Calaveras County Receives $2.8 Million to Ensure Safe Water After a Wildfire

OAKLAND, Calif. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has granted $2.1 million to the Calaveras County Water District. A new project will replace five wooden water tanks with four ignition-resistant steel tanks to ensure more than 3,500 residents do not lose access to safe drinking water after a wildfire.

Calaveras County’s redwood water tanks, serving the communities along Ebbetts Pass Highway, west of Arnold, CA, were nearly consumed by wildfires in 1992, 2001, and 2015. To ensure future protection, the scope of the project includes both the installation of four steel tanks and the expansion of the area’s defensible space by removing hazardous fuels like dead trees, saplings, and other vegetation around the installation site to significantly diminish the community’s wildfire threat to its potable water facilities.

Communities that lose access to local water tanks can suffer service disruptions for months while permanent tanks and piping are installed, requiring local government to purchase, transport, and connect emergency water.

The $2.8 million project includes a $2.1 million grant from FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), with the remaining $700,000 from non-federal sources.

FEMA’s HMGP helps states, territories, federally-recognized tribes, local communities, and certain private, non-profit organizations become more resilient to potential infrastructure damage and reduce future disaster costs. In the past 31 years, FEMA has invested nearly $1.4 billion to reduce disaster risk in California.

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FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. Follow FEMA Region 9 online at twitter.com/femaregion9 or view more news releases at fema.gov/fema-regions/region-ix.

robert.barker Fri, 07/31/2020 - 14:46

West Pittston, Pa., Saves Residents Money on Flood Insurance Premiums

PHILADELPHIA – Residents of West Pittston, Pa., now have even lower flood insurance premiums available as a result of the community’s initiatives to implement better floodplain management measures encouraged by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) created the voluntary Community Rating System (CRS) program to recognize local efforts to reduce flood risk and to reward communities, their residents and businesses by saving them money on flood insurance premiums. The Borough of West Pittston entered the Community Rating System as a Class 7 community effective May 1, 2020.

“West Pittston’s leadership, hard work, and accomplishments in floodplain management are to be celebrated because of the additional protection the borough’s actions provide to its citizens and properties,” FEMA Region 3 Deputy Division Director for Mitigation Nicole Lick said. “In addition to insurance cost savings, CRS communities take steps targeted to minimize overall flood risk and build community resilience. We would like to thank the borough for taking actions to protect lives and property from future flood risk.”

NFIP policies written in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) of West Pittston may now receive a 15 percent premium discount resulting in an average annual savings of about $592 for each policy. In addition, policies written outside the FEMA-mapped floodplain may receive a 5 percent annual premium discount. Overall, a Class 7 rating results in a total savings of $34,437 annually for the citizens here.

Under the CRS, local officials are asked to meet three goals: (1) reduce flood losses, (2) facilitate accurate insurance rating and (3) promote the awareness of flood insurance. Communities which apply to participate in the CRS are required to provide information demonstrating their floodplain management program exceeds the minimum compliance requirements of the NFIP. The program includes 10 different class rating levels based on the number and type of activities initiated by participating communities. For each class advancement, NFIP policy holders may receive an additional 5 percent reduction in their flood insurance premiums up to a 45 percent reduction for a Class 1 community.

“In addition to insurance cost savings, CRS communities take pre-disaster mitigation steps to minimize overall flood risk and build community resilience,” said MaryAnn Tierney, FEMA Region 3 regional administrator. “We would like to thank the Borough of West Pittston for taking actions to protect lives and property from flood risk.”

To learn more about the Community Rating System, visit www.FEMA.gov/national-flood-insurance-program-community-rating-system. For information about flood insurance, property owners should contact their insurance agent, visit www.FEMA.gov/national-flood-insurance-program, or call the NFIP's toll-free information line at 1-800-427-4661.

If you have any questions, please contact FEMA Region 3 Office of External Affairs at (215) 931-5597 or at femar3newsdesk@fema.dhs.gov

zella.campbell Fri, 07/31/2020 - 09:57

President Donald J. Trump Approves Emergency Disaster Declaration for the United States Virgin Islands

WASHINGTON – FEMA announced federal disaster assistance has been made available to the United States Virgin Islands to supplement the territory’s response efforts in the areas affected by Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine from July 27, 2020, and continuing.

