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Deadline For Requests For Public Assistance Is Approaching

SANTA FE – State agencies, tribal and local governments, certain private nonprofit organizations and community ditch associations in counties hit hard by the July 23 through 28 storms and flooding
must turn in their Requests for Public Assistance (RPA) during the Public Assistance Applicants briefings conducted by the State of New Mexico. These briefings will take place no later than November 16.

Filing such a request with the state is the first step in the process of applying for federal reimbursements under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Public Assistance (PA) Grant Program.

The grants are obligated to the state to reimburse eligible applicants for expenses incurred while taking emergency measures to protect lives and property; cleaning up downed trees, power poles and other debris; and repairing public infrastructure, including roads, bridges and public utilities. Under a cost-sharing formula, FEMA reimburses the state for 75 percent of the total costs, while the state and/or applicant pay the remaining 25 percent.

The counties and pueblos covered by the existing declaration are: Bernalillo, Colfax, Luna, Sandoval, and Socorro counties and the Cochiti, Kewa (Santa Domingo), San Felipe, and Sandia Pueblos.

Public entities in these counties and pueblos which haven’t reported damages from the July 23-28 storms are urged to report them to their local emergency managers.

“We urge all eligible applicants to attend these briefings and make their requests for assistance,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Nancy Casper. “The Requests for Public Assistance start the process of getting their eligible costs reimbursed, which helps get communities back on track.”

Although the program is oriented to public entities, private nonprofit organizations may apply directly to FEMA via the RPA for uninsured costs of debris removal and emergency protective measures. Additionally, nonprofits may qualify for FEMA assistance to make infrastructure repairs if they provide critical services, such as fire and emergency rescue; medical treatment; power, water and sewer resources; and communications systems.

Officials in these counties and pueblos who have questions about the Public Assistance Applicants briefings should contact Brian Williams at 505-476-9601.

Details of the PA program are on FEMA’s website at www.fema.gov/government/grant/pa/index.shtm.
More information on New Mexico disaster recovery is available online at www.nmdhsem.org/

The New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) is the state’s homeland security and emergency management agency. The agency works to identify and lessen the effects of emergencies, disasters and threats to New Mexico by developing effective prevention, preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery actions for all disasters and emergencies.

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 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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Deadline For Requests For Public Assistance Is Approaching

Third Extension Approved for Transitional Sheltering Assistance

DENVER – At the state’s request, FEMA has approved a third extension to the Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program, which pays for eligible flood evacuees to stay in participating hotels and motels.

Individuals and families who are still being assessed regarding their housing needs may continue to be eligible for TSA through Nov. 16 (checkout Nov. 17). The previous checkout date was Nov. 3.

TSA allows eligible individuals and families to stay temporarily in participating hotels, with FEMA and the state picking up the bill for eligible room costs and taxes.

Survivors may no longer have a need for TSA if their home is inspected and is found to be functional, accessible and has power.

An automated phone message notifies applicants if they are eligible for this period of assistance ending Nov. 16.

Individuals and families who are not eligible for the program may be considered for additional FEMA rental assistance.

Applicants may need to provide rental agreement information.

For questions, contact the FEMA helpline by phone, 800-621-3362, from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., MDT, seven days a week. Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages. People who have a speech disability or are deaf or hard of hearing may call (TTY) 800-462-7585; users of 711 or Video Relay Service can call 800-621-3362.

A total of 379 households stayed in hotels and motels last night under TSA.

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Third Extension Approved for Transitional Sheltering Assistance

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 FEMA Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps Released Soon for Cumberland and York Counties in Maine

BOSTON – Communities throughout Cumberland and York counties in the state of Maine are receiving updated preliminary flood hazard maps on November 5, 2013, as part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s nationwide program to modernize Flood Insurance Rate Maps. The maps should be available for viewing shortly after November 5, 2013.

The release of these maps is the result of a long process which involved extensive collaboration with state and local partners. This long term project began in 2004 and will culminate when these maps are reviewed and finally approved at the end of the process.

Flood hazard maps, also known as Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps, indicate whether properties are in areas of high, moderate or low flood risk. In reviewing the new maps of Cumberland and York counties, many property owners may find that their risk of flooding is higher or lower than they thought. If the risk level for a property changes, so may the requirement to carry flood insurance.

