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New York University, NYU Langone Medical Center, SUS-Mental Health receive FEMA grants

NEW YORK – The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved Public Assistance grants to New York University, NYU Langone Medical Center and Services for the UnderServed (SUS)-Mental Health Program to reimburse costs for damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.

New York University has been awarded more than $1 million in funding. The grant covered a variety of needs including ensuring students’ safety, protection of campus data, temporary generators and a fuel oil tank.

NYU Langone Medical Center has been awarded $2.8 million to repair or replace damaged equipment that supported research functions for the Smilow Research Center.

Services for the UnderServed-Mental Health Program, Inc., an eligible private nonprofit human services agency, received more than $2 million in Public Assistance grants to repair a 71-bed residence facility that supports rehabilitative services for people who have a mental health condition and a history of homelessness.

For Hurricane Sandy, FEMA’s Public Assistance program reimburses local, state and tribal governments and eligible private nonprofit organizations 90 percent of eligible costs for emergency and permanent work. So far, FEMA has awarded $2.4 billion in Public Assistance grants to eligible New York applicants.

To learn more about FEMA Public Assistance in New York, visit: fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit and dhses.ny.gov/oem/recovery.

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

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New York University, NYU Langone Medical Center, SUS-Mental Health receive FEMA grants

FEMA Aids Mental Health Groups during Sandy

LINCROFT, N.J. — When a disaster strikes, the damage is not limited to property and nature. The fallout from severe storms and flooding can cause significant emotional stress on top of the physical and financial demands of dealing with the aftermath. Since Superstorm Sandy hit New Jersey in October 2013, the counselors and volunteers of New Jersey Hope and Healing have been helping affected residents cope.

New Jersey Hope and Healing is coordinated by the Disaster and Terrorism Branch of the New Jersey Department of Human Services’ Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services. The organization provides advice and resources to victims of disasters who may be suffering mental and emotional distress.

After the storm hit, FEMA approved a grant of nearly $2 million for the Disaster and Terrorism Branch of New Jersey DHS, which sent mental health teams to shelters statewide at the beginning of the disaster and also sent specialists to FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers.

“During a disaster everyone reacts differently – you can never judge yourself based on anyone else’s reaction,” said Adrienne Fessler Belli, NJDHS Disaster and Terrorism Branch Director. “Our program will be able to help individuals at any stage of recovery from this disaster.”
The organization continues to conduct outreach programs and events to raise awareness of stress management and help direct residents seeking help to the appropriate services. These services will come to an end in February 2014. Recently, NJHH launched the Sandy Wave Riders program, a support group for families and caregivers impacted by Sandy, in several counties. The Sunnyside Up program put counselors in 16 Ocean County diners and restaurants to offer emotional support, referrals and resources.

New Jersey Hope and Healing has partnered with other health and assistance organizations, including the Barnabas Health Institute for Prevention, NJHelps.org, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, the VA Veterans Hotline, New Jersey Mental Health Cares, the National Foundation for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and the New Jersey Housing Resource Center.
The New Jersey Disaster Mental Health Hope and Healing Helpline is open from 8 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week at 877-294-4357 or TTY (Text Telephone) 877-294-4356. All calls are confidential. The organization has materials in English and Spanish, downloadable from www.disastermentalhealthnj.com or www.mhanj.org/new-jersey-hope-and-healing/. Events and photos can be found on the NJHH Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NJHopeandHealing.

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.

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FEMA Aids Mental Health Groups during Sandy

Highlands Family Is at Home for the Holidays

LINCROFT, N.J. – Last year was the first time that Steven and Kathryn Chaney didn’t spend Christmas with their three children.

“It was very strange,” Kathryn Chaney said. “We’ve been married 30 years and we’ve always had children around.”

After more than a year of moving from house to house and shelter to shelter, the Chaney family is reunited and spending the Christmas season together in their new home.

