OKLAHOMA CITY – The final day for Oklahoma residents to visit the joint federal/state Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Tulsa County is Monday, Aug. 1. The DRC was opened to help survivors affected by the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that occurred May 2-8.

Oklahoma residents can still visit other DRCs for assistance. To locate the closest DRC to you, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362, visit www.DisasterAssistance.gov, download the FEMA app or visit the DRC Locator. You can also text 43362 and type DRC (your ZIP Code); for example, DRC 12345.

The center closing Aug. 1:

Tulsa County

Bixby Community Center

211 N. Cabaniss Ave.

Bixby, OK 74008

The center will be closed Saturday and Sunday. The final day of operation will be Monday, Aug. 1 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Download the FEMA mobile app at fema.gov/about/news-multimedia/mobile-products for more information about DRCs.

FRANKFORT, Ky. – A FEMA mobile registration center will open Monday in Knott County to help Kentucky flood survivors who experienced loss from the flooding that began on July 26.

Location: Knott County Sportplex, 450 Kenny Champion Loop #8765, Leburn, KY 41831.

Hours Monday are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily after Monday until further notice.

FEMA representatives will be at the center to help with applications for federal assistance and provide information about other disaster recovery resources.

FEMA financial assistance may include money for temporary housing, basic home repairs or other uninsured, disaster-related needs such as childcare, transportation and medical, funeral or dental expenses.

It is not necessary to go to a mobile center to apply for FEMA assistance. Homeowners and renters in Breathitt, Clay, Knott, Letcher and Perry counties can go online to disasterassistance.gov, call 800-621-3362 or use the FEMA mobile app. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service.

For an accessible video on how to apply for assistance go to youtube.com/watch?v=WZGpWI2RCNw.

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Disaster survivors should be aware that con artists and criminals may try to obtain money or steal personal information through fraud or identity theft after disaster. In some cases, thieves try to apply for FEMA assistance using names, addresses and Social Security numbers they have stolen from survivors.

If a FEMA Inspector comes to your home and you did not submit a FEMA application, your information may have been used without your knowledge to create a FEMA application. If so, please inform the inspector that you did not apply for FEMA assistance so they can submit a request to stop further processing of the application.

If you did not apply for assistance, but receive a letter from FEMA, please call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. The helpline will submit a request to stop any further processing of that application.

If you do wish to apply for FEMA assistance after stopping an application made in your name without your knowledge, the Helpline will assist you in creating a new application.

Scams

FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams, housing inspectors and other officials are working in areas impacted by the recent flooding in eastern Kentucky. They carry official identification badges with photo IDs. FEMA and U.S. Small Business Administration representatives never charge applicants for disaster assistance, inspections or help in filling out applications.

Don’t believe anyone who promises a disaster grant in return for payment.

Be wary of unexpected phone calls or visits to your home from people claiming to be FEMA housing inspectors or people claiming they work for FEMA. FEMA representatives will have your FEMA application number.

Don’t give your banking information to a person claiming to be a FEMA housing inspector. FEMA inspectors are never authorized to collect your personal financial information.

If you believe you are the victim of a scam report it immediately to your local police or sheriff’s department, or contact the Office of the Attorney General by calling 502-696-5485 or visit their website at Natural Disaster Scams - Kentucky Attorney General. To file a fraud complaint, go online to Scam Report (kentucky.gov).

If you suspect fraudulent activity involving FEMA, you can report it to the FEMA Fraud Branch at:  StopFEMAFraud@fema.dhs.gov, fax: (202) 212-4926 or write to: FEMA Fraud and Internal Investigation Division, 400 C Street SW Mail Stop 3005, Washington, DC 20472-3005.

If you suspect identity theft, please visit Identity Theft | FTC Consumer Information or IdentityTheft.gov.

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Renters and homeowners of Breathitt, Clay, Knott, Letcher and Perry counties who were affected by the severe storms, flooding and mudslides that began July 26 may apply for FEMA disaster assistance.

