WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal emergency aid has been made available to the State of Louisiana to supplement state and local response efforts in the areas affected by flooding during the period of December 28, 2015 to February 1, 2016.

The President’s action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts that have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the parishes of Concordia, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Landry, St. Mary, Terrebonne, and West Feliciana.

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.  Emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding.

Gerard M. Stolar has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal response operations in the affected area.  

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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President Obama Signs Emergency Declaration for Louisiana

OXFORD, Miss. – As the income tax season nears, December storm survivors don’t have to worry that the disaster assistance they received from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency or from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will boost their tax bill or reduce their Social Security checks or any other federal benefits.

Disaster assistance for temporary housing, essential home repairs, replacement of personal property or for other serious needs does not count as income. Disaster relief payments from the government or donations from charitable organizations will not affect Social Security payments or Medicare benefits. And, disaster recovery grants will not affect any recipient’s eligibility for Medicaid, welfare assistance, food stamps or Aid to Families with Dependent Children. Grants for disaster recovery assistance are not counted as income in determining eligibility for any income-tested benefit programs that the U.S. government funds.

As of Jan. 25, FEMA has awarded nearly $2 million in disaster assistance to Mississippians affected by the December disaster. Storm survivors have until March 4, 2016, to register with FEMA for disaster assistance by using any of the following methods:

  • By phone, call 800-621-FEMA (3362) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Assistance is available in most languages. People who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired may call (TTY) 800-462-7585.
  • Online at DisasterAssistance.gov by computer, tablet, iPhone, Android or other mobile device.
  • By 711 or video relay services, call 800-621-3362.

Eligibility for FEMA assistance is not dependent on income. The amount of disaster assistance an eligible applicant receives is based on the amount of loss and damage incurred as a direct result of the recent storms and flooding and the amount of their insurance settlement, if any.

After registering with FEMA, some survivors receive a disaster loan application from the U.S. Small Business Administration. By submitting the SBA disaster loan application, survivors keep the full range of disaster assistance available as an option. SBA may refer applicants who do not qualify for a home loan to FEMA for grants to replace essential household items and replace or repair a damaged vehicle. But if survivors do not submit their disaster loan applications, further assistance may stop. Survivors are not required to accept a loan offer.

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All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).

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.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

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Disaster Aid Does Not Affect Income Tax or Government Benefits for Mississippi Disaster Survivors

AUSTIN, Texas – State and federal recovery officials encourage Texas residents to watch for and report any suspicious activity or potential fraud from scam artists, identity thieves and other criminals who may try to prey on survivors vulnerable due to the October severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) does not endorse any commercial businesses, products or services. FEMA encourages survivors to be especially vigilant for these common post-disaster fraud practices:

Fraudulent building contractors. When hiring a contractor:

o Use licensed local contractors backed by reliable references.

o Demand that contractors carry general liability insurance and workers’ compensation.

o Don’t pay more than half the costs of repairs upfront.

Bogus pleas for post-disaster donations: Unscrupulous solicitors may play on the emotions of disaster survivors. Disaster aid solicitations may arrive by phone, email, letter or face-to-face visits.

o Verify legitimate solicitations by asking for the charity’s exact name, street address, phone number and Web address, then phone the charity directly and confirm that the person asking for funds is an employee or volunteer.

o Don’t pay donations with cash.

o Request a receipt with the charity’s name, street address, phone number.

Fake offers of state or federal aid:

o Beware of visits, calls or e-mails — claiming to be from FEMA or the State of Texas — asking for an applicant’s Social Security number, bank account number or other sensitive information. Avoid scam artists who promise a disaster grant and ask for large cash deposits or advance payments in full.

o Federal and state workers do not solicit or accept money. FEMA and U.S. Small Business Administration staff never charge applicants for disaster assistance, inspections or help in filling out applications.

Phony housing inspectors: Homeowners and registered FEMA applicants may be vulnerable to phony housing inspectors claiming to represent FEMA or the SBA.

o Inspectors have each applicant’s nine-digit registration number. FEMA inspectors NEVER require banking or other personal information.

o The job of FEMA housing inspectors is to verify damage. Inspectors do not hire or endorse specific contractors to fix homes or recommend repairs. They do not determine eligibility for assistance.