The Chaneys spent last Christmas at a friend’s house after their Port Monmouth home was destroyed by Superstorm Sandy despite sitting six feet above ground level. Steven and Kathryn, along with daughter Deidre and granddaughter Elizabeth, had planned to ride out the storm. Their sons, Steve and Ryan, had gone to visit friends when Sandy made landfall.

“An hour before high tide, there was water on our deck,” Kathryn said.

They were evacuated by an Army transport. They spent the night at a shelter and returned the next morning to find their entire street devastated. Many houses had their ground floors inundated by rain and floodwaters. Chaney said their house had two feet of water in it.

“I grew up in Rockaway Beach, New York,” Chaney said. “I’ve always lived near the ocean. I’m used to big storms. But the ocean didn’t get us. We got hit by the creek.”

Steven and Kathryn spent the next couple of days cleaning up and salvaging what they could. They spent those nights in the livable spare room of a neighbor’s house before going to a Red Cross shelter at Henry Hudson Regional High School for a week. Their next stop was Atlantic Highlands, where they spent Thanksgiving and Christmas at a friend’s house – but without the rest of their family.

The prolonged separation was stressful for the entire family. Their sons were shuttling back and forth between friends’ houses for months. Steven and Kathryn spent January in what she called “the worst hotel room ever.” The family wasn’t reunited until they got the keys to an apartment at Fort Monmouth on Valentine’s Day after a FEMA case worker contacted them in February.

Kathryn estimates that the family looked at about 10 homes before finding one in November. They wanted to return to the Port Monmouth area to give their children easier commutes to work, but their housing requirements complicated matters. The Chaneys eventually found a house in Highlands and moved in on Dec. 4. Kathryn was quick to credit their FEMA recertification specialists for their help in the home-finding process.

When asked to rank the importance of getting into a home by Christmas on a scale of one to 10, Kathryn said, “Eleven.”

Life is beginning to return to normal. Granddaughter Elizabeth is now 17 months old. “I hope she doesn’t have any memories of everything we went through,” Kathryn said. Instead of helping their neighbor put up his tree in his house, the Chaneys have a home of their own to decorate. They are also back together and under one roof.

“We can have our ham dinner and just be together,” she said.

To see a video of the Chaneys talking about their journey, follow this link: http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/89622

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

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

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Highlands Family Is at Home for the Holidays

FEMA Public Assistance Funds for Sandy Eclipse $1 Billion

LINCROFT, N.J. — When Hurricane Sandy struck New Jersey on Oct. 29, 2012, the devastation caused by the storm surge and high winds affected public buildings, utilities and infrastructure statewide.

Thirteen months later, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has dispersed more than $1 billion in Public Assistance funds to communities affected by the storm.

This is part of a total of $5.7 billion in disaster assistance, which also includes more than $3.5 billion in flood insurance claim payments, $897 million in Individual Assistance and $834 million in U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loans.

Through the Public Assistance program, FEMA grants state governments the funds to reimburse municipalities, county governments and eligible private nonprofit agencies for the repair or replacement of damaged roads and bridges, water-control facilities, public buildings and their contents, publicly owned utilities, and parks and recreation areas. It also includes funds for emergency services and eligible debris-removal costs related to the disaster. FEMA reimbursed these applicants 90 percent of the eligible cost.

As of Nov. 25, 2013, 4,417 projects have been obligated by FEMA. Public Assistance anticipates 5,096 Sandy-related projects will eventually be funded.

Included in the $1 billion total are:

More than $77.1 million in Ocean County for countywide debris removal.
$18.6 million to repair and rebuild educational facilities statewide.
$14.6 million for repairs to piers, boardwalks, the marina and recreational areas at Veterans Memorial Waterfront Park in Elizabeth.
Nearly $13 million to the New Jersey State Police for emergency protective measures on the barrier islands as the storm hit.

For more information on New Jersey’s Sandy recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4086, www.twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

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FEMA Public Assistance Funds for Sandy Eclipse $1 Billion

Sewerage Authority Mitigation Plan Reduces Risk of Environmental Disaster

LINCROFT, N.J. – Among the most devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey was the storm’s impact on sewage treatment facilities along the coast.

