Natural Disasters Happen … Take Steps to Minimize Home Damage

HUNT VALLEY, Md. – Weather happens. Sometimes it’s severe enough to cause flooding and wind damage like Superstorm Sandy did in Maryland, especially on the Eastern Shore.

You can take steps before the next disaster to protect your family and minimize property damage. It’s called “hazard mitigation.”

Mitigation experts from the Maryland Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency suggest that families have a disaster preparedness plan and make their homes less vulnerable to high winds and torrential rains that accompany tropical storms or hurricanes.

Some things you can do yourself, such as stowing outside furniture when there’s a forecast for severe weather. Other measures may need the expertise of an electrician, plumber, contractor or other professional. Also, remember to check with your local officials for any permit requirements.

Anchor a fuel tank.  Whether it’s in a basement or outside of your dwelling, attach the tank to structural supports.  Keep it topped-off to reduce the possibility of the tank floating away.

Raise electrical boxes, major appliances, and HVAC components.  Survey the “infrastructure” of your home and elevate vulnerable items, such as furnaces, hot-water heaters, washers and dryers.

Stop water backup. If flood waters enter the sewer system, sewage can back up and enter your home. To prevent this, install a backflow valve.

Protect your home against high winds. If you are considering replacing doors and windows, look for impact-tested doors and think about adding storm shutters.

Brace garage doors.  During a hurricane, garage doors are vulnerable.  Adding braces across the back of the door and strengthening glider wheel tracks can help. If you are constructing a new home, consider installing a garage door built to withstand high winds.

FEMA publications can point you in the right direction for information about how to reinforce your home against high winds and flooding and how to secure important personal property. Go online to FEMA’s “How To” series at www.go.usa.gov/CR9 or order copies by calling FEMA Publications at 800-480-2520.

Information also is available on the website of the Maryland Emergency Management Agency at www.mema.maryland.gov.

Other sources of helpful information are www.disastersafety.org and www.flash.org, the website of the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes – FLASH Inc.

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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Natural Disasters Happen … Take Steps to Minimize Home Damage

Westerly Disaster Recovery Center Relocates to Fire Station

WARWICK, RI – The Disaster Recovery Center in Westerly relocates Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012, to the Misquamicut Fire Station from its current location at St. Clare Church. The Westerly Center will continue to serve disaster survivors in the area until further notice as will the Centers in South Kingstown and Middletown. Locations for the current DRCs are:

Washington County

  • Misquamicut Fire Station, 65 Crandall Avenue, Westerly, RI. (Opens Saturday)
  • Union Fire Station (Community Room), 131 Asa Pond Road, South Kingstown, RI.

Newport County

  • Middletown Police Station (Community Room), 123 Valley Road, Middletown, RI.

Hours of operation for all DRCs are Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. All three DRCs will be closed Nov. 22, 2012, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Anyone who is registering should have the following information ready and available:

  • Current and pre-disaster address
  • Current Phone Number
  • Social Security Number (FEMA does verify name and Social Security number)
  • Insurance information (agency name, policy number, actual policy if possible)
  • Total household income
  • Description of losses caused by Hurricane Sandy
  • Bank account and routing number (for direct deposit of assistance funds)

Survivors may register with FEMA in three ways:

 

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 medical and dental expenses, 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.

SBA disaster loan information and application forms may be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for people with speech or hearing disabilities) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET or by sending an e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Applications can also be downloaded from www.sba.gov or completed on-line at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

 

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Westerly Disaster Recovery Center Relocates to Fire Station

Less Than 1,000 FEMA Housing Units Still Occupied In Ward County

MINOT, N.D. — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that an important milestone has been reached, as the number of temporary housing units still occupied has fallen below 1,000. 

“This is yet another step in the recovery process,” said Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator Dan Alexander of FEMA. “It’s a demonstration that people are returning home and moving forward in their recovery.”

As of October 16, there are still 996 units occupied in Ward County.  Of those, 345 are located on private property, 144 are located at five commercial home parks in Minot and Burlington, and the remaining 507 are at two housing sites developed by FEMA – Virgil Workman Village just outside of Minot and De Sour Valley Heights in Burlington. 

“We continue to work closely with those still residing in FEMA housing, and with our recovery partners, including the city of Minot, to find long-term housing solutions,” said Alexander. “Our mission is to serve as a short-term bridge until sufficient housing can be re-established in the community.”

FEMA’s housing mission was extended through June 24, 2013.  At the peak of the operation, more than 2,000 units were occupied.  In addition to the temporary housing mission, FEMA has provided more than $90 million in financial assistance to individuals and households impacted by Souris Valley flooding.