Homeowners and renters in the designated counties can apply for FEMA assistance online at disasterassistance.gov, by calling 800-621-3362 or by using the FEMA mobile app. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service.

When you apply for assistance, have the following information ready:

• A current phone number where you can be contacted
• Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying
• Your Social Security number
• A general list of damage and losses
• Banking information if you choose direct deposit
• If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name

If you have homeowners, renter’s or flood insurance, you should file a claim as soon as possible. FEMA cannot duplicate benefits for losses covered by insurance. If your policy does not cover all your damage expenses, you may be eligible for federal assistance.

Take photos to document damage and begin cleanup and repairs to prevent further damage. Remember to keep receipts from all purchases related to the cleanup and repair.

Disaster assistance may include financial help with temporary lodging and home repairs, as well as other disaster-related expenses.

For an accessible video on how to apply for assistance go to, youtube.com/watch?v=WZGpWI2RCNw.

For information on Kentucky’s recovery from the flooding, visit fema.gov/disaster/4663 Follow FEMA on Twitter at FEMA Region 4 (@femaregion4) / Twitter and at facebook.com/fema.

WASHINGTON -- FEMA announced that additional disaster assistance is available to the Commonwealth of Kentucky after President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. authorized Individual Assistance as a result of severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides beginning on July 26, 2022, and continuing.

The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Breathitt, Clay, Knott, Letcher and Perry counties.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance by applying online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate seven days a week until further notice. 

Damage assessments are continuing in other areas, and more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed.

SANTA FE, N.M – FEMA has amended New Mexico’s disaster declaration to include assistance for flooding, mudflows and debris flows for residents in Colfax, Lincoln, Mora, San Miguel and Valencia counties.

Residents who applied for FEMA assistance due to damage from the wildfires and now have damage from flooding, mudflows or debris flows do not need to apply again. Residents only need to update their disaster assistance application to include information on flood, mudflow or debris flow damage. To do this, visit the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center in Las Vegas, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362, or visit disasterassistance.gov

Residents who have not applied for assistance from FEMA after the wildfires but now have flood damage are encouraged to apply. The fastest and easiest way to apply is online at disasterassistance.gov. New Mexicans can also call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 or visit the DRC in Las Vegas to apply.

WASHINGTON -- FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the Commonwealth of Kentucky to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides, beginning July 26, 2022, and continuing.

Federal funding is available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance to Breathitt, Clay, Floyd, Johnson, Knott, Leslie, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, Owsley, Perry, Pike and Wolfe counties.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Brett H. Howard has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further assessments.

DENVER – Updates to Steele County, North Dakota’s flood insurance rate maps are nearing completion. The new maps will provide Steele County with more accurate flood risk information that can help local officials and residents make informed decisions about reducing flood risks and purchasing flood insurance.

The mapping project is a joint effort between Steele County, and FEMA. It is part of a nationwide effort led by FEMA to increase local knowledge of flood risk and support actions to address and reduce that risk.

Officials encourage residents and business owners to review the proposed maps to learn about the flood threat in their area, and potential future flood insurance purchase requirements.

Once preliminary maps are released, there is a 90-day appeal period during which community members can provide additional data for consideration before the maps are final. This appeal period starts on July 29, 2022, and ends on October 27, 2022. Appeal packages should address scientific or technical mistakes in the maps and must include supporting data or engineering documentation.

For further details on this process, visit https://www.fema.gov/r8-map-appeals, or contact your local floodplain administrator.

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

Follow us on twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion8

DENVER – Updates to some of Missoula County, Montana’s flood insurance rate maps are nearing completion. The new maps will provide the Clearwater River in Missoula County with more accurate flood risk information that can help local officials and residents make informed decisions about reducing flood risks and purchasing flood insurance.

The floodplain mapping project was initiated in 2014 and is a joint effort between Missoula County, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), and FEMA. It is part of a nationwide effort led by FEMA to increase local knowledge of flood risk and support actions to address and reduce that risk.

