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Floridian Survivors: FEMA Speaks Your Language

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Language is not a barrier to receiving federal disaster assistance. If you or someone you know wants to apply for assistance in a language other than English, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) probably can provide a translator or interpreter in your language.

More than 27 percent of Floridians speak a language other than English in their homes, with Spanish the most common, according to recent Census Bureau data.

FEMA has many ways to meet survivors’ language needs. Many FEMA employees are bilingual or multilingual and can assist survivors in their primary language during encounters in communities, at Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) or at public meetings.

As Disaster Survivors Assistance Teams canvass neighborhoods in designated counties, they take special note of language needs and work with non-English speaking survivors to help them register. They are equipped with iPads that translate into languages that survivors understand.

Survivors can register for FEMA assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov. or by calling 800-621-3362, where they can speak with an employee fluent in their language. However, it is helpful if someone who speaks English can assist the survivor when calling FEMA. The toll free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

In the wake of hurricanes Hermine and Matthew, FEMA has provided Floridians with translations in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Chinese, Vietnamese, Portuguese, Burmese, Arabic, Korean and German.

All Disaster Recovery Centers are accessible and equipped with tools to accommodate survivors who need disability-related communication aids. Each center provides communication accessibility tools for people with communication disabilities. An American Sign Language interpreter can be available by appointment at the Disaster Recovery Center when you visit.

Survivors who are deaf, hard-of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call

800-462-7585 to register. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS) may call 800-621-3362.

For more information on Florida’s disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4283, twitter.com/femaregion4, facebook.com/FEMA, and fema.gov/blog, floridadisaster.org or #FLRecovers. For imagery, video, graphics and releases, see www.fema.gov/Hurricane-Matthew.

Floridian Survivors: FEMA Speaks Your Language

Speaking the Language of Louisiana Flood Survivors

Baton Rouge, La. – The population of Louisiana traces its origins back in many directions, with Spanish and French influences dominating. Along the coast, more recent arrivals may speak primarily Vietnamese or other languages.

In fact, it’s estimated that more than 70,000 residents of the 35 parishes designated for federal disaster assistance speak a language other than English. According to census data, the four most prevalent non-English languages spoken in parishes designated for federal assistance are Spanish, French, Chinese and Vietnamese.

However, language is not a barrier to receiving FEMA disaster assistance.

If you or someone you know is non-English speaking, let them know that FEMA has many ways to meet the language needs of survivors. For instance, many FEMA employees are bilingual or multilingual and are able to assist survivors in their primary language during normal encounters in communities, at Disaster Recovery Centers or at public meetings.

As FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams canvass neighborhoods in designated parishes, they take special note of language needs and work with non-English speaking survivors to help them register.

When a Louisiana resident desires to register for FEMA assistance by phoning 800-621-3362, they can speak with a FEMA employee fluent in their language. However, it is helpful if someone who speaks English can assist the disaster survivor when placing the FEMA call.

American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting services also are available for disaster survivors who are Deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use TTY to call 800-462-7585 to register. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service or require accommodations while visiting a Disaster Recovery Center may call 800-621-3362. All disaster recovery centers are accessible and equipped with tools to accommodate disaster survivors who need disability-related communication aids.

ASL interpreters are available at Disaster Recovery Centers open in many places throughout Louisiana; they also are on hand at public meetings where FEMA speakers appear.

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We urge everyone to continue to use caution in areas where floodwaters remain. Monitor DOTD’s www.511la.org website for updated road closure information. Look for advisories from your local authorities and emergency managers. You can find the latest information on the state’s response at www.emergency.la.gov. GOHSEP also provides information on Facebook and Twitter. You can receive emergency alerts on most smartphones and tablets by downloading the new Alert FM App. It is free for basic service. You can also download the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find other information at www.getagameplan.org.

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. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (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 Web site at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800)877-8339.