Federal funding is available to the territory, eligible local governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures (Category B), limited to direct federal assistance and reimbursement for mass care including evacuation and shelter support, at 75 percent federal funding. This assistance is available for the islands of St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas and Water Island.

William L. Vogel has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal response operations in the affected area. Additional designations may be made at a later date if warranted by the results of the damage assessments.

luther.wills-dudich Thu, 07/30/2020 - 10:46

President Donald J. Trump Approves Emergency Disaster Declaration for Puerto Rico

WASHINGTON – FEMA announced federal disaster assistance has been made available to the commonwealth of Puerto Rico to supplement the commonwealth’s response efforts in the areas affected by potential Tropical Cyclone Nine from July 27, 2020 and continuing.

Federal funding is available to the commonwealth, eligible local governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures (Category B), limited to direct federal assistance and reimbursement for mass care including evacuation and shelter support, at 75 percent federal funding. This assistance is available for all 78 municipalities in the commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Alexis Amparo has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal response operations in the affected area. Additional designations may be made at a later date if warranted by the results of the damage assessments.

luther.wills-dudich Thu, 07/30/2020 - 10:40

FEMA Announces Redesign of FEMA.gov Website

WASHINGTON – Continuing its goal to reduce the complexity of FEMA and speed information and assistance to individuals and communities impacted by disasters, today the agency launched the redesigned FEMA.gov website.

The site has experienced rapid growth with more than 80 million page visits in the past two years, making it one of the agency’s most important communication tools and the foundation of its online presence. The redesign focused on improving the user experience with a more intuitive navigation menu to help visitors discover information more easily and a geo-filtering option to quickly sort the most relevant updates for their location.

The redesigned site incorporates elements designed to set a new bar for simplicity and consistency across government services:

• User focus. FEMA.gov menus now organize content by key audiences and their information needs. Site visitors can better identify where to find the information they are looking for, rather than having to understand the agency’s internal organizational charts to find needed information.
• Getting local. A new geo-filter search function allows people to enter a state or zip code and see active disaster declarations, alerts, press releases, and other information specific to their location.
• Modern web design. The new FEMA.gov makes use of the U.S. Web Design System, which helps the federal government design and build better online experiences for the American public. The launch of the new site is a key step towards creating a unified, accessible and consistent experience for customers across all digital platforms and media.
• Compliance. The redesign will bring the site in compliance with federally mandated requirements, to include those required by the 21st Century IDEA Act, Section 508 and Plain Language legislation to make FEMA’s resources accessible to everyone. Every person– from disaster survivors to our employees, and everyone in between – will have equal access to resource and information.

Users are encouraged to provide comments and feedback via the contact page at the new FEMA.gov.

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FEMA's mission is to help people before, during and after disasters.

luther.wills-dudich Thu, 07/30/2020 - 10:01

Wells May be Eligible for FEMA Assistance

MIDLAND, Mich. –– Michigan residents who lost access to water through their private wells due to the May disaster could be considered for financial assistance under FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program.

Even if your primary residence itself was not damaged, you may still be eligible for disaster assistance if your private well is dry, damaged or collapsed.

The cost of drilling a new well may be considered for federal funding if the private well is the sole source of water for the primary residence and is unusable, even if it is not damaged.

Steps to take to be considered for assistance with your private well:

• If you have not yet registered with FEMA you should call 800-621-3362 (TTY: 800-462- 7585). The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET seven days a week until further notice. Or register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or through the FEMA App. During the registration process, make sure to report any impacts to your well as a result of the disaster.
• If you have registered for FEMA assistance and have not had a home inspection you should let the FEMA inspector know if you have a private well. If you have already had an inspection and the well wasn’t reported, you may send FEMA a dated and signed letter, along with a contractor’s estimate, indicating you are appealing for the well.

