Disaster Assistance Update and LEPC Notification 11-9-16 @ 9am

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As of close of business yesterday, FEMA has registered 201 individuals in Norfolk, 1,677 total in the four localities in the Federal declaration.

FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) Crew in Neighborhoods
Team Norfolk met yesterday afternoon with the FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) Crew lead (door-to-door outreach staff) and FEMA’s Intergovernmental Agency liaison (IGA) to discuss additional outreach and information into the community.  Primary message to all in our community: if you’re not sure whether you qualify for FEMA assistance based on losses from Hurricane Matthew, CALL AND REGISTER!  You may be eligible for something and not know it, and if you don’t want it, there is no obligation.  This should not be a case of calling asking for help and being immediately denied; rather, call and the folks on the other end of the line are committed to helping find any and every resource for which you may be eligible.  Let them help!

Note: a list of rumors about the assistance is provided at the end of this update.

This is a request to our community partners and especially Norfolk Operation Brother’s Keeper: If you are aware of ANYONE who has been displaced as a result of Hurricane Matthew, they could very well be eligible for assistance.  While we have a number of properties affected, we have received no information on anyone who may have been displaced, temporarily relocated, etc.  If there is anyone in your church family or neighborhood who experienced such loss, they should either call FEMA at the info below, or if you let me know, we will request the FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance team visit them directly.

Please also find below a list of items you’ll need when registering for Disaster Assistance.  Likewise, if you received a denial letter from your insurer, share that with FEMA as well as federal resources are intended to assist the un- and under-insured. 

FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams will begin going out into the community today; messaging is to go out through Norfolk Alert, NextDoor and any other available means informing folks 1.) FEMA will be in the area, 2.) they will travel in teams and have the proper credentials, and 3.) there are no charges for their assistance - they will not be asking for money.  If someone contacts you and says they’re from FEMA and asking for money, call and report it.  We will maintain a list of all authorized FEMA representatives. 

FEMA On-Site Disaster Recovery Center (DRC)
FEMA and Team Norfolk partnered up to offer Norfolk Human Services’ Workforce Development Center (201 E Little Creek Rd, Norfolk, VA 23505) for on-site FEMA assistance.  Per the pic below, the team should be ready to assist folks beginning today at noon (announcement will be made by FEMA and City when DRC is officially operational).  The DRC will remain open every day from 7am to 7pm    through Tuesday, November 15th!

Therefore, all the ways one may register for FEMA assistance:

1. Call 800-621-FEMA(3362) or TTY 800-462-7285
2. Online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov
3. Visit Disaster Recovery Center opening today at noon and then everyday from 7am-7pm through November 15
4. Register with a representative of FEMA’s Disaster Survivor Assistance teams in the neighborhood.

Debris: Every wonder what is done with the 26,000+ cubic yards of wooded/green debris?  Check out the Morbark 1300 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGuuuYyiTYg!

Next Team Norfolk Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) Meeting:

Please note change in meeting time!  Instead of our usual 1-3 meeting, we will instead meet earlier: 11am-1pm.  This is so we can participate in a very timely and worthwhile webinar: “Principles for Preparing a Community’s Disaster Recovery Plan” offered by the American Planning Association’s Hazard Mitigation and Disaster Recovery Planning Division.

Not only is this a chance to learn more about recovery planning, we will have our DRAFT Recovery Plan(s) on hand for your review as well as Mr. George Homewood, Director of Norfolk’s Department of City Planning (as well as President of the APA Virginia Chapter)!

Please RSVP if you plan to attend.  We will do our best to offer refreshments; however, you are encouraged to bring your own lunch.

Thanks!

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

 

Rumor Control: FEMA disaster assistance concerns answered

To avoid misinformation circulating on social networks regarding the recovery effort for Hurricane Matthew in Virginia always ask for clarification from official sources. Rumors spread fast: please tell a friend, visit our rumor control page often and help us provide accurate information about the types of assistance available.

Check here often for an ongoing list of rumors and their true or false status.

RUMOR:  FEMA doesn’t pay survivors enough.

FACT:  FEMA grants are not the same as insurance. They are not intended to ‘make you whole.’ FEMA grants help eligible survivors with a start to get their lives back on track. They help with some basic disaster-related costs. They are usually not enough to get a household back to how it was before the disaster. FEMA looks at each case individually.

RUMOR:  I already cleaned up and repaired the damage to my home. I heard it’s too late to get help from FEMA.

