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Added Counties Now Eligible for FEMA Individual and Public Assistance

DENVER – Residents of Fremont and Morgan counties whose homes were damaged in the September floods are now eligible for Individual Assistance from FEMA.

Also, eight additional counties are now eligible for FEMA Public Assistance: Arapahoe, Crowley, Denver, Fremont, Gilpin, Lake, Lincoln and Sedgwick. The eight new counties receive public assistance in all categories A-G.

Individual Assistance

Individual Assistance was extended to Fremont and Morgan counties after damage assessments were completed by officials from the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and FEMA.

Homeowners, renters and business owners in the designated counties who sustained damage as a result of the severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides that began on Sept. 11, 2013, may apply for federal disaster assistance.

The two additional counties bring the number of Colorado counties eligible for individual assistance to 11. The nine previously-designated counties are Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Clear Creek, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, Logan and Weld.

Public Assistance

The eight added counties are now eligible for all seven categories of Public Assistance.

Categories A and B cover debris removal and emergency protective measures while categories C through G include more permanent work on infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, public buildings and contents, as well as water facilities, public utilities and parks.

Public Assistance provides cost sharing grants with FEMA paying 75 percent of repair costs.

The eight additional counties bring the number of Colorado counties eligible for Public Assistance to 18. The 10 previously-designated counties are Adams, Boulder, Clear Creek, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, Logan, Morgan, Washington and Weld.

To Register:

For any questions, contact FEMA 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.

Register online: DisasterAssistance.gov or by Web-enabled device, tablet or smartphone: type m.fema.gov in the browser.

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Added Counties Now Eligible for FEMA Individual and Public Assistance

FEMA Urges Gulf Coast Residents to Prepare for Tropical Storm Karen

FEMA also Monitoring Potential Severe Weather in the Central U.S.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through its national response coordination center in Washington, DC and its regional offices in Atlanta, Ga., Chicago, Ill., Denton, Texas and Kansas City, Mo., is monitoring the conditions of Tropical Storm Karen, and the potential for severe weather in the Central U.S., including severe thunderstorms, damaging winds and hail.

“Residents in areas forecasted for potential severe weather are encouraged to monitor local conditions, review their family emergency plans, and follow the direction of local officials,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “FEMA is staying in close contact with states and local partners and is poised to provide support, if needed.”

Based on applicable legal requirements and consistent with its contingency plan, FEMA has begun to recall currently furloughed employees necessary to serve functions of the agency that protect life and property as they prepare for potential landfall of Tropical Storm Karen and the severe weather in the Central U.S., including parts of Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota and Wisconsin. More than 100 FEMA employees have been recalled from furlough to support response efforts.

FEMA has recalled from furlough and today deployed three incident management assistance teams (IMAT) to potentially affected states. Each IMAT is supported by its defense coordinating element staffed by the Department of Defense. Liaison officers have also been recalled and are currently positioned in emergency operations centers in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi to assist with the coordination of planning and response operations. Regional response coordination centers in Atlanta, Ga. and Denton, Texas are also activated and those in Chicago, Ill. and Kansas City, Mo., are at an enhanced watch. Additional teams are on standby and available for deployment as needed and requested.

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, including in the Gulf Coast region, that are available to state and local partners if needed and requested. FEMA has recalled staff from furlough to activate our distribution center in Atlanta, Ga.

According to the National Weather Service, a hurricane watch is in effect for Grand Isle, La. to west of Destin, Fla. A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within in the watch area, generally within 48 hours.

A tropical storm warning is in effect from Morgan City, La. to the mouth of the Pearl River. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within 36 hours. Tropical storm watches are in effect for metropolitan New Orleans, Lake Maurepas, Lake Pontchartrain and from Destin to Indian Pass, Fla. A tropical storm watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible, generally within 48 hours.

Residents in potentially affected areas are encouraged to:

Follow the instructions of local officials. Local officials make decisions on evacuations, shelter openings or sheltering in place.
Have important supplies ready to sustain you and your family, if needed. This includes water, a battery-powered radio, flashlight, extra batteries, cell phone charger, medicines, non-perishable food, and first aid supplies.
Stay up-to-date with the latest forecast – Monitor local radio and TV reports, as well as forecasts from the National Hurricane Center and National Weather Service.

