Archive for October, 2009

Howard Hanson Dam – Get Prepared

Preparing for natural disasters isn’t as daunting as it seems, and it really is necessary to keep you, your family, your home, and your business as safe as possible. You can make an emergency plan in minutes here, and you probably have most of the items for an emergency kit laying around your house already (batteries, a first-aid kit, and extra clothing, for example).

When preparing for a flood, it’s a good idea to store valuables as high off the ground as you can, on a second story if possible. Learn to utilize sandbags to soak up excess water that gets into your building. Make preparations in advance for any pets or livestock in case of evacuation. Remember to keep copies of important records in water-proof containers in a safe place. Also, make sure you bring any medications with you that you, your family members, or pets need. Stay in the loop on the progress of the flood by listening to the radio, subscribing to RPIN.org updates, and monitoring local road conditions. Check out King County’s Flood Plan here.

Before a flood ever occurs, you’ll want to make sure your home, business, and possessions are insured. Talk to your agent as soon as possible to see what kind of coverage you have, as most policies don’t automatically include flood insurance. The National Flood Insurance Program offers coverage plans for owners and renters of residential and commercial space, with costs dependent on the amount of insurance you buy. The sooner you get flood insurance the better, because policies take 30 days to go into effect. The National Flood Insurance Program offers comprehensive information about all types of flood insurance on its website.

Howard Hanson Dam – Situation

The Howard A. Hanson Dam is part of the Green River Watershed, and the reservoir created by the dam provides water for the city of Tacoma. An unusually high amount of rainfall hit the watershed in January 2009 causing water to seep through the dam’s right abutment more rapidly than usual. This revealed a troubling structural weakness. The Army Corps of Engineers responded by immediately drawing down the water levels to release pressure and injecting grout into the abutment to slow the leakage, but that didn’t solve the problem.

To prevent further, serious damage, the Corps will prevent the reservoir from reaching its maximum capacity this flood season by releasing excess water into the Green River. Unfortunately, a particularly stormy season could cause more water to be released than the river can manage safely. If severe flooding occurs, over 25,000 people from Auburn, Tukwila, Kent, and Renton may have to evacuate, and millions, perhaps billions, of dollars in damages could occur. The likelihood of this catastrophe coming to fruition is entirely dependent on the weather, so it’s safest to prepare for the worst well before an actual emergency.

Check out Emicus’ Howard Hanson Dam section to keep up with the latest developments regarding the dam.

Coastal Flood Advisory issued for DC

A coastal flood advisory has been issued for the District of Columbia until 8 a.m. Saturday, October 17th.

There’s also a small craft advisory in place until Sunday afternoon,

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a low pressure system of the mid-Atlantic coast will continue to push excess water into the Chesapeake Bay and its estuaries.

Combined with tide cycles caused by the lunar cycle, this will produce minor tidal flooding over the next day. Expect tidal flooding to be confined to areas that are typically the first to flood.

8 Georgia Flooding Recovery Centers to Close Friday

ATLANTA –Eight of the 11 remaining Disaster Recovery Centers operated by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be closing this Friday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. At the peak of the recovery effort 16 DRCs were open in counties across the state. Five closed Oct 10.

Officials urge residents to go to the centers to meet one-on-one with specialists to get information or assistance with their recovery from the mid-September flooding.

“We are closing these recovery centers because traffic in them has slowed considerably,” said GEMA Director and State Coordinating Officer Charley English. “We will have three recovery centers still open, and help is available through other sources.”

The following Disaster Recovery Centers will close at 7 p.m Friday, Oct. 16:

Cherokee County. Cherokee County Parks and Recreation Department Gym
Douglas County. Lithia Springs First United Methodist Church
Paulding County. Paulding County Community Center
Walker County. Walker County Agricultural Center
DeKalb County. Browns Mill Recreation Center
Fulton County. Fulton County Government Center
Fulton County. City of Sandy Springs City Hall
Fulton County. Welcome All Park

“It is important for people to understand they can still get help at one of the other Disaster Recovery Centers or through the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362,” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Gracia Szczech.