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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Less Than 1,000 FEMA Housing Units Still Occupied In Ward County

FEMA and Federal Partners Continue to Support Storm Response in Affected States in the Midwest And Mid-Atlantic Regions

FEMA and Federal Partners Continue to Support Storm Response in Affected States in the Midwest And Mid-Atlantic Regions 

Release Date: July 1, 2012
Release Number: HQ-12-054

Individuals in Affected States Urged to Listen to Local Officials and Take Precautions Due to Severe Weather Forecast for the Ohio Valley and Extreme Hot Weather Along the East Coast

WASHINGTON – At the direction of President Obama, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its federal partners continue to work closely with states affected this weekend by severe storms in parts of Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia.

Yesterday, the President issued emergency disaster declarations for all counties within the states of West Virginia and Ohio in response to requests from the Governors of those states and directed FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts in those states.

FEMA is strategically positioning supplies closer to impacted areas of West Virginia and Ohio. Emergency generators, needed to supply critical infrastructure such as shelters, and water are positioned in staging areas in Morgantown and Charleston, West Virginia and Columbus, Ohio to support state and local response needs.

In addition, FEMA’s National Response Coordination Center in Washington, D.C., and the Regional Response Coordination Centers in Chicago, Ill., and Philadelphia, Pa., continue to be activated to support state requests for assistance. FEMA has deployed incident management assistance teams and liaison officers to the state emergency operations centers in Ohio and West Virginia. A Mobile Emergency Response Support team and mobile communication office vehicles are en route to West Virginia to provide secure and non-secure voice, video, and information services, operations, and logistics support to state response operations.

FEMA also remains in close contact with our federal partners including the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Army Corps of Engineers and the National Weather Service forecast offices. In coordination with FEMA, DOE has deployed experts to West Virginia and FEMA Headquarters in Washington D.C., and is supporting FEMA’s regional offices in Chicago, Ill., and Philadelphia, Pa. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has deployed personnel to Ohio to support assessments and generator installations for emergency power. The West Virginia National Guard is also actively engaged in a generator mission for emergency power.

Yesterday, the President spoke with the governors of Maryland, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia, to express his condolences for the loss of life and his concern for individuals and first responders still confronting the destruction and loss of power that is impacting communities as a result. Over the weekend, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano also spoke with the governors of Maryland, Ohio, and Virginia, and FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate spoke with the District of Columbia Deputy Mayor for Public Safety. The President has directed FEMA to ensure that state and local officials in impacted areas have the support necessary to respond to the severe weather events.

“The threat of severe weather and heat continues to be a risk in many affected areas, and we urge individuals to continue to follow the instructions of state and local officials,” said Fugate. “People should monitor conditions and check on family, friends, and neighbors who may be impacted by the heat and loss of power. FEMA continues to stay in close contact with state and local officials on the ground, and is supporting response efforts led by those teams.”

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the potential exists for another round of scattered thunderstorms capable of producing large hail and damaging winds across parts of the Dakotas through the Midwest to the Ohio Valley and Delmarva Sunday night and Monday. This is an evolving situation and weather developments will be constantly monitored. NWS has issued Heat Advisories in many areas that have been affected by the severe weather and may be without power, and urges everyone to take safety precautions due to the high temperatures.

FEMA continues to work closely with our state and local partners in impacted areas to ensure there are no unmet needs as they continue to respond.

For information on the latest Energy situation reports, visit http://www.oe.netl.doe.gov/emergency_sit_rpt.aspx.

More information on severe weather preparedness is available at www.ready.gov, www.listo.gov, and for other languages at www.ready.gov/translations.

Follow FEMA online at 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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Last Modified: Sunday, 01-Jul-2012 14:28:26

Originally posted here: 

FEMA and Federal Partners Continue to Support Storm Response in Affected States in the Midwest And Mid-Atlantic Regions

FEMA Authorizes Funds to Help Fight Utah’s Wood Hollow Fire

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FEMA Authorizes Funds to Help Fight Utah’s Wood Hollow Fire

Fact Sheet: FEMA Public Assistance in the Souris Valley

Fact Sheet: FEMA Public Assistance in the Souris Valley 

Release Date: June 11, 2012
Release Number: 1981-AFS001

» More Information on North Dakota Flooding

» 2012 Region VIII News Releases

Overview

  • Of the nearly $235M in funding for 2011 flooding statewide, more than 80 million has been obligated in the Souris Valley.
  • Among the larger applicants are:
    • Ward County $9.8 M
    • City of Minot $7.2 M
    • City of Burlington $1.6 M
    • Minot Public Schools $46.7 M (more than 20% disaster total statewide)
    • North Dakota State Fair $4 M
    • Minot Park District $2.5M
    • Additionally, $1.9 million has been provided in Bottineau County, $5.5 million in McHenry County and $1.2 million in Renville County.
  • Established three task forces to address high priority projects involving schools, critical facilities and debris removal.

