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The Recoupment Process and What It Means for Recent Disaster Survivors

Author:

As some frequent blog readers may remember, back in January, we first explained on this blog that FEMA, along with other federal agencies government wide, is required by law to identify any potential improper payments of federal disaster aid, and to take steps to recover those funds.

I also testified before the Senate on this same matter back in March.

Recoupment is not a new process that only FEMA is required to engage in. Our agency recently reinitiated the process after placing it on hold in 2007. And like FEMA, other federal agencies are also required to recoup improper payments that they may have made. But with the recent severe storms and flooding, we understand that this process raises many concerns, especially among current disaster survivors applying for federal assistance.

Our priority is to make sure that people and communities impacted by the tornadoes are getting the aid they need, and we continue to encourage everyone in eligible states and counties to apply for federal assistance.

Overpayments sometimes occur because FEMA provides Individual Assistance in advance of insurance coverage - and later receipt of that coverage by an individual creates a duplication. In addition, after most disasters there is a small percentage of funds that are disbursed because of processing and human error, largely resulting from the speed by which we distribute assistance.

In recent years, strong protections have been put in place to reduce the number of errors that typically lead to improper disaster assistance payments. These protections are designed to better serve disaster survivors and reduce the number of recoupments for current and future disasters. And as result of these changes, we have already seen our error rate for assistance payments drop from 14 percent during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to about two percent on average for disasters last year.

Recoupment is a difficult process and one that FEMA, under legal requirements passed by Congress, has worked hard to make as fair as possible for both disaster survivors and taxpayers. We continue to focus on making sure that everyone – whether previous, current or future disaster survivors – has clear and complete information about the recoupment process.

And, we continue to encourage all survivors of the tornadoes, flooding and other recent disasters to contact FEMA to apply for federal disaster aid.

You have most likely seen this information, but in case you may have missed it, there are three easy ways for disaster survivors to apply:

Visit disasterassistance.gov,
Go to m.fema.gov on your smartphone, or
Call 1-800-621-3362 / TTY 800-462-7585

CMT Concert Tonight: One Way To Help Survivors

Author:

Dan Stoneking

We have written recently about our ongoing work with the private sector, and we wanted to share an additional example where you can get involved, too. Tonight at 9 p.m. EDT, Country Music Television (CMT) will host “Music Builds: The CMT Disaster Relief Concert” to raise awareness and money for disaster survivors affected by the recent storms, tornadoes and flooding.

The event will feature a special call to action by President Obama, along with performances from some of country music’s biggest stars. All money raised will go to the American Red Cross, one of the many voluntary agencies working to help survivors.

In addition to working with CMT, here’s a glimpse of some of the work we’ve been doing with other partners in the private sector:

The Outdoor Advertising Association of America has coordinated with their members to post disaster assistance messages on a multitude of digital billboards across the Southeast. These signs provide critical information in English, en Espanol, and through TTY assisted calls.

Tuscaloosa, AL, May 6, 2011 -- High above the catastrophic damage wrought by an F5 tornado, an operational electronic billboard flashes important assistance information to Tuscaloosa, Alabama survivors.

LodgeNet helped survivors by placing our 30-second disaster assistance video in 261 hotels (53,400 rooms), in the same states, on the opening welcome channel.
We have also worked with the National Football League Players’ Association, most recently in Alabama (see photo below). Like Goodyear, Family Dollar, Target, Home Depot, Verizon and countless others, they are truly part of the team.

Tuscaloosa, AL, May 6, 2011 -- FEMA Deputy Richard Serino, University of Alabama football All-American Javier Arenas, and Alabama EMA Director Art Faulkner view aerial shots of damaged areas in Tuscaloosa at the temporary Emergency Operations Center (EOC) located at the Alabama Fire College. The Tuscaloosa EOC was completely destroyed in the tornado.

Donating through an event like the CMT Disaster Relief Concert is just one way you can help disaster survivors – check out this blog post for more information on where you can donate or volunteer.

