FEMA Lays It All Out for Macon County Survivors That May Need to Apply for Disaster Recovery Grants

Photo taken by Bobby Coggins on October 25, 2024, during a FEMA survey of the Cullasaja Community.

 

Editor's Note: FEMA is currently operating a Disaster Recovery Center in meeting room A/B in the Macon County Health Department.

FEMA Also Provides Free Legal Assistance for Eligible Applicants – Take a Look:

The agency has also rolled out details supporting Legal Assistance which can play a pivotal role in many contractual situations.
This service is provided for eligible applicants at no cost.

 

Typical services include assistance with:

• Insurance policies and claims.
• Foreclosure and mortgage issues.
• Home repair contracts and contractors.
• Landlord-tenant disputes.
• Document replacement.
• Government benefits information.
• FEMA appeals.
• Fraud.

Here are all of the outlined programs with itemized details supporting various categories disaster survivors should consider assessing if they may have any associated incurred loss.

These are the programs:

Housing Assistance
Rental Assistance  Lodging Expense Reimbursement  Home Repair or Replacement  Accessibility Needs  Privately-owned Roads, Bridges, Docks Temporary Housing   Hazard Mitigation

Other Needs Assistance
Displacement  Childcare  Clean and Sanitize  Funeral  Group Flood Insurance Policy  Medical/Dental  Personal Property  Transportation

 

Listed below are other key FEMA Updates that may also be newsworthy to disaster survivors looking for disaster recovery direction: 

Nov. 18, 2024

Key Messages

• FEMA has approved $241 million to more than 133,000 households and individuals beginning their recovery.
• FEMA has approved more than $251 million in Public Assistance funding in North Carolina to support community recovery.
• FEMA is providing multiple temporary housing options to meet North Carolinians’ individual needs. More than 4,800 households are checked in to Transitional Sheltering Assistance hotels and motels. The first step to receiving housing assistance is applying with FEMA.

FEMA Home Inspections: What to Expect

• Within 10 days of submitting an application, FEMA staff and inspectors may call to discuss your disaster-caused damage and schedule an appointment for an inspection.
• The call to schedule an inspection will probably come from an out-of-state phone number. An inspector will attempt to contact you three times over three different days. If inspectors cannot reach you after three attempts, your case will be closed until you contact FEMA again.
• Within 10 days following an inspector’s visit, you will receive a letter or electronic correspondence explaining FEMA’s decision. Please read your letter carefully. It may have information about next steps you need to take.

Do Not Forget, FEMA is Hiring – Apply Online: 
Come and Join Us as We Continue Working Towards Disaster Recovery Here in Western North Carolina

• FEMA is hiring in Asheville, Durham, Hickory and Raleigh to support community recovery. Applications are being accepted online. To see open positions and apply, visit usajobs.gov, type keywords “FEMA, Local Hire” and enter the location as “North Carolina.” Learn more about the journey of a local hire by watching this video: FEMA Local Hire: Cliffton J

Direct Temporary Housing Assistance

• An opportunity for all media outlets to learn more about this program will be forthcoming in the very near future.
• FEMA offers several types of housing assistance and temporary shelter solutions for eligible households. Direct Temporary Housing Assistance is approved for 25 counties as an interim solution to permanent housing needs. Learn more about housing assistance options and eligibility by watching this video: Direct Housing Assistance available in North Carolina for Helene Survivors.

Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) Still Available

§  Through TSA, FEMA pays directly to participating hotels and motels to cover the cost of room, taxes and non-refundable pet fees to provide short term accommodations for eligible disaster survivors. What this means is if you or someone you know is unhoused due to Hurricane Helene, please suggest they apply with FEMA.  If you are eligible for TSA, FEMA will notify you using the contact information you provided on your application. 

Online Application is Fastest Way to FEMA Assistance

§  Homeowners and renters affected by a disaster can apply for federal assistance in several ways: Online at DisasterAssistance.gov, Via the FEMA App (fema.gov/about/news-multimedia/mobile-products), Calling 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service.

Appeal a Decision

• If you disagree with your decision letter after reading and following all of the instructions as indicated on the letter, there are other options.
• You can appeal any FEMA decision or award amount by sending additional documents, like estimates for repairs, receipts, bills, etc., that show you qualify and need more help. Each decision letter from FEMA explains why you are ineligible and the types of documents to help you appeal. For more details, please visit: https://www.fema.gov/fact-sheet/how-appeal-fema-decision-1. 

N.C. Disaster Recovery Centers

• A Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is a one-stop shop to meet with FEMA representatives, apply for FEMA assistance, receive referrals to local assistance, apply with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for low-interest disaster loans and more. No appointment is needed. To find a Disaster Recovery Center nearest you go to: FEMA.gov/drc/
  You can visit any open center, including locations in other states.

