DISASTER RECOVERY CENTERS TO OPEN: Assistance Process Starts by Registering with FEMA

CHEYENNE, WYO. – Wyoming residents in Johnson and Niobrara counties who have been affected by the flooding that occurred from May 24 to June 6 can soon visit a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) if they have questions about recovery programs. The DRCs opening this week are located in Buffalo and Lusk and have recovery program representatives available to help answer questions about assistance.

The DRC is set up for residents who like to speak one-on-one to recovery representatives, but it’s not necessary to visit a center to receive disaster assistance. The fastest way to register with FEMA is by phone or online. Individuals or businesses can call 1-800-621-3362 (TTY 1-800-462-7585) or go online at www.fema.gov or www.disasterassistance.gov. The registration line is open daily from 5 a.m. – 9 p.m. (MDT) until further notice. Individuals may also register by smart phone at m.fema.gov. 

Even if residents previously registered with their local emergency manager or with a voluntary agency, they must still register with FEMA to access federal disaster assistance programs.

The DRCs will be open daily from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. until further notice.

Residents who plan to stop by the DRC are urged to register for assistance before their visit.

Johnson County (Opens July 14)             Niobrara County (Opens July 16)

Road and Bridge Building                              Niobrara County Fairgrounds

325 Butte Street                                            Shooting Sports Multiplex Complex

Buffalo, WY 82834                                        310 West US HWY 20

                                                                      Lusk, WY 82225

Customer service representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will be at the centers to answer questions about SBA’s federal low-interest disaster loans and help business owners and residents complete their application.

FEMA Mitigation specialists are scheduled to be on hand at the DRC to provide information and answer questions about cost-effective rebuilding and repair techniques to reduce property damage in future disasters.

Original article:  

DISASTER RECOVERY CENTERS TO OPEN: Assistance Process Starts by Registering with FEMA

President Declares Disaster for Wyoming

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 Wyoming and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms and flooding during the period of May 24-June 6, 2015.

The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Johnson and Niobrara counties.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.     

Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Thomas J. McCool has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.  McCool said additional designations may be made at a later date if warranted.

Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated area can begin applying for assistance tomorrow 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 have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice. 

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. 

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.

Taken from: 

President Declares Disaster for Wyoming

Flooding Always a Potential Threat

DENVER – As winter comes to a close, communities look forward to the coming of spring and a return to the warm outdoors. But it’s also a time to be aware of the threat of Mother Nature, meaning severe storms and flooding.  Rapid snowmelt or a couple of inches of rainfall can create potential flooding.

FEMA Region VIII Preparedness and Mitigation experts have several recommendations to help people get ready for that threat. Region VIII includes Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

First and foremost on the list is to get flood insurance. In the region, the average cost of flood insurance is about $700 a year. Since 1978, residents of the six states have collected more than $383 million in insurance payments.

It’s the first thing to do because there is a 30-day waiting period before a policy can take effect. If the waters are rising, it’s too late to purchase a policy.

Other steps you can take to protect your family and your property include:

  • Make sure downspouts carry water several feet from your house to a well-drained area. – About 2,500 gallons of water will come from a 1,000 square foot roof with one foot of snow depth across the roof. This much water may cause problems if allowed to drain next to the house.
  • Examine and clean your sump pump if you have one. Test your sump pump by pouring water into the pit. Make sure the discharge hose carries the water several feet away from the house to a well-drained area. Also make sure that the pipe is on sloped ground so it drains to prevent it from freezing.
  • Remove snow from around rural yards to minimize soft, wet soil conditions. Remember that a 20-foot diameter 10-foot high pile of snow contains about 2,600 gallons of water. Move the snow to well-drained areas.
  • Anchor any fuel tanks. An unanchored tank in your basement can be torn free by floodwaters and the broken supply line can contaminate your basement. An unanchored tank outside can be swept downstream, where it can damage other houses.
  • Have a licensed electrician raise electric components (switches, sockets, circuit breakers and wiring) at least 12″ above your home’s projected flood elevation.
  • Place the furnace and water heater on masonry blocks or concrete at least 12” above the projected flood elevation.
  • If your washer and dryer are in the basement, elevate them on masonry or pressure-treated lumber at least 12” above the projected flood elevation.
  • Plan and practice a flood evacuation route with your family.
  • Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to be the “family contact” in case your family is separated during a flood. Make sure everyone in your family knows the name, address, and phone number of this contact person.

Call 1-800-427-2419 or visit www.FloodSmart.gov to learn more about potential flood risks, flood insurance and how to prepare for floods.

