Hurricane Ivan Preparations Underway In Multiple Threatened States
Release Date: September 14, 2004
Release Number: HQ-04-173b
Washington, D.C. -- The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), along with its federal and state partners, is preparing for Hurricane Ivan’s landfall, which could affect multiple states, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi.
“Hurricane Ivan appears to be among the most dangerous hurricanes in U.S. history,” said Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response, “We urge residents of threatened states to be prepared and to take every safety precaution.”
Brown urged citizens to heed all warnings and follow instructions of local authorities, especially regarding evacuations. He reiterated the advice of state officials for residents in the hurricane’s potential path to have food and water to survive for a minimum of 72 hours, a battery operated radio, flashlights and batteries.
Weather forecasters are indicating the possibility that the remnants of Ivan may slow or stall a few days after landfall, increasing the risk of inland flooding. FEMA is also urging residents living in interior sections of the country to monitor the storm's forecast track and take similar precautions to prepare for potential inland flooding.
“Even as we prepare for Ivan, we are continuing to address the needs of those affected by the destructive forces brought by Hurricanes Charley and Frances,” Brown said. “This is an extremely active hurricane season, but we assure residents of all potentially affected states that FEMA and the federal family are committed to providing assistance where it is needed.”
Once Hurricane Ivan clears impacted states, supplies and equipment will be moved into the hardest hit areas as quickly as possible, especially water, ice, meals, medical supplies, tents and tarps. Due to expected flooding, federal and state officials caution that it may be several days before supplies and emergency workers can reach all the victims of this hurricane.
FEMA and its partner agencies, including the Coast Guard, US Forest Service, US Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense and Health and Human Service, are working closely with the states to track Hurricane Ivan’s path and anticipate needs once the hurricane has passed.
Intense planning and immediate actions are underway today in anticipation of Hurricane Ivan, including:
- FEMA personnel remain in Florida working with the victims of the two previous hurricanes. However, some staff has been repositioned to respond to state requests for assistance with Hurricane Ivan.
- In addition to the supplies provided for the two earlier hurricanes, the Army Corps of Engineers is standing by with 100 refrigerator trucks of ice and 500 trucks of water to meet immediate needs as part of the Hurricane Ivan response.
- FEMA is using every available means to move supplies to where they are most needed, including pre-positioning supplies and using alternative means of transportation such as ships, air transport, and railroad.
Individuals in declared counties needing assistance with disaster related losses from Hurricanes Charley and Frances should call FEMA's toll-free registration line at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) - TTY 800-462-7585.
The agency is experiencing an extremely high call volume, and has set records for the number of responses being made for disaster requests. On Tuesday, operators responded to 36,125 disaster assistance requests, which tops the record number of daily calls by 10,155. The operators are available 24/7 and FEMA has added personnel to minimize wait time. Callers who receive a busy message are encouraged to please be persistent and try the call again in several hours.
- As of Monday evening (9/13/04), FEMA operators have taken 197,886 applications and approved $116 million in Hurricane Charley disaster assistance. They have taken 155,830 applications and approved $62.1 million in disaster assistance for Hurricane Frances.
- 1,266 FEMA contract housing inspectors are in impacted areas to inspect hurricane damages eligible for disaster assistance.
- More than 900 community relations representatives are fanning out in Florida communities, providing disaster assistance information to individuals and community organizations through community meetings, door-to-door efforts and at hurricane assistance locations.
On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA’s continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 14-Sep-2004 19:02:37