Katrina victims move,Formaldehyde Study,Tornado,storm,disasters,weather disaster,fema disaster aid,fema.html

If your area has received a Federal Disaster Declaration, Register for Disaster Assistance by calling 1-800-621- 3362 or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech and hearing impaired.

911

This site was started as a resource and referral for people after the 9-11 Tragedy. Because the scope of this task has grown tremendously as the world has changed and communications are more important than ever we need to further expand. This is a one person endeavor, and because of the enormity of the coverage needed, I am asking that companies who regularly check in with us to take out advertisements to help defray the costs involved. Your message will go to as many as twenty countries, and have a major impact between Washington, D.C. and Toronto, Update 5-06-2008

The site has been in operation since August 2002, we are at this point serving approximately a thousand visitors a month and many of them are international.We have had as high as 56 countries visit our site in a months time.

Email to ask about the other details. Web Master mdknaus@911info.net

Apply by phone for FEMA Aid

1-800-621-3362

Call TTY 1-800-462-7585 for people
with speech or hearing disabilities.

After you have applied for aid go see

Citizen Preparation for Disasters

Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness (IS-22) is FEMA’s most comprehensive source on individual, family, and community preparedness. The guide has been revised, updated, and enhanced in August 2004 to provide the public with the most current and up-to-date disaster preparedness information available.

Are You Ready? provides a step-by-step approach to disaster preparedness by walking the reader through how to get informed about local emergency plans, how to identify hazards that affect their local area, and how to develop and maintain an emergency communications plan and disaster supplies kit. Other topics covered include evacuation, emergency public shelters, animals in disaster, and information specific to people with disabilities.

SEE DETAILS

Grants

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- In the first week more than $1.5 million in grant assistance has been approved to date by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as they continue to assist the Illinois Emergency Management Association (IEMA) in the recovery from the severe storms and flooding from January 7 and continuing. President Bush issued the major disaster declaration on March 7.

Disaster recovery efforts through March 13th include:

• A total of 547 individuals already registered for disaster assistance. There were 352 registrations from Iroquois county and 185 registrations from Livingston County.
• More than $984,573 in Individual Assistance funds was approved for 265 households.
• More than $800,000 ($844,767) in Housing Assistance has been approved to cover rental assistance, temporary lodging, and housing repairs for 193 applicants.
• More than $139,000 ($139,806) in Other Needs Assistance (ONA) has been approved for 72 applicants to cover their personal property loss, medical costs and other serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance.
• The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has issued application packets for low-interest disaster loans to 324 homeowners and 84 businesses. The SBA provides low-interest loans to homeowners, renters, non-profit organizations and businesses of all sizes.
• FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers are now open in Pontiac and Watseka. These facilities will be open seven days a week from 9 a. m. to 7 p. m. (CST) until March 22. After March 22, DRCs will be open six days a week, from Monday through Saturday.

Residents can register for assistance by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 or visiting www.fema.gov on line. The registration line is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (CST) until further notice.

Due to Formaldehyde Tests FEMA Moves Katrina Victims Out

FEMA is taking additional steps to expedite the relocation of residents from manufactured housing to apartments or other alternative housing including hotels, motels, and "Katrina cottages." The priority in relocation will be those occupants expressing a health concern and those most susceptible to health risk such as the elderly, households with young children and those with respiratory challenges.

FEMA previously announced a plan to close all group sites and relocate residents by June 1 of this year and will continue this activity as part of our ongoing efforts. FEMA has already moved 105,445 households out of temporary housing units as residents return home or move into long-term housing solutions. During the week of February 6, 2008, 983 households moved out of temporary housing and FEMA continues to move between 800 and 1000 households out, on average, per week.

CDC and FEMA recommend that Gulf Coast families living in travel trailers and mobile homes spend as much time outdoors in fresh air as possible. Residents should open windows to let fresh air in whenever possible, and try to maintain the temperature inside their travel trailers or mobile homes at the lowest comfortable level. Higher temperatures can cause greater release of formaldehyde. Persons who have health concerns are encouraged to see a doctor or another medical professional.

The two agencies have established toll-free hotlines. FEMA employees are available to discuss housing concerns at 1-866-562-2381, or TTY 1-800-462-7585. CDC specialists will respond to health-related concerns at 1-800- CDC-INFO.

You can appply online for assistance by going to http://www.fema.gov

FEMA

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently issued Emergency Lodging Assistance (ELA) guidance that allows assistance to occupants of FEMA-provided temporary housing units who ask to be moved because of health concerns associated with their units. FEMA temporary housing units include travel trailers, park models and mobile homes.

Under the new Emergency Lodging Assistance guidance, FEMA will provide assistance to individuals and households to stay at a hotel or motel for an initial 30 days or until more appropriate housing is located. Extensions can be authorized on a case-by-case basis. The guidance went into effect on August 22, 2007.