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FEMA Field Team Seeks to Assist the People of Macon County with Damage from Helene

Here is an interview I (Bobby) did with La-Tanga Hopes B.A., M.P.A, a Media Relations Specialist with FEMA regarding the role FEMA plays in disaster recovery. She was assisting FEMA Strike Team Six in their effort to canvass the Cullasaja Community, looking to assist people with filing for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. If you are a victim of a federally declared disaster, such as Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Milton, please visit disasterassistance.gov to find out more. They are working out of the county distribution center in the old Holly Springs Ingles building.

FEMA Strike Team Six in Cullasaja | Macon Media



Here are some of the photos I took as I observed themdoing their work contacting residents and letting them know how FEMA could help them.

Here is a press release that was sent to Macon Media on Friday as I was out with Strike Team Six.

PRESS RELEASE (10-25-2024)
FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

Over the last month, FEMA and people from across the country have come together to support communities affected by Hurricane Helene. From nonprofits and faith-based organizations to government officials, individuals and the private sector, the response has been a whole-of-community effort.

Our shared goal is to get people back on their feet and set them up for success. We will be alongside them for as long as it takes.

Here’s how far we’ve come.

By the Numbers

Since response efforts began, we’ve deployed more than 5,000 personnel to support affected areas. Some of these personnel are set up at Disaster Recovery Centers, which are located near affected areas. These centers provide survivors in person help with disaster assistance applications. FEMA personnel are also walking door-to-door offering to answer questions and to help with the FEMA application process.

FEMA’s state, local, tribal and industry partners worked together to restore 99% of power outages. We’ve made sure people who lost their homes have shelter. We’ve helped hundreds of thousands of people apply for disaster assistance.

Helping Survivors



Helping people is the core of FEMA’s mission and has been our focus since day one. Within the past month, FEMA has now approved over $1.4 billion, which includes $883 million in assistance for individuals and families affected and over $524 million for debris removal and activities to save lives, protect public health and safety and prevent damage to public and private property. These funds help survivors with housing repairs, personal property replacement, rental assistance, accessibility needs and other essentials.

We’ve also visited affected communities to help survivors with their unique needs. In one recent case in Georgia, FEMA personnel worked with a family who needed reasonable accommodations which allowed them to keep their son’s medical equipment sanitary. FEMA personnel helped them through the process. The family was able to secure a six-month rental property and the funds they received from FEMA will cover the cost.

Working Alongside Organizations



Recovery doesn’t happen without the help of our partners. Nonprofits, faith-based organizations and community groups have all come together to assist affected communities. They’ve provided hot meals, shared resources on where to find emotional support and helped clear debris from roads.

Working with Other Government Agencies

The full force of the government came together to respond to Hurricane Helene and provide critical support. Leaders were on the ground assessing damage and listening to survivors. From repairing damaged roads to helping individuals replace a damaged driver’s license, our government partners play an essential role in recovery efforts.

Find More Information

Visit Hurricane Helene | FEMA.gov or follow us on social media [LINK] for the latest information on Hurricane Helene recovery. 

Want to contribute to response efforts? Visit the FEMA Blog [LINK] for more information how to help survivors. 


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Published at 3.10am on Monday, October 28, 2024
Author: Bobby Coggins

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Weather Briefing for Tuesday, October 15, 2024

GENERAL OUTLOOK

Cold and dry high pressure controls our weather for much of the week bringing the risk of frost and freeze to the mountains, foothills, and portions of the Piedmont in mid week. As this high pressure moves off the East Coast at the end of the week, a southerly flow of air develops, resulting in a slow warming trend over the weekend.

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NEWS UPDATES

• Residents in Western North Carolina Can Apply for Help Buying Food Following Hurricane Helene [Macon Media]

• Man charged with making threats against FEMA workers in North Carolina [WLOS-TV (Asheville, NC)]

• Live Updates: 125 fatalities in NC; Federal funding for disaster clean up jobs [BPR News]

• Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is rising higher in the evening sky. Here’s where to look [Astronomy Magazine]

GENERAL FORECAST (since this is a quick forecast menat to cover the whole county, bear in mind that higher elevations may experience cooler temperatures than this and the lower elevations may experience higher temperatures than those in the forecast)


.TODAY...Mostly sunny in the morning, then becoming mostly cloudy. Areas of frost in the morning. Highs in the mid 50s. Winds out of the northwest 5 to 10 mph.
.TONIGHT...Mostly cloudy in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Cold with lows in the lower 30s. Winds out of the northwest 5 to 10 mph with gusts up to 25 mph.
.WEDNESDAY...Sunny. Highs around 50. Winds out of the north 5 to 10 mph. Gusts up to 25 mph in the morning.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Mostly clear. Areas of frost after midnight. Cold with lows in the upper 20s. North winds 5 to 10 mph.
.THURSDAY...Areas of frost in the morning. Sunny. Highs in the upper 50s.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Clear. Lows in the mid 30s.