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Speaking the Language of Louisiana Flood Survivors

FEMA Specialists Offer Registration Assistance in Many Languages

AURORA, Ill. – Illinois residents affected by the severe storms and flooding can get help to register for federal disaster assistance in their native language.

Bilingual and multilingual specialists with the FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams (DSATs) began canvassing neighborhoods shortly after the presidential disaster declaration to help American Sign Language (ASL) and non-English speakers understand the registration process.

Fourteen languages, other than English, are being used to communicate assistance information to those who had damages from the severe storms and flooding between April 16 and May 5: Arabic, Chinese, German, Greek, Hindi, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Tagalog, Urdu and Vietnamese. More languages will be added as the need arises. FEMA also has specialists who are fluent in ASL.

FEMA has a “Help After a Disaster” guide available in many languages and alternative formats, including large print and Braille. The brochure, which can be accessed at www.fema.gov/help-after-disaster, explains the FEMA Individual and Households Program and provides guidance on applying for assistance.

FEMA specialists provide information to multilingual media outlets and community groups across the affected areas to get the word out to residents whose primary language is not English.

“One of the main goals during a disaster recovery effort is to get the message out to everyone about the many ways FEMA can help eligible survivors,” said Federal Coordinating Officer W. Michael Moore. “That means bridging all possible communication barriers.”

Multilingual phone operators are available to help non-English speaking survivors register for disaster aid and to answer questions. After dialing the FEMA helpline, 800-621-3362, or (TTY) 800-462-7585, callers should choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) can call 800-621-3362.

Follow FEMA online at twitter.com/femaregion5, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

Media Contact: 571-408-1835

FEMA Specialists Offer Registration Assistance in Many Languages

Federal Disaster Aid to Illinois Residents Tops $68 Million

AURORA, Ill. – Federal assistance in Illinois has reached more than $68 million, distributed among 24,000 individuals and households, since a major disaster was declared in the state May 10.

The latest summary of federal assistance to individuals and households that suffered losses due to the severe storms and flooding between April 16 and May 5 includes:

More than $68.3 million in FEMA grants approved for individuals and households;
Of that amount, more than $60 million approved for housing assistance, including temporary rental assistance, home repair costs and assistance toward replacing destroyed homes;
More than $8 million approved to cover other essential disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses and damaged personal possessions;
More than 33,000 home inspections completed to confirm disaster damage;
Nearly $2 million in loans to homeowners, renters or business owners has been approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration; and
More than 1,560 visits to Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) operated jointly by FEMA and the state of Illinois.

Fourteen languages, other than English, are being used to communicate assistance information to those affected by the severe storms and flooding: Arabic, Chinese, German, Greek, Hindi, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Tagalog, Urdu and Vietnamese. FEMA also has specialists who are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL).

Eleven counties in Illinois were included in the initial declaration, but on May 22, an additional 14 counties were added for individual assistance.

Residents of 25 counties in the major disaster declaration can now register for federal assistance. The counties include Bureau, Cook, Crawford, DeKalb, DuPage, Fulton, Grundy, Henderson, Kane, Kendall, Knox, Lake, LaSalle, Livingston, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, Peoria, Rock Island, Schuyler, Stark, Tazewell, Will and Woodford.

It is not necessary to visit a DRC to register with FEMA. Individuals can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. People who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) can call 800-621-3362. For more information visit the Illinois Disaster website
www.fema.gov/disaster/4116

SBA low-interest disaster loans may be available for homeowners, renters, businesses and private non-profit organizations of all sizes to repair or replace real estate, contents and/or personal property damaged in the severe storms and flooding. Information and assistance from SBA is available at 1-800-659-2955, (TTY) 1-800-877-8339 or online at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance

Media Contact: 571-408-1835

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Federal Disaster Aid to Illinois Residents Tops $68 Million

FEMA Speaks Multiple Languages

BATON ROUGE, La. – Hurricane Isaac survivors in Louisiana’s diverse communities are the focus of a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) effort to connect with survivors who otherwise may miss important recovery information.

