FEMA Continues To Monitor Tropical Storm Bonnie, Encourages Americans To Be Prepared
Visit Ready.gov to Learn Simple Steps You and Your Family Should Take
Release Date: July 22, 2010
Release Number: HQ-10-139
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- This evening, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) announced that the tropical depression has been upgraded to Tropical Storm Bonnie with sustained winds of 40 mph, to become the second named storm of the Atlantic Hurricane season. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) continues to monitor the storm and stands ready to support state, territory and local officials in the region and the Gulf Coast to ensure they have the resources to respond should a storm strike. FEMA also is urging everyone in the region to take steps now to ensure they are prepared for possible severe weather.
The NHC has issued a tropical storm warning for the east coast of Florida from Golden Beach Southward, including the entire Florida Keys and Florida Bay and along the west coast of Florida, northward to Bonita Beach. The NHC has also issued a tropical storm watch for the entire east coast of Florida north of Golden Beach to Jupiter inlet, including Lake Okeechobee. A warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours. A watch means that the conditions are possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.
"We continue to monitor the storm and FEMA personnel continue to work closely with state, territory, and local officials to ensure they have the support they need," said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. "The most important thing for people living in the area to do right now is to ensure their family is prepared and to follow the instructions of local officials. For more information and helpful tips, anyone can visit www.Ready.gov."
FEMA has life-saving and life-sustaining commodities and supplies strategically located across the country to support states in their response. These supplies, including water, meals, tarps, blankets, generators and other essential items, can be replenished through the national logistics supply chain.
In Florida and locations around the Gulf Coast alone, more than one million liters of water, 1.8 million meals, 70,000 rolls of plastic sheeting, 260,000 tarps, 250,000 blankets, 60,000 cots and 300 generators are available for use as needed. FEMA has conducted resource support planning and preparations with all hurricane-prone states and territories for the current hurricane season to ensure a coordinated disaster response, if needed.
The storm's tract is currently moving west-northwestward toward the Gulf of Mexico. FEMA also remains in close contact with our federal partners at the National Hurricane Center and the U.S. Coast Guard. If the tract continues in that direction, the Unified Area Command will make any decisions regarding the movement of assets and workers involved with the BP Deepwater Horizon Operations.
The National Weather Service remains the source of official severe weather watches and warnings, including flash flooding which can take only a few minutes to develop in the case of heavy rains. Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and surrounding areas have already been receiving heavy rainfall. FEMA encourages all individuals in the region to listen to NOAA Weather Radio and their local news to monitor for severe weather updates, and to follow the directions provided by their local officials.
FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Mobile App to Help When Applying for Aid
Applying For Disaster Aid On Your Smart Phone
Using Technology to Meet the Needs of Disaster Survivors
Release Date: July 19, 2010
Release Number: HQ-10-137Factsheet
For the first time, survivors of a disaster will now be able to apply for federal disaster assistance on their Smartphones, making aid more immediately accessible for people after a disaster hits. This new tool, created at the direction of Administrator Fugate, can be accessed directly at FEMA’s new mobile web site m.fema.gov. Financial assistance for disaster survivors becomes available when a disaster has been declared by the President, to include individual assistance.
On average, roughly 40 percent of disaster applicants complete applications online. More and more, when a disaster strikes, survivors are relying on their Smartphones to stay in touch with friends and family. While computers and other means of applying for assistance may not be accessible for survivors right away, Smartphones can help ensure that survivors have immediate resources and information at their fingertips. Smartphone models that will be able to access the new mobile platform include Blackberries, Apple iPhones, and Windows Mobile.
Watch a video of Administrator Fugate www.youtube.com/fema demonstrating the new feature.
APPLYING FOR AID: A SIMPLE HOW-TO
In order to apply for individual assistance, Smartphone users will need to take the following steps:
1. Go to m.fema.gov and click “Apply Online for FEMA Assistance. ”You will then be taken to our partner site DisasterAssistance.gov.
2. Click on “Start Registration.” A page will prompt you to answer a simple question to prevent against software viruses.
3. You then will fill out the registration form to apply for assistance.
TECHNOLOGY AND THE FUTURE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Under Administrator Fugate’s leadership, FEMA is using technology in new and innovative ways: (1) to make FEMA’s resources more user-friendly to the American public; (2) to adapt to new trends in how people receive information during a disaster; (3) to educate the public about disaster preparedness; and (4) to meet the needs of disaster survivors and communities during response and recovery efforts:
* In May, FEMA launched its first mobile site, m.fema.gov. The mobile disaster assistance registration form is one of several improvements FEMA will be making to m.fema.gov. Future improvements will allow applicants to check on their status or update an existing application.