During and after the storm, sewage plants and pump stations along the coast were inundated by flood waters and without power for as long as three days, resulting in the discharge of some two billion gallons of untreated and partially treated sewage into New Jersey waterways (New York Daily News, 4/30/2013).

The environmental damage was unprecedented – and the financial impact was devastating. Total costs to repair and reconstruct the damaged sewage treatment facilities now top more than $100 million.

With the help of Public Assistance Grants, sewerage authorities throughout the state have acted to reduce the risk of a similar disaster through mitigation measures that include constructing flood walls, elevating sensitive equipment, and relocating vulnerable facilities out of the flood zone.

In southern Monmouth County, the South Monmouth Regional Sewerage Authority owns, operates and maintains 11 sewage pump stations in Belmar, Brielle, Lake Como, Manasquan, Sea Girt, Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights and Wall Township.

The majority of the Authority’s sewage pump stations were constructed and placed into operation in the 1970s. But in Sea Girt, the authority converted an existing facility constructed in the 1900s.

By 2006, that facility had outlived its useful life and the Authority made plans to replace it.

The Sea Girt pump station had been flooded in the past, and the likelihood was high that it would experience repeated flooding.

While the Authority considered relocating the facility, that idea was not feasible because of the cost, permitting restrictions and the lack of available land in the heavily residential community.

Instead, the project team comprising Authority officials and project engineers worked together to design a facility that could remain within the footprint of the old plant but that would be better equipped to function and survive during a major storm.

The plan they decided upon called for a mobile trailer for the pumping station’s most sensitive equipment. The trailer can be moved out of harm’s way when flooding threatens.

Sea Girt, N.J., Oct. 2, 2013– This aesthetically designed portable trailer houses an emergency generator, a successful mitigation project South Monmouth Regional Sewerage Authority (SMRSA) implemented in their Sea Girt pump station before Superstorm Sandy struck. Rosanna Arias/FEMA
The enclosure consists of two rooms, one sound-attenuated room for the emergency generator and another climate-controlled room for the electrical equipment, including controls, alarm systems, variable speed drives, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, and various other components. Electrical and control connections between the enclosure and the pump station and its equipment are made with cables and plugs that can be opened to permit removal of the enclosure.

The trailer can be removed when emergency management officials notify the Authority of an impending storm.

When the trailer is removed, an expendable portable generator and transfer switch is put it in its place, allowing the pump station to operate even when utility power is lost. This secondary, sacrificial electrical and control system, mounted on the site, powers the pumps and other equipment on utility or generator power until destroyed or damaged by flooding.

Once the storm subsides, the mobile trailer can be moved back into place and put back on line.

The mobile trailer plan minimizes any damage to the station’s electrical equipment and significantly reduces downtime for the station.

The cost savings is also substantial: A generator may cost $60,000 to replace. The cost of reconstructing a pump station and providing emergency generator capacity until power is restored to the site can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“The mobile enclosure saved the Authority an estimated $1.5 million dollars in repair/recovery monies as a result of the fact that there was no substantial damage to the Sea Girt Pump Station during Irene or Sandy,” said South Monmouth Regional Sewerage Authority Engineer Ryan Krause. “There was no loss of sewer service to residents and no sewer service overflows.”

The station is then able to return to normal operation within hours of the passing storm, rather than days, weeks, or months, as required to rebuild or reconstruct the facilities. A faster recovery for the sewer system reduces the public health risk that can result when untreated sewage is discharged into waterways or into the community.

The Sea Girt pump station complements Governor Chris Christie’s goal to make New Jersey’s infrastructure resilient and is considered a model for Best Management Practice for sewerage and water authorities, enabling continuous operation during adverse weather events, thus eliminating or substantially reducing the potential for an environmental disaster caused by the release of untreated sewage.

As a result of the steps the Authority took to mitigate the site, the infrastructure survived and the Sea Girt Pump Facility became operational within hours.