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.

Continue reading: 

Flooding Always a Potential Threat

FEMA Approves More than $1 Million to Help with Storm Recovery

CHARLESTON, W.Va – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has dispersed more than $1 million in Public Assistance to help state and local governments pay for expenses incurred as a result of October’s Hurricane Sandy massive debris cleanup, infrastructure repair and emergency protective measures.   

Gary Brand, FEMA’s Public Assistance Branch Chief in Charleston, said, “This is the largest  debris mission in the history of West Virginia. More than 1.5 million cubic yards of woody debris were scattered over the 18 declared counties. FEMA dollar totals for the Hurricane Sandy public assistance cleanup and infrastructure repair in West Virginia may top $11 million.”      

Under the Hurricane Sandy federal disaster declaration signed by President Obama on Nov. 27, 18 West Virginia counties became eligible for Public Assistance. To date, FEMA has approved more than 35 projects submitted by local governments.  

The 18 WV counties eligible for FEMA Public Assistance aid are Barbour, Boone, Braxton, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lewis, Nicholas, Pendleton, Pocahontas, Preston, Raleigh, Randolph, Taylor, Tucker, Upshur, Webster and Wyoming.  

FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer Dolph Diemont noted that funding for FEMA’s Public Assistance Program is not solely through FEMA. 

“Public Assistance dollars come to the community through a cost share agreement between FEMA and the State. FEMA pays 75% and the State 25%,” said Diemont.   

State Coordinating Officer Jimmy Gianato, said, “We are working closely with FEMA as well as cities and counties in the damaged areas to make certain debris from Hurricane Sandy is removed in a timely manner and infrastructure repairs are completed on time.”

Jan. 26 is the deadline for State and local governments to apply for reimbursements for recovery and cleanup costs incurred after Hurricane Sandy and for aid to repair or replace public buildings and infrastructure damaged by the windstorm.  

In addition to debris removal and emergency protective measures, Public Assistance funds may be used for such projects as:

Repair of roads and bridges

  • Repair or replacement of buildings, including their contents and the repair or replacement of heavy equipment and vehicles
  • Repair and restoration of recreational facilities such as parks, playgrounds and pools.

Public Assistance funds are also available to private non-profit organizations such as volunteer fire departments.

# # #

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.

Continued here: 

FEMA Approves More than $1 Million to Help with Storm Recovery

Additional $7.1 Million for Property Acquisitions Approved By FEMA

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Additional $7.1 Million for Property Acquisitions Approved By FEMA

FEMA Approves $1.1 Million for Commonwealth Property Acquisitions

FEMA Approves $1.1 Million for Commonwealth Property Acquisitions 

Release Date: May 16, 2012
Release Number: 4025-140

» More Information on Pennsylvania Tropical Storm Lee
» More Information on Pennsylvania Hurricane Irene

HARRISBURG, Pa. — More than $1.1 million in federal funding has been approved for property acquisitions that will permanently remove flood-prone properties from harm’s way. Additional projects will be approved as the application process continues and program requirements met.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced the funds were being obligated through its Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). Fourteen properties in one Pennsylvania County will be demolished from this program. Property owner participation in the program is voluntary with sponsorship through their local municipality.

A summary of the projects and the federal cost share follows:

  • Wyoming County: $1,187,000
    Tunkhannock Township, 6 properties
    Tunkhannock Borough, 5 properties
    Meshoppen Township, 3 properties

HMGP funding is made available to encourage states and municipalities to take steps that will reduce the impact of future disasters. The funding represents 15 percent of the total federal cost of the response and recovery. An estimated $66 million is expected to be available to Pennsylvania for the property acquisition program as a result of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.

“Typically, the funding for home buyouts doesn’t become available until at least 18 months after a major disaster declaration, which in this case, would be around March 2013,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer Thomas J. McCool, “but after Irene and Lee, it was obvious many homeowners needed a permanent solution to repeated flooding as quickly as possible.”

“Getting to the point when funding is initially obligated typically takes a great deal longer than the eight months it has this time.” said Commonwealth Coordinating Office John Forr. “Buyouts involve not just the homeowners, but local, state, and federal officials as well. Everyone sensed the urgency and did their part.”

Forr said county and municipal officials involved in this effort should be commended for their timely efforts to have hazard mitigation plans approved and adopted, which helped move the process along that much faster.