In situations where you receive FEMA assistance for your private well, but additional help for these costs is necessary, you may submit an appeal:

• You should provide to FEMA a verifiable estimate/receipt indicating the well was physically damaged, collapsed, and/or is no longer producing potable water as a direct result of the disaster. You will need to include a dated and signed written letter, along with the contractor’s estimate, indicating they are appealing for the well.
• If the submitted estimates/receipts do not specifically include this information, FEMA will call the contractor to confirm the information.
• Note: Upon appeal, FEMA may pay the actual cost for drilling (not to exceed 400 linear feet, on the first appeal) when a verified contractor’s estimate is on file. If the contractor reaches 400 linear feet and needs to continue to drill further, FEMA will accept a verbal confirmation from the contractor, and process an additional appeal award at actual cost.

You may always contact the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY: 800-462-7585) if you have any questions about your disaster assistance options.

zella.campbell Mon, 07/27/2020 - 22:47

City of New Bern to Receive More Than $1.9 Million for Electrical Repairs

RALEIGH, N.C. – The State of North Carolina and FEMA have approved more than $1.9 million to reimburse the City of New Bern for repair costs following Hurricane Florence.

Funds cover repairs to the city’s electrical distribution system damaged during Hurricane Florence. Repairs included replacing storm-damaged conductors, transformers and utility poles.

FEMA’s Public Assistance program provides grants for state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations to reimburse the cost of debris removal, emergency protective measures and permanent repair work.

The City of New Bern has been approved for more than $47.7 million for Hurricane Florence-related expenses.

Public Assistance is a cost-sharing program. FEMA reimburses applicants at least 75 percent of eligible costs and the remaining 25 percent is covered by the state. The federal share is paid directly to the state to disburse to agencies, local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations that incurred costs.

FEMA’s total share for this project is more than $1.4 million and the state’s share is more than $489,000.

zella.campbell Mon, 07/27/2020 - 22:41

FEMA Updates Flood Maps in Stanislaus County, CA

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is updating Stanislaus County, CA flood maps in 2020. New maps identify the current flood hazards and provide data to guide building officials, contractors, and homeowners make effective mitigation decisions, thereby contributing to safer and more resilient communities.

Before the new Stanislaus County Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) become effective, there is a 90-day appeal period from July 30 to October 28, 2020. During that time, residents with technical and scientific information, such as detailed hydraulic or hydrologic data, can appeal the flood risk information on the preliminary maps.

Flood hazards are dynamic and change frequently for many reasons, including weather patterns, erosion, and community development. FEMA, Stanislaus County, and the cities of Ceres, Modesto, Newman, and Patterson worked together to collect new or updated flood hazard data to modernize the flood maps and reflect these changes, which may also affect building or insurance requirements.

The local mapping project is part of a nationwide effort led by FEMA to increase local knowledge of flood risks and support actions to address and reduce the effects of flooding on new and improved structures. FEMA encourages residents to review the preliminary flood maps to learn about local flood risks, potential future flood insurance requirements, and identify any concerns or questions about the information provided.

Risk of flooding affects almost every corner of the nation. In total, 98% of counties have experienced a flood event, which makes floods the most common and widespread of all weather-related natural disasters.

You can view the preliminary FIRMs at fema.gov/preliminaryfloodhazarddata.

 

For further details, visit stancounty.com/planning/bp/floodplain-management.shtm or contact Stanislaus County at (209) 498-7898, (209) 525-4130 or (209) 565-6557.

zella.campbell Mon, 07/27/2020 - 22:35

Readiness Builds Resilience for People with Disabilities

ST. CROIX, U.S. Virgin Islands – All residents should prepare to be self-sufficient in the immediate aftermath of a hurricane and take steps to protect their property. Those with disabilities and others with access and functional needs may have additional considerations.

These may include:

• Create a support network and maintain contact with those who can assist you. Keep a contact list in a watertight container in your emergency kit. Learn more at www.ready.gov/kit.
• Inform your support network where your emergency supplies are kept. You may want to give someone in your support network a key to your home.
• Plan for accessible transportation to evacuate or get to a medical clinic. Work with local services, public transportation or paratransit to identify local or private accessible transportation options.
• If dialysis is part of your health maintenance plan, know where multiple facilities are located.
• Determine how to use medical equipment in the event of a power outage.
• Wear medical alert tags or bracelets.
• If you have a communication disability, make note of the best way to communicate with you in an emergency.
• Plan how to evacuate with assistive devices or how to replace equipment if it is lost or destroyed. Write down model information and note who provided it, such as Medicaid, Medicare or private insurance. Add this to your watertight container with your other important documents.
• If you have a service animal, be sure to include food, water, identification tags and supplies. It is also important to have cash in your kit in case you need to purchase supplies.

