FEMA Ineligibility Letters May Not Be the Last Word

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Some disaster survivors affected by the severe storms and flooding in South Carolina may receive a letter from the Federal Emergency Management Agency saying they are ineligible for disaster assistance.

If that happens, do not be alarmed or discouraged. It may mean that FEMA does not have all the information needed to make a decision regarding an applicant’s disaster assistance.

Several reasons exist for why flood survivors receive ineligibility determination letters and yet may be eligible for assistance. For example, the applicant may still need to:

  • Return insurance information;
  • Provide information to prove occupancy or ownership of the damaged property;
  • Fill out all necessary paperwork; or
  • Complete and return the U.S. Small Business Administration loan application.  

Applicants with insurance should contact their insurance company and ask for a settlement letter detailing exactly what is covered under their claim. They should mail insurance settlement information to FEMA – Individuals and Households Program, National Processing Service Center, P.O. Box 10055, Hyattsville, MD 20782-7055.

Flood survivors have up to 12 months from the date they registered with FEMA to submit insurance information for review. FEMA cannot provide money to individuals or households for losses already covered by insurance.

FEMA reminds applicants to return the completed SBA loan application even if they choose to decline the loan. Completing the loan application is a necessary step if applicants are to be considered for some other forms of disaster assistance.

Applicants who wish to appeal a decision may do so in writing within 60 days from the date the ineligibility letter was received. Guidelines for appeals can be found in the Applicant’s Handbook sent to everyone who registered with FEMA.

Flood survivors who need to update their application information or have any questions about disaster assistance can call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362.  Phone lines are open from 7 a.m. to10 p.m., seven days a week until further notice.

People can apply for FEMA assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.

They can call 800-621-3362 toll free from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily until further notice. Multilingual operators are available.

Disaster survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585. If survivors use 711 or VRS (Video Relay Service) or require accommodations while visiting a center, call 800-621- 3362. All disaster recovery centers are accessible and equipped with tools to accommodate survivors who need disability-related communication aids.

Survivors can visit a state/FEMA disaster recovery center. To find the nearest DRC go to http://asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm.        

 

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FEMA Ineligibility Letters May Not Be the Last Word

South Carolina Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Richland County

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Two disaster recovery centers are open in Richland County to help South Carolina flood survivors. The centers are open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week.

Representatives from the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Small Business Administration and other agencies will be at the centers to explain disaster assistance programs and help survivors apply for aid.

The disaster recovery centers are located at the following addresses:

Richland County
Richland Library Southeast
7421 Garners Ferry Road
Columbia

Richland County
Richland Library Eastover
608 Main Street
Eastover

If possible, before going to a disaster recovery center, people with flooding losses should register with FEMA.  They can go online to DisasterAssistance.gov or call 800-621-3362. Help is available in most languages, and lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week until further notice.

Disaster assistance applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing should call 800-462-7585 (TTY). For Video Relay Service or accommodations to visit a center, call 800-621-3362.

Federal disaster assistance for individuals and families can include money for temporary rental assistance and essential home repairs for primary residences not covered by insurance.

Low-interest disaster loans from the Small Business Administration are also available to help with business, homeowner and renter uninsured losses.

Survivors and businesses should first register with FEMA and may obtain information on SBA disaster loan applications by calling 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for people who are deaf or hard of hearing) or online. They may also apply online.

Find the nearest disaster recovery center.

 

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.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

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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South Carolina Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Richland County

FEMA Continues to Support Response Efforts to Severe Winter Weather

Residents Urged to Continue Following Guidance from Local Officials

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) continues to closely coordinate with impacted and potentially impacted states in the path of a severe winter storm, through its National Response Coordination Center in Washington D.C. and its regional offices in Atlanta, Boston, New York City and Philadelphia.

Today, President Obama declared an emergency for all counties in the State of South Carolina, at the request of Governor Nikki Haley, authorizing FEMA to support the state in its efforts to respond to the storm. The declaration comes in addition to the President’s Emergency Declaration for 91 counties in the State of Georgia yesterday, at the request of Governor Nathan Deal.

FEMA has deployed an Incident Management Assistance Team to the Georgia Emergency Operations Center in Atlanta, along with liaisons to the state emergency operations centers in Georgia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia to facilitate close coordination with the states. FEMA has activated its Regional Response Coordination Centers in Atlanta and Philadelphia, and continues to be in close contact with state, tribal and local partners in impacted and potentially impacted areas and stands ready to support its partners, if requested and needed.

FEMA has also established an Incident Support Base in Augusta, Georgia where additional federal teams are on the ground. Commodities including generators, meals, water, blankets, and cots are being moved to that location. At all times, FEMA maintains commodities, including millions of liters of water, millions of meals and hundreds of thousands of blankets strategically located at distribution centers throughout the United States and its territories, including Atlanta, Ga. and Frederick, Md., if needed and requested.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration is helping facilitate the expedited movement of utility trucks and personnel in Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina which includes bypassing weigh stations as long as they are under the legal weight requirements.

According to the National Weather Service, dangerous ice and snow and is expected to intensify this evening as the storm moves up the Eastern Seaboard, affecting locations across the mid-Atlantic and Northeast. More than one inch of ice accumulation is possible from central Georgia into South Carolina through Thursday morning. Residents along the path of the storm can find their local forecast at www.weather.gov.

When natural disasters like severe weather strike, the first responders are local emergency and public works personnel, volunteers, humanitarian organizations, and private organizations who provide emergency assistance required to protect the public’s health and safety and to meet immediate human needs.