If you suspect fraud, call the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721. If you are the victim of a home repair scam or price gouging, call the Office of the Texas Attorney General at 800-252-8011. Texas homeowners and renters who register for disaster assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), prior to the Jan. 25 deadline, are encouraged by recovery officials to “stay in touch.” Survivors changing their address or phone numbers should update that information with FEMA. Missing or erroneous information could result in delays getting a home inspection or in receiving assistance.

Survivors with questions regarding the application or the appeals process, or who need to register for assistance may visit online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. (TTY users should call 800-462-7585.) The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available. For more information on Texas recovery, visit the disaster web page at www.fema.gov/disaster/4245, Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the Texas Division of Emergency Management website, https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem.

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All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).

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.

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

Visit www.fema.gov/texas-disaster-mitigation for publications and reference material on rebuilding and repairing safer and stronger.

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Beware: Disaster Recovery is Fertile Ground for Fraud and Scam Artists

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Mississippi to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding during the period of December 23-28, 2015.

The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Benton, Coahoma, Marshall, Quitman, and Tippah counties

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.     

Federal funding also is available to state and eligible local and tribal governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work as a result of the severe storms and flooding in Benton, Marshall, and Tippah counties.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Joe M. Girot has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Girot said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

Follow FEMA online at http://blog.fema.gov, 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.

Visit source: 

President Declares Major Disaster for Mississippi

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal emergency aid has been made available to the State of Missouri to supplement state, tribal, and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions in the area affected by severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding beginning on December 22, 2015, and continuing.

The President’s action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in Audrain, Barry, Barton, Bollinger, Boone, Butler, Callaway, Camden, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Cedar, Christian, Clark, Cole, Cooper, Crawford, Dallas, Dent, Douglas, Dunklin, Franklin, Gasconade, Greene, Hickory, Howard, Howell, Iron, Jasper, Jefferson, Laclede, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Madison, Maries, Marion, McDonald, Miller, Mississippi, Moniteau, Montgomery, Morgan, New Madrid, Newton, Oregon, Osage, Ozark, Pemiscot, Perry, Phelps, Pike, Polk, Pulaski, Ralls, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Francois, St. Louis,  Ste. Genevieve, Stoddard, Stone, Taney, Texas, Vernon, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Wright counties and the independent City of St. Louis.

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.  Debris removal and emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding. 

Michael L. Parker has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal response operations in the affected area.  Parker said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

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.

Continued here – 

President Obama Signs Emergency Declaration for Missouri

AUSTIN, Texas – A State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is now open in Liberty County for homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage as a result of the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding from Oct. 22 to Oct. 31.

Specialists from the State of Texas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), nongovernmental organizations and the local community are on hand to answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available to survivors.

All Disaster Recovery Centers are accessible and equipped to accommodate disaster survivors who need disability-related communication aids.

The DRC’s location and normal operating hours are as follows:

Liberty County Community Center

318 San Jacinto St.

Liberty, TX 77575

9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday – Friday
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday
Closed Sunday
All DRCs will close at 2 p.m. on Dec. 31 and will be closed for the holiday Jan. 1 to Jan. 3

Disaster survivors who have questions may call the FEMA Helpline, except on Jan. 1.

Visiting a DRC is not required to register for FEMA assistance. Survivors can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. (TTY users should call 800-462-7585.) The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week except Jan. 1. 

If possible, register for FEMA assistance by phone or online before visiting a center. Going to a DRC is not a requirement of registration, but specialists there can provide guidance regarding disaster recovery and rental resources, explain written correspondence received from FEMA, inform survivors of the status of their application, make referrals to other organizations and answer questions.

When registering applicants will be asked to provide:

  • Social Security number
  • Address of the damaged primary residence
  • Description of the damage
  • Information about insurance coverage
  • A current contact telephone number
  • An address where they can receive mail
  • Bank account and routing numbers for those preferring direct deposit of funds

The presidential disaster declaration of Nov. 25 makes federal assistance available to eligible individuals and business owners in 16 counties: Bastrop, Brazoria, Caldwell, Cameron, Comal, Galveston, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Hays, Hidalgo, Liberty, Navarro, Travis, Willacy and Wilson.

Assistance for eligible survivors can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and for other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses or funeral and burial costs. Also, low-interest disaster loans from the SBA are available for Businesses of all sizes (including landlords), private nonprofits, homeowners and renters.

Low-interest disaster loans help fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. Economic Injury disaster loans are available to businesses and private-nonprofits to assist with working capital needs as a direct result of the disaster.

Eligible survivors should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but under-insured applicants may receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.

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All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).

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. 