The SMRSA, has recently been awarded a FEMA grant for a “least cost alternative project” which incorporates the mobile enclosure concept for its Pitney Avenue Pump Station in Spring Lake, NJ and is evaluating the feasibility of incorporating this innovative design for its Belmar Pump Station, both of which were damaged during Sandy. The FEMA grant for Pitney Avenue PS is for reimbursement of 90% of the eligible cost(s) up to $1,201, 428.00.

The two mobile concept facilities, developed here in Monmouth County, are the only two in the world.

Because of its success in mitigating damage from Hurricanes Irene and Sandy, the concept is being considered by FEMA as a nation-wide Best Management Practice for mitigation of potential damages to equipment as a result of a flood event.

Additional information on the Sea Girt mobile enclosure can be found at the Authorities website; www.smrsa.org

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

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Sewerage Authority Mitigation Plan Reduces Risk of Environmental Disaster

One Year Later: Bridging a Link to History at Liberty State Park

LINCROFT, N.J. — When it comes to destruction, disasters like Superstorm Sandy don’t discriminate: historic structures and environmentally sensitive areas that lie in the path of a storm are in just as much peril as less significant sites.

But when a historic structure or ecologically fragile area is damaged in a disaster, particular care must be taken to ensure that any repair or remediation that must take place is done in accordance with historic and environmental regulations.

To accomplish that, state, county and local officials in the impacted area are able to draw on the support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Environmental and Historic Preservation Specialists.

The EHP cadre plays a critical role in helping municipalities and agencies understand the importance of compliance with environmental and cultural regulations so they may make informed planning decisions.

EHP provides expertise and technical assistance to FEMA staff, local, state and federal partners and applicants who are tasked with the challenge of preserving historic, cultural and natural aspects of our national heritage. They help applicants understand what is required under the law and how best to meet those requirements.

At Liberty State Park, which is adjacent to Jersey City, Sandy destroyed a popular pedestrian bridge that provided access to the park for walkers and cyclists in the Jersey City area.

With the help of specialists from FEMA’s Environmental and Historic Preservation program, city officials acted quickly to develop a plan for reconstructing the bridge, which had originally served as a rail bridge before its conversion for pedestrian use.

The city applied for a FEMA Public Assistance grant which, if the project was approved, would reimburse the city for most of the reconstruction costs.

Because the original bridge traversed environmentally sensitive wetlands, it was important that any new construction be environmentally acceptable and that it occupy the same footprint as the previous bridge.

The park, an oasis of green space adjacent to the bustle of Jersey City, offers recreational facilities, a science museum, and several historic sites including the historic Central Railroad of New Jersey terminal where new immigrants arriving from Ellis Island boarded the trains that would take them to new lives across America.

The park is also the site of a memorial honoring those who died in the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, titled Empty Sky. It is the most heavily visited park in the state.

Located just across the river from lower Manhattan, Liberty State Park also played a critical role following the attacks of 9/11 as a staging area for first responders.

With so many reasons for area residents to visit the park, restoring access via the pedestrian bridge was a priority for Jersey City officials.

The cost of replacing the 120-foot-long, 10-foot-wide bridge was estimated at $834,600. Jersey City’s Assistant City Engineer Jeff Reeves chose a pre-fabricated bridge that could be lifted onto the foundation via a crane. The pre-made span cost $160,000.

Restoring the foundation cost an additional $650,000, which included the demolition of the remnants of the original bridge and the installation of necessary components such as foundation “riprap.”

The final cost for reconstruction of the foundation and replacement of the pedestrian bridge came in under budget at $810,000. PA grants reimburse applicants for at least 75 percent of eligible work.

Because the total cost of disaster recovery in New Jersey exceeded a benchmark set by the federal government according to a specific formula, the federal share of the cost of the bridge replacement was increased to 90 percent with the remaining 10 percent borne by the applicant.