Disaster Recovery Centers will continue to be open in the following locations from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, until further notice:

Cobb County. The Threadmill
Douglas County. Heritage Baptist Church
Gwinnett County. Mountain Park Depot

To see all of these locations on a map, check out the Emicus Georgia Flooding Information Map.

Szczech said those affected by the storm should first register for assistance, either on the Web at www.DisasterAssistance.gov; or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or TTY 800-462-7585. The tollfree numbers are staffed seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Help is available in all languages.

After registration, people can then come to a Disaster Recovery Center to check on the status of their applications, review information needed to process their claim, get help filling out loan applications from the Small Business Administration (SBA), get lists of places to rent, learn ways to rebuild safely, and meet with specialists from other disaster assistance agencies.

SBA representatives will be at Disaster Recovery Centers to answer any questions about the SBA’s lowinterest disaster loan program for homeowners, renters, and businesses of all sizes. These loans are to repair or replace real estate and/or personal property damaged by the storms and flooding.

Representatives will help complete and accept SBA disaster loan applications. Anyone not able to go to a Disaster Recovery Center should call the SBA Customer Service Center between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. EST Monday through Saturday, toll free, at 800-659-2955 for information and assistance, or visit the SBA Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance or send an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Applicants may apply for disaster loans from SBA’s secure Web site at http://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

Georgia Flooding FEMA Assistance

ALL AFFECTED BY SEPTEMBER GEORGIA FLOODS SHOULD CALL FEMA

Many more may qualify if they knew the facts.

ATLANTA – Thousands recovering from the September Georgia storms and flooding have been helped, but many more may be eligible for disaster assistance from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

“Many people who had flood losses mistakenly believe they won’t qualify for any disaster assistance,” said GEMA Director Charley English. “We encourage them to apply. It only takes 20 minutes on the phone or online to register.”

FEMA disaster assistance helps fill the gaps in disaster recovery, even for those who get insurance payouts or other assistance. There are many reasons people don’t register for disaster assistance, but these are among the top five:

I have insurance.

You may be eligible for help with uninsured or underinsured losses, including damage to wells and septic systems. If you’re still waiting for a visit from an insurance adjuster, or for an insurance settlement, go ahead and apply for assistance. Ensure you do so by the FEMA filing deadline. Promptly make necessary repairs to make your house livable and be sure to keep papers and receipts for all work.

I make too much money to apply for FEMA assistance.

Most federal and state disaster assistance programs are available to individuals of all income levels. The kinds of help provided depend on the applicant’s circumstances and unmet needs. The aid is to help individuals and communities come back as quickly as possible from a disaster.

I didn’t sustain enough damage.

The damage caused by a flood – and the costs associated with repairs or rebuilding – may not be apparent for several weeks. By registering with FEMA now, you may be covered for those damages that are discovered later.

There may not be enough money for everyone and others need the money more than I do.

There are enough disaster funds to take care of every eligible applicant.

I don’t want a cut in my other benefits.

Disaster assistance grants are not taxable income and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid, welfare assistance, food stamps, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Aid to Families with Dependent Children.

“The important thing is to register,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Gracia Szczech. “That one step may unlock grants, low-interest loans, disaster unemployment assistance, and any other state or federal aid. And registering is as easy as picking up the telephone or going online.”

Anyone in the designated counties can register for disaster assistance by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) (TTY 800-462-7585) or going online to www.disasterassistance.gov.

The 17 counties under the disaster declaration for Individual Assistance are Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton, Gwinnett, Heard, Newton, Paulding, Rockdale, Stephens and Walker.

Georgia Disaster Unemployment Assistance

ATLANTA – If the September severe storms and flooding swept away your income, you may be eligible for the Disaster Unemployment Assistance program. But the deadline for filing for this benefit is fast approaching. Disaster unemployment can include those who don’t normally qualify for unemployment insurance benefits such as the self-employed and farmers.