Connecting the Private Sector to Emergency Response

Author:

Dan Stoneking

As FEMA continues to support our state partners across the country as they respond to and recover from disaster, its important to remember that FEMA is just part of an emergency management team that includes the entire federal family, state, local and tribal governments, the faith-based and non-profit communities and the public. In addition, a crucial component of our nation’s capability to respond to and recover from disasters rests in the private sector.

Understanding the unique capabilities that businesses have to contribute, FEMA has expanded its capability to communicate, cultivate and advocate for collaboration with the U.S. private sector.

Since November 2010, FEMA’s Private Sector Division has continued to host representatives’ rotations in our National Response and Coordination Center, the nerve center of our ongoing response and recovery efforts. The main responsibility of these representatives is to participate in the National Response and Coordination Center when it’s activated, establishing vital relationships between government and the private sector.

A billboard tells disaster survivors how to register for federal disaster assistance.

Tuscaloosa, AL, May 6, 2011 -- High above the catastrophic damage wrought by an F5 tornado, an operational electronic billboard flashes important assistance information to Tuscaloosa, Alabama survivors. The billboard is just one example of effective partnerships with the private sector to assist disaster survivors.

When the deadly tornadoes and storms struck much of the southeast in April, the private sector representative worked to keep more than 200 private sector organizations informed with situation reports and status updates. They also provided essential information back to FEMA on store openings, closures, conditions and challenges.

As a result of the Private Sector Representative position, we continue to build stronger ties with the private sector, and as a team we are more prepared than ever before.

I would also like to call special attention to the private sector representatives that have participated so far. Katie Dempsey, from Target Stores Incorporated, was the first private sector representative to participate in this program from November 2010 – February 2011.

Doug Selby, from Big Lots, served from February – April 2011 and was followed by LaNile Dalcour of Brookfield Properties, who is currently serving as the private sector representative.

Interested candidates should contact FEMA-Private-Sector@dhs.gov for more information on rotational dates available.

Update On The National Level Exercise

Author:

Tim Manning

If you work in the emergency management field, or are a concerned citizen, then you have probably heard about the National Level Exercise happening May 16-19. The exercise will simulate a major earthquake along the New Madrid fault, which runs through the middle of the country along much of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. And since it’s a National Level Exercise, we are bringing all the relevant team members to make the exercise as realistic as possible – federal/state/local governments, the private sector, non-profit and faith-based groups, the public, and even the international community.

While putting our catastrophic earthquake plans into the simulated event is important, we’re also focused on continuing to support the ongoing disaster response and recovery efforts in much of the southern U.S. At this time several adjustments have been made to the exercise, most notably in the level of play for those regions actively engaged in disaster operations. Specifically, the states of Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi and will participate through a simulation cell.

Exercise activity between the FEMA Regional Offices in Regions V, VI, and VII, and the States of Illinois, Indiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Missouri, will be conducted as planned. Stay tuned to the blog and http://www.ready.gov/nle2011 for the latest updates on the National Level Exercise.

And if you’re looking for more information about getting prepared for an earthquake, check out these safety tips.

Senate Hearing on Social Media and Disasters

Author:

Shayne Adamski

I’ve written several times about using social media in emergency situations. This past Thursday, several of us from FEMA attended a hearing before a U.S. Senate panel on “Understanding the Power of Social Media as a Communication Tool in the Aftermath of Disasters.” Administrator Fugate testified at the hearing to discuss how we use social media to facilitate two-way communication with the public in a disaster environment. In case you missed it, here are some of the highlights from his testimony:

He emphasized the importance of adapting to the method and tools that the public uses to communicate. At FEMA, we are striving to leverage the tools that people use on a daily basis, rather than trying to convince the public to adjust to the way we think they should communicate. Social media allows us to more fully engage the public as a critical partner in our efforts.
Administrator Fugate also discussed the use of "hashtags", which are names given to common topics of conversation on Twitter. We actively participate in the social media and emergency management conversation through the hashtag "#smem" and used the hashtag "#smemhill" to discuss last week's hearing. For more, read my blog post titled “SMEM = Social Media in Emergency Management”.
He also told a story about the power of social media, using a tropical cyclone in American Samoa as an example:

