It Pays To Have Flood Insurance

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Last year, Puerto Rico endured numerous severe weather events including flooding, heavy rains and storm surges which affected families and businesses in various degrees, but were not extensive enough to justify a federal disaster declaration. However, more than half a million dollars were paid to flood affected business owners, renters and families who own flood insurance policies from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

“Buying and maintaining flood insurance assures you that assistance will arrive when you have to deal with a flood damaged property. Take steps now to protect your property and financial well-being,” said Alejandro De La Campa, FEMA’s Caribbean Area Division Director. “Buy flood insurance now and be covered by the start of hurricane season, because when you purchase a flood insurance policy there is a 30-day waiting period before it takes effect.”

Through the NFIP, homeowners can insure their homes for up to $250,000 and its contents for up to $100,000. Renters can buy coverage for personal property for up to $100,000. Nonresidential property owners can insure a building and its contents for up to $500,000.

Currently, 56,572 policy holders in Puerto Rico participate in the NFIP. This insurance can be purchased through your local insurance agent or company. Also, you can go online at www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-800-427-2419 for general flood insurance information.

Furthermore, FEMA advises residents to contact their local floodplain management officials to view current local flood maps. Additional information is also available online through FEMA’s Map Service Center at www.msc.fema.gov or www.jp.gobierno.pr/avi/ to see the updated flood map for your community.

Decide to be ready for any type of disaster, visit www.ready.gov and www.fema.gov for tools and resources to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergency events.

FEMA News Desk (787) 296-3554; (787) 296-3560

 

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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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It Pays To Have Flood Insurance

Proactive Approach to Preparedness: Getting Ready Younger

SAN JUAN, PR –If new generations are raised with emergency preparedness awareness as an inherent part of their early education, communities will become smarter and more resilient sooner. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) supports this approach since dependable preparedness plans equal a swifter recovery for individuals, local, state and federal governments after a disaster.

“Our communities need to get better prepared to rapidly respond to emergencies and if we reach this younger audience earlier, emergency preparedness will be a familiar subject, but most importantly, they will be ready sooner. Youngsters have a significant influence on their peers and families, which may drive this preparedness message further on,” said FEMA’s Caribbean Area Division Director, Alejandro De La Campa.

For this reason, FEMA established the first Youth Preparedness Council to discuss and promote steps meant to strengthen the nation’s resiliency against all types of disasters. This Council is comprised of 13 youth leaders (ages 13 – 17) from each of FEMA’s 10 regions, which will develop and conclude their emergency preparedness projects in two years.

13-year old Humacao resident, Gabriela Rodriguez-Boria, is FEMA’s Region II Youth Council representative. Puerto Rico is one of the jurisdictions under Region II, which also includes New York, New Jersey and the US Virgin Islands.  With her project, Gabriela seeks opportunities to prepare youngsters to be ready before and after a disaster strikes, making communities in Puerto Rico more emergency resilient through its budding members. She is organizing a Teen Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) of approximately 15-20 students at her school and plans to replicate this program in other schools in neighboring communities, and eventually to all Region II jurisdictions.

The CERT Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Youngsters can involve their schools, neighbors, churches, families and friends in similar initiatives where they can acquire surviving tools for future emergencies. Young minds bring fresh eyes and new perspectives to any preparedness endeavour, therefore FEMA encourages their contribution in emergency planning and readiness for our communities.

There is additional information about the Youth Council at www.citizencorps.gov/getstarted/youth/youthindex. If you are interested in becoming a CERT member, locate the nearest CERT team or check for upcoming training opportunities, visit www.citizencorps.gov/cert. Learn more about emergency preparedness and how to improve your community resiliency to emergency situations by visiting www.fema.gov or www.ready.gov.

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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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Proactive Approach to Preparedness: Getting Ready Younger

Do You Have a Pet Plan in Place? Disaster Survival for Animals Takes Planning

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – If you are like the thousands of animal owners in the Island, your pet is an important member of your household. The likelihood that you and your animals will survive an emergency, such as a fire or a flood depends largely on emergency planning done today. Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) urge you to have a disaster plan for your pets.

“Individuals and families with pets must include them on their household disaster plans,” said FEMA’s Caribbean Area Division Director, Alejandro De La Campa. “Early preparation is key for adequate handling of pets in a disaster. We advise entire families, including their pets, to be ready before an evacuation order.”

Before the Disaster:  Have a Safe Place to Take Your Pets

Plan your evacuation strategy and don’t forget your pet!  Local veterinarians or organizations can be contacted for information on preparing household pets for an emergency.

  • Specialized pet shelters, animal control shelters, veterinary clinics and friends and relatives out of harm’s way are all potential refuges for your pet during a disaster.
  • Prepare a list of facilities and veterinarians who could shelter animals in an emergency; include 24-hour phone numbers.
  • Ask local animal shelters if they provide emergency shelter or foster care for pets in a disaster. Animal shelters may be overburdened caring for the animals they already have, as well as those displaced by a disaster, so this should be your last resort.
  • If you have no option but to leave your pet in the house while you are gone, make sure it is in a safe place. Also, leave a sign that specifies how many pets are in the house and what type of pets they are.
  • Contact hotels outside your immediate area to check policies on accepting pets and restrictions on number, size, and species. Ask if “no pet” policies could be waived in an emergency. Keep a list of “pet friendly” places, including phone numbers, with other disaster information and supplies. If you have notice of an impending disaster, call ahead for reservations.

Prepare a portable disaster supply kit for your pet and keep it in an accessible place.