In Missoula County, the project involved updated flood study work on 9 miles of the Clearwater River. New and updated flood insurance rate maps were produced, indicating areas at risk of flooding in a one-percent annual chance flood event. The new floodplain maps will be used to replace the existing floodplain maps for the Clearwater River that were originally produced in 1983.

Officials encourage residents and business owners to review the proposed maps to learn about the flood threat in their area, and potential future flood insurance purchase requirements.

Once preliminary maps are released, there is a 90-day appeal period during which community members can provide additional data for consideration before the maps are final. This appeal period begins on July 29, 2022 and ends on October 27, 2022. Appeal packages should address scientific or technical mistakes in the maps and must include supporting data or engineering documentation.

The proposed maps can be viewed online at www.floodplain.mt.gov/clearwater and at the Missoula County Community and Planning Services (CAPS) Department. 

If you have technical and scientific information, such as detailed hydraulic or hydrologic data, you may be able to appeal the flood risk information on the proposed maps during the 90-day appeal period. For further details on this process, visit www.floodplain.mt.gov/clearwater or contact Bailey Minnich, Missoula County Floodplain Administrator at caps@missoulacounty.us or 406-258-4657, or Nadene Wadsworth, DNRC Floodplain Outreach Specialist at nadene.wadsworth@mt.gov or 406-444-6732.  

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

Follow us on twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion8

WASHINGTON -- As part of FEMA’s commitment to make communities stronger and more resilient, the agency is adding two additional measures to help eligible homeowners in areas covered by Presidential Disaster Declarations due to wildfire damage. FEMA has been providing mitigation assistance to eligible homeowners under the individuals and households program (IHP) for several hazard mitigation measures since June 2021. These new measures are a continued effort to expand the types of hazard mitigation items FEMA may provide assistance under the IHP.

“Communities across the nation are experiencing an increasing number of larger and more destructive wildfires in urban, suburban and rural areas adjacent to or intermixed with the wildland,” said U.S. Fire Administrator Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell.  “It is imperative that we rebuild after a fire, but do so in a way that promotes strong building codes, helps prevent fires from starting in the first place and shorter recovery when future fires do occur.” Homeowners who are affected by wildfire damage and eligible for IHP home repair assistance may receive additional funds for specific mitigation measures based on the cause and amount of damage to their home. After receiving their award letter, applicants whose home repair assistance includes additional funds for mitigation measures receive a follow-up letter explaining the intended mitigation measures. This additional assistance is available for all wildfire disasters declared on or after July 27, 2022.

While disasters can happen unexpectedly, taking steps to strengthen, repair and rebuild is vital for personal and community resilience.

The following mitigation measures may now be covered for eligible applicants affected by wildfires:

• Covering attic vents, crawlspace vents and vents in enclosures below decks with metal screens to help prevent embers from entering and spreading fires inside of homes (FEMA Technical Fact Sheet: Vents).
• Installing non-combustible leaf guards over gutters to avoid future fire damage (FEMA Technical Fact Sheet: Gutters and Downspouts).

These measures will allow homeowners to repair in ways that make their homes more resilient to severe weather and wildfire events, reducing disaster suffering and the likelihood future federal assistance will be needed.

In June 2021, FEMA announced the initial phase of additional eligible mitigation measures related to roof repair, elevating water heaters or furnaces and elevating or moving electrical panels. For additional information on these eligible expenses, please visit Hazard Mitigation Under the Individuals and Households Program | FEMA.gov.

WASHINGTON -- FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Nebraska to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms and straight-line winds on May 12, 2022.

Federal funding also is available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms and straight-line winds in Antelope, Boone, Burt, Cedar, Cuming, Custer, Dixon, Garfield, Greeley, Holt, Knox, Logan, Pierce, Polk, Sherman, Thurston, Valley, Wayne, Wheeler, and York counties.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Andrew P. Meyer has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further assessments.

