TimesTimesTimesTimes KANSAS June 18, 2007 Vol. 1 Published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/FEMA and the Kansas Division of Emergency Management KDEM Apply by Phone 800.621.FEMA (3362) TTY: 800.462.7585 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time Monday through Saturday A complex of mobile vehicles in Greensburg helped federal, state and local agencies and volunteers respond to the early May disaster. FEMA Photo by Greg Henshall Disaster Help A AAAAAv vvvvvaila ailaailaailaailaailab bbbbble lelelelele No NoNoNoNoNow! w!w!w!w!w! Severe storms, tornadoes and flooding beginning May 4 and continuing through May18 devastated the city of Greensburg and caused widespread damage throughout the central and eastern part of the state. In response to a request from Governor Kathleen Sebelius, President Bush declared a federal disaster on May 6, opening the way for help to individuals and business owners in 21 affected counties who suffered disaster-related damage. The disaster declaration enables the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other federal agencies to team with state and local disaster workers to help residents and business owners in the affected counties recover. Government disaster assistance covers basic needs, but will not normally compensate disaster victims for their entire loss. If you have insurance, the government may help pay for basic needs not covered under your insurance policy. The types of help available are outlined in this newsletter and will be explained when you register for aid. Those affected by the storms and flooding who live or own businesses in a disaster-designated county may apply for aid by calling toll-free 800-621-FEMA (3362). The TTY number for callers with special speech or hearing needs is 800-462-7585. Individuals may also register online at www.fema.gov. Important Recovery Information . Register by phone, at a Disaster Recovery Center or online at www.fema.gov Residents of designated counties whose homes, businesses or personal property sustained damage as a result of severe storms, tornadoes and flooding May 4-18 are urged to begin the application process. Register online or call 800-621-FEMA (3362) (TTY: 800-4627585). . Assistance to Individuals and Households Homeowners and renters whose primary residences are not livable may be eligible for funds to pay for temporary housing, repairs to make the home livable and other serious, disaster-related needs. . U.S. Small Business Administration During disasters, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) provides low- interest, long-term loans to homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes that are not fully insured. . National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Disaster victims insured with NFIP are eligible to file claims to repair or replace damaged property. Call your licensed insurance agent for information. A safe room built under a driveway (left) and a free-standing safe room that remained intact after being struck by an EF-5 tornado protected Greensburg residents. FEMA Photos by Kim Hayes and Diana Reagan. Safe Rooms Save Lives Building smarter, stronger and safer is the key line of defense Kansans are advised to consider in the wake of severe storms, tornadoes and flooding. Exceeding the requirements of state and local building codes with a “code plus” approach to rebuilding increases the disaster resistance of homes and businesses and decreases the chance of major structural damage from wind and water. A safe room is a tornado shelter that can be built or installed anywhere in a house, but it must be a “room within a room.” That is, its walls, ceiling, and floor must be structurally separate from the rest of the house so that if the surrounding house is destroyed, the safe room will remain intact. The goal of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s safe room design and construction is to provide “near-absolute protection” from the forces of wind and debris during a storm with winds as high as 250 miles per hour. A full-size model safe room has been on display at the Disaster Recovery Center in Haviland and at Davis City Park in Greensburg. Disaster specialists are on site to demonstrate how a safe room works. The safe room is built out of 14-gauge steel and 2¾-inch sheets of plywood. It has a 14-gauge steel door and a double 2- x 4-inch frame that has three heavy-duty dead bolts. It includes a disaster supply kit. A safe room is a mitigation measure used to help save lives. An independent study conducted by the National Institute of Building Sciences concluded that society saves an average of $4 for every dollar spent on mitigation measures for hazards such as wind and flood. Why Build a Safe Room? The purpose of a shelter is to provide a defensible space where you and your family can survive tornadoes with little or no injury. Your shelter should be readily accessible from all parts of your house, free of clutter, adequately anchored to the house foundation and built strong enough to resist the forces of a severe tornado. Additionally, the safe room’s walls, roof, and most importantly, the door, must resist penetration from flying debris, uplift, overturning and sliding. Individuals considering a safe room should contact their local building official to determine building code and permitting required prior to construction. How Much Does a Safe Room Cost? Cost can vary between $2,500 and $6,000 for a Safe Room. The safe room can be used as a closet, bathroom or utility room. Existing homes will require retrofitting a centrally located room on the lowest floor to meet the safe room design specification. Consider building a safe room inside your home or as an attached addition. Specific designs for tornado safe rooms are included in FEMA publication 320: “Taking Shelter From the Storm: Building a Safe Room Inside Your House.” Shelters built to the FEMA standard are expected to withstand the forces imposed on them by extreme winds. Call toll free 1-888-565-3896 to receive a free copy. Get a Weather Alert Radio Weather alert radios can be as important to have as smoke detectors in your home, school or business. The Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio broadcast signal is provided as a public service. NOAA is an “all-hazard” radio network. 