Tips for people who are deaf or hard of hearing include having:

• A weather radio with text display and a flashing alert along with extra batteries.
• Extra hearing-aid batteries.
• A headlamp to illuminate people with whom you are communicating.
• Pen and paper in case you must communicate with someone who does not know sign language

Tips for people who are blind or have low vision include:

• Marking emergency supplies with Braille labels or large print. Keep a list of your emergency supplies on a portable flash drive or make an audio file that is kept in a safe and is accessible.
• Keep a Braille, or deaf-blind communications device in an emergency supply kit.

Tips for people having a mobility disability include:

• If you are using a power wheelchair, have a lightweight manual chair available as a backup. Show your support network how to operate your wheelchair.
• Know the size and weight of your wheelchair and if it is collapsible for transportation.
• Keep an extra mobility device such as a cane or walker, if you use one.

Now is the time to prepare. Find more information at ready.gov/disability.

zella.campbell Mon, 07/27/2020 - 22:29

President Donald J. Trump Approves Emergency Disaster Declaration for Texas

WASHINGTON – FEMA announced federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Texas to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Hanna from July 25, 2020, and continuing.

Federal funding is available to the state, eligible local governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures (Category B), limited to direct federal assistance and reimbursement for mass care including evacuation and shelter support, at 75 percent federal funding. This assistance is available in Aransas, Bee, Bexar, Brazoria, Brooks, Calhoun, Cameron, Dimmit, Duval, Fort Bend, Galveston, Goliad, Harris, Hidalgo, Jackson, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, La Salle, Live Oak, Matagorda, McMullen, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Starr, Victoria, Webb, Wharton, Willacy, and Zapata counties.

Jerry S. Thomas has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal response operations in the affected area. Additional designations may be made at a later date if warranted by the results of the damage assessments.

zella.campbell Mon, 07/27/2020 - 22:24

President Donald J. Trump Approves Emergency Disaster Declaration for Hawaii

WASHINGTON – FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Hawaii to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Douglas from July 23, 2020 and continuing.

Federal funding is available to the state, eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures (Category B), limited to direct federal assistance and reimbursement for mass care including evacuation and shelter support at 75 percent federal funding by the hurricane in Hawaii, Kauai, Maui, and Honolulu counties.

Dolph A. Diemont has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal response operations in the affected area. Diemont said additional designations may be made at a later date if warranted by the results of damage assessments

zella.campbell Mon, 07/27/2020 - 22:20

July 24, 2020

DR-4393-NC NR 220

Media Contact: 919-825-2514

 

News Release

City of New Bern to Receive More Than $1.9 Million for Electrical Repairs

 

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is updating Stanislaus County, CA flood maps in 2020. New maps identify the current flood hazards and provide data to guide building officials, contractors, and homeowners make effective mitigation decisions, thereby contributing to safer and more resilient communities.

ST. CROIX, U.S. Virgin Islands – All residents should prepare to be self-sufficient in the immediate aftermath of a hurricane and take steps to protect their property. Those with disabilities and others with access and functional needs may have additional considerations.

 

These may include:

WASHINGTON – FEMA announced federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Texas to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Hanna from July 25, 2020, and continuing.

WASHINGTON – FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Hawaii to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Douglas from July 23, 2020 and continuing.

FEMA Monitors Tropical Activity; Urges Residents to Take Precautions

WASHINGTON – As three separate weather systems threaten the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic and Pacific, FEMA continues working with our state, commonwealth, tribal and local emergency management partners and is ready to assist with any federal resource requests.

FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor has been in contact with National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham about the tropical activity and predictions. He also contacted both Hawaii Gov. David Ige and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ahead of Hurricane Douglas and Tropical Storm Hanna to discuss federal coordination efforts and available support, especially with heightened alerts around COVID-19.