On June 20, 2013, then-Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy dedicated the new bridge, which has been officially named the “Ethel Pesin Liberty Footbridge” in memory of the woman who, with her husband, Morris,worked tirelessly to establish the park. A community leader and founding trustee of the Friends of Liberty State Park, Pesin died early in 2013.

“We know how important this piece of infrastructure is to our residents, and that is why we worked with NJOEM and our engineering staff to find a way to expedite the replacement of the Jersey Avenue footbridge,” the mayor said.

Today, walkers and cyclists are again able to enjoy the recreational facilities at Liberty State Park and visit the park’s historic sites via the Jersey Avenue bridge.

And because of the teamwork between state and local officials and FEMA’s EHP experts, the environmentally sensitive wetlands that surround the bridge have been protected.

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Next, the One Year Later series concludes with a look at long-term recovery from Sandy.

Liberty State Park – A Gift Worth Saving

http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/82646

Morristown Library

http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/82180

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

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One Year Later: Bridging a Link to History at Liberty State Park

One Year Later: Communities, Local Professionals Take Ownership of Recovery for a Stronger New Jersey

LINCROFT, N.J. — As the State of New Jersey approaches the one-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, many communities along the Shore are focused on recovery efforts. Much of the planning efforts in these devastated towns and boroughs are based on the question: “What will our communities look like in one, five or 10 years?”

Rumson, N.J., Oct. 9, 2013—Families visit project boards developed by Sea Bright community members at the Sea Bright 2020 second community workshop. The workshop allows residents to speak with Project Advocates and vote to resolve community issues following Superstorm Sandy. Rosanna Arias/FEMA Though many of the community leaders and their residents hold hopeful visions for the future, it may be hard for them to conceptualize these visions. With reduced technical capacity, often because of the destruction caused by Sandy, residents of municipalities such as Highlands and Sea Bright boroughs have requested assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Many communities have limited resources to pay for technical planning assistance, so to support local recovery efforts FEMA provides locally hired technical professionals who can provide a true cost-saving measure for these municipalities.

FEMA’s Federal Disaster Recovery Coordination is tasked with assisting communities in need with technical assistance ranging from planning, engineering, construction management and architectural design, to strategic goal-setting, resource identification and community development. The FDRC assigns Community Recovery Assistance teams to municipalities that have requested assistance. The teams combine experienced disaster response reservist personnel with local professionals brought in to provide the needed technical expertise.

“FEMA works closely with municipalities, helping them plan what the recovery strategy is going to look like and how they can take advantage of all the federal resources available,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer in New Jersey Gracia Szczech.

Every disaster is different, and the response and recovery efforts must be tailored to the needs of the local communities affected by the event. With Sandy, the engagement of a large number of local

professionals has been a key part of the success of this recovery effort. Some of these individuals have suffered through the loss of their own home or property, which makes them even more invested in the success of the state’s recovery. More importantly, these professionals possess important skills and unique insights into the governing and community development processes of these municipalities.

Highlands, N.J., Aug. 7, 2013 — A resident marks his residence on a map at the Highlands Long Term Community Recovery Strategy Workshop. The borough is collaborating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other organizations to develop a plan to recover from and mitigate future disasters like Hurricane Sandy. Rosanna Arias/FEMA“We made a special effort in hiring local residents in New Jersey who have special skill sets,” said Peter Gozza, Federal Disaster Recovery Officer.

These efforts are not just about the local technical professionals. Community leaders and residents along the Jersey Shore have volunteered and dedicated countless hours to assist in the recovery of their respective hometowns. In each engaged community, a Recovery Steering Committee was created to develop appropriate, resilient projects that will contribute to the recovery of their communities. Recovery from a storm as powerful as Sandy requires a combination of hard work, patience and creativity from all those involved in the process. These efforts have begun to take hold in communities where the Community Recovery Assistance teams have worked with local leaders and residents.