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

Visit www.fema.gov/texas-disaster-mitigation for publications and reference material on rebuilding and repairing safer and stronger.

Continue at source: 

Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Liberty County for Texans

WASHINGTON – This week, the Fifth Annual Building Resilience through Public-Private Partnerships Conference was held in New Orleans, Louisiana.  The conference was hosted this year by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and brought together innovators from the private sector, nonprofits, and state, local, and tribal governments to pursue strategies to build a more resilient nation.

Each year, the conference attracts hundreds of participants who look to promote innovation in furthering ongoing partnerships and resiliency.  Key topics of discussion included: Executive Perspectives on Investing in Business Resilience; Harnessing Technology to Positively Disrupt the Status Quo; The Smart City of 2025: Innovations for a Resilient Future;  and action planning sessions to include Addressing Cyber Threats Now and into the Future and Disaster Collaboration Simulation Exercise.

The conference was held in partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security through the National Protection and Programs Directorate and Private Sector Office, and North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command and in collaboration with the American Logistics Aid Network, the American Red Cross, Business Forward, Business Executives for National Security, National Incident Management Systems and Advanced Technologies at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Corporate Citizenship Center.

Leaders from government, private sector and non-profits discussed the importance of strong partnerships across the whole community, and spoke about how their relationships helped to get the right resources to people in need more quickly.  Exercises held during the week further exposed opportunities for conference participants to make new partnerships and better understand the resources and expertise that different organizations can offer throughout disaster response and recovery efforts.

Speakers included:  FEMA Administrator, Craig Fugate;  U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary for the Private Sector, José Raúl Perales;  DHS Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection, Caitlin Durkovich,; FEMA Deputy Associate Administrator for Insurance and Mitigation, Roy Wright; FEMA Director, Office of External Affairs, Josh Batkin; DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection, Bob Kolasky; and American Red Cross, Senior Vice President, Disaster Cycle Services, Richard Reed.  

 “The private sector is an essential member of the team,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “The more resilient businesses are, the quicker they can recover and provide critical goods and services to help their communities rebuild. Fostering strong working relationships between the private sector, emergency management, and the whole community is great business for everyone, especially the disaster survivor.”

With this public-private partnership approach, conference partners committed to taking action and promoting information sharing to facilitate greater understanding of the whole community roles and better leverage existing programs to promote meaningful outcomes to drive resiliency.

Conference participants took away concrete action plans and a collection of shared resources that they can implement immediately to further their organization’s resilience and nurture new partnerships. The development of a public-private sector national framework for information sharing and a public-private sector model to facilitate successful partnerships at all levels are an example of the commitments made. FEMA and its Private Sector Division are committed to leading the charge on continued identification of solutions to coordination gaps and strengthen the understanding of roles between the public and private sectors to build national resilience and successful public-private partnerships.

For additional information, visit the 2015 Building Resilience through Public-Private Partnerships Conference page and follow the conversation at:  #PPPWayForward.

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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 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.

Link: 

Public-Private Partnership Conference held in New Orleans

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas homeowners and renters who have registered for disaster assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are encouraged by recovery officials to “stay in touch.”

If survivors change their address or phone numbers they should update that information with FEMA. Missing or erroneous information could result in delays getting a home inspection or in receiving assistance.

“We understand that survivors move around a lot as they adapt to their new normal,” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Kevin L. Hannes “But we always need to know your current address and contact number so we can make sure assistance goes to the right place.”

FEMA has provided three ways for homeowners and renters to update their information:

  • Log on to the FEMA website at DisasterAssistance.gov to upload documents
  • Call the toll-free FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 (800-462-7585 for TTY users)
  • Visit any Disaster Recovery Center

When updating status information, callers should refer to the nine-digit number issued at registration. This number is on all correspondence applicants receive from FEMA and is a key identifier in tracking assistance requests.

Applicants may call the FEMA Helpline to ask questions about disaster assistance and track the progress of their FEMA application.

Residents of 16 Texas counties who sustained damage or loss as a result of the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding from Oct. 22 to Oct. 31 may be eligible for federal disaster assistance. The counties are: Bastrop, Brazoria, Caldwell, Cameron, Comal, Galveston, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Hays, Hidalgo, Liberty, Navarro, Travis, Willacy and Wilson.