For more information on preparing for hurricanes and other natural disasters, and what you can do to protect yourself and your family, visit www.Ready.gov or www.listo.gov. Information regarding emergency preparedness and what to do before and after a disaster can also be found at m.fema.gov or by downloading the FEMA app from your smartphone’s app store.

Follow FEMA online at blog.fema.gov, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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FEMA Urges Gulf Coast Residents to Prepare for Tropical Storm Karen

Federal Law Enforcement Personnel Learn New Emergency Management Skills from FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute

EMMITSBURG, MD – Thirty three law enforcement officers and staff from the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’s) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Justice Department’s Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) graduated from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) Foundations of Emergency Management course. The law enforcement personnel acquired the basic skills and knowledge to help them meet challenges in the field of emergency management.

The Foundations of Emergency Management course (L-101) was delivered by FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) at ATF Headquarters in Washington, D.C., from July 22 through August 2, 2013. The course is one of five in the National Emergency Management Academy and covers legal issues, intergovernmental and interagency context, influencing, organizing, serving the whole community, managing stress, collaboration, preparedness, team building, protection, prevention, mitigation, response, ethical decision-making, recovery, technology, administration, and the future. The course also requires prerequisite independent study courses to be completed.

“Law enforcement is an integral part of emergency management before, during and after disasters,” said EMI Superintendent Tony Russell. “Law enforcement personnel who attend EMI’s Foundations of Emergency Management course take what they learn and apply the basics of emergency management to their specific law enforcement roles in the field to help them provide better community assistance during emergencies.”

EMI and ICE signed a Memorandum of Agreement to initiate a cooperative training effort to provide courses for law enforcement officials whose positions include responsibilities in the field of emergency management during disasters.

“Law enforcement is an important part of successful emergency management and this EMI course demonstrates a true whole community approach for training and educating law enforcement personnel,” said Roberto Hylton, FEMA’s Senior Law Enforcement Advisor. “We strive to help law enforcement to be better prepared when disasters strike as they work to protect and serve the people in their communities and respond in times of national emergencies.”

The National Emergency Management Academy offers the tools for students to develop a comprehensive set of basic skills needed in emergency management. For those who are new to emergency management or transferring from another profession, this Academy provides a unique opportunity to build camaraderie and establish professional contacts. Students also learn to understand the roles, responsibilities and legal boundaries associated with emergency management.

The Academy is part of FEMA’s new Emergency Management Professional Program (EMPP). The EMPP curriculum is designed to support life-long learning for emergency managers and includes the entry-level Academy; a Specialized and Technical Training program to develop specific skill sets; a Leaders Academy to develop the next generation of emergency management leaders; and an Executive Academy for federal, state, tribal and local agency officials at a senior policy and strategic level.

FEMA is linking training and career development programs to an established set of competencies through a progressive training and education system. EMI develops training objectives based on the Emergency Management competencies agreed to by the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA), the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), and state, local, tribal, and territorial emergency management professionals.

For more information on FEMA’s training courses and the Foundational, Leaders and Executive Academies, go to: http://training.fema.gov/empp/.

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Federal Law Enforcement Personnel Learn New Emergency Management Skills from FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute

Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station Exercise And Public Meeting Postponed Until Further Notice

Kansas City, Mo. –The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Region VII office announced today the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station public meeting and emergency response exercise, scheduled to take place this week near Fort Calhoun, Nebraska has been postponed until further notice. High wind speeds reaching approximately 90 mph were reported during a severe thunderstorm this morning, and power was lost. The power has since been restored and there are no safety concerns.

The states of Nebraska and Iowa along with Washington County in Nebraska and Pottawattamie and Harrison Counties in Iowa will work with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), FEMA and the Omaha Public Power District to reschedule the exercise for a future date to be determined.

The exercise is a biennial requirement to determine the adequacy of the state and local radiological emergency preparedness and response plans. It tests the abilities of the state, the utility company, and participating counties to protect the health and safety of the public living and working in the vicinity of the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station.

The exercise requires the activation of emergency facilities operated by state, county and local units of government, all of which generating response activities that are evaluated by the FEMA Region VII Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) Program. Concurrently, the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station on-site performance is evaluated by officials from the NRC.