In the Borough of Highlands, the Steering Committee has developed several project proposals including the creation of a “housing advocate.” The advocate would coordinate with borough officials and property owners to identify appropriate funding sources for rebuilding, restoring or developing appropriate mitigation measures for the borough’s housing stock. In this way, an important component of a community’s economic base can be maintained and leveraged for the benefit of the entire borough.

As local leaders and residents continue to work through the recovery process, some aspects of their community will look much different than they did before the storm. In the Borough of Sea Bright, Steering Committee members, who dubbed their program “Sea Bright 2020,” have proposed a project that includes a multi-purpose community center and unique streetscaping design elements throughout the borough.

All of the efforts of the recovery committees – and the local professionals who assist them – have given true meaning to the motto “Jersey Strong.” This collaboration has helped foster a sense of ownership in the success of the state’s recovery. Working together, residents, local and state leaders, non-governmental and nonprofit organizations, and federal agencies have forged vital bonds to help New Jersey recover from the devastation of Sandy.

Video-links: Federal Disaster Recovery Coordination (FDRC)

Jersey Strong

3D Timeline

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.

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One Year Later: Communities, Local Professionals Take Ownership of Recovery for a Stronger New Jersey

New Jersey Private Sector Gets Down to Business with Sandy Recovery

LINCROFT, N.J. – The devastating aftermath of Superstorm Sandy left survivors and businesses in New Jersey with large-scale recovery needs. Throughout the year, the state’s private sector has made significant contributions to the recovery process and continues to play a key role.

Edison, N.J., Aug. 27, 2013 — Federal Emergency Management Agency Private Sector Specialists, Pamela Mason and Art Goetz, speak with business owners and the public about preparedness techniques to mitigate disasters like Sandy at the Sam’s Club Emergency Preparedness Expo. Rosanna Arias/FEMAMore than 600 businesses, utility companies, banks, insurance companies, colleges and universities, and professional organizations stood with local, state and federal agencies, voluntary agencies and faith-based organizations to strengthen the recovery efforts.

They disseminated information about disaster assistance to 7.2 million New Jersey residents through bill inserts, newsletters, signage and other means.

“One fast-food chain, which asked to remain anonymous, distributed 7,000 sandwiches with disaster-assistance information at 32 distribution points in three counties,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Gracia Szczech of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “That’s just one example of how essential the private sector is to a strong recovery effort.”

Immediately after Sandy struck, specialists with FEMA’s Private Sector Division in External Affairs deployed to New Jersey to work with chambers of commerce, industry associations, individual companies, colleges and universities and other organizations.

Lincroft, N.J., Feb. 12, 2013 — Kathy Cook, Public Information Officer for Small Business Administration, explains her role in assisting Sandy survivors to roundtable of federal and insurance industry partners. Rosanna Arias/FEMA.Response was immediate. Utility companies inserted messages in billing statements, reaching 3.3 million customers. The South Jersey Transportation Authority featured registration information on its Vehicle Messaging Systems at toll plazas, and the ticker messaging system on its website, reaching an estimated 2.9 million people a month.

Chambers, associations and businesses shared FEMA’s electronic newsletter (the E-News Update) for the private sector stakeholders with their memberships and contacts. The access to recovery information proved invaluable to their members and had far-reaching effects.

“To have the opportunity to interact directly with representatives, ask questions and get answers has helped not only members, but their clients as well,” said New Jersey Association of Realtors Chief Executive Officer Jarrod Grasso. “The recovery process in the aftermath of Sandy has not been easy, but getting the correct facts to our members has relieved a great deal of the uncertainty related to flood maps, insurance and elevation that so many New Jersey residents felt.”

Hazlet, N.J., July 27, 2013 — A homeowner discusses storm preparation and prevention with Federal Emergency Management Agency Mitigation specialist Mark Rollins and External Affairs specialist Art Goetz at the Home Depot Hurricane Workshop in Hazlet, New Jersey. The multi-state event shares information on how to prepare for storms like Sandy. Rosanna Arias/FEMA Two FEMA program areas, Private Sector and the Federal Disaster Recovery Coordination group, facilitated an Insurance Industry Roundtable. The resulting public-private partnership engaged the insurance industry in a series of four meetings to explore how to enhance and expedite the disaster assistance process. A roundtable work group identified issues impeding the process and then developed recommendations that were submitted to President Obama’s Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force.