  • Food and water for at least three days
  • Collar with ID tag, harness or leash. Your pet should wear a collar with its rabies tag and identification at all times. Include a backup leash, collar and ID tag in your pet’s emergency supply kit. In addition, place copies of your pet’s registration information, adoption papers, vaccination documents and medical records in a clean plastic bag or waterproof container and also add them to your kit. You should also consider talking with your veterinarian about permanent identification such as microchipping, and enrolling your pet in a recovery database.
  • A picture of you and your pet together. If you become separated from your pet during an emergency, a picture of you and your pet together will help you document ownership and allow others to assist you in identifying your pet. Include detailed information about species, breed, age, sex, color and distinguishing characteristics.
  • Familiar items. Put favorite toys, treats or bedding in your kit. Familiar items can help reduce stress for your pet.
  • Medicines
  • First aid kit. Talk to your veterinarian about what is most appropriate for your pet’s emergency medical needs. Most kits should include cotton bandage rolls, bandage tape and scissors; antibiotic ointment; flea and tick prevention; latex gloves, isopropyl alcohol and saline solution. Include a pet first aid reference book.
  • Crate or other pet carrier. If you need to evacuate in an emergency situation take your pets and animals with you provided that it is practical to do so. In many cases, your ability to do so will be aided by having a sturdy, safe, comfortable crate or carrier ready to transport your pet. The carrier should be large enough for your pet to stand, turn around and lie down.
  • Sanitation. Include pet litter and litter box if appropriate, newspapers, paper towels, plastic trash bags and household chlorine bleach to provide for your pet’s sanitation needs.

Know What to Do As a Disaster Approaches

  • Often, warnings are issued hours, even days in advance. At the first hint of disaster, act to protect your pet.
  • Call ahead to confirm emergency shelter arrangements for you and your pets.
  • Check to be sure your pet disaster supplies are ready to take at a moment’s notice.
  • Bring all pets into the house so that you won’t have to search for them if you have to leave in a hurry.
  • Make sure all dogs and cats are wearing collars and securely fastened up-to-date identification. Attach the phone number and address of your temporary shelter, if you know it, or of a friend or relative outside the disaster area. You can buy temporary tags or put adhesive tape on the back of your pet’s ID tag, adding information with an indelible pen.

You may not be home when the evacuation order comes. Find out if a trusted neighbor would be willing to take your pets and meet you at a prearranged location. This person should be comfortable with your pets, know where your animals are likely to be, know where your pet disaster supplies kit is kept, and have a key to your home. If you use a pet-sitting service, they may be available to help, but discuss the possibility well in advance.

Planning and preparation will enable you to evacuate with your pets quickly and safely. But bear in mind that animals react differently under stress. Outside your home and in the car, keep dogs securely leashed. Transport cats in carriers. Don’t leave animals unattended anywhere they can run off. The most trustworthy pets may panic, hide, try to escape, or even bite or scratch. And, when you return home, give your pets time to settle back into their routines. Consult your veterinarian if any behavior problems persist.

It’s never too early to create a disaster plan for you and your entire family. Information on this and other advice on disaster preparedness for animals is available on FEMA’s website at www.fema.gov or www.ready.gov This includes developing a family communication plan, putting an emergency kit together, keeping important papers and valuables in a safe place, and getting involved. 

FEMA News Desk (787) 296-3554, 3560

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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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Do You Have a Pet Plan in Place? Disaster Survival for Animals Takes Planning

The FEMA Declaration Process: Know the Facts

SAN JUAN, PR – As the peak of the hurricane season rapidly approaches and to manage accurate expectations, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials explain the response process to an emergency event and the course of action for any potential federal declaration.

 

“At the local, state and federal governments we are prepared and ready to effectively respond to, recover from, and mitigate against any disaster, but it is important to highlight that it also takes all aspects of a community, volunteer, faith and community-based organizations, the private sector, and the public, including survivors themselves, to prepare because it is possible that assistance could take up to 72 hours to arrive ,” explained FEMA’s Caribbean Area Division Director, Alejandro De La Campa.

 

When an emergency incident occurs, whether a natural or man-made event, the local, state and federal governments engage in a series of responding procedures, which include emergency response measures, communication protocols, organizational structure, terminology and key resources to achieve an even surge of efforts in responding to incidents at all levels of government.

 

In the Territory of the US Virgin Islands (USVI), as well as in the United States, if an effective response is beyond the capability of local and state governments and voluntary organizations, the magnitude and severity of the damage is assessed to determine if federal assistance is needed. This evaluation, known as a preliminary damage assessment (PDA), is conducted by local, state and federal governments and estimates the extent of the disaster and its impact on individuals and public facilities.

 

The Governor of USVI must request a disaster declaration to the President of the United States through the Regional FEMA office. The USVI is under the jurisdiction of FEMA Region II based in New York, which serves New York, New Jersey and Puerto Rico, as well. The request should explain the insufficiency of state and local resources and include: damage estimates, committed resources and requested assistance. 

 

Normally, the PDA is completed prior to the submission of the Governor’s request. However, when an obviously severe or catastrophic event occurs, the Governor’s request may be submitted prior to the PDA. Nonetheless, the Governor must still make the request.

 

A presidential declaration activates assistance under the Stafford Act that includes Individual Assistance for individuals and family households, Public Assistance for government infrastructure and Hazard Mitigation, which grants assistance to local, state governments and certain nonprofit organizations to implement hazard mitigation measures in the declared jurisdiction.

 

If you want to learn more about your community emergency evacuation plan, contact your local emergency management office. Further information on how to prepare for an emergency is available at www.fema.gov or www.ready.gov.

 

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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.

Source: 

The FEMA Declaration Process: Know the Facts