ATLANTA – FEMA and the Commonwealth of Kentucky have approved a grant to help Trooper Island rebuild a community safe room.

The community safe room designed years ago to provide protection in extreme weather is out of service. The safe room, built in the 1970s, took a battering from severe storms and tornadoes in mid-July 2015 that resulted in a major disaster declaration for the Commonwealth. Roof joists were knocked loose, making the room structurally unsafe and impractical for use by campers or the families who use the 28,000-acre lake and surrounding woodlands.

But soon, the island will have a safe space that can handle the worst weather. FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program recently approved $96,975 for the camp to rebuild the community safe room. Hazard mitigation is any sustainable action that reduces or eliminates long-term risk to people and property from disasters that are sure to come.

“This project will help protect the lives of Trooper Island campers and residents during tornadoes and other severe weather events,” FEMA Region 4 Administrator Gracia B. Szczech said.

The new safe room will be able to withstand winds up to 250 mph and have a capacity for 113 occupants. Demolition of the current safe room will start in the fall. Kentucky State Trooper Jonathan Biven is hoping the new building will be completed by March 2023, before the hectic summer season. FEMA will pay 75% of the project cost, or $72,731. The remaining 25% of the cost will be split between the Commonwealth of Kentucky paying and Trooper Island Kid’s Camp.

Trooper Island, located in Cumberland County in south-central Kentucky, sits on Dale Hollow Lake, which straddles the Kentucky-Tennessee border. The camp was founded in 1965 by former Kentucky State Police Director Col. James E. Bassett as a place where state troopers and children whose families might not be able to afford a stay at summer camp can spend time together.

“He wanted to give these kids an escape from their everyday turmoil, and for one week be able to just not worry about those things,” Biven said.

Since the opening of Trooper Island 57 years ago, more than 60 former campers and counselors have gone on to become state troopers. Among them is Kentucky Emergency Management Director Jeremy Slinker, who retired as a colonel with the Kentucky State Police.

“It had such an impact and influence on me that my career thinking started changing,” said Slinker, who spent four summers working as a counselor at Trooper Island.

Safety has been a priority throughout the years. Troopers and counselors are prepared for the rare, dangerous storms. They usher the children to a protected space and encourage boaters to tie their boats along the docks and take cover on the island.

Until the new community safe room is built, Biven’s basement will fill that role. But once construction is complete, signs will go up around the lake to let the public know the safe room is open to everyone during severe weather.

“Even if a bad storm develops, having that ability to make sure they are safe is more than significant,” Slinker said. “It is huge because (counselors) take every precaution to ensure the safety of the kids while they are there.”

Biven wants the week the campers spend on the island to be a memory they recall with fondness. He also wants the troopers and counselors to have peace of mind when it comes to weather safety.

“I’m highly protective of all of them,” he said. “This is our future.”

WASHINGTON -- FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Alaska to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by a landslide on May 7, 2022.

Federal funding also is available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the landslide in the Kenai Peninsula Borough.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Yolanda J. Jackson has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further assessments.

Helena, Mont. – The Mobile Disaster Recovery Center (MDRC) at Gardiner High School in Park County will permanently close at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 29. Additionally, the Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) located at Absarokee Elementary School Gymnasium in Stillwater County will permanently close at 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 30.

Several other DRCs are still operating in designated areas to help with applications and recovery information. To find the nearest center, go online to FEMA.gov/DRC or call 800-621-3362.

It is not necessary to go to a center to apply for assistance. Homeowners and renters in Carbon, Park, Stillwater, and Yellowstone counties can apply for FEMA assistance online at disasterassistance.gov, by calling 800-621-3362 or by using the FEMA mobile app. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service.

FEMA financial assistance may include money for temporary housing, basic home repairs or other disaster-related needs such as childcare, transportation and medical, funeral or dental expenses. All DRCs are jointly operated by FEMA and the Montana Department of Emergency Services.

Disaster survivors have until Aug. 29, 2022 to apply for FEMA assistance.