FEMA encourages residents and visitors in the track of the storms to follow the instructions of state, local and tribal officials, and monitor NOAA Weather Radio and their local news for updates and directions provided by local officials. Residents can find trusted sources for weather and preparedness information via Twitter on FEMA’s Social Hub here: http://www.fema.gov/social-hub

Wireless Emergency Alerts are currently being sent directly to many cell phones on participating wireless carrier networks. These alerts are sent by public safety officials such as the National Weather Service about imminent threats like severe weather. They look like a text message and show the type and time of the alert, any action you should take, and the agency issuing the alert. More information on Wireless Emergency Alerts is available at http://www.ready.gov/alerts.  Individuals can check with their cellular carrier to determine if their phone or wireless device is WEA-enabled. 

FEMA encourages all Americans to visit www.ready.gov or www.listo.gov to learn more about how to be better prepared and how to protect your family during emergencies.

Generator Safety

Carbon monoxide or CO is a colorless and odorless gas that is emitted from fuel burning appliances, like generators, or machines that are not working or venting properly. Breathing in high levels of Carbon Monoxide can be fatal and kills more than 150 Americans annually. FEMA recommends the following steps to protect your family from the dangers of carbon monoxide:

  • Install and maintain CO alarms inside your home to provide early warning
  • Install CO alarms in a central location outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of your home
  • Use portable generators outdoors in well-ventilated areas away from all doors, windows and vents
  • Make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove and fireplace are clear of snow and other debris, and
  • Remove vehicles from the garage immediately after starting.

For more information and winter preparedness tips, please visit: www.usfa.fema.gov to find out more on carbon monoxide and fire safety.

Preparing for Severe Winter Weather

Get to know the terms that are used to identify winter storm hazards and discuss with your family what to do if a winter storm watch or warning is issued.

  • A Winter Weather Advisory means cold, ice and snow are expected.
  • A Winter Storm Watch means severe weather such as heavy snow or ice is possible in the next day or two.
  • A Winter Storm Warning means severe winter conditions have begun or will begin very soon.
  • An Ice Storm Warning is when freezing rain produces a significant and possibly damaging accumulation of ice.
  • Freezing Rain creates a coating of ice on roads and walkways.
  • Sleet is rain that turns to ice pellets before reaching the ground. Sleet also causes roads to freeze and become slippery.

Avoid traveling by car, but if you must, make sure you have an emergency supply kit in the trunk of your car. FEMA encourages families to maintain an emergency supply kit both at home and in the car to help prepare for winter power outages and icy or impassable roads.

An emergency supply kit should include a three-day supply of food and water, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio and extra flashlights and batteries.  Thoroughly check and update your family’s emergency supply kit and add the following supplies in preparation for winter weather:

  • Rock salt to melt ice on walkways;
  • Sand to improve traction;
  • Snow shovels and other snow removal equipment; and
  • Adequate clothing and blankets to help keep you warm.

Ensure your family preparedness plan and contacts are up to date. Learn about the emergency plans that have been established in your area by your state and local government, and ensure your home and car are prepared for the winter weather.

For more information and winter preparedness tips, please visit: www.ready.gov/winter-weather or www.listo.gov  to find out how you can prepare your family for winter storms and other disasters.

 

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. 

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FEMA Continues to Support Response Efforts to Severe Winter Weather

President Obama Signs South Carolina Emergency Declaration

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 South Carolina to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from a severe winter storm on February 10, 2014, 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 all counties of the State of South Carolina.

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, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding. 

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

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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.

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President Obama Signs South Carolina Emergency Declaration

FEMA Grants More Than $1.7 Million To South Carolina To Update Flood Maps And Flood Risk Data

ATLANTA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that a grant of more than $1.7 million will be awarded to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources in support of its floodplain mapping program.

FEMA will provide $1,757,805 in federal funds toward projects to improve existing flood insurance rate maps and flood risk data, which will strengthen local communities’ ability to understand and communicate their flood risk and make informed decisions about flood risk reduction.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources will update flood maps and develop a watershed report for the Seneca Watershed including Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties.  This funding will also help the following communities identify areas at risk for flooding and solutions for reducing that risk: the Upper Savannah, Middle Savannah and the Stevens watersheds including Abbeville, Anderson, Greenwood, McCormick, Aiken, Allendale, Barnwell, Edgefield, Greenwood, McCormick and Saluda counties. Flood risk data will also be developed for: Clarendon, Orangeburg, Williamsburg, Greenwood, Laurens, and Newberry counties; for the entire Congaree River Watershed including Calhoun, Lexington and Richland counties; and for Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Georgetown, Horry and Jasper counties.

Flood maps and flood risk data are being updated for communities across the country with the ultimate goal of protecting property owners and the community from the risks associated with flooding. This is a collaborative process, during which FEMA works closely with states and local communities to incorporate the latest and most accurate information into flood risk products.

Flood risks can change over time due to factors such as construction and development, environmental changes, floodplain widening or shifting, and other natural or manmade changes—which is why it’s important that flood maps and flood risk data are updated periodically to reflect these changes. Additionally, the information developed for these projects will be more precise because the latest science available is applied in gathering flood risk data and creating flood maps.

Updated flood maps and flood risk data will ultimately assist local area governments in planning for future development and rebuilding efforts.

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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FEMA Grants More Than $1.7 Million To South Carolina To Update Flood Maps And Flood Risk Data

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