"We have to be able to listen to the community, but we may not be able to have that conversation one-on-one. Yet, in one event, I actually did. There was a tropical cyclone in the central Pacific bearing down on American Samoa…

And I had a person tweet back to me that he was on the island, and that these were the conditions. And I sent back and said ‘Thanks for the updates, can you keep sending them?’…

So he kept giving me updates, and so in real-time, I had a person that was there in American Samoa giving me updates about the tropical cyclone…

And then, mid-way through the backend of the storm, he began tweeting the Chicago Bears (versus) Green Bay game because he was a Packers fan. And I realized that if he is getting information about the game and that was his new concern, then maybe the storm wasn't too bad. And it turned out that luckily it caused minimal damage. That's a rare example, but it's also telling to look at the public as part of the team and a resource and doing a better job communicating with them."

In addition to Administrator Fugate's testimony, other governmental and non-governmental witnesses participated in the hearing to offer their unique perspectives on the value of social media as a disaster communications tool. Other speakers included:

Renee Preslar, Public Information Officer, Arkansas Department of Emergency Management;
Suzy DeFrancis, Chief Public Affairs Officer, American Red Cross;
Shona Brown, Senior Vice President, Google; and
Heather Blanchard, Co-founder, CrisisCommons

For more information on this hearing, check out Administrator Fugate's written testimony or the recap video (courtesy of C-SPAN).

News of the Day: Community Relations Teams On The Ground

Author:

Public Affairs

When federal disaster assistance becomes available to individuals, we use many means of communication to encourage disaster survivors to apply with FEMA. One way we get the word out is through our teams of community relations specialists. We’ve talked about community relations teams in the past, after they hit the ground in Alabama encouraging residents to apply for assistance. Recently, teams have been on the ground in Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina and Georgia, performing door-to-door “sweeps” in affected areas.

The work of community relations teams have been in the news lately, and we wanted to share a few of the recent stories:

FEMA door knockers give Jefferson homeowners advice, listening ear (courtesy of AL.com)
FEMA going door to door in Arkansas (courtesy of ArkansasOnline.com)
FEMA going door to door talking to tornado victims (courtesy of KATV)

Unfortunately, scam artists will also go door-to-door, aiming to take advantage of disaster survivors. If anyone comes to your door, we encourage all residences to ask for formal identification that they are a FEMA employee. (See this past blog on avoiding and reporting fraud.)

If your home or business has sustained losses and it’s in an eligible county, you can apply for disaster assistance by:

Visiting disasterassistance.gov,
Going to m.fema.gov on your smartphone,
Calling 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585 or
Visiting a disaster recovery center.

PLAN - Another Part of the Public's Emergency Communications Plan

Author:

Rachel Racusen

As we constantly say at FEMA, having an emergency communications plan is one of the most important things people can do to be prepared for disasters. And this morning, Administrator Fugate will join several of our partners in emergency communications at an event in New York City to announce a new tool that will enhance federal, state and local emergency communications plans with the public – the Personal Localized Alerting Network, or more appropriately, PLAN.

PLAN is a technology developed by FEMA that will allow any customers of participating wireless carriers to turn their mobile phones into personal alert systems. What’s new about that? Well a few key things:

First, these alerts will be geographically targeted, so people will receive them based on where they are when an emergency hits, as opposed to where they live. This is a much more practical and useful way of getting emergency information, when it matters most.
Second, these alerts will be able to get through to phones, no matter how jammed nearby cell towers are.
And third, they are completely free of charge and require no sign up. Wireless carriers voluntary choose to participate, and in doing so, provide the technology to new and existing customers. Customers whose phones include the new PLAN technology will have the alerts already activated on their phones, but can opt out of receiving them if they choose to do so.