FACT:  You may be eligible for FEMA assistance even if you’ve already repaired the damage. It will help if you have “before” photos and receipts for your repair expenses. Register with FEMA to find out more. You may be eligible for a grant for repair assistance that will help cover your costs. The deadline to register for FEMA registration is January 2, 2017.

RUMOR: FEMA assistance has to be repaid.

FACT:  FEMA assistance is a grant, not a loan. Grants do not have to be repaid. Some homeowners, renters, businesses, and nonprofit organizations may take out disaster recovery loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). SBA loans have to be repaid but are at a lower interest rate than usual. Again, FEMA grants do not have to be repaid. In addition, FEMA grants are not taxable and do not affect your eligibility for other federal benefit programs, such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

 

RUMOR:  If there are other family members or roommates living with me, FEMA isn’t going to give them any help.

FACT:  FEMA is committed to giving each individual survivor all the help he or she is eligible for. FEMA evaluates the needs of all eligible survivors on a case-by-case basis. Be sure to tell FEMA about the needs of all members of your household whether they are related to one another or not. Call the FEMA helpline at 800-321-3362 if you need to update your registration or have questions about the needs of any members of your household. 

 

RUMOR: There is no easy way to get true, reliable information about FEMA’s disaster assistance programs.
FACT: Straight answers and plain facts are available from the disaster assistance program experts on FEMA’s Help Line. Call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585 to learn about disaster assistance programs. Toll-free lines are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. EDT daily. Multilingual operators are available. Survivors can also go to their nearest Disaster Recovery Center to get questions answered. Trust information only from official sources.


RUMOR: If survivors receive FEMA assistance, it could reduce their Social Security benefits.
FACT: No. Disaster assistance does not count as income. FEMA assistance will not affect Social Security, Medicare, or other federal and state benefits, and it is not counted as income for tax purposes.


RUMOR: If you receive money from FEMA you have to pay it back.

FACT: FEMA grants do not have to be repaid.

RUMOR: Receiving a letter from FEMA stating the applicant is not eligible means the person will not get any assistance.

FACT: Not necessarily. Receiving such a letter does not always mean an applicant is not eligible for disaster aid, even when the letter states “ineligible” or “incomplete.” Such a letter can simply be an indication that further information is needed, or that the applicant’s insurance claim needs to be settled before disaster aid can be granted. Call the FEMA help line, 800-621-3362, or visit your nearest Disaster Recovery Center with questions.

RUMOR: If you take FEMA assistance, they take your property.
FACT: Not true. FEMA has no authority to take property of any kind from anyone.

For more information on Recovery Efforts visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4291 and www.vaemergency.gov

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

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

 

 

 

Hurricane Matthew Update - INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE APPROVED - 11-2-16

Ladies and Gentlemen,

FEMA Individual Assistance has been approved for Norfolk, as well as Chesapeake, Virginia Beach and Newport News.  This is assistance for residential and commercial properties affected by Hurricane Matthew.  Click here for the President’s Declaration. 

This Federal declaration is a result of the Team’s hard work and diligence capturing, documenting and reporting damages from the storm.  It is also due in no small part to the close coordination among our city, VDEM and FEMA.

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.

For those requesting face-to-face assistance with FEMA, we are requesting a FEMA mobile unit be stationed near the most heavily impacted area of the city and accessible by public transport.  Details of this request and timeframe of arrival will be forthcoming.

I am attaching three infographics below explaining the disaster assistance process.

Please note: a separate request was made for Public Infrastructure and Government response efforts – still awaiting the verdict!

Thanks, everyone!

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

 

 

 

 

 

Hurricane Matthew Update 10-28-16 @ 12pm

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I had the opportunity to present the latest update to members of City Council earlier this week and wanted to share with you here as well. 

Norfolk’s official numbers regarding Individual Assistance (Residential and Commercial properties) based on the preliminary damage assessments conducted by FEMA, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM), the Small Business Administration (SBA) and local staff are as follows: 6 Destroyed, 19 Major Damage, 28 Minor Damaged and 38 Affected.  To be clear, over 400 properties were affected, of which ~80% of that damage came as a direct result of downed / damaged trees. During the October 15 preliminary damage assessment process with state and federal partners in town, focus was on taking them to 100 properties which were above being affected. There were enough properties considered affected after inspecting the Minor Damage homes so focus changed to properties with Major Damages.

