Disaster Recovery News

In an effort to provide services to individuals with limited access to a computer, radio and/or television, FEMA now offers a mobile website to smart-phone users. The site, m.fema.gov, is simple, straightforward and easy to use. FEMA administrator Craig Fugate states, “Smart phones are becoming more prevalent, affordable, reliable and more viable to locate and obtain information and assistance. The service will provide yet another avenue for the sharing of important information that is so critical to ensuring the public is prepared for emergencies.”

Features of FEMA’s Mobile Website

FEMA’s mobile site has two sections: “How Can I Find Assistance?” and “What Should I do in a Disaster?” The assistance section provides FEMA’s phone number (1-800-621-3362) and links about applying for FEMA aid or assistance. It also includes information about how to keep your family and others safe.

The disaster section of the mobile site provides tips on what do to in the event of a flood, tornado, hurricane, earthquake, terrorism, thunderstorm, tsunami, wildfire and winter storms. The natural disaster tips tell individuals what to do before, during and after an event. The terrorism tips include information about what to do before, during and after an explosion, chemical or biological threats, a nuclear blast or a radiological dispersion device (RDD) event.

Future Plans

Government Computer News reports:

“FEMA officials are planning technical improvements to the site, including interfaces with other federal, state and local agencies and private nonprofit organizations, such as the Coordinated Assistance Network; integrating additional controls for waste, fraud and abuse during emergencies; and surge capability through a federal cloud solution.”

This user-friendly mobile site offers a wealth of information at a smart-phone user’s fingertips. During an unthinkable event, anyone who bookmarked this site on his or her phone’s mobile browser will not regret it. Learn more about emergency preparedness.

Read more about restoring wet documents after a disaster.

Once the April showers pass and the May flowers bloom, it’s time to get ready for hurricane season. Hurricane season lasts 5 solid months; beginning in June and lasting until the end of November. Before the season is upon us, the time to prepare for hurricanes it is now.

The 3 following tips will help you better prepare for the 2010 hurricane season:

• Make a plan. Those who suffered the most during and after a hurricane were the least prepared. Develop a plan with your family that includes evacuation routes, lists of important phone numbers, what to do with family pets, and preparing emergency food and medical kits.
• Protect your property against hurricane damage. Purchase hurricane shutters or boards for your windows. Plan for water to enter your home: move important or valuable items to an attic or the second level of a building.
• Know how to recover after a hurricane. Even though they may feel eternal, storms eventually die-out. Know ahead of time what you are going to do to recover your home, business and personal items after the storm.

Act now to be hurricane-ready. Doing so will allow you to focus on keeping you and your family safe instead of having to push through grocery and hardware store crowds because you waited until the last minute.

Local natural and manmade disasters can cause great devastation when they happen.  You can help reduce the affect of these disasters by getting involved in your city’s or county’s disaster planning efforts.  Some states, like California and New York, have websites where communities can get involved in planning for a variety of local disasters. Check out your city or counties website to see how you can get involved, or call your local city hall or Red Cross. These places will be able to give you information on how your city or county will need help during a local disaster.

When there is a disaster, a community typically needs assistance with the following:

• Redirecting Traffic.  If there is loss of power to a city or there has been a natural disaster, the roads are often the first to suffer. Directing traffic can help relieve congestion and redirect people to alternate routes.
• Phone tree.  Operating a phone tree in a disaster helps get vital information to those who need it.
• Disaster command center. The coordination of agencies involved in providing aid to a distraught area can be strenuous for just a few people to do; that’s why volunteering to help at a command center can help relieve stress and as you provide another brain that knows what’s going on. Assistance can take on the form of helping run an information booth to helping with emergency shelter services, and more.
• CPR & First Aid.  Learning CPR and first aid techniques can help you know how to provide immediate life-saving acts until more help arrives.
• Volunteer Coordination and Preparation. Volunteer coordinators help recruit able bodies to assist in areas such as outreach to the community about preparedness, clean-up, to helping hand out essential items to those in need. Volunteers help speed the recovery effort.

A disaster is something most people don’t plan for, but should for the sake of their and their family’s safety. Contact your community officials to see how you can help.

The National Weather Service warned of flash floods along the eastern portion of New Mexico Sunday night as the remnants of Hurricane Dolly passed through the area, bringing with it 9 inches of rain. Officials have reported 300-500 people have been evacuated from their homes and camping areas after the Rio Ruidoso spilled over its banks on Sunday. Some residents are starting to return to their homes this afternoon but many are still displaced. The state estimates that over 60 homes have been damaged by the floodwaters.

View a CNN Video of the New Mexico flooding