Disaster Recovery News

FEMA has been creating and improving upon disaster housing solutions in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and the highly criticized trailers that caused people to fall ill. The new and improved trailers feature an adhesive with less formaldehyde in them. They also come in several varieties of beige colors. The travel-trailers are also clean and do not have shutters.

FEMA housed one million displaced, homeless citizens after Hurricane Katrina caused unlivable conditions in homes only to find the emergency housing caused breathing problems, frequent headaches, nosebleeds, and other illnesses. The culprit was the formaldehyde used in what was thought to be a more cost-effective glue product in the manufacturing of the mobile homes and trailers.

The trailers will be undergoing tests for 6 to 12 months by students at the National Emergency Training Center. One of the insulation products being tested includes sheep’s wool, which is thought to absorb formaldehyde. Testers will see if the levels of formaldehyde increase with time if one cooks or smokes in the trailers. Air quality standards are in place for mobile homes in the United States, but not for travel-trailers.

More on what has been done to improve trailers that will serve as emergency housing.

Learn more about recovering after a hurricane.

Residents of North Dakota affected by the severe winter storms and flooding after March 13, 2009 can register to receive assistance by registering online at www.disasterassistance.gov or by calling FEMA’s toll-free telephone number (800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 800-462-7585).

Aid available will cover emergency home repair, temporary housing, replacement grants, and other needs that may not be covered by insurance policies. This aid, however, will mostly cover only basic needs and not entire losses, which will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

FEMA has stated the following on their site:

“When applying for help, be sure to have the following information available:

• Your current telephone number;
• Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you now are staying;
• Your Social Security number, if available;
• A general list of damages and losses you suffered;
• If insured, the name of your company or agent and your policy number;
• Bank account coding if you wish to speed up your assistance with direct deposit.”

Check out FEMA’s site for more information on receiving assistance.

Learn more about recovering from a flood.

FEMA released a statement this weekend saying some flood insurance policy holders that were affected by Hurricane Ike may be eligible to receive up to an extra $30,000 in benefits. This money would be awarded in addition to any claims made as a result of the storm.

The Increase Costs of Compliance (ICC) benefit is being awarded so that property owners will use it as preventative measure to safeguard their homes and businesses against future storms and floods.

To qualify for this benefit, FEMA states a building must be:

Covered by a National Flood Insurance Program standard policy,

Located in a Special Flood Hazard Area, also known as a regulatory floodplain,

Below the base flood level, and

Either “substantially damaged” or a “repetitive loss property.

To obtain the ICC benefit, one must file a separate claim. Learn more about the ICC benefit and find more information about Hurricane Ike.

Restoration specialists can assist with preventative measures against flooding.

Find out more about recovering from water damage.

The state of Vermont suffered severe winter storms throughout the month of December 2008. As a result, the head of FEMA has announced that federal disaster aid was made available for recovery efforts.

President Bush declared the state of Vermont to have suffered a major disaster. FEMA listed a summary of benefits they will provide:

Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for repairing or replacing damaged public facilities, such as roads, bridges, utilities, buildings, schools, recreational areas and similar publicly owned property, as well as certain private non-profit organizations engaged in community service activities. (Source: FEMA funded, state administered.)

Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for removing debris from public areas and for emergency measures taken to save lives and protect property and public health. (Source: FEMA funded, state administered.)

Payment of not more than 75 percent of the approved costs for hazard mitigation projects undertaken by state and local governments to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural or technological disasters. (Source: FEMA funded, state administered.)

Check out the FEMA website for more information and to see how to apply for assistance.

Learn more about disaster recovery services.

FEMA suggests all businesses create a manual that include information that can be easily accessed should they experience a disaster. This manual would help business owners recover after such an event no matter the size of the company.

The checklists provided below from FEMA can coincide with any emergency plans already in place or the Emergency Management Guide provided by FEMA:

• LEVEL 1: Executive Awareness/Authority
• LEVEL 2: Plan Development and Documentation
• LEVEL 3: Management and Recovery Team Assessment and Evaluation for Effectiveness
• LEVEL 4: Management and Recovery Team Assessment of Readiness and Plan Maintenance

Find a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center locator here.

More on disaster recovery and business continuity.