At 11 a.m. EDT today, Administrator Fugate will join the FCC Chairman, Julius Genachowski, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and the top executives of AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon to announce that this new technology will be ready to go ahead of schedule in New York City and possibly other metro areas – by the end of this year.

It’s an exciting announcement and one that yet again demonstrates that FEMA is just part of the team, along with other federal agencies, the private sector, and many others, most importantly the public. We know there will be a lot of questions today and going forward about how this new technology will work so stay tuned to the blog for important information.

To get started, check out this fact sheet.

Leave a comment below and let us know what you think about PLAN.

Our Role: Continuing to Support Ongoing Flood Fight

Author:

Public Affairs

Editor’s Note: Updated on May 10, 5 p.m. EDT

Yesterday, President Obama made federal disaster assistance available to individuals in five counties in Missouri and Tennessee, to supplement the state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding.

If you live in an eligible county and have sustained losses, you can register for assistance at www.disasterassistance.gov, on your phone at http://m.fema.gov, or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) / TTY 800-462-7585.

If you have flood insurance, this is a good time to locate your policy and proactively contact your insurance company to find out what information you may need to have on hand if you need to file a claim. For general flood insurance questions, a step-by-step guide to filing a flood claim, and more information about flood insurance, visit http://www.FloodSmart.gov or call 1-800-427-4661.

And as we continue to support the response to the severe storms that affected the Southeast earlier this month, we are also continuing to closely monitor the ongoing flood fight along the Mississippi River Valley, its tributaries and other low-lying areas.

Historic flood levels have been set at many locations where the river has crested, and thousands of Americans are continuing to be affected. Here's a rundown of what we’re doing to support the flood fight, and what you can do if you live an area at risk for flooding:

What we're doing
Through our regional offices in Atlanta, Ga., Chicago, Ill., Denton, Texas, and Kansas City, Mo., we remain in close contact and coordination with our state and local partners in all of the areas affected by, or potentially impacted by, flooding. And as the crest moves down the Mississippi River, we will continue to coordinate closely with officials from the states of Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

At the request of the states, we currently have staff on the ground in Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee working with state emergency management partners, to coordinate federal support. Last week, President Obama declared emergency declarations for Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana, and a major disaster declaration for Kentucky, allowing the federal government to support emergency measures to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety.

In addition to personnel on the ground, we're also sending supplies to a pre-determined staging area in western Kentucky to ensure the needed supplies are located close to the affected areas. Here’s a quick look at the supplies at the staging area so far:

More than 720,000 meals,
More than 460,000 thousand liters of water,
More than 39,000 blankets,
More than 20,000 tarps and
More than 14,000 cots.

Aerial photograph of Nashville, Tennessee last year showing flood damage.
Nashville, TN, May 4, 2010 -- An aerial photograph shows the extensive flood damage to Nashville during last May's flooding.

What you can do
If you live in an area that may be affected, follow the directions of local officials (including evacuation orders), as record flood levels are anticipated as the crest continues to move down river.

The National Weather Service remains the source for official weather information, and has issued flood warnings across several states, from Cairo, Ill. to Baton Rouge, La., including Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana as rivers are forecast to crest over the next few weeks. You can track your local forecast at www.weather.gov or on your phone at http://mobile.weather.gov.

Become familiar with the terms that are used to identify a flooding hazard and discuss with your family what to do if a flood watch or warning is issued:Flood Watch: Flooding is possible. Tune in to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information

Flash Flood Watch: Flash flooding is possible. Be prepared to move to higher ground; listen to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information.
Flood Warning: Flooding is occurring or will occur soon; if advised to evacuate, do so immediately.
Flash Flood Warning: A flash flood is occurring; seek higher ground on foot immediately.

For more flood safety and preparedness tips, visit Ready.gov, and check back on the blog for the latest updates.

Not too late to “Drop! Cover! Hold On!”