Schools

  • Both Erik Ramstad and Lincoln schools were deemed eligible for replacement based on 50% repair justification; $25M Federal Share replacement funds for Ramstad and $5M for Lincoln.
  • Provided more than $8.4M to the schools for activities ranging from emergency protective measures to building repairs and temporary classrooms.
  • Approved and funded installation of temporary school facilities allowing classes to start within 10 days of the scheduled start date. This was accomplished through proactive evaluations and rapid resolution of environmental concerns in advance of applicant identified requirements.

Emergency Work

  • Removed over 69,000 tons of debris totaling over $2.6M through mission assignment to USACE.
  • Debris removal missions allowed for the accomplishment of private site housing of over 1,000 eligible applicants; 100% of eligible applicants housed before Christmas 2011.
  • Funded safety inspections of over 4,000 Minot buildings (including private residences).
  • Mission assigned OSHA to provide partnerships in mishap prevention and eliminating the need for compliance and enforcement inspections.
  • Mission assigned EPA to remove over 6,000 units of white goods, 80,000 small containers of HAZMAT, 15,000 gallons of gasoline, 215 lead-acid batteries and over 550 cubic yards of electronic waste (most of which was recycled).

Statewide

  • To date, 4438 projects have been obligated, with nearly $235 million in federal cost-share funds provided to the state of North Dakota.
  • To date more than $9 million in federal cost-share funds have been provided to state agencies for 2011 disaster response activities, including:
    • North Dakota National Guard $5 M
    • ND Dept. of Transportation $2.2 M
    • ND Dept. of Emergency Services $1.1 M

Last Modified: Monday, 11-Jun-2012 10:01:48

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Fact Sheet: FEMA Public Assistance in the Souris Valley

Area Residents Helping FEMA Support Souris Valley

Area Residents Helping FEMA Support Souris Valley 

Release Date: June 11, 2012
Release Number: 1981-ANF001

» More Information on North Dakota Flooding

» 2012 Region VIII News Releases

“Helping people.”

That’s the answer Tamra “Tammy” Kloehn gave when asked what she liked most about her job with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Minot. Tammy knows what it is like to need assistance after a disaster, because her household was affected by last year’s flood and was an applicant for FEMA disaster assistance.

When the Federal Emergency Management Agency arrives to render aid following a declared disaster, survivors are often curious about the people who represent the agency. While it is usually true that the initial group of workers who arrive on the scene come from across the country, those impacted by disasters may be surprised to learn that many new FEMA employees are their family, friends and fellow disaster survivors. In “FEMA-speak” these folks are known as local hires.

Local hires are employees drawn from the local, disaster-affected area. Their willingness to train and work as FEMA employees, along with the wealth of local knowledge they bring, make them an integral part of helping communities recover.

Tammy has lived in Minot all of her life, working in various fields such as restaurant management, assisted living care and accounting. When she saw a job posting for FEMA last December and read the description, she applied, “It sounded interesting and it was working with people.”

As a Recertification Advisor, Tammy visits individuals and families living in FEMA housing units throughout Minot to work with them on their housing plan and help them return to a more permanent living arrangement. She provides those who were previously renting with lists of available rentals and offers assistance to homeowners that are repairing their damaged dwellings.

…

Christopher Geck was also born in Minot, but has lived the past 22 years in Mandan. In 2009 he was working as a security officer in the FEMA Bismarck Joint Field Office that was set up to help in recovery from the Red River flooding that year. Chris applied for a reservist position that was open in the Finance and Admin section and was hired as a Human Resources Specialist.

Reservists are FEMA employees who travel the country assisting in recovery efforts of all 50 states following disaster declarations. Chris finds it especially satisfying to be assigned to work in the city he was born in 28 years ago and where his own family was affected by the flood last year. He now serves as the HR supervisor in the Minot FEMA Housing Management Office, handling deployments of fellow employees who arrive from other parts of the country to assist in flood recovery, overseeing payroll and interviewing and processing new local hires.

…

When you look into the eyes of Laura Grueneberg, you can see the care and concern she carries for disaster survivors. In her position as a Voluntary Agency Liaison (VAL) that is appropriate, but even more so knowing her own home was substantially damaged during the flood in Minot last year. Living with her husband and 4 children in a hotel room for almost 4 months and then in a FEMA housing unit for another 5 months, Laura knows intimately what many disaster survivors are living through today.

“A way to make a difference in the lives of people” is what prompted Laura to apply for the position she saw posted online in November. As a VAL, Laura is FEMA’s link to local volunteer organizations. She also works hand-in-hand with FEMA Recertification Advisors to help applicants who have needs that cannot be met by FEMA programs, but that voluntary agencies may be able to assist.

“I am grateful for the opportunity FEMA has given me. Working in a field where I am able to help others is incredibly rewarding and working outside of the home has helped my family get back on our feet.”

FEMA is also grateful for the area residents serving in its ranks who have helped the Souris Valley in the disaster recovery.

Last Modified: Monday, 11-Jun-2012 10:00:22

Originally from:  

Area Residents Helping FEMA Support Souris Valley

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