JIC Recovery Release No. 88 - Less than a Week Left to Apply for FEMA Assistance; FEMA May Call from an Unknown Number; SBA Disaster Loans Also Still Available - GHS OCD

Less than a Week Left to Apply for FEMA Assistance;
FEMA May Call from an Unknown Number;
SBA Disaster Loans Also Still Available

If you have sustained damage or loss because of Typhoon Mawar, you may be eligible for FEMA Individual Assistance. Acting quickly is important, as the deadline of July 27 is less than one week away. FEMA strongly encourages Typhoon Mawar survivors to apply as soon as possible. FEMA assistance may include grants to help homeowners and renters pay for:

Temporary housing for those displaced from their disaster-damaged primary homes.
Essential repairs to owner-occupied primary homes, including structural components such as foundation, exterior walls and roof, and interior areas such as ceiling and floors.
Replacement of personal property, including specialized tools for employment, household items, appliances, disability equipment (i.e., wheelchairs, hearing aids, etc.), and vehicle repair or replacement.
Other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance, including medical, dental, moving, and child-care expenses and funeral and transportation expenses.

Typhoon Mawar survivors should register for assistance even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but underinsured applicants may receive help after their claims have been settled.

The remaining Disaster Recovery Centers are still open:

Disaster Recovery Center

Hours of Operation

Guam Community College

8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday-Friday,

9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Saturday

Closed on Sundays

Juan M. Guerrero Elementary School

FEMA May Call from an Unknown Number
FEMA and disaster service representatives are reaching out to Guam survivors of Typhoon Mawar that have applied for disaster assistance and federal programs. Representatives may call for a variety of reasons, such as issues with applications (missing documents, insurance settlement paperwork, etc.), follow-up on access and functional needs, and/or to schedule inspections at the address where damage was reported.

In these instances, phone calls may come from unknown numbers or unfamiliar area codes. If you receive a phone call from FEMA, don’t share your personal information unless you are sure the person you are talking to is a legitimate FEMA representative. If you receive a call from someone stating they are a FEMA representative, but you are skeptical, do not give out any information. Call 800-621-3362 to verify the call is legitimate. If you suspect fraud, call the toll-free Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or visit justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. When an applicant calls the Helpline to speak with a FEMA representative, they may be asked to share personal information to verify identity.

If you haven’t applied for federal disaster assistance yet, please do so at disasterassistance.gov, by using the FEMA mobile app, by calling 800-621-3362 (The Helpline is available 24 hours a day/7 days a week at no cost for Guam residents), or by stopping by a Disaster Recovery Center.

SBA Disaster Loans Also Still Available
FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration work closely to help survivors in Guam. SBA is the largest source of federal disaster recovery funding for rebuilding, replacement, or repair of disaster-damaged businesses and homes. As of July 21, SBA has approved more than $100.6 million in federal disaster loans for Guam businesses and residents impacted by Typhoon Mawar, including $5,148,900 for businesses and $95,548,400 for residents to help rebuild and recover from this disaster.

FEMA collaborates with the SBA in determining applicant eligibility for some types of disaster assistance programs. If you have applied for FEMA disaster assistance, FEMA may refer you to SBA for consideration for a low-interest, long-term disaster assistance loan.

If you are referred to SBA, it is important to submit the loan application as soon as possible. If your application is approved, you don’t have to accept an SBA loan. However, failure to return the application may disqualify you from some possible FEMA assistance. If you are determined by SBA to be ineligible for a low-interest, long-term disaster loan, FEMA may provide you with additional assistance to meet your other needs, including Personal Property Assistance, Transportation Assistance, and Group Flood Insurance Policy.

As for an SBA disaster loan, applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information, and download applications at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

Visit the following links for the latest information:

Governor’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/govlouguam
GHS/OCD Website: https://ghs.guam.gov/
GHS/OCD Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GHSOCD/

For more information, contact the Joint Information Center at (671) 478-0208/09/10.

X Flooding is a temporary overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry. Flooding may happen with only a few inches of water, or it may cover a house to the rooftop. There are many possible causes of floods including heavy rain, coastal storms and storm surge, waterway overflow from being blocked with debris, or overflow of levees, dams, or waste water systems. Flooding can occur slowly over many days or happen very quickly with little or no warning, called flash floods.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/floods

Wildfire

Regularly clean the roof and gutters.
Maintain an area approximately 30’ away from you home that is free of anything that will burn, such as wood piles, dried leaves, newspapers and other brush.
Connect garden hoses long enough to reach any area of the home and fill garbage cans, tubs, or other large containers with water.
Review your homeowner's insurance policy and also prepare/update a list of your home's contents.

Fire Weather

Turn on your TV/radio. You’ll get the latest weather updates and emergency instructions.
Know where to go. If you are ordered to evacuate, know the route to take and have plan of where you will go. Check-in with your friends and family.
Keep your car fueled, in good condition, and stocked with emergency supplies and a change of clothes.

Drought

Conserve water

Take shorter showers.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.
Run the washer less frequently and only when you have a full load.
Water your lawn less frequently and do so when the temperature is cooler in the early morning or late evening.
When you run the tap to heat or cool water, keep a pitcher to store the water and use it to water plants.
Avoid washing your car.

Practice fire prevention

Don't set off fireworks when conditions are dry.
Deposit cigarette butts in the proper receptacle to avoid starting a
Pour water over camp fires and backyard fire pits to ensure they are completely out before leaving them unattended.

Follow directions from local officials. If there are restrictions on water usage, be sure to heed them.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/wildfires and https://www.ready.gov/drought

X
Typhoons/Hurricanes are massive storm systems that form over the water and move toward land. Threats from typhoons/hurricanes include high winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge, coastal and inland flooding, and rip currents.

“Hurricanes” form in the Atlantic Northeast Pacific region and “Typhoons” form in the Northwest Pacific Region. These large storms are call cyclones in other parts of the world.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.

JIC Recovery Release No. 88 - Less than a Week Left to Apply for FEMA Assistance; FEMA May Call from an Unknown Number; SBA Disaster Loans Also Still Available