Disaster Preparedness Daily News

The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)  announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for the State of Nebraska to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by a severe winter storm.

Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private non-profit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe winter storm in the counties of Gage, Jefferson, Johnson, Nemaha, Pawnee, Richardson, and Thayer. Read the rest of this entry »

To better assist individuals recover from disasters the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration on Children and Families (ACF) and the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) signed an interagency agreement to implement an improved coordinated disaster case management program. FEMA Assistant Administrator for Disaster Assistance, Beth Zimmerman, and HHS Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, David Hansell, announced the agreement today while testifying before the Senate Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery.

“An effective Disaster Case Management services program connects survivors with local providers that can target recovery services to assist them in developing and achieving short and long-term recovery goals,” Zimmerman said. “FEMA and our partners seek to offer disaster survivors a roadmap for navigating and maximizing the use of available federal, state, local, non-governmental and volunteer organization disaster recovery programs. Our goal is to build on the foundation and the network of services that exists to ensure that survivors have a holistic approach to rebuilding their lives in the wake of a disaster event. The bottom line is this new interagency agreement will improve our ability to help disaster survivors.” Read the rest of this entry »

The U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) moved its disaster assistance operations from the Governor H. Rex Lee Auditorium in Utelei to the Disaster Service Center at the Convention Center on Monday, December 7, 2009 at 8 a.m. The new location will be open Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. until further notice.

Individuals and business owners who sustained losses from the September 29 earthquake, tsunami and flooding can continue to meet face to face with SBA customer service representatives to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program and close their approved disaster loans. No appointment is necessary at the center to speak with a representative.

Although the deadline to apply for property damage loans has passed, SBA is still offering working capital loans of up to $2 million at an interest rate of 4 percent with terms up to 30 years for small businesses and most private, non-profit organizations of any size. These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that cannot be paid because of the disaster’s impact.

These loans provide vital economic assistance to small businesses affected by the disaster to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing. The filing deadline to return Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications is June 29, 2010. SBA customer service representatives can answer questions about SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, explain the application process and help each individual complete their application. Read the rest of this entry »