The private sector reached out in more basic ways as well. Sometimes it was as simple as offering a space to work. Operation Photo Rescue, a nonprofit organization of volunteer photojournalists from around the country, wanted to help Sandy survivors restore treasured photos. The organization began helping disaster survivors during Hurricane Katrina recovery. Volunteers need to set up a temporary shop close enough for survivors to access the free services.

“Finding a place for us to host our copy run was turning into a major problem as we could not secure a building close enough to where Sandy hit,” said Operation Photo Rescue President Margie Hayes. “We were coming up empty handed until Chris Spyridon, regional pro sales manager for Home Depot, offered us space at a Home Depot in Seaside Heights.”

The business of recovery is long-term, and an important part of that is preparedness, which not only helps individuals survive a disaster but can help businesses endure as well. FEMA’s Private Sector specialists have covered the state to help executives and officials understand the need for a continuity plan so work continues once the emergency is over. Montclair State University recorded FEMA’s preparedness webinar to share with all of New Jersey’s colleges and universities.

Amy Ferdinand, the university’s director of Environmental Health and Safety, said, “With the recent trend of ever-increasing disasters – whether natural or manmade – being the ‘new normal,’ there is a definite need among business leaders and stakeholders to become better informed on the topic of continuity and business planning.”

Video-links: Partnering for Preparedness, Jenkinson’s Aquarium Continuity Plan Works,
Serenity Spa Open for Business

Next in the One Year Later series: the role of Environmental and Historic Preservation in disaster recovery.

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.

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New Jersey Private Sector Gets Down to Business with Sandy Recovery

A Year After Hurricane Sandy: New Jersey Recovery By The Numbers

Sandy facts

October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy strikes with a storm surge weather experts had never seen before
37,000 primary residences destroyed or damaged
8.7 million cubic yards of debris left behind
2.7 million New Jerseyans without power

The first 48 hours

548 FEMA specialists on the ground in New Jersey
Three mobile disaster recovery centers open
3 States responded with Emergency Medical Services – 385 people
8 Disaster Medical Assistance Teams and U.S. Public Health Strike Teams arrive
October 31, 2012, the first FEMA Individuals and Household Program disbursement of $155,027

Response milestones at one year

More than $5.67 billion in total federal assistance approved for Individual Assistance grants, SBA low-interest disaster loans, National Flood Insurance Program payments and Public Assistance grants.

Individual Assistance

More than $413 million approved for individuals and households including:
- Nearly $356 million for housing assistance
- More than $56.6 million for other needs, including clothing, household items, disaster-related damage to a vehicle, and disaster-related medical and dental expenses
More than 261, 000 people contacted FEMA for help or information
127,046 housing inspections completed
36 disaster recovery centers opened
90,000 visits to disaster recovery centers
5,546 individuals and families housed temporarily in hotel rooms under the Transitional Sheltering Assistance program
3,410 survivors received disaster unemployment assistance

U.S. Small Business Administration

More than $819.8 million in SBA low-interest disaster loans approved for homeowners, renters and businesses

National Flood Insurance Program

More than $3.5 billion paid on all claims in flood insurance payments made to policyholders

Public Assistance

More than $926 million was approved in FEMA Public Assistance grants to communities and some nonprofit organizations that serve the public
4,959 projects approved so far

A whole community response

507 voluntary agencies were involved in recovery
More than 1.6 million meals and 1.4 million liters of water were distributed
21 languages were used to communicate assistance information to survivors
More than 1 million multilingual fliers were distributed
Nearly 8.7 million cubic yards of debris was removed
At peak, more than 2,429 people were deployed to New Jersey by FEMA and other federal agencies
36 federal agencies assisted FEMA during Hurricane Sandy in New York
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers received 335 requests for generators – 106 installed at peak
Approximately 300,000 pounds of food was provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
The Defense Logistics Agency delivered 2.3 million gallons of fuel to distribution points in New York and New Jersey
The Port of New Jersey was closed to incoming and outgoing vessel traffic because of Superstorm Sandy, according the U.S. Coast Guard

