards $2 Million for Jefferson Parish Elevations

    

DENTON, Texas –Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14 marks the 50th anniversary of what began as an underground facility designed to survive a nuclear war and provide for the continuity of U.S. government operations. The Federal Regional Center (FRC) was constructed between 1961 and late 1963 on 20 acres in Denton.

The FRC has been operated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency since the agency came into being in 1979. Before that, it was operated by the Office of Civil Defense and Emergency Planning, one of FEMA’s predecessor agencies.

Plans were made in the late 1950s to ensure the survival of the U.S. government in the event of a nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union. Part of those plans called for construction of fallout shelters for federal officials around the country.

The first of five such centers was constructed in Denton, Texas. The FRC was designed to be self-sufficient for 30 days, and was equipped with a water well, kitchen, food for 300-500 people for 30 days, a dining room, decontamination room, infirmary, diesel generators and a 30 day supply of diesel for the generators

Besides staff with the Civil Defense and Emergency Planning Office, representatives from other government agencies in the Dallas-Fort Worth area worked in the facility in the early days. These agencies included the Federal Communications Commission, the Commerce Department, Department of the Interior and the Treasury Department.

A group of visionary Denton business and community leaders, including Bill Utter, Roy Appleton and Riley Cross, organized a drive to buy the land for the facility and donated it to the federal government. They foresaw the economic benefits of having the center in Denton.

Senate Majority Leader Lyndon B. Johnson supported the project in the early days, and continued to support it when he became vice president. President John F. Kennedy made the final decision to build the facility in Denton.

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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.  Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

Link to article – 

FEMA Federal Regional Center Marks 50 Years of History

CHARLESTON, Wv. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is on site in Charleston, W.Va., and through its regional office in Philadelphia, Pa., continues to work in close coordination with the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to support state and local efforts to ensure public health and safety, in response to emergency conditions resulting from a chemical spill in Charleston on Thursday.

At the request of the state, FEMA is continuing to provide supplies to a regional staging area in Charleston.  As of Sunday, FEMA has delivered over 2 million liters of water from its distribution centers in Cumberland and Frederick, Maryland, to the area for use by the state.  FEMA will continue to deliver supplies to the state for distribution, as needed and request.

Friday, President Barack Obama signed an emergency declaration for federal disaster assistance to West Virginia to supplement state and local response efforts.  Direct federal assistance is currently available to officials in Boone, Cabell, Clay, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Putnam and Roane counties to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.  FEMA is continuing regular on-going dialogue working closely with State officials with the state to ensure there are no unmet needs in helping those impacted by this incident as the response continues through its fourth day.

In support of state and local response efforts, a FEMA liaison, an Incident Management Assistance Team and a Mobile Emergency Response team are on site in Charleston to help coordinate assistance to the state as needed.  In addition, FEMA’s Regional Response Coordination Center in Philadelphia is activated to support coordination efforts and assist in mobilizing resources.

“Each day we are seeing higher stock levels of bottled water in the stores within the communities,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Michael Lapinski. “FEMA will continue to provide bottled water as requested to meet the needs of the state and its citizens, especially vulnerable populations who may have difficulty getting to stores or distribution centers.”  If you need water and can’t get to a distribution site due to accessibility issues, FEMA recommends you contact your local fire, police or emergency manager.

For more information on voluntary donations and how to help, please visit West Virginia’s Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster on Facebook.  Residents can also follow the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management on Twitter and Facebook.

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 twitter.com/femaregion3, fema.gov/blog, twitter.com/fema, facebook.com/fema, and youtube.com/fema.   Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at twitter.com/craigatfema.  The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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

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FEMA Continues to Support Response Efforts in West Virginia

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