The guidance stipulates that residents must be currently registered for assistance, currently living in a FEMA-provided temporary housing unit, and agree to the terms and conditions of the program. These conditions include a signed agreement acknowledging that the hotel or motel rooms are only for the use of the applicant’s household; that the household will not be able to return to the FEMA temporary housing unit; and that they will not be able to purchase the unit under the sales to occupants program should it be reinstated. The conditions also include a requirement that the applicant is responsible for paying for all charges except room and tax, which will be paid by FEMA; and an acknowledgement that FEMA may terminate this assistance with 14 days of written notice.
Occupants of a FEMA-provided temporary housing unit who have a health concern may contact FEMA at the FEMA Formaldehyde information number: 1-866-562-2381; TTY 1-800-462-7585. More information is available at http://www.fema.gov/hazard/hurricane/2005katrina/useful.shtm.

FEMA

Deadline for Registration May 6,08

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- Federal disaster assistance totals for eligible Iroquois and Livingston County residents topped $8.3 million last night with just a few days left until the May 6 registration deadline.

This total includes Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants and low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for county homeowners, renters and business owners who had damage from the severe storms and flooding Jan. 7 through March 14. However, FEMA and Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) officials stress that only three days remain to apply for assistance.

To apply by the May 6 deadline, residents should call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for speech- or hearing-impaired applicants. Both lines are available today, Monday and Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (CDT). Residents also may apply online at www.fema.gov.

DENTON, TEXAS -- In the wake of the tornadoes that struck the State of Arkansas Friday May 2,08,, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is working closely with State officials to help those who suffered damages.
• Officials at FEMA Region 6 in Denton, Texas are in contact with the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management to determine what the needs are.
• A FEMA Liaison Officer is working at the Arkansas Emergency Operations Center.
• The Regional Response Coordination Center in Denton has been activated in order to closely monitor the situation.
• Working with the State of Arkansas, preparations are being made to conduct preliminary damage assessments as quickly as possible.

Texas 5-5-08

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security?s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help fight the Price Fire in Midland and Martin counties following a request from the State of Texas Thursday evening.

.The Price Fire was on the eastern edge of Midland moving toward Stanton, covering 1,600 acres and threatening 90 homes when the state requested federal aid,? said William Peterson, FEMA regional administrator. ?Wildfires like one this demonstrate how critical it is for firefighters to receive the support they need to protect the public.? Peterson encourages all Midland and Martin county residents to monitor conditions carefully and heed safety instructions issued by local officials.

The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of state, local and tribal government eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires.

Federal fire management assistance is provided through the President?s Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible state firefighting costs covered by the aid must first meet a minimum threshold for costs before assistance is provided. Eligible costs covered by the aid can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; tools, materials and supplies; and mobilization and demobilization activities.

Florida 5-2-08

ATLANTA, Ga. -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency approved nearly 1 million dollars for three Florida counties to help keep their citizens safe during tornadoes.
FEMA has announced 12 grants totaling $790,405 toward projects that have total approved costs of $1,053,877. The money comes from Hazard Mitigation Grant program (HMGP) funds FEMA made available to Florida in the wake of tornadoes that struck the state on Christmas Day 2006 and Groundhog Day 2007.
Six of the grants will help improve notification to citizens, including one that is specific to schoolchildren. Four will retrofit public buildings to make them better resist high winds and two will make better communication technology available to first responders.
"These communities obviously worked hard to find ways to use these funds to benefit their citizens. This is a great example of the local, state and federal governments working together to protect and help all," said FEMA Region IV Regional Administrator Phil May.
"We are grateful to Administrator May and our colleagues at FEMA Region IV for their ongoing partnership and commitment to communities across the Sunshine State," said Florida Emergency Management Director Craig Fugate. "These vital mitigation projects will help protect and benefit residents and first responders daily."

Disaster funds made available to Tennessee and Arkansas, Hawaii, Missouri and Kansas due to tornadoes,flooding etc.2-8-2008

Formaldehyde Study

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for its assistance and expertise in conducting a public health assessment of indoor air quality in its temporary housing units. Although tests of air samples from travel trailers in the Gulf Coast have demonstrated that ventilating the units is effective in reducing levels of formaldehyde, the health and safety of residents is FEMA's primary concern and FEMA believes additional research is needed to address recently raised inquiries and concerns.

The study will be conducted by the CDC's National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) in consultation with CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). NCEH tracks and evaluates environment-related health problems while NIOSH brings its expertise in exposure assessment to the study.
The study will involve testing actual air quality conditions in travel trailers when they are used for prolonged periods of time under real-life conditions. In the study conducted last summer by the Environmental Protection Agency and the CDC's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the testing was done in new, unoccupied trailers in order to determine formaldehyde levels associated with the units themselves, excluding any changes related to activities by the occupants.
The investigation will take a two-phased approach, with an initial more rapid study and an in-depth, longer-term study to give us a better understanding of the complete issue. CDC is being asked to provide an estimate for formaldehyde levels designed to avoid long-term health or irritant effects for most persons living in the units, and to identify practical means of reducing indoor air levels of formaldehyde to appropriate levels, once those levels have been established.
The critically important question that FEMA is asking CDC to address focuses on whether or not there is an association between poor indoor air quality in the travel trailers and adverse health effects in children who live in them. This NCEH study will involve thorough indoor environmental assessments collected over time along with interviews and observations of trailer residents, including children, and will focus on broader indoor air quality issues and exposures.

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