I misspoke when reporting 17 homes of the original 400 were without flood insurance; it was 17 of the aforementioned 100.  Nonetheless, a rate of ~20% out of the 100 or 400 is accurate.  It is also important to remember it’s the uninsured losses for which federal assistance may be provided.  The Governor made a request to the White House for this Individual Assistance on October 21; there has been no update as to whether the President has approved or denied the Governor’s request for federal individual assistance.  To see how this process works at a glance, a new infographic is attached below.

Debris clearing remains under way and will continue through early November. Over 17,000 cubic yards of green waste has been moved from neighborhoods thus far.  As mentioned in the previous update, for context, 1 Million cubic yards was removed after Tropical Storm Isabel in 2003.  For a glimpse as to the size of some of the trees being moved, please find below a picture of Public Works’ Larry Keefe standing in front of a debris pile at the City’s Hanson waste reduction site.

These debris removal efforts, along with documented staff time, volunteer efforts, facility and equipment usage, shelter operations and structural damages (including Norfolk Public Schools, Norfolk State University and Old Dominion University) all count toward Public Assistance.  Current costs are at $1,787,105; the threshold for Norfolk for Federal Public Assistance is $876,519.  A Governor request for this Federal Public Assistance is expected to occur in the near future.

Coordination is underway with VDOT and the FHWA to address the underpass pumps.

There are many successes of which to be proud with Team Norfolk and its solid response to Matthew – and it is important to celebrate those victories and build on them.  At the same time, in the words of Lt General Hal Moore, author of We Were Soldiers Once . . . And Young (later the movie entitled “We Were Soldiers” starring Mel Gibson): “There is always one more thing we can do to increase our odds of success.”  I'm excited to report we began identifying and addressing issues immediately after Tropical Storm Hermine, added more after Julia, and more so after Matthew.  They will be included in our After Action Report as well as our response and recovery plans (all of which will be available to the community).    A sample of these include the following:

Areas of Improvement

• Continue to solicit information and help from the community.  Improve the user interface of STORM Mobile program, ensure more timely/accurate information is available (not reflecting roadways reported as flooding for 3 days), and the iVIEW map showing all STORM reports are easily available when the City’s emergency page is activated.
• Work on a way which informs the community where debris clearing pickups have already occurred, and when/where the next sweep is scheduled.
• Provide a reference list for restoration specialists so those in the community have direction as to where to seek workers, and also protect them from unscrupulous "contractors" who follow disasters to take money and run.  As to not promote or endorse any one agency, we can provide a list of those we know to be licensed and insured as provided by the Chamber of Commerce, the Better Business Bureau, and the Honorable Order of the Blue Goose, Tidewater Puddle (http://vapond.org/tidewater/) - organization of insurance and restoration companies in our city/region.  This listing should also be available on the emergency site, available through Norfolk Cares Call Center (664-6510) and hardcopies throughout the community (i.e. libraries).
• Do a better job - between local government, the NWS and media - explaining the extent of flooding, and be consistent with terminology (i.e. MLLW, NAVD88)

 Needs

We are only as resilient as all of us in the community care and take time to be.  Moreover, if Matthew impacted us as a true CAT-2 as originally forecasted, everyone would be called upon to pitch in.  Are we ready?  We need to act now - get to know our neighbors (particularly those who may need a little assistance after an incident.  Who knows, it could be you!) and otherwise identify resources within the community (i.e. Neighbors Building Neighborhoods).  We need to meet - representatives of civic leagues, houses or worship, businesses, schools, government and others which truly make up our community - to talk through various scenarios, establish realistic expectations and improve Team Norfolk plans.

We are also in absolute need of...

• More Houses of Worship involved in Operation Brother’s Keeper.
• More individuals involved in Community Emergency Response Team, Medical Reserve Corps or other affiliated groups within Team Norfolk.
• Need more awareness and emphasis on the importance of flood insurance.

Again, expecting to hear something soon regarding Individual Assistance.  As soon as we do we will push the information out by all means available without delay.

Thanks and have a great weekend!

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

 

 

Hurricane Matthew Update 10-17-16 @ 5pm

All,

As a reminder, damage assessment teams consisting of representatives from the city, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, FEMA and the Small Business Administration worked over the weekend visiting numerous sites throughout the community.  Sites included underpass pumps, Norfolk Public Schools, NSU and ODU, a dam for which Norfolk is responsible in Suffolk, and many homes and businesses.