Community officials and residents should look at the new preliminary flood maps to become familiar with the flood risks in their community and to see whether the flood zone has changed around their property. The maps can be viewed at each community’s municipal office, or online at the FEMA Map Service Center, found at https://msc.fema.gov. Every community will receive both a paper copy and a digital copy of the new maps to share with their residents for review before the maps become finalized.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency encourages residents of Cumberland and York counties to view the new maps, understand their level of flood risk, and learn how their properties may be affected. Residents are also encouraged to contact an insurance representative to learn more about financial steps they may be able to take in order to protect their investment. Additional information outlining the entire map adoption process and the next steps for communities and residents will be provided soon after the maps are released on November 5, 2013.

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New FEMA Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps Released Soon for Cumberland and York Counties in Maine

One Year Later: Mitigation Makes Communities Safer

LINCROFT, N.J. — Emergency response. Debris removal. Reconstruction and repair. Rental assistance. Low-cost disaster loans. These activities and terms have become familiar to many New Jerseyans since Superstorm Sandy struck last year. But another activity is going full force with the purpose of protecting life and property from future disasters – hazard mitigation.

Sea Bright, N.J., Feb. 20, 2013 — Homeowners stand and watch their home being elevated. This family has started the rebuilding process after being forced out of their home by Hurricane Sandy. Rosanna Arias/FEMAHazard mitigation is the only phase of emergency management specifically dedicated to breaking the cycle of damage, reconstruction and repeated damage. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) provides assistance to state and local governments after a major disaster declaration to enable mitigation measures to be implemented during disaster recovery.

“Hazard Mitigation grants help make communities safer,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer in New Jersey, Gracia Szczech. “Mitigation programs also help reduce the financial impact of disasters on the state and on the county.”

Eligible applicants for HMGP grants are states, local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations. Individual homeowners and businesses may not apply directly to the program, but local governments may apply on their behalf.

These grants can be used to fund projects that protect public or private property if the project fits within state and local mitigation plans. Projects eligible for HMGP funds include retrofitting buildings to minimize damage from high winds and flooding; elevation of flood-prone buildings; minor flood-control projects; and the purchase of property at risk of repetitive flooding for conversion to open space. The state works with local communities to determine the focus of the Hazard Mitigation program.

FEMA has obligated $340.7 million in Hazard Mitigation grants after Sandy for New Jersey’s mitigation measures, which include:

$100 million for the acquisition of structures in flood-prone areas to be cleared and converted to permanent greenspace;
$100 million for elevation of buildings in flood-prone areas; and $3.8 million for county mitigation plans

Sea Bright, N.J., Feb. 20, 2013 — Construction worker carries wood for cribbing used in the elevation of a Sea Bright home as part of mitigation. Homeowners have just begun rebuilding and expect their home to be ready by summer. Rosanna Arias/FEMAThe state is applying the remaining grant money for mitigation measures being incorporated into eligible rebuilding projects of state and local agencies, and certain private nonprofit organizations, such as hospitals and universities.

Five issues are considered when determining the eligibility of a proposed project:

Does the project conform to the state’s hazard mitigation plan?
Does the project provide a beneficial impact on the disaster area?
Does the application meet the environmental requirements?
Does the project solve a problem independently?
Is the project cost effective?

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding is made available at the request of a state’s governor following the declaration of a major disaster. The grant funds available for mitigation equal 15 percent of the amount FEMA spends to assist disaster survivors and communities in the recovery process. Under

HMGP, federal funds pay for 75 percent of the project cost with 25 percent coming from non-federal sources. All programs require an up-to-date Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Video-links: Sea Bright Mitigation

Next week the One Year Later releases will feature examples of a business owner and a homeowner who applied mitigation techniques to their property at their own cost, which, in the aftermath of Sandy, proved to be a sound investment.

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: Mitigation Makes Communities Safer

A Year After Hurricane Sandy, FEMA Individual Assistance Tops $1 Billion In New York

NEW YORK – When Hurricane Sandy made landfall a year ago on Oct. 29, the unprecedented storm surge and strong winds devastated tens of thousands of New Yorkers.

Amid widespread power outages and storm debris, New York survivors began asking where and how to begin putting their lives back together.

In anticipation of Sandy’s impact, the Federal Emergency Management Agency deployed nearly 300 people to New York in advance of the hurricane to begin coordinating assistance for survivors. Within 48 hours of Sandy’s landfall, the figure swelled to 1,200. Eventually more than 4,000 workers were part of the federal response team.

Also within 48 hours, the first FEMA grants for New York individuals and households, totaling $1.7 million, were approved to help eligible survivors with home repairs, temporary rental costs and other uninsured hurricane-related expenses.