HAZARDOUS WEATHER

The coldest air of the season so far is expected to settle over the Southern Appalachians during the middle of the week. Areas of frost and possibly a light freeze in some of the valleys may occur across the North Carolina mountains, foothills and Northwest Piedmont and the mountains of northeast Georgia and the Upstate Tuesday night and Wednesday night.

FROST ADVISORY
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
930 PM EDT Mon Oct 14 2024

...FROST ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM EDT TUESDAY...

* WHAT...Temperatures as low as 33 will result in frost formation.

* WHERE...Graham, Haywood, Macon, Northern Jackson, Southern Jackson, Swain, and Transylvania Counties.

* WHEN...Until 9 AM EDT Tuesday.

* IMPACTS...Frost could harm sensitive outdoor vegetation. Sensitive outdoor plants may be killed if left uncovered.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.

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FEMA and FCC Plan Nationwide Emergency Alert Test for Oct. 4, Sending Messages to all TVs, Radios and Cell Phones

Photo provided by FEMA.

FEMA, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission, will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) this fall. The national test will consist of two portions, testing WEA and EAS capabilities. Both tests are scheduled to begin at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 4. Backup testing date is Oct. 11.

IPAWS National Test ASL | FEMA







Prueba Nacional IPAWS | FEMA







The national test will consist of two portions, testing WEA and EAS capabilities. Both tests are scheduled to begin at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 4.

The WEA portion of the test will be directed to all consumer cell phones. This will be the third nationwide test, but the second test to all cellular devices. The test message will display in either English or in Spanish, depending on the language settings of the wireless handset.

The EAS portion of the test will be sent to radios and televisions. This will be the seventh nationwide EAS test.

FEMA and the FCC are coordinating with EAS participants, wireless providers, emergency managers and other stakeholders in preparation for this national test to minimize confusion and to maximize the public safety value of the test.

The purpose of the Oct. 4 test is to ensure that the systems continue to be effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level. In case the Oct. 4 test is postponed due to widespread severe weather or other significant events, the back-up testing date is Oct. 11.

The WEA portion of the test will be initiated using FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), a centralized internet-based system administered by FEMA that enables authorities to send authenticated emergency messages to the public through multiple communications networks. The WEA test will be administered via a code sent to cell phones.

This year the EAS message will be disseminated as a Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) message via the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System-Open Platform for Emergency Networks (IPAWS-OPEN).

All wireless phones should receive the message only once. The following can be expected from the nationwide WEA test:

• Beginning at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET, cell towers will broadcast the test for approximately 30 minutes. During this time, WEA-compatible wireless phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower, and whose wireless provider participates in WEA, should be capable of receiving the test message.

• For consumers, the message that appears on their phones will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”

• Phones with the main menu set to Spanish will display: “ESTA ES UNA PRUEBA del Sistema Nacional de Alerta de Emergencia. No se necesita acción.”


WEA alerts are created and sent by authorized federal, state, local, tribal and territorial government agencies through IPAWS to participating wireless providers, which deliver the alerts to compatible handsets in geo-targeted areas. To help ensure that these alerts are accessible to the entire public, including people with disabilities, the alerts are accompanied by a unique tone and vibration.

Important information about the EAS test:

• The EAS portion of the test is scheduled to last approximately one minute and will be conducted with the participation of radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers and wireline video providers.

• The test message will be similar to the regular monthly EAS test messages with which the public is familiar. It will state: “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 14:20 to 14:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.


Published at 12.01am on Tuesday, October 03, 2023 Material from multiple FEMA resources used for this article.

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Macon County Board of Commissioners - July 2021 Clay-Macon Hazard Mitigation Plan (2021 Update)

Here is a segment from the July 2021 regular meeting of the Macon County Board of Commissioners. More articles will be published as they are completed. The full meeting can be seen at this link.

This segment is a request for approval of the Clay-Macon Hazard Mitigation Plan made by Warren Cabe, the Macon County Emergency Management Director. Such a plan is required by the federal government in order to be eleigible for fedral disaster funding. Commissioners voted 5-0 in favor.

It lasted 3 minutes and 42 seconds. Additional information can be found on the FEMA webpage at Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grants.

Update to the Clay-Macon Hazard Mitigation Plan

Document Dump: Clay-Macon Hazard Mitigation Plan Ways to Support Macon Media and Unbiased Local Journalism

If you receive value from what Macon Media provides to the community, please consider becoming a supporter and contribute at least a dollar a month. Those who support Macon Media with at least a dollar a month receive early access to video of some events and meetings before they are made public on the website. Videos and news involving public safety are not subject to early access.



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Published at 2:25pm on Wednesday, July 14, 2021

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