Be Prepared, All Year Long

Duluth, Minn.  – September is National Preparedness Month, a great time to organize and update your emergency plans and supplies. Disasters can happen with little or no warning.  If   you currently don’t have supplies on hand, now is the perfect time to prepare so you can care for yourself and family before, during and after any emergency.

You can start by planning for the types of disasters that can happen in the area where you live. Create a personalized emergency plan and kit based on the requirements of your family. For example, if you have infants, you will need to include items such as diapers, formula and a few toys in your kit.  And don’t forget to include your pets when making your emergency plans.   

Being prepared in case of an emergency does not have to cost a lot of money. Make a checklist of the most important items your family will need.  Next, budget emergency preparedness items as a normal expense. Shop the sales and use coupons when you can.  Try to buy one item from your list each time you go to the grocery store.  The reward of knowing you are prepared before disaster strikes makes it all worthwhile. 

It’s also important to remember you need to be prepared for all seasons. FEMA has many tools to help you plan, including videos and social media links. The following are just a few examples:

Winter is just around the corner, which can bring many types of unforeseen weather emergencies.

www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/6746

Spring weather is always unpredictable. Severe storms, tornadoes and flooding can occur without much warning.

www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/7626

In the summer, weather conditions may seem perfect for outside activities everyone must be aware of dangerous health issues related to extreme heat and high humidity.

www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/8966

Most people spend a lot more time on the road than they realize so no matter what the season.  An emergency kit for your car should be part of your emergency plan.

www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/5546

Pre-planning will help you and your family better survive a disaster. For more information and ideas, log on to www.ready.gov. And remember to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest information: www.facebook.com/fema, www.twitter.com/fema.

 

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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.

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Be Prepared, All Year Long

Several Resources Available to Help Business Owners Recover from Sandy

NEW YORK ­­­­– Getting local businesses back up and running is a key part of a community’s recovery after a disaster. Several of FEMA’s federal, state, local and private sector partners have programs in place to support New York businesses after Hurricane Sandy:

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has low-interest loans available for businesses and most private nonprofits for up to $2 million dollars for physical property losses. Small businesses and most private nonprofits can also apply for economic injury loans for up to

$2 million. Interested businesses can apply at any of the State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers, SBA Business Recovery Centers, online at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela or contact the SBA at 800-659-2955.

NYC Economic Development Corporation established a Hurricane Sandy Emergency Loan Fund to support NYC small businesses with their recovery and clean-up efforts. This loan program will provide $10 million in low-interest loans to businesses, ranging from

$5,000 – $25,000 for each loan. Funds can be used to replace or repair damaged assets, or to make up for working capital losses incurred due to business interruption. For additional details and information on how to apply, businesses should visit: http://www.nybdc.com/HurricaneSandySmallBusinessReliefFund.html.

Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency’s Emergency Sales Tax Relief Program gives an exemption of State and County Sales Tax of 8.625 percent to small businesses in Suffolk County on purchases up to $100,000 for building materials or replacing damaged equipment.  Businesses can visit: www.suffolkIDA.org or call 631-853-4802 for additional information or to fill out an application.

National Grid Hurricane Sandy Relief Program provides grants up to $250,000 to National Grid commercial, industrial or multi-family residential gas customers that were impacted by Hurricane Sandy. Eligible customers can use program funds for energy infrastructure repairs or replacement, rehabilitation of buildings, and costs associated with replacement of machinery or equipment necessary for the operation of the businesses. Funding consideration will be based on documented financial need and impact to the community. To determine eligibility and for additional information, customers should contact National Grid at 855-496-9359.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/SandyNY, http://twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

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Several Resources Available to Help Business Owners Recover from Sandy