Members of the public and the media will be informed when the exercise and the public meeting outlining the full-scale response exercise process, has been rescheduled.

For more information about FEMA’s REP Program, visit http://www.fema.gov/radiological-emergency-preparedness-program.

Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Find regional updates from FEMA Region VII at www.twitter.com/femaregion7. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station Exercise And Public Meeting Postponed Until Further Notice

FEMA Announces New Members to Join the Youth Preparedness Council

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced five newly selected members of the FEMA National Youth Preparedness Council (YPC).

FEMA’s Youth Preparedness Council was formed last year to bring together youth leaders from across the country that are highly interested and engaged in advocating youth preparedness and making a difference in their communities. The Council supports FEMA’s commitment to involving youth in preparedness-related activities, and provides an avenue to engage youth population, taking into account their perspectives, feedback and opinions. Council members will attend a Youth Preparedness Council Summit on youth disaster preparedness and will also complete a Council project with FEMA support.

Young people are capable of playing an important role in emergency preparedness, and have the unique potential to help their communities be safe, stronger and more resilient before, during and after a disaster. Youth involved in preparedness programs are able to effectively spread important messages about preparedness to their family, school and community. By participating in youth preparedness programs, young individuals are empowered to become leaders at home, in their schools and communities.

In its second year, interest in the Youth Preparedness Council has increased based on the number of applications received this year for the five seats available. The five newest members of the Council from across the country have been selected based on their dedication to public service, efforts in making a difference in their community, and their potential to expand their impact as a national advocate for youth preparedness.

The distinguished members selected in 2013 are as follows:

FEMA Region II: Sophie Friedfeld-Gebaide (New York)
FEMA Region III: Alex Pasculle (Pennsylvania)
FEMA Region IV: Louyankkah Justilien (Florida)
FEMA Region V: Daniel Wernsman (Wisconsin)
FEMA Region VII: Emily Rosenblum (Missouri)

The returning Council members are as follows:

FEMA Region I: Rachel Little (Massachusetts)
FEMA Region II: Gabriela Rodriguez Boria (Puerto Rico)
FEMA Region V: Jason Reed (Indiana)
FEMA Region VI: Jonathan DeLong (Texas)
FEMA Region VII: Nimansha Jain (Nebraska)
FEMA Region VIII: Ashley Houston (Utah)
FEMA Region IX: Divya Saini (California)
FEMA Region IX: Tiffany Espensen (California)
FEMA Region IX: Christian Chowen (Hawaii)
FEMA Region X: Cayman Kirkhart (Idaho)

Over the past year, the Youth Preparedness Council members have been promoting preparedness in their communities and across the nation. Several members achieved noteworthy results, including:

Rachel Little (Region I) authored a FEMA blog post about the importance of preparing for severe weather.
Gabriela Boria (Region II) developed a preparedness group called REACT that holds “Preparedness Days” and started a Teen CERT program at her school.
Ashley Houston (Region VII) was requested to speak about youth preparedness on a panel at the 2013 Institute of Medicine Workshop (to be held in June 2013).
Divya Saini (Region IX) was awarded the “Disney Friends for Change” grant for her Block Preparedness Coordinator work, and has authored and published three articles about preparedness in the Palo Alto Weekly Newspaper.
Tiffany Espensen (Region IX) developed “Tiffy’s Tip Tuesday” in which she relays disaster preparedness tips via her Twitter account, which currently has 16,880 followers.

This year council members will have the opportunity to participate in the Youth Preparedness Council Summit in Washington, D.C. this summer where they will advise and ask questions on youth disaster preparedness with the leadership of national organizations working on this critical priority. Council members will also determine their Council project and meet with FEMA Community Preparedness staff, who will be their ongoing FEMA support contacts and mentors. Members will also meet virtually with FEMA leadership on a regular basis throughout the year and will provide ongoing input on strategies and initiatives as well as updates on their projects.

To learn more about FEMA’s youth preparedness efforts please visit: Ready.gov/youth-preparedness.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. FEMA Region III’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts are available at fema.gov/medialibrary and youtube.com/fema. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion3.