One update as it pertains to the underpass pumps: Since both are also state roadways (Va Beach Blvd is a state route 58 and Brambleton is part of state route 460) they are referred to as “Federal-Aid Roads” (see pg. 54 of link) and thus assistance must come from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), not FEMA.  As such, the $2M in damages cannot be included in our assessment for Public Assistance (with threshold of $876,000) to FEMA.  However… temporary work is covered, so there should be reimbursement for the use of the temporary pumps.

The numbers for which there is most interest deal with homes and businesses in order to be eligible for Individual Assistance.  These were collected over the weekend with over 160 miles of travel and are as follows: 5 homes destroyed, 20 Major Damage, 14 Minor Damage and 38 Affected (was 1, 25, 59 and 323 respectively).  Of these properties, and the original list mentioned reflecting over 400 structures, only 17 had flood insurance.  Many of the properties labeled “Major Damage” during the  windshield assessments immediately after the storm, when trees may have been leaning on them, had since been downgraded because trees and debris have been removed allowing a more detailed assessment to be performed.  While this is good news for those properties, it does not bode well for the likelihood of Individual Assistance through a Presidential declaration.

Total cubic yards of debris hauled Saturday was 1,105, which combined with Friday afternoon was 1,619.  Another 29 loads equaling 1,271 cubic yards were hauled Sunday, totaling 2,890cy for the weekend.  To provide some context, 1 Million cubic yards was removed after Tropical Storm Isabel in 2003.

In an effort to maintain realistic expectations, the assumption should be a federal declaration will not be declared based on numbers.  While damage to anyone’s’ property is certainly a disaster at the individual level, it may not be as defined by the Robert T. Stafford Act which dictates the terms and criteria.  Nonetheless, Team Norfolk responds and recovers together regardless.  Fortunately, at this time there are no reported unmet needs; however, if you are aware of anything to the contrary, please let us know so we can connect them with some Team Norfolk help!

Thanks!

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

Hurricane Matthew Update 10-14-16 @ 4:15pm

All,

A brief and very productive meeting was held this afternoon at the Emergency Operations Center to ascertain and otherwise prioritize which areas to focus first for Individual Assistance (private and commercial properties) and Public Assistance (Government Infrastructure, Costs, etc.).  Team Norfolk agencies represented included Norfolk Risk Management, General Services, Planning, Public Work, Public Utilities, ComTech, Marketing & Communications, Emergency Management and Public Schools.  Norfolk State University and Old Dominion University information also included.  State and Federal agencies included the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, FEMA and the Small Business Administration (SBA).  Maps reflecting the 1,800+ reports entered thus far is provided below; pic of meeting also attached.

Folks interested in self-reporting damages to their property may do so using STORM Mobile at http://stormmobile.norfolk.gov/stormmobile/. When reporting damage, please be sure to use VDEM’s categories at http://www.vaemergency.gov/wp-content/uploads/drupal/IA_Training_Aid_Table_color021507.pdf.  Those not connected electronically should call the Norfolk Call Center at (757) 664-6510.

IMPORTANT REQUEST for widespread distribution - especially our faith partners in Operation Brother’s Keeper, Spartan and Monarch nations, our CERT teams and civic leagues, VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED!!

 *** For Public Release *** 

VOLUNTEER INFORMATION:   “WANT TO HELP”:

Operation Blessing is accepting volunteers daily at 8:00 AM  (Monday – Saturday) at CBN’s Corporate Support Building facing Centerville Turnpike.  Orientation will begin at 8:30 AM and teams will be sent out from there.  Operation Blessing will provide everything you need - work assignments, tools, and lunch.  All we ask is that you provide your own transportation to and from the work sites.  No reservations are needed for daily volunteers.  

Virginia Beach Area Volunteers Meet at:

CBN’s Corporate Support Building
At the Operation Blessing Construction Trailers in the Parking Lot Facing Centerville Turnpike

977 Centerville Turnpike 
Virginia Beach, VA

Questions:  Please call our National Volunteer Manager @ 757.226.3407.

 (Volunteers need to be 18 years or older to volunteer.  We can make exceptions for 16 & 17 year olds as long as their parents are with them and sign a parental consent form.)

WHAT:  Help residents whose homes were damaged by Hurricane Matthew sort their belongings to keep what is salvageable, take contents of the home to the curb, and remove the wet, soggy insulation and sheetrock so that the homes is down to the studs for rebuilding.

*** End of Public Release 

 

Thank you, Team Norfolk!

 

Jim

Director, Norfolk EOC
James.redick@norfolk.gov