FEMA Weekly News in Review
Release Date: October 29, 2005
Release Number: 1603-127
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BATON ROUGE, La. -- The following is a summary of important information released during the period of Oct. 22-30, 2005, by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from the Louisiana Joint Field Office for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
SOME DISASTER RECOVERY CENTERS TO CLOSE ON SUNDAYS:
(Release Date: October 22/28, 2005)
State and federal officials announce Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) will close Sundays beginning Oct. 23, 2005 in Shreveport, Monroe, Plaquemine, Lafayette, Alexandria, Minden, Belle Chasse, Baton Rouge, Bogalusa, Franklinton, Marksville, Slidell, Algiers, Vacherie, Thibodaux and Bonite. Seven other DRCs will close on Sundays beginning Oct. 30 in Raceland, Amite, LaPlace, Gretna, Gonzales, New Iberia and Walker. Hours for Monday though Saturday will remain 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. except for the center in Plaquemine, which will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. to accommodate a local curfew.
PRESIDENT BUSH INCREASES RELIEF FUNDS:
(Release Date: Oct. 23, 2005/Oct. 27, 2005)
President Bush amended his original disaster declaration to increase funds to help in the recovery efforts for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The amendment will allow for state and local agencies to receive reimbursement at 100 percent for Category A and B (debris removal and emergency protective services) work for an additional 30 days (through midnight on Nov. 26, 2005). Beginning Nov. 27, 2005, all remaining emergency work will then be reimbursed 90 percent by the federal government, with the remaining ten percent paid by the state and/or local agencies. Specific tasks within mission assignments that have been assigned by midnight Nov. 26, 2005 will also be reimbursed 100 percent through the duration of the project. Also, the federal share of costs for permanent work for Categories C-G is being increased retroactively to 90 percent instead of 75 percent.
WORKING LOCALLY, ASSISTING RECOVERY:
(Release Date: Oct. 27, 2005)
FEMA is hiring Louisiana residents to staff many of its activities in the state. Priority is given to displaced hurricane victims and to other parish residents. Thus far, FEMA has hired and trained more than 775 Louisiana residents to work at the federal offices in Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, Sulpher, and New Orleans, and to staff the numerous community-based Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) throughout the state.
MAKE SURE FEMA CAN CONTACT YOU:
(Release Date: Oct. 27, 2005)
Residents of Louisiana who have registered for assistance with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are reminded to update their contact information whenever it changes. It is urgent for residents who have registered for disaster assistance to provide FEMA with their most current mailing address. People who have moved and not updated their contact information, may not receive important correspondence, calls about temporary housing and other disaster assistance. For this reason, state and federal officials urge disaster applicants to stay in touch and to update their contact information immediately should they move or change telephone numbers.
Last Modified: Monday, 31-Oct-2005 09:20:51