FEMA’s National Response Coordination Center in Washington D.C., remains activated at a Level 1 for COVID-19 response efforts and is integrating hurricane response into the ongoing activities. FEMA staff were already in both Hawaii and Texas prior to these tropical systems.

Hawaii In addition to FEMA staff already in place, FEMA’s Region 9 Incident Management Assistance Team of 13 personnel, and an Urban Search and Rescue team along with an additional support team with more than 50 personnel are deploying to Hawaii ahead of Hurricane Douglas. Logistics support and communication teams are also deploying with approximately 20 personnel.

FEMA’s distribution center on Oahu has meals, water, cots, blankets, tents, emergency generators, tarps, plastic sheeting and other life-saving and life-sustaining items to assist the state and counties if the state requests resources. FEMA maintains a staging management team in Hawaii to assist in movement of commodities and equipment. More than 5 million meals and 1.2 million liters of water are on the island, which is above historic stock levels.

Additional search and rescue teams are operational and ready to be deployed from Riverside, California.

Texas FEMA staff are already in Austin working COVID-19 response missions. Additionally, FEMA’s Region 6 Incident Management Assistance Team will deploy Saturday to provide support to the state ahead of Tropical Storm Hanna. No evacuation orders have been issued by local or state officials, but Texas has search and rescue teams on standby.

Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands FEMA continues to monitor Tropical Storm Gonzalo and remains in close contact with officials in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. We encourage all residents to follow the direction of local and territorial officials.

Residents Should Take Precautions Now Tropical weather has the capacity to cause significant infrastructure damage to power, water and road systems. Residents in any areas that may be affected by these storms should pay attention to local officials and follow their instructions

FEMA also reminds everyone to please follow COVID-19 safety measures and local public health guidance. Check on neighbors and family members who may need help finalizing preparations. The actions you take now can save lives and reduce damage.

Visit Ready.gov for additional information on steps you can take now before a storm occurs. Earlier this year, the Ready Campaign released new videos and graphics about being prepared for various disasters during the coronavirus. Those items are available in English and Spanish.

Download the FEMA App (English and Spanish) for more preparedness tips, shelter information and weather alerts. Some tips include:

• When the power goes out due to the storm, expect it to be out for many days.
• Residents are encouraged to have supplies for up to several days, including: prescription medication, items to care for infants and toddlers, pet supplies, water and non-perishable food.
• Individuals should refresh their emergency supply kits with non-perishable food and water, prescriptions, flashlights and portable radios, extra batteries and other items.
• Residents, tourists and visitors in the path of a tropical storm must heed all emergency guidance provided by local officials.
• People living in coastal and low-lying areas (including those protected by levee systems) should expect to evacuate to safer ground when ordered.
• Have your evacuation plan ready, and if ordered by local officials, EVACUATE!

zella.campbell Fri, 07/24/2020 - 18:03

FEMA Approves More than $5.6 Million to Baystate Medical Center

REGION 1 – Baystate Medical Center Inc. will receive $5,621,222 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the costs incurred for emergency protective measures implemented to respond to COVID-19.

“FEMA’s Public Assistance grant program is essential to helping communities recovering from a federally declared disaster get back on their feet.” said Regional Administrator and Federal Coordinating Officer Russ Webster, who oversees FEMA’s operations in Massachusetts. This grant is for costs Baystate incurred for emergency protective measures implemented during its response to COVID-19.

“This funding is just one of the positive results of the partnership between FEMA and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts through the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA),” concluded Webster.

The $5,621,222 award represents the federal share of the total project cost of $7.49 million. The remainder of the project cost is the non-federal cost-share.

This project is funded through FEMA’s Public Assistance Program that reimburses eligible applicants for actions taken in the immediate response and during recovery from a major disaster. Eligible applicants include the state, federally recognized tribal governments, local governments, and certain private non-profit organizations. Project applications are submitted from MEMA, which coordinates the process with eligible applicants.

