FEMA HQ, Alabama & FEMA Region IV Voluntary Agency Liaison (VAL)

JFO for Jan. 2012 Tornado- 180 Chandler Drive, Pelham, AL 35124
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6/8/11: Distributed by FEMA
FEMA Operations Report AL 1971

Alabama Congressional Delegation

06/06/2011

KEY EFFORTS

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

· Debris removal missions in 21 counties, 34 municipalities, 2 lakes

· 2,321,819 cubic yards of debris removed to date by the Corps

U.S. Small Business Administration

SBA has issued $28,546,000 in low-interest loans, including $25,903,200 for homeowners

Federal Emergency Management Agency

At a glance

· 79,739 registered for Individual Assistance

· $48,698,452 approved, including

o $34,373,191 for housing

o $14,517,236 for other needs

· 7,008 provided rental assistance

· 43,164 housing inspections completed

· 25,130 visits to disaster recovery centers

The FEMA helpline -- 800-621-3362 (FEMA), 800-462-7585 (TTY) -- has 2,776 rental resources listed as available to survivors.

Blankets donated by Japan will be turned over to the American Red Cross Thursday at 1 p.m. in Tuscaloosa. Representatives of the Japanese government will be invited to be present at the event.

FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grants Program (HMGP) provides grants to states, local governments, and Indian tribal governments to retrofit public or private structures and facilities to minimize damages from high winds, earthquake, flood, wildfire, or other natural hazards. Funding for safe rooms is initiated through local officials, such as emergency manager, mayor or building code/enforcement office. Local officials send requests for FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grants Program through the state.
FEMA reimburses up to 75 percent of the eligible costs of each approved project. The state or local match does not have to be cash; in-kind services or materials may be used. Approximately $33 million has been allocated so far.
Federal funding under the HMGP is based on 15 percent of the federal funds spent on the Public and Individual Assistance programs (minus administrative expenses) for each disaster.
It may take up to a year for an HMGP grant to come through.
The HMGP program is managed by the state once the application is approved.

FEMA offers blueprints for safe rooms with “near-absolute protection” in FEMA publication 320. The designs in FEMA 320 can be built by most residential contractors. The information in FEMA 361 is about community safe rooms. FEMA publication 453 offers information to assist in the planning and design of shelters that may be constructed outside or within dwellings or public buildings.

As part of disaster recovery, FEMA’s Public Assistance Grants Program will help rebuild schools in Phil Campbell, Hackleburg and other communities across the state. Because state law requires a FEMA-approved safe room or hallway in new schools, this will enable those communities to incorporate a safe room into their rebuilding with FEMA assistance.

· Survivors have taken possession of 128 manufactured housing units -- 112 on private sites, 16 on commercial sites.

· Disaster survivors can register by calling 800-621-3362 (FEMA), 800-462-7585 (TTY), or going online at www.disasterassistance.gov. By smartphone: m.fema.gov.

PHOTOS/VIDEOS/ONLINE RESOURCES

FEMA website: http://www.fema.gov

FEMA Media Library: http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/3987

Applying for assistance: http://www.disasterassistance.gov/

FEMA Photo Library: http://www.fema.gov/photolibrary/

Volunteer: www.ServeAlabama.gov.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AlabamaEMA

FEMA blog: http://blog.fema.gov/

FEMA mobile site: http://m.fema.gov/

Find a Recovery Center: http://blog.fema.gov/2011/05/mobile-site-find-disaster-recovery.html

FEMA Espanol: http://m.fema.gov/esp

Put a FEMA widget on your site: http://www.fema.gov/help/widgets/

FEMA Alabama news releases: http://www.fema.gov/news/event.fema?id=14232

Recovery Center locator: http://www.fema.gov/drclocator

National Housing Locator: http://portal.hud.gov/app_nhls/

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: http://www.sam.usace.army.mil/

SBA Disaster Loans: http://www.sba.gov/category/navigation-structure/loans-grants/small-business-loans/disaster-loans

Alabama Tornado Casualties: http://blog.al.com/wire/2011/04/alabama_tornado_casualties_a_l.html

Recovery Information: http://recoveryalabama.com/

Debris Removal Guidelines Illustration (English): http://go.usa.gov/jBk

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The DRC Locator provides Disaster Recovery Center location and schedule information. Enter an originating address and the DRC Locator will identify the nearest DRCs. DRC Locator is available to FEMA staff and the general public via the internet.

https://asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/drcLocator.jsp
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GUSTAV NEWS:

http://www.fema.gov/news/event.fema?id=10470
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