Tag: Federal Emergency Management Agency

West Virginia Families Impacted by 2016 Floods Get New Homes

Several families impacted by flooding last year in West Virginia have received new homes.

WVVA-TV reports the Rainelle residents were handed keys to their homes on Monday. The homes have 8-foot (2-meter) support beams should severe weather come again.

The work was done by Appalachia Service Project, a Christian ministry focused on home repair and replacement in central parts of the region. The organization has built more than 50 homes for those who lost theirs in the 2016 flood.

Darlenia Killen says she lived more than a year in a single bedroom apartment and Federal Emergency Management Agency trailer. She walked into her new home saying, “I could not be more appreciative, I’m afraid I might cry.”

The families also received Thanksgiving baskets with turkeys.

FEMA Disaster Recovery Center in Hundred Closing Friday

The last Disaster Recovery Center serving communities in northern West Virginia after devastating flash floods this summer will close this week.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Recovery Center in Wetzel County will close at 6:00 p.m. Friday evening, September 29.

The center, located at Hundred High School, opened after flooding in July devastated several communities in northern West Virginia.

Although the center is closing, flood victims can still register with FEMA by phone or online until October 17th.

Just over 800 people have registered for aid so far, and nearly $2.5 million has been granted to individuals throughout the region.

More information:

Survivors can register by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 (FEMA) from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service can call the same helpline. Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY, should call 800-462-7585. Survivors with general questions or questions about their applications are encouraged to call the helpline or visit: www.DisasterAssistance.gov.

The number for the U.S. Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center is 800-659-2955. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339. For disaster program information visit SBA.gov/disaster.

Address and hours of operations until closing:

Wetzel County

Hundred High School Library

Hundred High School, 3490 Hornet Highway, Hundred, WV 26575

Monday through Friday (the last day) 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Deadline Approaches for Flood Assistance from SBA, FEMA

The Small Business Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency want to remind flood victims who haven’t applied for assistance that a deadline for applying for assistance is approaching.

The SBA and FEMA deadline for accepting flood victim applicants is Oct. 17th. Richard Daigle, SBA’s Public Affairs Specialist, says many who were impacted by flash flooding in northern counties of West Virginia this summer have already applied.

FEMA has already distributed more than 2 million dollars in grants to community members throughout affected counties. The federal disaster relief agency reports two of the three operating centers – those in Marion and Marshall counties – will close next week. The Wetzel County disaster center at Hundred High School will remain open for the time being. 

Justice Asks Trump to Declare Federal Disaster in W.Va.

Gov. Jim Justice is seeking a federal disaster declaration for a dozen counties in northern West Virginia hit by flooding in late July.

Justice sent a letter to the White House on August 10 requesting the disaster declaration, according to a news release from the state Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety.

Justice outlined a preliminary flood-damage assessment in the letter. 161 homes were destroyed or suffered major damage in four of the twelve counties. Another 557 homes received minor damage.

Justice is requesting both individual and public assistance for Harrison, Marion, Marshall, Ohio, and Wetzel Counties, and public assistance for Doddridge, Monongalia, Preston, Randolph, Taylor, Tucker and Tyler Counties.

The letter specifically asks for help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Individuals and Household Program, crisis counseling, disaster legal services and unemployment assistance, and programs from other agencies like the Small Business Administration and the Federal Highway Administration.

The late-July storm also closed or damaged more than 20 roads in the northern part of the state after at least 3 inches of rain triggered flash floods and mudslides.

West Virginia’s federal congressional delegation also wrote a letter to the president in support of Justice’s request.

West Virginia Gets $5M for Flood Recovery Case Managers

West Virginia officials say the state has been awarded a $5 million federal grant to put case managers in each county hurt by flooding in June and help flood victims with remaining unmet needs.

According to the governor’s office, the Federal Emergency Management Agency funding is for assessing and verifying those needs and outlining steps necessary for recovery.

The casework process will include assessments, coordinating information about resources, developing individual recovery plans and monitoring progress.

Jimmy Gianato, state director of emergency management, says they’ll work to ensure people get needed help and that there’s no duplication of benefits.

More Federal Flood-Relief Aid Coming to W.Va.

West Virginia is one of four states that will receive part of a $500 million dollar federal flood-relief package. However, it’s unclear how much of it will be awarded to the Mountain State.

The bill was part of a compromise budget deal approved by Congress this week to avoid a government shutdown. The U.S. Senate initially stalled the bill on Tuesday because it did not include aid for Flint, Michigan’s lead-contaminated water. Senators compromised, agreeing to revisit funding for the city when they return in December, and on Wednesday both the Senate and House passed the bill. It was then signed by President Barrack Obama.

West Virginia Congressman Evan Jenkins spoke with reporters Thursday afternoon saying the federal bill will award $500 million to Louisiana, West Virginia, Texas and Maryland for flood-recovery efforts.

Jenkins says the U.S. Secretary for Housing and Urban Development will decide how much money each state receives for flood relief based on need. He says it will be important for West Virginia to make the agency aware of what happened here in June.

“We are certainly going to have to be proactive, we are certainly going to have to fight to make sure we get our fair share,” Jenkins said.

He points out; however, this will not be the last request for flood relief aid.

“This is a down payment; this half a billion dollars. I will certainly be going back, as I know Senator Capito will be to add additional funding through the appropriations process.”

Governor Earl Ray Tomblin has requested $310 million for federal community development grants to help struggling coal communities impacted by flooding.

Also on Thursday, Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito announced an additional award of $1.5 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for West Virginia.

The money will be used by the Nicholas County School District to replace contents in facilities destroyed or damaged by the June flood. The county lost three schools in high water and had already been awarded a similar FEMA grant to help rebuild.

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