Alternative Housing Plan For Evacuees Aboard Louisiana-Based Ships 

Release Date: February 10, 2006
Release Number: 1603-064FactSheet

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When do people have to leave the ships?
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) contracts for emergency housing aboard the Ecstasy, Sensation and the Scotia Prince are set to expire March 1, 2006. All three ships have to be vacated by midnight, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2006. The ships will then be returned to regular service.

(Fire fighters, police officers and other government workers have been encouraged by their superiors to leave the Ecstasy and the Sensation by Feb. 15, 2006, in advance of the deadline.)

Who is handling the transition?
FEMA in coordination with state and voluntary agencies is working to find alternative housing for people aboard all three ships.

What is being done?
FEMA is focusing on finding new housing for eligible people who have been living aboard the three ships before the Feb. 28 deadline.

Where will people go when they leave the ships?
FEMA is trying to house renters in travel trailers in emergency group sites and commercial sites. Homeowners and others with proper access have travel trailers being placed on their private sites. If possible, all evacuees will be placed in their pre-disaster parish.

FEMA is directing contractors to place top priority on setting up trailers on applicants’ private sites.

FEMA is receiving daily contractor updates on site availability, including information on utility hook-ups. Cases where applicants already have travel trailers on their property with all utilities except electricity are being forwarded to housing officials who are working with Entergy to get power to these sites as soon as possible.

FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

Last Modified: Friday, 17-Mar-2006 09:25:43