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FEMA Announces New Members to Join the Youth Preparedness Council

FEMA Urges Residents to Follow Direction of Local Officials Ahead of Severe Weather

Areas from Chicago to Washington, D.C. Should Prepare Now and Monitor Conditions

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency urges residents to follow the direction of state, local and tribal officials ahead of severe weather forecast to affect the upper Midwest and Ohio Valley, eastward to the Mid-Atlantic states, tonight and tomorrow. FEMA, through its National Watch Center in Washington, D.C and its regional offices in Chicago, Kansas City, and Philadelphia, is closely monitoring the storm system.

FEMA has been in touch with its emergency management counterparts, and also is in close contact with federal partners at the National Weather Service. The severe weather is forecast to include the threat of widespread damaging winds, along with the possibility of isolated tornadoes, through the evening and overnight hours from extreme eastern Iowa, across northern and central Illinois and Indiana, and including southwest Michigan and western Ohio. The severe weather threat will shift east on Thursday and a moderate risk for severe thunderstorms is forecast for the Mid-Atlantic region from southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey and southward into southern Virginia. The area of risk includes the eastern third of the United States from Florida to New England.

Individuals in the risk areas are encouraged to monitor weather conditions and follow the guidance provided by state, local or tribal officials. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) are available on many cell phones on participating wireless carriers’ networks. Tune to local news media for further emergency details in your area, and take immediate action to keep safe. WEAs sent by public safety officials, such as the National Weather Service, are designed to provide brief, critical instructions to warn about imminent threats like severe weather or flash flooding. More information is available about the WEA program is available at www.fema.gov/wireless-emergency-alerts. You can also tune to local news media for further emergency details in your area, and take immediate action to keep safe.

Everyone should become familiar with the terms used to identify a severe weather hazard and discuss with your family what to do if a watch or warning is issued. Some of the more common terms used to describe severe weather and tornado hazards include the following:

Severe Thunderstorm Watch – Tells you when and where severe thunderstorms are likely to occur. Watch the sky and stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio or television for information.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning – Issued when severe weather has been reported by spotters or indicated by radar. Warnings indicate imminent danger to life and property to those in the path of the storm.

Tornado Watch – Tornadoes are possible. Remain alert for approaching storms. Watch the sky and stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio or television for information.

Tornado Warning – A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Take shelter immediately.

Now is the time for residents to prepare their emergency supplies and plan for a possible loss of electrical power that could result from downed trees and debris. For detailed information about how to prepare for severe weather, including a list of items you will want to have in your emergency kit tonight, please visit www.Ready.gov.

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FEMA Urges Residents to Follow Direction of Local Officials Ahead of Severe Weather

FEMA Urges East Coast Residents to Be Prepared for Localized Flooding and Listen to Local Officials

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through its regional offices in Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston, continues to closely monitor Tropical Storm Andrea and the potential for flooding in coastal and inland areas along the path of the storm.

As Tropical Storm Andrea continues to churn over the East Coast, FEMA urges citizens to closely monitor the storm and take steps to be as prepared as possible, in advance of severe weather, and most importantly follow the directions of state, local and tribal officials. This storm is projected to bring significant rainfall and the risk for flash flooding in many areas. If you encounter flood waters, remember – turn around, don’t drown.

FEMA remains in close contact with emergency managers in affected and potentially affected areas along the East Coast to ensure they have the resources they need for Andrea and for the 2013 hurricane season. FEMA’s National Watch Center in Washington, D.C. remains at an enhanced watch. An incident management assistance team (IMAT) and liaison are en route to the Virginia emergency operations center to assist in coordination efforts, and at the request of the state of Florida the IMAT and liaison deployed earlier in the week to Florida to support coordination are standing down.

“As the storm continues northeastward along the East Coast, we urge those in potentially affected areas to continue to monitor storm conditions and follow the instructions of state, tribal and local officials,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “Stay away from flood waters; never drive through flooded roadways.”