An application for a buyout is prepared by local officials with input from the community. The state receives and reviews applications to ensure they meet the acquisition requirements prior to submitting them to FEMA for approval. FEMA then reviews the applications to ensure they are eligible under the program, are environmentally sound, and are a cost-effective use of funds.

Once FEMA gives its approval, the acquisition process begins. The communities purchase the homes, the buildings are removed or destroyed, and the land is cleared. The site is then preserved as open space with no permanent structures in perpetuity.

“The process saves taxpayers the continuing costs associated with repetitive flooding,” McCool said, “and it saves homeowners a lot of heartache.”

The project is funded 75 percent by FEMA, with an additional 22 percent from the Commonwealth and the balance from other non-federal sources.

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.

Last Modified: Friday, 18-May-2012 14:25:25

This article – 

FEMA Approves $1.1 Million for Commonwealth Property Acquisitions

Recovery Continues With Assistance to Pennsylvania Communities

Recovery Continues With Assistance to Pennsylvania Communities 

Release Date: April 23, 2012
Release Number: 4025-138

» More Information on Pennsylvania Tropical Storm Lee
» More Information on Pennsylvania Hurricane Irene

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Federal assistance continues to support Pennsylvania’s recovery from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. The aid now focuses on supporting whole community recovery and preparing for future disasters.

Disaster assistance to date totals more than one-half billion dollars.

“Our emphasis now is on longer-term solutions,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer Thomas J. McCool. “Important infrastructure is being repaired, and efforts are being made to make communities more disaster-resistant.”

Rebuilding infrastructure
More than $47 million in Public Assistance (PA) funding has been reimbursed to repair or replace taxpayer-owned infrastructure such as roads, bridges, utilities, schools, and similar facilities.

  • There are an estimated 6,000 PA projects from among 1,900 applicants that could result in federal funding of more than $200 million.
  • Of the nearly 3,000 projects completed to date, about 725 have shared more than $3 million in additional funding to lessen the effects of future disasters. The effort is known as mitigation. FEMA is expected to provide more than $30 million in mitigation funding to the commonwealth when all eligible projects are complete.

Long-Term Recovery Committees (LTRC) rely on local volunteers and donations which provide assistance to individuals that helps repair, replace, and rebuild those households whose needs are beyond the legal capacity of government assistance.

These committees have been established for 20 counties: Adams, Berks, Bradford, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Montgomery, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuykill, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wyoming, and York.

Providing for the whole community
Long-Term Community Recovery teams have been organized in the hardest-hit areas of the commonwealth. Their objective is to help focus local goals and match the whole community’s efforts with available federal, commonwealth, and community resources.

The community recovery teams have been organized in Shickshinny, Athens, and the Wyoming Valley and Swatara Valley areas.

Other statistics to date:

  • 94,385 persons registered for assistance
  • 83,936 damage inspections were completed
  • $141.8 million in Individual Assistance grants were disbursed:
    • $128.6 million in housing assistance including temporary housing, home repairs, and personal property losses and
    • $13.2 million in dental, medical, and funeral costs and other serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance
    • $18.1 million in maximum grants were awarded to 601 applicants
  • $98 million in low-interest disaster loans were approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration
  • $322 million in claim payments were paid through the National Flood Insurance Program
  • $874,400 in Disaster Unemployment Assistance was distributed
  • Recovery officials continue to transfer residents displaced by the storms from temporary to more permanent housing
    • 249 temporary housing units in nine counties remain occupied

“The strength of the partnership between FEMA and the commonwealth has helped make the best of a bad situation,” said Commonwealth Coordinating Officer John Forr. “Working together effectively has paid off for the residents of Pennsylvania.”

The ongoing recovery efforts continue with 247 FEMA employees and 73 from the commonwealth or other federal agencies. Sixty-five commonwealth residents were hired by FEMA to support the ongoing recovery

  • At the height of the recovery, there were 782 FEMA and 198 commonwealth and/or other federal agency employees working fulltime and overtime
    • Additionally, more than 550 employees of the commonwealth, representing approximately 15 agencies, helped staff the temporary Disaster Recovery Centers. They answered questions on a number of issues, including mental health counseling, driver’s license replacements, emergency food program resources, farm damage, and much more
  • In addition to the Joint Field Office in Harrisburg, temporary FEMA/commonwealth operating facilities were opened in Sayre and Wilkes-Barre

“FEMA remains committed to the commonwealth,” said McCool. “We’ll be here until all available recovery resources have been provided.”

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.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 24-Apr-2012 09:12:12

Original article:

Recovery Continues With Assistance to Pennsylvania Communities