The filing deadline in Carroll, Chattooga, Cherokee, Cobb, Douglas, Paulding, Stephens, and Walker counties is Monday, Oct. 26.

The filing deadline in Bartow, Catoosa, Coweta, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Heard, Newton, and Rockdale counties is Friday, Oct. 30.

All the above counties are designated for assistance to individuals as part of President Obama’s disaster declaration of Sept. 24.

You can apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance if, as a direct result of the disaster, you:

Became unemployed; or
Are unable to reach your place of employment; or
Were scheduled to begin work and do not have a job or are unable to reach the job; or
Became the major support of a household because the head of the household died; or
Cannot work because of an injury.

You also must have exhausted state unemployment eligibility and worked or lived a designated county. Benefits are administered by the Georgia Department of Labor through a partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Disaster unemployment can extend for as long as 26 weeks from the day the disaster is declared.

The Georgia Department of Labor has a dedicated toll-free number to assist the public with Disaster Unemployment questions. People may call 877-709-8185 or check out the Department of Labor’s Website: www.dol.state.ga.us

Georgia Flood Relief Needs

GEORGIA WEB PORTAL DETAILS FLOOD RELIEF NEEDS

ATLANTA — Voluntary agencies working with flood survivors in Georgia need donations to help with relief work. While cash is always preferred and allows organizations to purchase the exact items they need, many organizations also need product donations.

Current needs posted on Georgia’s National Donations Management Network portal includes:

Cleaning supplies, including bleach
Sheetrock
Protective Clothing
Goggles
Baby diapers (sizes 1-6)

Product donations are logged into a database which matches needs with availability. This system accelerates getting donations to those who need them, and helps donors target the items that are most needed.

Businesses or individuals interested in donating cash, donating to a need or helping in another way can log on to Georgia’s National Donations Management Network portal by visiting the GEMA Web site: www.gema.ga.gov and clicking on “Georgia’s Donation Portal” under the “Featured Issues.”

Henri now a remnant low; expect to dissipate in day or two

Henri continues to weaken. In its 5 p.m. advisory, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said the system is now a remnant low and should dissipate in the next day or two.

Henri has maximum sustained winds of 30 mph. Forecasters said it should continue to weaken. It’s moving west at 12 mph. It’s located 165 miles north-northwest of the Northern Leeward Islands.

The NHC said its 5 p.m. advisory was the last one on Henri.

SBA loan application deadline Nov. 23 for Georgia flood victims

The U.S. Small Business Administration is urging Georgia flood victims to apply for disaster assistance loans before the Nov. 23 deadline.

Victims can register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the hearing impaired. Victims must first register with FEMA to be considered for all forms of assistance.

Disaster loans of up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace homes damaged by the flooding caused by the storms that began September 18. Homeowners can also apply for loans of up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged personal property.

If the SBA doesn’t approve a home loan, homeowners and businesses can apply to FEMA for possible grant assistance.

“I encourage anyone who has not completed their disaster loan application to do so and return the application as soon as possible,” said Frank Skaggs, Director of SBA Field Operations Center East.

Businesses and non-profit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

The SBA can also lend additional funds to help with the cost of making improvements that protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage in the future.

For small businesses, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes, the SBA offers economic injury disaster loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. The economic injury loans are available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.

Interest rates are as low as 2.75 percent for homeowners and renters and 4 percent for businesses with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Henri weakens to a tropical depression – System being torn apart by wind shear

The system that was Tropical Storm Henri has weakened to a tropical depression as strong wind shear impacted the storm. As of 5:00 a.m. EDT, Henri had maximum sustained winds of 35 mph. The National Hurricane Center is forecasting that Henri will continue to be impacted by strong wind shear and the system will be dissipated within 24 hours.