Driving through a flooded area can be extremely hazardous and almost half of all flash flood deaths happen in vehicles. When in your car, look out for flooding in low lying areas, at bridges, and at highway dips. The depth of water is not always obvious. As little as six inches of water may cause you to lose control of your vehicle. Road beds may be washed out under flood waters. Never cross any barriers that are put in place by local emergency officials.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service, as of 11 a.m., Tropical Storm Andrea is located 50 miles southwest of Fayetteville, North Carolina with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. The center of Andrea made landfall on the coast of the Big Bend area last evening, and will continue to move along the East Coast through Saturday. As much as 6 inches of rain will be expected in some areas.

Tropical storm warnings remain in effect from north of the South Santee River, South Carolina to Cape Charles Light, Virginia, including Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds, North Carolina, and for the lower Chesapeake Bay south of New Point Comfort, Virginia. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours. Tornados are possible over eastern portions of North Carolina and Virginia today.

Although there have been no requests for federal Stafford Act assistance, FEMA continues to stand ready to assist states and tribes, as needed and requested.

As the first named storm of the 2013 Atlantic Hurricane Season, Tropical Storm Andrea should serve as another reminder that if you live in a flood-prone or coastal state, now is the time to be prepared, including determining if you live in an evacuation zone.

Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) are now being sent directly to many cell phones on participating wireless carriers’ networks. WEAs sent by public safety officials such as the National Weather Service are designed to get your attention and to provide brief, critical instructions to warn about imminent threats like severe weather. Take the alert seriously and follow instructions. Tune to local media for emergency details in your town. More information is available on WEA at www.fema.gov/wireless-emergency-alerts.

As always, residents should listen to the instructions of state, tribal and local officials, and evacuate if told to do so. For more information on tropical storms and severe weather, and what you can do to protect yourself and your family, visit www.Ready.gov.

Information can also be found on your smartphone at m.fema.gov.

FEMA Urges East Coast Residents to Be Prepared for Localized Flooding and Listen to Local Officials

FEMA Urges Residents to Take Steps to Prepare for Tropical Storm Andrea and Listen to Local Officials

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through its regional offices in Atlanta, Ga. and Philadelphia, Pa. is monitoring the conditions of Tropical Storm Andrea. As Tropical Storm Andrea approaches Florida, FEMA urges citizens to closely monitor the storm and take steps to be as prepared as possible, in advance of severe weather and most importantly, follow the direction of state, tribal and local officials.

FEMA remains in close contact with state, tribal and local officials in Florida and all hurricane prone states to ensure they have the resources they need in preparation for Andrea and for the 2013 hurricane season. FEMA has increased the operational status of the National Watch Center in Washington, D.C. to an enhanced watch and a liaison is on site at the Florida emergency operations center to assist in coordination efforts.

This storm is projected to bring significant rainfall and the risk for flash flooding in many areas. Remember to stay away from flood waters. Driving through a flooded area can be extremely hazardous and almost half of all flash flood deaths happen in vehicles. When in your car, look out for flooding in low lying areas, at bridges, and at highway dips. As little as six inches of water may cause you to lose control of your vehicle. Remember – turn around, don’t drown.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service, as of 11 a.m., Tropical Storm Andrea is located 110 miles south-southeast of Apalachicola, Fla. with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph. On the forecast track, the center of Andrea will reach the coast of the Big Bend area later today and then move northeastward near the East Coast of the United States through Saturday. No significant change of strength is expected before the center reaches the coast later today. Some weakening is forecast tonight and early Friday while the center of Andrea moves over land.

“Now is the time to ensure your family is prepared, monitor storm conditions and follow the instructions of state, tribal and local officials,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “With the increased risk of storm surge and flash flooding, remember to stay out of the water. Turn around, don’t drown.”

Tropical storm warnings are in effect along the west coast of Florida from Boca Grande to Indian Pass, along the East Coast from Flagler Beach, Fla. to Cape Charles Light, Virginia, for Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds and the lower Chesapeake Bay south of New Point Comfort, Virginia. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours. There is a potential for tornadoes over the Florida Peninsula today.

As the first named storm of the 2013 Atlantic Hurricane Season, Tropical Storm Andrea should serve as another reminder that if you live in a coastal state, now is the time to be prepared, including determining if you live in an evacuation zone. As always, residents should listen to the instructions of state, tribal and local officials, and evacuate if told to do so. Visit www.Ready.gov for more information on how you can get your family ready for a hurricane or other emergency.

