Hurricane Matthew Update 11-3-16

Team,

As mentioned in yesterday’s update, FEMA Assistance for Individuals and Households is available for those in need after Hurricane Matthew (FEMA Declaration # FEMA-4291-DR). 

To request this assistance, folks should register online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired.  The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.  Downloading the FEMA app is another way to access DisasterAssistance.gov for federal disaster assistance.

A fact sheet on the Individuals and Household Program is available here.

FEMA’s Virginia state-specific information website is now available here.

On-site assistance will also be available at the Ocean View Senior Center at 600 East Ocean View Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23503.  Unless otherwise stated, hours of operation will be 7am-7pm beginning Monday (subject to change)

Debris Removal: Still underway!  Update on Bulk Waste Collection available here.  In case you’re wondering about the process, it’s really quite impressive.  Team Norfolk partnered with Crowder Gulf who has been removing all the wooded/green debris our joint Public Works and RPOS teams had begun moving out of the right-of-ways immediately after the storm.  Crowder Gulf and their subcontractors have been taking their collections to a debris site where it is measured, documented and then eventually placed into a tub grinder.  Over 23,000 cubic yards of wooded/green debris are now mounds and mounds of mulch, being taken away by United Disposal.  Large stumps to be addressed (ground and mulched) next week.  See pic of mulch mounds below.

Mitigation Funding: One resource tied to this declaration is the availability of the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP).  The amount of HMGP funding available is yet to be determined; it is based on the total Federal assistance provided by FEMA for disaster recovery.  A list of eligible HMGP activities is provided below with additional details available here, and easy reference brochures here and here).

For the sake of clarity, there are competitive mitigation grant funds available under FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) program on an annual basis (i.e. Pre-Disaster Mitigation, or PDM, and Flood Mitigation Assistance, or FMA).  These are the funding sources by which Team Norfolk elevates properties throughout the city.  HMGP is not offered annually, but instead is only available after a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration.  Please review list of eligible projects and let us know if any apply to your needs.  Remember, this is not for individual property owners to apply directly to FEMA; the city serves as the applicant.  Also, any projects Team Norfolk considers must be included as a goal or objective in our Hazard Mitigation Plan.  If it’s not, the document can be amended to include such projects – we just need to know.  Likewise, projects should be consistent with the Norfolk Comprehensive 2030 Plan, Vision 2100 as well as Norfolk’s Resilience Strategy.

Lastly, we’re still awaiting word on any federal assistance for Public Infrastructure / Response Efforts (i.e. “Public Assistance”).  Again, this was submitted by the Governor as a separate request with immediate post-storm focus on meeting the needs of homeowners.  Since Norfolk surpassed the threshold, it is reasonable to expect it will come.  We’ll keep an eye out and will report as able.  Please keep in mind, this type of assistance is not relevant to homeowners; rather, it is assistance for the responding locality to help recoup their response and recovery costs.

Thanks!

Jim
Director, Norfolk EOC
james.redick@norfolk.gov