21 Kansas counties designated for Individual Assistance Barton, Clay, Cloud, Comanche, Dickinson, Edwards, Ellsworth, Kiowa, Leavenworth, Lyon, Osage, Osborne, Ottawa, Phillips, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Riley, Saline, Shawnee and Stafford 2 A AAAAA Good GoodGoodGoodGoodGood Time TimeTimeTimeTimeTime t ttttto ooooo T TTTTThink hinkhinkhinkhinkhink About AboutAboutAboutAboutAbout Flood Insurance Floods are the most common natural disaster. Maintaining a flood insurance policy is an effective way to protect yourself against the cost of flood damage. Many Kansas residents found out in the aftermath of the May 4-18 severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that homeowner policies do not cover damage from rising waters. Kansas residents who do not have flood insurance can take steps now to protect against future flood losses. Flood insurance backed by the federal government is available to any homeowner, renter or business owner whose property is in a community that participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). In order to participate, the community must adopt and enforce local floodplain management ordinances designed to reduce the risk of future flood losses by managing community development in special flood hazard areas. If you live in such a community, you can purchase flood insurance from a licensed insurance agent or company – the same one, for example, who handles your home owner or automobile insurance. Premiums vary according to the flood risk your property is exposed to, the amount of coverage you purchase, the deductible you select and the type of building you are insuring. Nationwide, the average premium is about $300 per year for approximately $98,000 of coverage. On a single-family home, you may purchase flood insurance coverage up to a maximum of $250,000 on the structure and up to $100,000 on the contents. If you are a business owner, the maximum is $500,000 on the building and another $500,000 on contents. If you are a renter, you can purchase up to $100,000 coverage for personal belongings. Coverage on structures and on contents requires two separate policies. Some people resist buying flood insurance in the faulty belief that, if flooding occurs, the government will bail them out. Federal disaster assistance is available only if a flood (or other disaster) is so large and widespread it warrants a major disaster declaration from the president. More than 90 percent of disasters are not presidentially declared. In the majority of floods, victims are on their own – unless they have flood insurance. And even for floods that are declared major disasters, the aid available is limited. Most assistance is in the form of loans that must be repaid, with interest. Flood insurance is advisable even if your neighborhood is not in a floodplain. Floods can – and do – occur almost anywhere. Nearly 30 percent of NFIP claims come from properties considered to be at low or moderate risk. For more information, contact your local insurance agent or company or call the NFIP toll-free number 1-800-427-4661. There is a 30-day waiting period before new policies take effect, so don’t delay. Disaster Teams Reach Out to Flood Victims Community Relations teams have fanned out across areas of Kansas, meeting with people who suffered losses from the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that occurred May 4-18. “We have people going door-to-door making personal contact answering questions,” State Coordinating Officer Angee Morgan said. Community Relations teams of FEMA and KDEM personnel are making contact with victims, elected officials and community organizations in all areas affected by the disaster. “We bring people as much information as possible to get them to start the recovery process,” Federal Coordinating Officer Michael L. Karl said. “This is also an opportunity to start people thinking about preparedness, so if disaster strikes again, the community is better able to cope with it.” Early May severe storms, tornadoes and flooding in cities and rural areas of Kansas warranted a major disaster declaration. FEMA Photo by Jace Anderson Assemble a Family Disaster Kit Among the items you should have ready: Water at least one gallon per person for three to seven days Food enough non-perishable packaged or canned foods for three to seven days Medical supplies Moisture wipes and anti-bacterial hand sanitizer Flashlight and extra batteries Battery-operated radio and NOAA weather radio Cash and important documents Special items for infants, elderly people and pets Times Times Recovery Times is published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Kansas Division of Emergency Management with help from other federal, state and voluntary agencies. Comments and