To report damages to your home, please call the Flood Damage Hotline at 1-877-212-0316 or fill out the Flood Survey.
ND Road Conditions are available on the NDDOT website; always learn about road conditions before traveling during a flood. North Dakota Travel Information is also available from any phone by dialing 511.
The Wallow Wildfire in Arizona has consumed an area half the size of the state of Rhode Island. The dry trees, low humidity and abundant winds create the perfect environment for this wildfire to thrive, which has burned for the last two weeks.
In a press release today, FEMA announced that Kentucky business owners directly affected by the April 22 to May 20 storms, tornadoes and floods might be eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA). The DUA is a special unemployment compensation program for those who do not qualify for standard unemployment assistance through their state.
Assistance Eligibility
If you are a Kentucky business owner, in order to qualify, one of the following situations must apply to you:
You cannot run your business because of the floods, storms or tornadoes.
You cannot reach your business because of “disaster-related travel disruptions.”
You cannot work because you sustained a disaster-related injury.
You cannot operate your business or work because the storms damaged your building.
You live or own a business in one of the 17 Kentucky counties eligible for Individual Assistance through FEMA and the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management.
Disaster Assistance Filing Dates
June 24, 2011: for Boyd, Crittenden, Graves, Hardin, Hickman, Jefferson, Marshall, McCracken, Livingston, Union and Webster counties
To be determined: for Ballard, Daviess, Henderson, Lawrence, McLean and Pike counties
FEMA states:
“Unemployment payments up to 26 weeks are available for workers who temporarily lost jobs because of the storms and who don’t normally qualify for unemployment insurance benefits, such as farmers and self-employed individuals.
“Applications can be submitted at a local Office of Employment and Training. When filing a claim, self-employed individuals should bring a copy of their 2010 income tax return. Other applicants need a photo identification card and their Social Security number.
“Joint damage assessments continue in other counties and additional counties may be added for IA. Residents that suffered storm and flood related damage are encouraged to document and photo the damage and keep any repair receipts. Please report any damage to your local emergency management.”
Without a business continuity plan, a storm can shut down your operations for good if you are not prepared. Your continuity plan should also include what to do after a storm.
The Associate Press reports that the last month of twisters has already made 2011 the deadliest year regarding tornadoes in over five decades. What may be even more disturbing is that the tornado-affected areas have the highest rate of homes without homeowner’s insurance. Consequently, some of the families who need the most insurance-related assistance do not have it and will have a harder time recouping their losses. While the federal government is able to offer some assistance, the law limits the amount of assistance it can provide to $30,300 per household.
The Most Hazard-Prone
The federal government mandates the purchase of flood insurance in specific zones, but homeowner’s insurance is not. So far, the tornadoes have cost the lives of over 450 individuals and over a billion dollars in damage. The state of Mississippi has the second largest percentage of homes in the U.S. to not carry homeowner’s insurance that covers wind damage and is one of the top five states to have the most tornadoes touch the land in the last five years. Arkansas has the fourth largest percentage of uninsured homes in the U.S. and is number 10 in the list of states that are most tornado-prone. Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma are among the top 10 states to have the most tornadoes in the country, and have a high percentage of uninsured homes.
Not Insuring a Home ≠ Money Savings
The reason so many homes in the tornado-torn areas of the U.S. do not have homeowner’s insurance is because the owners no longer have a mortgage, so the banks do not require such coverage. When an individual owns a home and no longer has to make mortgage payments, the decision to purchase homeowners insurance is strictly personal. The AP report associates much of the lack of insurance on the high cost to insure older homes and the higher poverty levels. However, as many homeowners found out, going without homeowner’s insurance will not necessarily save you money in the future.
More than 100,000 households and individuals who are victims of the recent tornadoes are waiting to receive FEMA disaster assistance in order to have access to basic needs, temporary shelter and financial assistance for home repairs. A homeowner’s insurance policy helps provide the funds for hotel costs, meals, property replacement, to rebuild a home and general recovery from a storm. Insurance is a matter of risk, and the question begs: Is it worth foregoing the purchase of insurance in order to save money in the present? The decision is strictly personal.
After the recent swarm of devastating tornadoes, residents in Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Missouri must prepare for the continuing prediction of storms. The latest tornado to hit the U.S. left 117 known victims in its wake; it is the deadliest tornado in over 60 years. MSNBC reports that about 1,500 are still missing after the recent storm.
Preparing for a Storm
Experts cannot predict the exact time a tornado will hit. Therefore, it is important for you, your family and business to have an emergency plan that you can implement at a moment’s notice. When creating your emergency disaster plan, include the following:
Know what to do if your family is not together when a storm hits. Include a meet-up spot and instructions for different scenarios. For example, think about what you should do if the kids are at school, a friend’s house or the mall, if you are at work or are out running errands. Each family member should have a list of important phone numbers written down that each person keeps in a wallet or backpack.
Know the safest location in your house in the event of a tornado warning. Keep a battery-operated radio, flashlight, whistles, safety goggles, first aid kit and your emergency disaster kit near this location. You should have enough whistles for each family member to use to call for help if any get caught under debris.
Make an emergency disaster kit that includes water, food, medications, important documents, phone numbers, batteries, blankets, disposable camera, first aid kit, cash and pet supplies (if needed). Use this kit in the event that you cannot live in your home after a storm or you need to evacuate.
If you are a business owner, create a tornado emergency plan and make sure your employees know what to do in the event of a storm. Designate an area of your business as a “safe” area for employees to wait-out a storm and include a battery-operated radio, flashlight, whistles, safety goggles, first aid kit, emergency contact numbers, important documents and the company emergency procedures manual at this location.
Create a plan to recover. Worry about your possessions well before a storm hits or after, but do not risk your life to protect your belongings during a tornado warning. Keep photo negatives and copies of important documents in a safe location away from your home or business, like a bank’s safety deposit box. If you have not done this and a storm hits, remember that you can restore wet documents and damaged photographs with the help of a disaster recovery company.