Author:

Public Affairs

Many of you were following our blog and the activities leading up to the Great Central U.S. Shakeout conducted on April 28. Not only was the ShakeOut the multi-state earthquake drill (with 3.1 million participants), there’s no doubt that it was also the most successful drill to take place along the New Madrid Seismic Zone. Millions of registered participants; from Atlanta, Ga. to Chicago, Ill. took part in the “Drop! Cover! Hold On!” drill scheduled to teach earthquake safety.

Students practice earthquake safety by getting under their desks.
Students at the Milford Elementary School in Atlanta, GA participate in the ShakeOut drill. FEMA and GEMA personnel were there to answer questions about earthquake and emergency preparedness.

While the drill itself was a big success, individuals, families, businesses, and communities should continually prepare for the threat of earthquakes. Even if you did not participate in the Great Central ShakeOut last month, we encourage you to conduct earthquake drills at any time with your family, coworkers or employees.

And as always, we also encourage you to take three simple steps to get prepared for any emergency: get a kit, make a plan and be informed.

Photos 3: Support Efforts for Southern U.S. Tornadoes and Severe Storms

Author:

Public Affairs

We are continuing to support the emergency management team across the southeast as they recover from deadly storms and tornadoes. Here are some of the latest photos from our Photo Library, highlighting some of the ongoing recovery efforts.

Griffin, Ga., May 4, 2011 -- A Catoosa County resident confirms the necessary paper work for filing an application to receive federal funding for damage from the April 27, 2011 tornado. FEMA Disaster Assistance Employee Carol Hill, at the Catoosa County Disaster Recovery Center, explains the process.

Concord, Ala., May 4, 2011 -- Federal Coordinating Officer Michael Byrne conducts an interview an Associated Press photographer. He explained FEMA's role in helping communities and individuals recover from the April 27 tornadoes and how they can come to this Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Concord, or any other DRC in Alabama, and register with FEMA.

Heckleburg, Ala., May 6, 2011 -- The downtown section here was destroyed by the April 28 tornado. FEMA is on the ground and continues to assist in recovery efforts.

Selma, Ala., May 7, 2011 -- Trucks prepare to transfer mobile homes which will serve as temporary housing to residents of Hackleburg, Ala. who lost their homes to the April 27 tornadoes.

A FEMA employee explains a mitigation program to show how to build or rebuild stronger, safer structures that can withstand most tornadoes.
Benson, N.C., May 6, 2011 -- FEMA Mitigation Outreach Specialist Crispin Nery explains the bracket system used in the DAWG HAUS or Disaster Avoidance with Good Home Attenuating-Unionization System structure to West Johnstone High school shop teacher Eddie Poplin before beginning construction. The DAWG HAUS is a FEMA mitigation program to show how to build or rebuild stronger, safer structures that can withstand most tornadoes.

A tornado survivor applies for FEMA assistance.
Concord, Ala., May 4, 2011 -- A survivor of the April 27th tornado takes the first step of applying for assistance by registering with FEMA at the Concord Disaster Recovery Center.

FEMA officials meet with citizens impacted by the April 27 tornado.
Concord, Ala., May 4, 2011 -- FEMA External Affairs Officer Bob Jensen and Federal Coordinating Officer Michael Byrne meet with citizens impacted by the April 27 tornado, and discuss how to register with FEMA.

A FEMA official answers media questions concerning FEMA's use of temporary housing in North Carolina.
Rocky Mount, N.C., May 7, 2011 -- FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Mike Bolch and Deputy State Coordinating Officer Emily Young answer media questions concerning FEMA's use of temporary housing in North Carolina. FEMA is responding to the deadly tornadoes and severe storms that damaged or destroyed homes and businesses across North Carolina on April 16, 2011.

Ringgold, Ga., May 5, 2011 -- The residents of Ringgold take time from cleaning up their damaged town to remember veterans, and take part in the National Day of Prayer. Ringgold, in Catoosa County, was hit by a powerful tornado on April 27, 2011.