inquiries may be directed to PH: 800.621.FEMA (3362) http://www.fema.gov DR1699 KS Federal Coordinating Officer MICHAEL L. KARL State Coordinating Officer ANGEE MORGAN Editor, FEMA Public Affairs BLAIR GATELY 3 When you register for assistance by calling the FEMA toll-free number, 800-621 SBA Low-Interest Loans FEMA (3362), you may receive an SBA loan application. If you need assistance in Not Only For Businesses completing it, you can get help from an SBA representative at any disaster A low-interest loan from the U.S. Small repair or replace disaster-damaged real recovery center or by calling SBA Business Administration (SBA) is the main estate, machinery and equipment, Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955. form of federal help for recovery for inventory and other business assets. Loans Also visit SBA on the Web at homeowners, renters and businesses of all of up to $1.5 million are available for www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. sizes. These loans fund repairs of damages losses not fully covered by insurance. to private property not fully covered by insurance. By making affordable loans, the For small businesses only, SBA makes BUILDING FOR A SBA disaster program helps disaster Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) SAFER FUTURE victims pay for repairs while keeping to provide working capital to pay necessary taxpayer costs reasonable. obligations until operations return to There are some simple, inexpensive normal. These loans, up to $1.5 million, steps you can take to protect your Loans for homeowners and renters. SBA are available to businesses financially property from future flood damage. disaster loans up to $200,000 are available impacted by the disaster, even if they had to homeowners for real estate repairs and no property damage. Small businesses Raise the electrical box or relocate up to $40,000 for replacement of disaster-located in counties bordered by declared the box to an upper floor. damaged personal property. Renters may counties may also apply for these loans. Raise the water heater and heating borrow up to $40,000 to replace disaster- system on a masonry base or damaged personal property. relocate them to an upper floor. FEMA’s temporary housing An additional 20 percent may be added to assistance and grants for public Anchor the fuel tank (oil or propane) the disaster loan to cover the costs of transportation expenses, medical and to the floor or wall to prevent it from mitigation measures to prevent future overturning or floating away. Metal dental expenses, and funeral and damage. structural supports and fasteners burial expenses do not require must not be corrosive. Wooden individuals to apply for an SBA loan. SBA analyzes the income and debts of a supports must be pressure treated. However, applicants who receive homeowner or renter. If the applicant SBA loan applications must submit Install a floating floor-drain plug at cannot afford a disaster loan, SBA may them to SBA loan offices to be the lowest point of the lowest finished refer that person to another source of help. eligible for assistance that covers floor. When the floor drainpipe backs personal property, vehicle repair or up, the float rises and plugs the drain. Loans for businesses and nonprofit replacement, and moving and storage Install a backflow valve to prevent organizations. Businesses of all sizes and expenses. sewer backup from coming into your private nonprofit organizations may apply home. for low-interest disaster loans from SBA to . . STATE AGENCIES Clip & Save Kansas Attorney General’sConsumer Protection Hotline .. 800-432-2310 Kansas Highway Patrol .......................... 620-276-3201 or 785-296-6800 . FEDERAL AGENCIES Kansas Department of Revenue (DL & vehicle title) .............. 785-296-3909, 785-296-3963 or 785-296-3621 FEMA Registration ................................. 800-621-FEMA (3362) Kansas Insurance Department .......................................... 800-432-2484 TTY for hearing/speech impaired..................800-462-7585 Kansas Dept. of Health and Environmental (vital records) ..... 785-296-1414 FEMA Fraud Detection..........................................800-323-8603 Kansas Dept. on Aging ....................................................... 800-432-3535 Southwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging ....................... 620-225-8230 National Flood Insurance Program ....................800-427-4661 Kansas Dept. of Labor (unemployment help) .................. 800-292-6333 TTY for hearing/speech impaired..................800-427-5593 Kansas Dept. of Social & Rehabilitation Services .................. 888-582-3759 Social Security Administration ...........................800-772-1213 or 620-723-3321 Crisis Counseling-KS Suicide and Crisis Hotline ................... 800-784-2433 U.S. Small Business Administration..................800-659-2955 Farm Service Agency .............................................. Contact local office Internal Revenue Service ....................................800-829-1040 Ford Co. Housing Authority ............................................... 620-225-8230 TTY for hearing/speech impaired ...................800-829-4059 . VOLUNTEER AGENCIES Housing and Urban Development Hotline.........800-669-9777 American Red Cross ........................................................... 866-GET-INFO Department of Veterans Affairs...........................800-827-0648 Salvation Army ...................................................................... 317-937-7000 4