Here are some things everyone can do to prepare for the 2013 hurricane season:

Know your risk: Understand how hurricanes can affect where you live, work, go to school and play and how the weather could impact you, your family and your community. When you understand your risk, you are more likely to know how to prepare. Check the weather forecast regularly and sign up for local alerts from emergency management officials and obtain a NOAA Weather Radio.

Take action: Pledge to develop an emergency plan and practice how and where you will evacuate if instructed by your emergency management officials. Pledging also provides information on how to strengthen your home and business against hurricanes. You can also download FEMA’s mobile app so you can access important safety tips on what to do before, during and after a hurricane. Understand the National Hurricane Center warning and alerts.

Be an Example: Once you have pledged and taken action, be an example by talking to your family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors on what you have done to prepare and to inspire others.

For more information on hurricanes, and what you can do to protect yourself and your family, visit www.Ready.gov.

Information can also be found on your smartphone at m.fema.gov.

Original article:

FEMA Urges Residents to Take Steps to Prepare for Tropical Storm Andrea and Listen to Local Officials

FEMA, Federal Partners Support Survivors of Severe Storms in Oklahoma

Survivors are Encouraged to Register with FEMA

WASHINGTON — The Administration, through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) remains in close contact with emergency officials and continues to coordinate federal support to state, tribal and local officials in Oklahoma through FEMA’s National Response Coordination Center in Washington, D.C. and Regional Response Coordination Center in Denton, Texas. FEMA and its federal partners continue to provide resources to support the ongoing efforts.

Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and FEMA Deputy Administrator Rich Serino traveled to Moore, Oklahoma to meet with Governor Mary Fallin, U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, Mayor Glenn Lewis, Red Cross President Gail McGovern and other state and local officials to tour disaster affected areas and ensure that first responders are receiving the assistance they need in on-going response and recovery efforts to the severe weather that impacted the region.

At the direction of President Obama, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate traveled to Oklahoma on Tuesday and remained there today to ensure all federal resources are supporting our state, local and tribal partners in life-saving and safety operations including search and rescue.

In coordination with the state, FEMA has more than 400 personnel on the ground in Oklahoma in support of response and recovery efforts, including a liaison officer, three national Urban Search and Rescue teams, a national Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) and a regional IMAT to coordinate with state and local officials in support of recovery operations. Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) assets also are in Oklahoma to provide self-sustaining telecommunications, logistics and operations support elements. Additional teams are en route.

Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in Cleveland, Lincoln, McClain, Oklahoma, and Pottawatomie counties are encouraged to apply for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or by web enabled mobile device at m.fema.gov. Disaster assistance applicants who use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.

Federal activities underway today to support Oklahoma response efforts include the following:

As of 3:00 p.m. today more than 1,500 disaster survivors have registered for FEMA assistance. FEMA continues to encourage disaster survivors to register for FEMA assistance.
FEMA implemented a pilot program for debris removal that offers communities financial incentives for the timely removal of debris and a time limited financial incentive for having a pre-incident debris management plan.
Three national FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Teams (Texas Task Force 1, Nebraska Task Force 1 and Tennessee Task Force 1) remain on the ground and performed search and rescue operations in Oklahoma.
FEMA Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) assets are positioned in Oklahoma to provide self-sustaining telecommunications, logistics, and operations support elements.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) subject matter experts were on site at the National Coordination Center in Washington, D.C. and at the Regional Response Coordination Center in Denton, Texas.
More than 160 Oklahoma National Guard Soldiers and Airmen, under the governor’s direction, conducted search operations, provided security and check point operations, and provided logistics support for the Moore tornado recovery efforts in non-federal status.

The U.S. Small Business Administration deployed customer service staff to the affected areas and announced low-interest federal disaster loans are now available to Oklahoma residents and business owners in the counties of Cleveland, Lincoln, McClain, Oklahoma, and Pottawatomie.
Three Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) are open in the affected areas to help disaster survivors register for assistance and access information to help them with their recovery.

