AUSTIN, TX – If disaster strikes once, it can strike again. Make sure you remain eligible for assistance from the federal government by buying and maintaining flood insurance. Some residents in high-risk areas must maintain flood coverage or risk missing out on future federal aid. If your community participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and your property is in a high-risk zone known as a Special Flood Hazard area (SFHA), you are required by law to purchase and maintain flood insurance if you have received federal disaster assistance for flood damage....

AUSTIN, TX– The deadline for registering for federal disaster assistance is one week away, and disaster recovery centers will be closing. But the assistance doesn’t stop when FEMA leaves. After the centers close, survivors whose homes or businesses were affected by the severe storms and flooding can still get updates about applications, learn about the appeals process or check the status of their claim the following ways: Or, visit fema.gov/mobile-app to download the app.Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362). Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and...

AUSTIN, Texas — If Clyde Cain had to guess, he’d say the Louisiana Cajun Navy rescued 8,000 to 10,000 Houstonians during the flooding that followed Hurricane Harvey last year. But, he’s really not sure. “I don’t ever focus on that number … because you don’t have really time to pay attention to that,” said the founder and chief executive officer of the Louisiana Cajun Navy. “The only number that will always matter to me is how many people didn’t get saved. How can we make that number zero?” Cain and his fellow sailors...

AUSTIN, Texas — When Ervin Lassiter’s neighborhood was ravaged by a tornado in April 2011, members of the nonprofit Samaritan’s Purse were among the first faces he saw. “My home was hit on a Saturday evening. By first thing Sunday morning, Samaritan’s Purse was there,” the Colerain, North Carolina, resident said in July 2018. “They helped me recover my home … and then they built nine homes in my area from the ground up.  “Once all that was finished, our community said, ‘It’s time for us to start giving back.’” Lassiter deployed with...

AUSTIN, Texas – In 2017, Aug. 25 was a tragic day. Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas, bringing destructive winds and floodwaters that claimed 88 lives and caused immeasurable damage. In 2018, as that date approaches again, Texans mourn the loss of those who were taken too soon and reflect on the struggles hundreds of thousands have faced in Harvey’s aftermath. Texans, however, also take pride in the triumphs of so many survivors who have overcome difficulties and destruction Harvey dumped into their lives. “Hurricane Harvey was an unprecedented natural disaster that devastated...

AUSTIN, Texas — Residents of Cameron, Hidalgo and Jim Wells counties whose dwellings were damaged from the recent floods should have made appropriate insurance claims by now. But sometimes insurance carriers take weeks to dispatch an adjuster and to settle claims. Survivors have two weeks left to register with FEMA for federal disaster assistance.  So, if things with your insurance are still up in the air, then you might want to register with FEMA before the deadline of September 4. Then, if your insurance claim falls short of covering damages or...

AUSTIN, Texas – Disaster survivors from Hidalgo, Cameron and Jim Wells counties who are rebuilding and repairing their homes can visit local home improvement stores to get free hazard mitigation consultations from FEMA mitigation representatives. Mitigation advisors will be on-hand to answer questions about rebuilding and protecting homes from future disaster related damage. Topics include flood insurance and elevating of utilities. Most of the information provided is geared toward do-it-yourself work and general contractors. FEMA Mitigation Specialists will be available at these stores: CountyLocationsDatesHoursCameronLowe’s 525 East Ruben Torres BlvdBrownsville, TX 78520Monday, Aug. 27Tues. Aug....

AUSTIN, Texas – When disaster strikes, many people think they have only FEMA to help them recover. But in fact FEMA is only one of myriad agencies and organizations ready to provide assistance to those affected by calamities, both natural and manmade.  Since the severe storms and flooding engulfed Hidalgo, Cameron and Jim Wells counties in June and July, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), volunteer groups, and FEMA have all worked together to help survivors get back on their feet. Through federal low-interest disaster loans, SBA assists businesses of all sizes...

Official website of the Department of Homeland SecurityOriginal linkOriginal author: daniel.green2

A survivor’s story: One year after Hurricane Harvey  AUSTIN, Texas — Greg Norman and his dog, Jake, live in a nice, comfortable home that has largely been rebuilt since Hurricane Harvey. Norman knows, however, things could have turned out very differently if it weren’t for the help of charitable organizations and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.  “I wanted to be the guy who told FEMA how much I appreciated them,” Norman said in June, “because without their assistance, without any exaggeration, Jake and I could be living under a bridge somewhere.”...

A survivor’s story: One year after Hurricane Harvey AUSTIN, Texas — Lying on her bed in Port Aransas the night after Hurricane Harvey tore through, Sandra Maynard was startled when her lap dog, Fritz, began to bark.  “I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, the looters are here.’”   The 76-year-old had just inventoried her home and was making plans for her second night alone since her one-story townhome flooded with rainwater and sewage. She had a flashlight, but all her candles were gone.  “I did have sheets and stuff in a closet,” she said,...

Before considering new construction and repairs on property located in flood-hazard areas, survivors of the severe storms in Hidalgo, Cameron and Jim Wells counties are urged to consult local building officials to obtain floodplain development permits. Obtaining building permits is especially important for those with homes or businesses located within a 100-year floodplain. Floodplain development permits cannot be waived, and local governments cannot reduce or ignore the floodplain requirement.  Know your local flood risk by viewing and downloading your community’s flood risk products from FEMA’s Map Service Center (MSC) Product Catalog. Flood...