FEMA awarded funding for this project directly to MEMA and it is MEMA’s responsibility to work with the applicant to ensure all terms and conditions of the award are met and disburse funding.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts received this funding due to a Presidential disaster declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act—declared March 27, 2020—as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

zella.campbell Fri, 07/24/2020 - 17:52

Puerto Rico Builds Back Stronger Through Local Mitigation Plans

Over $12 million has been obligated for hazard mitigation planning projects on the island

GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico – FEMA, in coordination with the Puerto Rico Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resilience, or COR3, has approved mitigation plans for 17 municipalities across the island in the last year. Currently, a total of 30 municipalities have approved plans in place, while the remaining 48 municipalities are actively engaged in updating their plans to help minimize the impacts associated with future disasters.

As an important first step towards qualifying for federal project funding through the Agency’s Hazard Mitigation Planning Grant Program, or HMGP, a local hazard mitigation plan must be in place. These plans incorporate input from communities to identify risks as part of the island’s recovery efforts after Hurricane María. Mitigation plans include proposed projects that may be developed once funding becomes available.

“We are committed to ensuring Puerto Rico’s recovery is effective, and mitigation plays an important role in achieving the shared goal of a resilient island. Emergency management is a cycle and mitigation actions taken by municipalities today lessen the impact of future disasters in our communities,” said Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Alex Amparo.

Among the municipalities with approved plans is Toa Baja, whose mitigation strategy identifies as a funding priority the need for flood control measures at the La Plata River, which flows into a lake of the same name that provides water to roughly 131,000 residents across several municipalities.

“This is our most important mitigation project, which will not only have a great impact on Toa Baja but is also a regional project that will help with flood control in several municipalities. It is fundamental for the future of Toa Baja, since it will achieve a reduction of more than 80 percent of the problems associated with flooding,” said the mayor Toa Baja, Bernardo “Betito” Márquez García.

In the neighboring municipality of Bayamón, community surveys led to a plan that prioritizes possible mitigation measures such as a permanent shelter at the Padre Rulfo Fernández School in Santa Juanita and the elevation of a bridge in the Sector Chorreras in Barrio Guaraguao, which provides access to about 10,000 residents.

“When assessing risks, past events and the existing condition of communities are taken into consideration through different types of analyses and citizen participation strategies, such as community surveys. Working with FEMA and COR3 staff on these projects has been a successful and collaborative experience,” said the mayor of Bayamón, Ramon Luis Rivera Jr.

Towards the center of the island, the municipality of Comerío held a series of public participation meetings to determine prospective solutions for their unique challenges. These include storm water overflow systems for nine state roads, including main arteries used by the municipality’s nearly 21,000 residents such as PR-156, PR-167, PR-782 and PR-781. In addition, their mitigation plan proposes installing hurricane shutters at the City Hall, Municipal Operations Center, and the Public Works and Services Pavilion.

“We had about eight community meetings with different sectors including nine neighborhoods and vulnerable areas of Comerío. Thanks to the communication and collaboration with FEMA, we were one of the first 20 municipalities to have its mitigation plan approved and these projects are being used as models for other municipalities,” said the Director of Emergency Management in Comerío, Jaime García Mercado.

For his part, the Executive Director for COR3, Ottmar Chavez, highlighted the significance of mitigation plans as part of the island’s recovery process. “As a result of the disasters we have experienced, various strategies have been outlined to work together with the federal government for the recovery of the island. Certainly, the municipalities have been key in this important effort. We are committed to the effective implementation of mitigation plans to lessen the effects of future emergencies and ensure the quality of life of all Puerto Ricans,” said Chávez.

By identifying local threats, each municipally can determine how best to locally reduce or mitigate hazards. Studies have shown that every $1 spent on mitigation activities saves an average of $6 in future disaster costs. Federal funding is available to assist all 78 municipalities in updating or developing mitigation plans as part of the island’s recovery efforts after Hurricane María.

For more information on Puerto Rico's recovery from Hurricane María, visit fema.gov/disaster/4339 and recovery.pr. Follow us on social media at Facebook.com/FEMAPuertoRico, Facebook.com/COR3pr and on Twitter @COR3pr.

zella.campbell Fri, 07/24/2020 - 17:27

WASHINGTON – As three separate weather systems threaten the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic and Pacific, FEMA continues working with our state, commonwealth, tribal and local emergency management partners and is ready to assist with any federal resource requests.