For an accessible video on how to apply for FEMA assistance, go to youtube.com/watch?v=WZGpWI2RCNw.

Contact the FEMA Mitigation Helpline at 833-FEMA-4-US (833-336-2487) for information on resilient building practices. Mitigation specialists are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MDT. You can also email the team at FEMA-R8-Hmhelp@fema.dhs.gov.

For more information about FEMA’s support to Montana’s flooding and severe storms recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4655. Follow the FEMA Region 8 Twitter account at https://twitter.com/femaregion8.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Joint federal/state Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) are now open in Okmulgee and Pottawatomie counties to help survivors affected by the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that occurred May 2-8.

Survivors from any of the seven designated counties can meet face to face with FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) specialists to get help with their disaster assistance applications, upload documents and have their questions about federal disaster assistance answered at the center.

The seven designated counties are Adair, Cherokee, Muskogee, Okmulgee, Pottawatomie, Seminole and Tulsa.

The Disaster Recovery Centers are open at the following locations:

Okmulgee County

Trinity Baptist Church

830 West Ozark St.

Morris, OK 74445

Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday.

Closed on Sunday.

Pottawatomie County

Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center

1700 W. Independence St.

Shawnee, OK 74804

Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday.

Closed on Sunday.

The recovery centers will follow COVID-19 precautions. Masks are required for employees, volunteers and survivors.

Download the FEMA mobile app at fema.gov/about/news-multimedia/mobile-products for more information about DRCs (under Disaster Resources, select Talk to FEMA in Person). Active Disaster Recovery Center locations and hours are available FEMA.gov/DRC.

CHICAGO – Representatives from FEMA will host a Flood Map Information Open House for communities in Wright County, Minn., on Aug. 2, 2022, from 5 – 7 p.m. CT. The open house will give residents a chance to review preliminary versions of the recently completed Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report and its accompanying preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs).

The FIS and the FIRMs provide base flood (also known as the 1% -annual-chance event) information, designate areas that are subject to significant flood hazards within county, and offer information that public officials may use to guide development in the floodplain.

Experts at the open house will help residents understand flood risk and flood insurance, floodplain development regulations and the mapping process in Wright County. The newly prepared preliminary floodplain maps can also be reviewed at the meeting.

Once the maps become effective, they will be used as the basis for flood insurance ratings as well as local flood protection regulations adopted under the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA encourages public officials to use the maps to assist planning processes and prepare communities to quickly respond to and recover from future events.

WHAT:              Wright County—Flood Map Information Open House 

WHEN:              Aug. 2, 2022, 5–7 p.m. CT

WHERE:           Wright County Government Center                          3650 Braddock Ave. NE, Suite 1105                          Buffalo, MN  55313

Property owners, realtors, lenders, and insurance agents are urged to take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about flood risk and hazard mitigation within their community. Digital files of the Preliminary FIRM and FIS report can be downloaded from www.fema.gov/preliminaryfloodhazarddata.

If you need a reasonable accommodation (sign language interpreters, Braille, CART, etc.), please send an e-mail to FEMA-Region5-FloodInsuranceOutreach@fema.dhs.gov at least 48 hours before the event. Last minute requests will be accepted but may not be possible to fulfill.

For more information, contact the FEMA News Desk at FEMA-R5-News-Desk@fema.dhs.gov.

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

WASHINGTON -- FEMA announced that federal emergency aid has been made available to the territory in U.S. Virgin Islands to supplement the territory’s response efforts to the emergency conditions resulting from a water shortage and health impact from unprecedented sargassum seagrass influx beginning on July 15, 2022, and continuing. 

The President's action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures. This is authorized under Title V of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to save lives; to protect property, public health and safety; and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe. 

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize and provide, at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance under the Public Assistance program, will be provided for a period of 90 days for the island of St. Croix.

Patrick Cornbill has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal response operations in the affected area.  

OAKLAND, Calif. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) regional administrator authorized the use of federal funds to assist the state of California in combatting the Oak Fire burning in Mariposa County.