Survivors can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. TTY users should call 800-462-7585. The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Applicants will be asked to provide:

  • Social Security number
  • Address of the damaged primary residence
  • Description of the damage
  • Information about insurance coverage
  • A current contact telephone number
  • An address where they can receive mail
  • Bank account and routing numbers for those preferring direct deposit of funds

For more information on Texas recovery, visit the disaster web page at www.fema.gov/disaster/4245, Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the Texas Division of Emergency Management website, https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem.

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All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).

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. 

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

Visit www.fema.gov/texas-disaster-mitigation for publications and reference material on rebuilding and repairing safer and stronger.

Visit site:

Applied For Disaster Assistance? Texans Should ‘Stay in Touch’ with FEMA

DENTON, Texas — The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently awarded more than $63.6 million to the state of New Mexico for road repairs and hazard mitigation as a result of severe storms and flooding in September 2014. A federal disaster declaration (DR-4199-NM) designated eight counties eligible for Public Assistance grants.

This award provides $63,602,780 in federal funding to Eddy County for permanent repairs and hazard mitigation to 24 aggregate, asphalt, and chip-and-seal roadways. A total of 111 miles of county roads sustained base and surface erosion due to flooding.

The FEMA grant includes more than $35.3 million for permanent road repairs. Another $28.3 million in funding is for hazard mitigation – measures taken to avoid future damage from flooding. This funding is provided to raise the roadways where additional elevation will prevent the road from becoming a water drainage channel.

“We are committed to working with our state partners to assist communities as they recover from natural disasters and rebuild critical infrastructure,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “This grant will help Eddy County rebuild roads to withstand flood waters in the future.”

FEMA obligates funding for this project directly to the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Following the state’s review process and upon receipt of appropriate documentation, it will provide funds to Eddy County on a reimbursable basis.

FEMA Public Assistance grants pay the federal share of the eligible costs for the work and will cover 75 percent of the work performed on this road project. The funding is provided by FEMA under authority of Section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Act.

The mission of FEMA’s Public Assistance Grant Program is to provide assistance to state, tribal and local governments, and certain types of private nonprofit organizations so communities can respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies declared by the president. Learn more about FEMA’s Public Assistance at http://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit.

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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 www.twitter.com/femaregion6 , on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA and visit the FEMA blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

Taken from:

FEMA Awards $63.6 million to New Mexico for Road Repairs in Eddy County

AUSTIN, Texas – A State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is now open in Cameron County for homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage as a result of the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding from Oct. 22 to Oct. 31.

Specialists from the State of Texas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), nongovernmental organizations and the local community are on hand to answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available to survivors.

All Disaster Recovery Centers are accessible and equipped to accommodate disaster survivors who need disability-related communication aids.

The DRC’s location and normal operating hours are as follows:

Bob Clark Social Service Center
9901 California Road
Brownsville, TX 78521
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday – Friday

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday
Closed Sunday
Closed Dec. 23 to Dec. 27 for the Holiday

Disaster survivors who have questions may call the FEMA Helpline.

Visiting a DRC is not required to register for FEMA assistance. Survivors can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. (TTY users should call 800-462-7585.) The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week except Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. 

If possible, register for FEMA assistance by phone or online before visiting a center. Going to a DRC is not a requirement of registration, but specialists there can provide guidance regarding disaster recovery and rental resources, explain written correspondence received from FEMA, inform survivors of the status of their application, make referrals to other organizations and answer questions.

When registering applicants will be asked to provide:

  • Social Security number
  • Address of the damaged primary residence
  • Description of the damage
  • Information about insurance coverage
  • A current contact telephone number
  • An address where they can receive mail
  • Bank account and routing numbers for those preferring direct deposit of funds

The presidential disaster declaration of Nov. 25 makes federal assistance available to eligible individuals and business owners in 16 counties: Bastrop, Brazoria, Caldwell, Cameron, Comal, Galveston, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Hays, Hidalgo, Liberty, Navarro, Travis, Willacy and Wilson.

Assistance for eligible survivors can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and for other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses or funeral and burial costs. Also, low-interest disaster loans from the SBA are available for Businesses of all sizes (including landlords), private nonprofits, homeowners and renters.

Low-interest disaster loans help fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. Economic Injury disaster loans are available to businesses and private-nonprofits to assist with working capital needs as a direct result of the disaster.

Eligible survivors should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but under-insured applicants may receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.

###

All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).

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. 

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

Visit www.fema.gov/texas-disaster-mitigation for publications and reference material on rebuilding and repairing safer and stronger.

Read more: 

Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Cameron County for Texans

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