Hurricane Matthew Update 11-4-16 @ 4:45pm

Team,

While we do not necessarily get a breakdown per locality as to $ amounts approved, denied, referred, withdrawn or ineligible, we do know nearly 100 Norfolkians have contacted FEMA for assistance by close of business yesterday.  Reports are done on a daily basis so numbers from today will be seen tomorrow morning. 

Information about how to register for FEMA assistance has gone out by all means available – special thanks to our partners in the media as well as our Houses of Worship through Operation Brother’s Keeper who have done a great job getting the word out!  FEMA has contacted me to let me know they will be doing even more by deploying a team in our area to physically visit neighborhoods, door-to-door, to conduct outreach.  To give credit where due, once the Presidential declaration was made, through the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) FEMA has been forward-leaning, very proactive, very responsive and committed to finding help where possible for those in need.  Communication and coordination between local, regional, state and federal has been exactly how we train, practice and hope for when it counts most.

Before FEMA teams go out into the neighborhoods, we will brief them as to those areas with greatest need based on maps depicting the heaviest reported damage as well as the geographic locations for calls for assistance to our Norfolk Cares Call Center.  Messaging to those areas via Neighborhood Specialists, Norfolk Alert, NextDoor and other means will be done letting them know teams with appropriate credentials will be visiting.

It is important to note FEMA is not the only Federal organization assisting those in need!  Along with any Federal declaration of Individual Assistance the Small Business Administration (SBA) automatically makes available to those localities specified by FEMA low-interest, long-term disaster loans to businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners, and renters to repair or replace uninsured/underinsured disaster damaged property. 

 SBA Disaster Loans available are as follows and can be found in greater detail here.

• Business Physical Disaster Loans – Loans to businesses to repair or replace disaster-damaged property owned by the business, including real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery and equipment. Businesses of any size are eligible. Private, non-profit organizations such as charities, churches, private universities, etc., are also eligible.
• Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) – Working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. These loans are intended to assist through the disaster recovery period.
• Home Disaster Loans – Loans to homeowners or renters to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate and personal property, including automobiles.

For SBA assistance, START WITH FEMA by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired between the hours of 7am-9pm.  FEMA is the repository of information and can best ensure maximum benefit of all available resources!

Thanks to all our partners of Team Norfolk!  And thanks to you with hopes of a great weekend for you and yours!

Sincerely,

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