FEMA’s multilingual Community Relations specialists are canvassing Louisiana neighborhoods to provide information to ethnic communities hit by the storm. Armed with informative materials in English, French, Creole, Vietnamese, Greek, Korean and Cambodian, the FEMA teams are providing survivors with valuable information about registering with FEMA and, if eligible, getting local, state and federal assistance. Information in Braille also is provided for those who are blind or have low vision.

“Our goal during a disaster recovery effort of this magnitude is to get the message out about the many ways FEMA may help affected homeowners, renters and businesses,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Mike Hall. “That means communicating effectively with everyone who needs assistance, regardless of their language or other needs.”

Multilingual specialists also maintain contact with media outlets whose audience consists mainly of non-English-speaking readers, listeners or viewers.

FEMA has translated its English-language booklet, “Your Guide to Disaster Assistance Programs,” into several languages. This handout provides more in-depth information to help disaster assistance applicants understand eligibility for federal programs. These booklets are being distributed by FEMA specialists in the field and at nearly 30 Disaster Recovery Centers throughout the designated Louisiana parishes.

Multilingual telephone operators are available to help non-English-speaking survivors register for disaster aid and to get their questions answered. After dialing FEMA’s registration/helpline, 1-800-621-3362 or TTY 1-800-462-7585, callers should choose Option 3. FEMA can provide translation/interpretation services in 250 languages. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362.

Groups, associations and businesses that have non-English-speaking members who sustained damage as a result of Hurricane Isaac and who want to know more about federal and state disaster assistance may contact FEMA’s Speakers Bureau in Baton Rouge at 1-225-388-4797. The Speakers Bureau is available to speak to groups of all types and sizes, and can provide presentations in Spanish, French, Creole and Vietnamese. Sign language interpreters also are available.

Survivors with uninsured or underinsured damages may register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services, call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, click www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. You can follow FEMA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.

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 http://twitter.com/#!/femaregion6, the R6 Hurricane Preparedness website at www.fema.gov/about/regions/regionvi/updates.shtm and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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FEMA Speaks Multiple Languages

FEMA Working to Strengthen Connection with Survivors

BATON ROUGE, La. – Teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are going door to door in communities affected by Hurricane Isaac, seeking out survivors to help connect them with recovery services.

Armed with fliers in English, Spanish, French, Vietnamese and Braille, some 250 Community Relations specialists are providing survivors with valuable information about registering with FEMA and getting local, state and federal assistance.

The effort is part of FEMA’s stepped-up approach to reach survivors in their homes and communities as quickly and effectively as possible after a disaster declaration. Community Relations specialists also have met survivors at Disaster Recovery Centers, at points of distribution, at shelters and through community- and faith-based groups.

“FEMA’s Community Relations teams meet with survivors wherever possible to let them know how FEMA can help them and to listen to their concerns,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Mike Hall. “This creates a vital link that helps us help people.”

The specialists also learn of survivors’ immediate needs and help direct local, state and federal resources to address problems. One Community Relations team is credited with helping prevent a tragedy in Lafourche Parish. When team members visited an elderly woman who wore an oxygen-fed breathing mask, they smelled gas in her home. They calmly asked her to leave the home with them and called local emergency services.

When firefighters arrived, the gas odor was so strong they could not enter the home. Because the woman had breathing assistance, she had not noticed the leak, but emergency officials said a single spark could have caused an explosion.

The Community Relations teams also may be able to dispel rumors in the community and help FEMA debunk myths. The specialists help to identify survivors who require language translations and who have functional or access needs due to a disability or being elderly.

“They are our eyes and ears in the field,” Hall said. “By having Community Relations specialists out there, FEMA and the state are learning how to best help survivors recover from Hurricane Isaac.”

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 http://twitter.com/#!/femaregion6, the R6 Hurricane Preparedness website at www.fema.gov/about/regions/regionvi/updates.shtm and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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FEMA Working to Strengthen Connection with Survivors