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A Year After Hurricane Sandy: New Jersey Recovery By The Numbers

One Year Later: Mitigation Efforts Paid Off For Highlands Restaurateurs

LINCROFT, N.J. — One month after Superstorm Sandy, Dan Shields and his business partner, Robert Higgins, were thanking their lucky stars.

Their waterfront restaurant, Windansea in Highlands, had withstood the raging flood tides and winds of Sandy with only relatively minor damage.

Atlantic Highlands, N.J., Oct. 10, 2013 — The Windansea restaurant withstood flood tides and winds with minimal damage from Hurricane Sandy. By renovating with FEMA’s building recommendations prior to Sandy, the restaurant was able to open shortly after storm. Rosanna Arias/FEMAThe rest of Highlands was not so fortunate. Flood waters had inundated dozens of homes and businesses in the low-lying sections of the borough. Debris littered the streets; a mobile home park on the north side of the borough was in shambles.

As flood waters receded in the business district, store owners had to reckon with the physical destruction of their businesses and the loss of their livelihoods.

Many of Shields’ and Higgins’ fellow restaurateurs were essentially out of business for the long term, faced with major damage from the storm.

What saved Windansea?

The borough’s new building code that required properties in flood zones to comply with tough new Federal Emergency Management standards. “We had to stick to ‘V’ zone construction,” said Shields, referring to the strictest standards for properties located in high-risk flood zones. “I felt like we were the poster child for FEMA.”

When the business partners bought the restaurant in 2000 for $690,000, they planned to invest approximately $300,000 in renovating the old restaurant, formerly known as Branin’s Wharf. But as work on the building progressed, hidden problems came to the surface. “It was just a terrible, terrible building.” Ultimately, more than 50 percent of the existing building had to be demolished. One day, as they worked on the restaurant, officials from FEMA and the borough drove up and told them to stop work. “You’ve got to do it our way,” they told the partners.

The structure would have to be rebuilt in compliance with FEMA standards for “V” zone construction, the strictest standard that applies to properties at high risk of flooding.

Atlantic Highlands, N.J., Oct. 10, 2013 — Hurricane Sandy damaged many businesses along the waterfront with floodwater and wind. The Windansea Restaurant received little damage because of mitigation measures taken prior to Hurricane Sandy. Rosanna Arias/FEMA To put it mildly, the partners were not happy. The shoestring budget they had assembled to pay for what they thought would be a fairly simple remodeling job wouldn’t cover the extensive construction that the town demanded. “It was a completely different animal from buying a little restaurant and (fixing it up),” Shields said.

Making the bayfront building flood-resistant required driving 80 pilings that measured 12 inches in diameter into the ground to a depth of 30 to 40 feet, reinforcing the roof and walls with steel rods and connecting the elements of the entire structure with steel plates and structural steel to hold the floor to the walls.

The project took a year longer than the partners anticipated and cost over $1 million more than they had originally budgeted.

“I felt like I was victimized,” Shields told the Asbury Park Press a few weeks after the storm, “like FEMA was trying to prove a point, trying to flex their muscles and trying to take it out on a little guy like me.”

He doesn’t feel that way anymore.

Though the building sustained some damage to its first floor lobbies and outdoor Tiki bar, Windansea was able to re-open less than three weeks after the storm. “There was not a crack in the sheetrock, not a thing out of place.”

Video-links: Avanti Linens Recovery and Mitigation Efforts, NJ Stronger Than The Storm Ribbon Cutting

Next, the One Year Later series examines the ways in which New Jersey’s private sector got down to business to aid in the recovery process.

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One Year Later: Mitigation Efforts Paid Off For Highlands Restaurateurs

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