One year later, more than $1 billion has been approved for New Yorkers through FEMA’s Individuals and Households program to help them rebuild their lives. This is part of a total of more than $8.3 billion in disaster assistance that also includes more than $1.5 billion in low-interest U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loans, more than $3.7 billion in flood insurance claim payments and more than $2.1 billion for debris removal, repair or replacement of public facilities and reimbursement for emergency expenses.

FEMA, in coordination with its local, state, federal, tribal, private sector, voluntary and faith-based partners, has been working nonstop with New York survivors to help them rebuild their lives. During the past year, more than 117,500 individuals and households in New York’s 13 designated counties were approved for assistance.

In the months after Hurricane Sandy, FEMA dispatched nearly 1,200 community relations specialists to devastated neighborhoods to determine survivors’ individual needs, and to help them navigate the FEMA application process and access other services.

More than 500 national, state and local voluntary and faith-based organizations helped people in need. They coordinated donations, volunteer management, home repair, child care, counseling services and removal of muck and mold from homes.

FEMA opened 65 disaster recovery centers, many of them located in hard-hit areas, where survivors received face-to-face help. There were more than 183,000 visits to the centers.

With thousands of New Yorkers displaced in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, FEMA worked with the state and city of New York to implement innovative programs to respond to the unique challenges posed by the shortage of rental housing in a densely populated, vertically built and linguistically diverse region.

Thanks to the Sheltering and Temporary Essential Power program that was coordinated by local governments and funded by FEMA, more than 21,000 families were able to remain in their storm-damaged homes while repairs were made.

In addition, FEMA temporarily housed nearly 6,000 individuals and families in hotels and motels through its Transitional Sheltering Assistance program.

To ensure everyone received information, FEMA provided materials in 26 languages.

A year after the storm, all housing inspections – more than 185,000 – have been completed. Today more than 160 New Yorkers hired by FEMA to assist in recovery operations continue to help their communities rebuild from Sandy.

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A Year After Hurricane Sandy, FEMA Individual Assistance Tops $1 Billion In New York

One Year Later: Beaches And Boardwalks: Restoring The Jersey Shore’s Lifelines

LINCROFT, N.J. — Boardwalks are the backbone of many of New Jersey’s shore communities. Often lined with shops, amusements and restaurants, and serving as the main access points to beaches, boardwalks are the magnets that attract tourists to beach towns.

The United States’ first boardwaSeaside Heights, N.J., May 14, 2013 — Demolition of the Jet Star roller coaster in Seaside Heights, NJ was taking less time than anticipated, as debris was placed on a large barge for removal from the ocean. The roller coaster and three other attractions were plunged into the sea from the partially destroyed Casino Pier during Sandy last October. Photo by Sharon Karr/FEMAlk was built in Atlantic City in 1870. The brainchild of rail conductor Alexander Boardman and hotel owner Jacob Keim, its stated purpose was to keep visitors to the resort from tracking sand from the beach back into the hotels and onto the train cars.

For many shore towns affected by Superstorm Sandy, rebuilding the beaches and boardwalks – and rebuilding them by the start of the summer tourist season – became a top priority.

The Federal Emergency Management Authority has obligated $79 million in aid for 84 boardwalk and beach repair projects. Communities up and down the Jersey Shore employed different methods of beach replenishment and protection.

Some municipalities constructed timber bulkheads, large rock walls and/or concrete seawalls. To stabilize their dunes, some placed geotubes (tubes filled with sand and water wrapped in geotextile fabric) and gabions (wire baskets filled with large rocks) underneath the dunes. Geotubes have been used on the north end of Ocean City and along Cape May’s beaches. Gabions were used in the West Atlantic City portion of Little Egg Harbor. Officials in these and other shore communities credited those measures with protecting homes and residents from Sandy. Mantoloking and Brick Township are two communities now considering using geotubes.

Atlantic City’s boardwalk suffered its most severe damage to the section that borders Absecon Inlet, between Oriental and Maine avenues. FEMA obligated $2.5 million to repair and replace the boardwalk, ramps, railings, and lifeguard and comfort stations. A new seawall is also being built along the Absecon Inlet section of the boardwalk. Atlantic City and neighboring Ventnor will receive a combined 2 million cubic yards of sand to replenish the beaches in both communities. Brigantine used 630,000 cubic yards of sand to replenish its beach.