On July 22, the state of California submitted a request for a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG). At the time of the request, the fire threatened approximately 1,540 homes in and around Midpines. The fire also threatened community water infrastructure, power transmission and distribution lines, cell towers, and a fire station.

FMAGs provide federal funding for up to 75 percent of eligible firefighting costs. The Disaster Relief Fund provides allowances for FMAGs through FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to become a greater incident.

Eligible costs covered by FMAGs can include expenses for field camps, equipment use, materials, supplies and mobilization, and demobilization activities attributed to fighting the fire.

For more information on FMAGs, visit fema.gov/assistance/public/fire-management-assistance.

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FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. Follow FEMA Region 9 online at twitter.com/femaregion9.

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The U.S. Economic Development Administration in collaboration with the U.S. Small Business Administration is offering a series of economic recovery webinars for small businesses in Western Kentucky on July 26, Aug. 2 and Aug. 9.

These webinars are free and open to all, including those whose business was not affected by the disaster.

Creative Financing to Strengthen Small Businesses: Are you a start-up, new or seasoned small business? Don’t miss the upcoming creative financing webinar for small businesses in Western Kentucky. In this webinar, which will also be of interest to organizations assisting businesses, you will learn about specific financing opportunities from federal and community-based partners, eligibility and application opportunities, and build connections for one-on-one engagement.

• When: Tuesday, July 26, 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. CDT
• Registration (free): https://4630ky.econrsf.info/webinar-registration.html

Technical Assistance for Resilient Small Businesses and Start-ups: Looking for a boost to help advance your business goals? Join us for this informative webinar about opportunities for entrepreneurs starting new business ventures to access expertise, and other support from the Small Business Development Center. You’ll also hear about best practices in business continuity to help make your business less vulnerable to shocks. Federal and regional partners will share how they assist businesses like yours.

• When: Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. CDT
• Registration (free): https://4630ky.econrsf.info/webinar-registration.html

Best Practices in Community Development and Redevelopment: As communities recover from the 2021 tornadoes, you may be faced with a myriad of development and redevelopment choices that could affect your community for the next 50 to 100 years. In this webinar, you will hear from federal experts and national non-profit organizations on best practices to help inspire your decisions.

• When: Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. CDT
• Registration (free): https://4630ky.econrsf.info/webinar-registration.html

If you have questions about these webinar opportunities, contact Brian Lombard, blombard@eda.gov, (202) 893-4435.

For information on Kentucky’s recovery from the tornadoes, visit fema.gov/disaster/4630. Follow FEMA on Twitter at FEMA Region 4 (@femaregion4) / Twitter and at facebook.com/fema.

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Commonwealth of Kentucky and FEMA have approved $1,589,191 to reimburse utility cooperative Big Rivers Electric Corporation for expenses resulting from the mid-December 2021 tornadoes, which damaged power lines and conductors affecting 56.7 miles of transmission line.

The Henderson County-based cooperative, which sits on the Ohio River across from Evansville, Ind., provides wholesale electric power and services to three distribution cooperative members across 22 counties in western Kentucky.

The Dec. 10-11 tornadoes damaged 27 metal and 10 wood power poles, 69 insulators and 15,600 feet of conductor in Ohio County. Funding from FEMA’s Public Assistance program covers labor, replacement of the equipment, materials and contracts for in-kind repairs.

FEMA’s cost for the project is $1,430,271 for work completed Dec. 10 to Jan. 14.

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

Public Assistance is a cost-sharing program. Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022, federal reimbursement for eligible Public Assistance projects shall not be less than 90% of total eligible costs. Typically, the federal cost share is 75%. The federal share is paid directly to the commonwealth to disburse to agencies, local governments and the nonprofit organizations that incurred costs.

For information on Kentucky’s recovery from the tornadoes, visit fema.gov/disaster/4630. Follow FEMA on Twitter at FEMA Region 4 (@femaregion4) / Twitter and at facebook.com/fema.