There are members of the Disaster Survivor Assistance Team (DSAT) supporting the Moore and Shawnee DRCs. Three teams were canvassing neighborhoods in Moore, north and south, to support registration intake and supporting disaster survivors. The teams were supporting survivors who lived close to the former Briarwood elementary school that was destroyed.
The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) deployed 18 additional AmeriCorps members to help in the response activities.
Red Cross disaster teams in Oklahoma have five open shelters. Nearly 30 emergency response vehicles were on the ground or en route to distribute food and water and five emergency aid stations were open where people can find a safe refuge, food and snacks, emotional support, health care services and information about what other help is available.
The Southern Baptist Convention, working with the American Red Cross, are providing two kitchens and are beginning to prepare meals today. The kitchens are able to make tens of thousands of meals a day if needed
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced steps it is taking to support Oklahoma recovery. USDA is inventorying unoccupied multi-family housing rental units and the USDA Rural Development notified lenders who guarantee USDA housing loans that they may offer a moratorium on mortgage payments to borrowers in the disaster area.
FEMA’s National Response Coordination Center in Washington, D.C., a multi-agency coordination center that provides overall coordination of the federal response to natural disasters and emergencies, and FEMA’s Region VI Response Coordination Centers (RRCC) located in Denton, Texas remains activated to coordinate any requests for federal assistance, if requested.
Additional resources beyond these immediate assets will also be available to support response and recovery efforts, including for affected individuals and small businesses.

The American Red Cross Safe and Well secure website provides a way for people to find information on survivors affected by the storms.

The HHS Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSA) Disaster Distress helpline remains activated. This toll-free, multilingual, crisis support service is available 24/7 via telephone (1-800-985-5990) and SMS (text ‘TalkWithUs’ to 66746) to survivors who are experiencing emotional distress.

If you were affected by the disaster and need a place to stay, open Red Cross shelters can also be found on www.redcross.org/find-help/shelter.

National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (National VOAD) member organizations such as American Red Cross, Salvation Army and many others continue to be heavily involved in the disaster response by providing assistance to disaster survivors. For individuals and businesses who are interested in knowing how they can help, cash donations to their voluntary agency of choice is the preferred means of assistance. For information on the voluntary organizations that support disaster response and recovery efforts, visit www.nvoad.org. Also, information can be found on the state’s official web portal at http://www.ok.gov/okstrong/.

For information on yesterday’s federal activities, visit fema.gov.
There are tools and resources available online to help prepare for, respond to and recover from any type of disaster. Visit www.ready.gov to learn more. The Spanish language site – listo.gov. Those with a Blackberry, Android or Apple device can download the FEMA app to access safety tips, shelter locations, and more.

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FEMA, Federal Partners Support Survivors of Severe Storms in Oklahoma

FEMA Announces Next Meeting of the National Advisory Council

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will hold the next National Advisory Council (NAC) public meeting on Friday, April 26, 2013 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EDT at the Hilton Garden Inn Capitol Hill Hotel located at 1225 First Street, NE in Washington, DC.

The NAC was established to ensure effective and ongoing coordination of federal preparedness, protection, response, recovery, mitigation for disasters. The NAC advises the FEMA Administrator on all aspects of emergency management and incorporates federal, state, local, and tribal governments, and private sector partners’ input into the development and revision of FEMA policies and strategies.

During the April meeting, the NAC will meet with the FEMA Administrator and Deputy Administrator for the purpose of reviewing the progress and/or potential recommendations of its three subcommittees: Preparedness and Protection; Response and Recovery; and Federal Insurance and Mitigation. The NAC will specifically discuss:

How FEMA allocates planning, training, and funding resources to ensure whole community response and recovery efforts are sustainable;
National Mass Care Strategy;
National Incident Management System (NIMS);
National Flood Insurance Program – Group Flood Insurance Policy;
Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012;
FEMA Qualification System (FQS); and
Sandy Recovery Improvement Act.

In addition, the FEMA Program Offices will brief the Council on emerging topics in emergency management. A public comment period will be held from 3:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EDT. Those not attending and who wish to submit comments please visit the NAC website for additional information.

For information on facilities or services for individuals with disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact the Office of the NAC by email at

FEMA-NAC@fema.dhs.gov

For more information on the NAC please visit www.fema.gov/national-advisory-council.

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FEMA Announces Next Meeting of the National Advisory Council

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