Atlantic City, N.J., Feb. 5, 2013 — The old boardwalk, which was severely damaged by Sandy, has been removed. Photo by Liz Roll/FEMAParts of Long Beach Island had 22-foot-high dunes and a 200-foot berm in front of coastal homes. The Sandy Disaster Relief Act will provide funds for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete the project on the whole island. Three million cubic yards of sand were dredged and pumped onto the beach. Repairs were also made to the boardwalk, sand fence and access roads at Island Beach State Park. The Corps is also making first-time beach restorations in Ship Bottom, Beach Haven and Long Beach Township, areas not protected by the original dunes and berm on the island.

Belmar’s 1.3-mile boardwalk and everything on it was destroyed by Sandy. Construction started in January and the new boardwalk opened May 22. FEMA covered $7.6 million of the $10 million cost of the project. Belmar is also designing a new $6 million dune system to protect the new boardwalk.

FEMA obligated $1.6 million for the reconstruction of Sea Girt’s boardwalk. Parts of the boardwalk that were damaged will be repaired using salvaged boards and rails. A 2,335-foot section will be rebuilt as the second phase of the project. The municipality is also rebuilding its dunes, which prevented serious damage to homes but took the brunt of the storm surge. The new dunes are expected to be more than 20 feet high.

Sea Girt, N.J., Jan. 16, 2013 — Sandy’s storm surge penetrated the boardwalk systems and there are several missing sections up and down the State’s shorelines. Photo by Adam DuBrowa/FEMASpring Lake’s boardwalk, which had been seriously damaged by Hurricane Irene in 2011, was hit again by Sandy. The storm pushed the boardwalk off its supports, damaged several support piles, and completely washed away the dunes protecting the boardwalk and town. FEMA reimbursed the borough for $4.1 million of the $5.5 million cost of rebuilding the boardwalk. The new boardwalk, made of a composite wood, was completed in April.

Seaside Heights had to take out a $14 million emergency appropriation loan to pay for essential repairs to its boardwalk and other areas after Sandy. Construction on the boardwalk began in mid-February, and a six-block section of the mile-long boardwalk was completed in early May. The main section reopened days before Memorial Day, and the $7.6 million reconstruction was completed in mid-June. Mayor William Akers has also suggested that a seawall may be built, though no decision has been made, and as a new project, it would be ineligible for FEMA funding.

Not all of the boardwalks along the shore have been restored. The older southern portion of the Long Branch boardwalk will not be rebuilt until 2014. “My goal isn’t to get it done quickly, it’s to make sure it is done right,” Mayor Adam Schneider said in December.

FEMA is covering $6.2 million of the $8.2 million cost of various repair projects in Long Branch, including completely rebuilding the southern section and repairing damage to the northern section. While the newer northern section, including Pier Village and the Long Branch Promenade, did not escape Sandy unscathed, Schneider said that section of boardwalk was designed to survive a hurricane, “and it did.”

Video-links: Long Beach Island, NJ Beach Replenishment, Roller Coaster Removed From Ocean,
New Jersey Bird Environment After Sandy

Next, the One Year Later series examines the restoration of the Atlantic Highlands Harbor, a vital link to lower Manhattan.

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.

Originally from –

One Year Later: Beaches And Boardwalks: Restoring The Jersey Shore’s Lifelines

FEMA to Evaluate Readiness of Maryland

PHILADELPHIA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency will evaluate a Biennial Emergency Preparedness Exercise at the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant. The exercise will take place during the week of October 21, 2013 to test the ability of the State of Maryland to respond to an emergency at the nuclear facility.

“These drills are held every other year to test government’s ability to protect public health and safety,” said MaryAnn Tierney, Regional Administrator for FEMA Region III. “We will evaluate state and local emergency response capabilities within the 10-mile emergency-planning zone of the nuclear facility.”

Within 90 days, FEMA will send their evaluation to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for use in licensing decisions. The final report will be available to the public approximately 120 days after the exercise.

FEMA will present preliminary findings of the exercise in a public meeting at 11:00 a.m. on October 25, 2013 at the Sheraton of Annapolis, 173 Jennifer Rd., Annapolis MD. Scheduled speakers include representatives from FEMA, NRC, and the State of Maryland.

At the public meeting, FEMA may request that questions or comments be submitted in writing for review and response. Written comments may also be submitted after the meeting by emailing FEMAR3NewsDesk@fema.dhs.gov or by mail to:

MaryAnn Tierney

Regional Administrator

FEMA Region III

615 Chestnut Street, 6th Floor

Philadelphia, PA 19106

FEMA created the Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) Program to (1) ensure the health and safety of citizens living around commercial nuclear power plants would be adequately protected in the event of a nuclear power plant accident and (2) inform and educate the public about radiological emergency preparedness.