* Administrator Fugate launched his own Twitter account:@Craigatfema, adding to FEMA’s already aggressive online presence on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
* FEMA was named one of the top 10 most prolific federal agencies on YouTube and was one of the first federal agencies to have a presence on Facebook.
* FEMA established relationships with leading technology companies including Google, Microsoft, Verizon, Harris, Facebook, TechNet to help enhance FEMA’s online presence and communications tools.
* In addition to m.fema.gov, FEMA has a FEMA En Espanola web site, the addition of disaster information data feeds to the FEMA.gov web site and a joint State of Tennessee-FEMA Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/TNDisasterInfo) designed to be a hub for community information.
* Under Administrator Fugate’s leadership, FEMA has increased efforts to provide accessible information to our constituents with disabilities, including captioning for stakeholder and constituent teleconferences and providing accessible materials for constituent webcasts.
* Administrator Fugate continues to participate in roundtables and forums that explore how the emerging role of technology in emergency management.
Last Modified: Monday, 19-Jul-2010 10:03:16
Using Technology to Meet the Needs of Disaster Survivors
Release Date: July 19, 2010
Release Number: HQ-10-137Factsheet
For the first time, survivors of a disaster will now be able to apply for federal disaster assistance on their Smartphones, making aid more immediately accessible for people after a disaster hits. This new tool, created at the direction of Administrator Fugate, can be accessed directly at FEMA’s new mobile web site m.fema.gov. Financial assistance for disaster survivors becomes available when a disaster has been declared by the President, to include individual assistance.
On average, roughly 40 percent of disaster applicants complete applications online. More and more, when a disaster strikes, survivors are relying on their Smartphones to stay in touch with friends and family. While computers and other means of applying for assistance may not be accessible for survivors right away, Smartphones can help ensure that survivors have immediate resources and information at their fingertips. Smartphone models that will be able to access the new mobile platform include Blackberries, Apple iPhones, and Windows Mobile.
Watch a video of Administrator Fugate www.youtube.com/fema demonstrating the new feature.
APPLYING FOR AID: A SIMPLE HOW-TO
In order to apply for individual assistance, Smartphone users will need to take the following steps:
1. Go to m.fema.gov and click “Apply Online for FEMA Assistance. ”You will then be taken to our partner site DisasterAssistance.gov.
2. Click on “Start Registration.” A page will prompt you to answer a simple question to prevent against software viruses.
3. You then will fill out the registration form to apply for assistance.
TECHNOLOGY AND THE FUTURE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Under Administrator Fugate’s leadership, FEMA is using technology in new and innovative ways: (1) to make FEMA’s resources more user-friendly to the American public; (2) to adapt to new trends in how people receive information during a disaster; (3) to educate the public about disaster preparedness; and (4) to meet the needs of disaster survivors and communities during response and recovery efforts:
* In May, FEMA launched its first mobile site, m.fema.gov. The mobile disaster assistance registration form is one of several improvements FEMA will be making to m.fema.gov. Future improvements will allow applicants to check on their status or update an existing application.
* Administrator Fugate launched his own Twitter account:@Craigatfema, adding to FEMA’s already aggressive online presence on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
* FEMA was named one of the top 10 most prolific federal agencies on YouTube and was one of the first federal agencies to have a presence on Facebook.
* FEMA established relationships with leading technology companies including Google, Microsoft, Verizon, Harris, Facebook, TechNet to help enhance FEMA’s online presence and communications tools.
* In addition to m.fema.gov, FEMA has a FEMA En Espanola web site, the addition of disaster information data feeds to the FEMA.gov web site and a joint State of Tennessee-FEMA Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/TNDisasterInfo) designed to be a hub for community information.
* Under Administrator Fugate’s leadership, FEMA has increased efforts to provide accessible information to our constituents with disabilities, including captioning for stakeholder and constituent teleconferences and providing accessible materials for constituent webcasts.
* Administrator Fugate continues to participate in roundtables and forums that explore how the emerging role of technology in emergency management.
Last Modified: Monday, 19-Jul-2010 10:03:16
Monday, July 12, 2010
Tip
Prepare for hurricane season. Take steps to prevent possible damage when the storm hits by ensuring that your trees and shrubs are well-trimmed.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Tip from CDC
Identify ahead of time where you and your family will go if you have to evacuate. Make sure that you have local and regional maps in your car if you have to travel unfamiliar roads.
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