REP Program responsibilities cover only “offsite” activities, that is, state and local government emergency planning and preparedness activities that take place beyond the nuclear power plant boundaries. Onsite activities continue to be the responsibility of the NRC.

Additional information on FEMA’s REP Program is available online at fema.gov/radiological-emergency-preparedness-program.

FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror. Region III covers Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

Media Contact: 215-931-5597 or FEMAR3NewsDesk@fema.dhs.gov

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FEMA to Evaluate Readiness of Maryland

United Efforts Bring Successful Recovery to Circle

CIRCLE, Alaska – Four months ago, this small native village in northeastern Alaska was left devastated by some of the worst Yukon River flooding seen here in years. Floodwaters had inundated many homes, while mammoth missiles of river ice, known in Alaska as “ballistic ice,” had driven others hundreds of feet from their foundations. Debris and enormous chunks of ice littered the streets.

Today, Circle is steadily working its way back to normalcy, thanks in large part to a united effort among the local villagers, Mennonite Disaster Service volunteers from across the United States, the State of Alaska and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Circle is a small community of about 90 people, predominantly Athabascan Natives. Employment for residents is provided primarily by the tribe, health clinic, Circle School and a few local businesses, including a telephone service and a general store. With a limited cash economy and the high cost of imported food, subsistence hunting, fishing and gathering is a way of life, a tradition for Athabascans dating back thousands of years.

Like other remote Alaskan communities, Circle is very close-knit and self-reliant. However, First Chief Jessica Boyle welcomed the faith-based group’s aid with rebuilding, opening the door for acceptance of volunteers from the Mennonite Disaster Service into the community.

Over six weeks in August and September, the volunteers lived in the village, repairing and rebuilding flood-damaged homes by day and sleeping on cots in the local community hall by night. Known for their skilled carpentry and meticulous workmanship, the Mennonites often worked nine-hour days, six days a week ― and sometimes well into the evening ― to accomplish their goal of completing work on eight homes before winter.

“It was unique that we were right in the center of the community, and we’d stop to talk and visit,” said Mennonite Disaster Service Project Director Wilbur Litwiller. “They either lived next door or nearby, and we learned to know the people we worked with.”

As a result of a major disaster declaration on June 25, FEMA is aiding the community in its recovery, including shipment of building materials to Circle and funds to cover the cost of transportation and meals for the 27 Mennonite volunteers who worked in Circle.

In addition, FEMA has awarded over $265,000 to eligible residents to help pay for the home repairs as well as other disaster-related needs, while FEMA’s Public Assistance program has obligated $520,000 toward repair of the tribal center, campground, youth camp, medical clinic and the establishment of a temporary clinic. Also underway are $151,000 in hazard mitigation projects designed to prevent future flood damage in the village, including elevation of eight buildings.

“As the federal partner in this effort, it’s extremely satisfying to see the progress that has been made in Circle.” said Federal Coordinating Officer Dolph Diemont of FEMA. “Perhaps more significantly, the Mennonites built relationships with the community that will last well beyond this recovery mission.”

Logistically, recovery in Circle ran smoothly. A two-lane, partially gravel road that connects Circle to Fairbanks, 160 miles south of the village, allowed supplies to be brought in more readily and dependably than other flood-impacted communities that lack roads to the outside.

As the work was wrapping up the last week in September, the Circle community hosted a ceremony, known as a potlatch, to dedicate the rebuilt homes and celebrate the new friendships created as a result of the cooperative effort. The festivities included performances of traditional dances by school children in Athabascan attire and the sharing of customary Native dishes, such as moose stew.

“The community gave us the potlatch in appreciation for what we did, which was very special and the best thank you I’ve received in quite some time,” Litwiller said.

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United Efforts Bring Successful Recovery to Circle

President Declares Disaster for New Mexico

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to the State of New Mexico to supplement state, local and tribal recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms and flooding during the period of July 23-28, 2013.

The President’s action makes federal funding available to state and eligible local and tribal governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by severe storms and flooding in Bernalillo, Colfax, Luna, Sandoval, and Socorro counties and the Cochiti, Kewa (Santa Domingo), San Felipe, and Sandia Pueblos.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for all counties and tribes within the state.

Nancy M. Casper has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Casper 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 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 Declares Disaster for New Mexico

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