FEMA Weekly News In Review 

Release Date: November 11, 2005
Release Number: 1603-152

» More Information on Louisiana Hurricane Katrina
» More Information on Louisiana Hurricane Rita

BATON ROUGE, La. -- The following is a summary of important information released during the period of Nov. 4 to Nov. 11, 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 .

Oil Spill Recovery 95 Percent Complete in Louisiana
(Release Date: Nov. 4, 2005)

Just two months after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita spilled more than nine million gallons of oil, the oil recovery effort is now 95 percent complete according to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has led the oil recovery effort. To date they have recovered 3,888,808 gallons of oil. The Environmental Protection Agency and Louisiana DEQ have damage assessment teams throughout the area evaluating the impact of the spill.

Well and Septic Repairs May be Eligible for Reimbursement
(Release Date: Nov. 4, 2005) 

Louisiana residents in disaster-declared parishes whose wells or septic systems were damaged as a result of Hurricanes Katrina or Rita may be eligible for financial assistance from FEMA to complete necessary repairs.

Call Outs to Hurricane-Ravaged Areas
(Release Date: Nov. 5, 2005)

Applicants from the states' hardest-hit areas began receiving calls from FEMA to gather additional information to establish whether households qualified for an eligibility determination without a physical home inspection.

Uninsured individuals who cannot repay loans may be eligible for full assistance under FEMA's grant program. These call outs are intended to quickly help those in need.

Three Disaster Recovery Centers Suspend Operations
(Release Dates: Nov. 4, 7, 2005) 

Disaster Recovery Centers in Marksville, Minden and Monroe closed. Resources and personnel from these DRCs will be shifted to other sites throughout the state. Disaster victims in need of assistance can still visit any open DRC in the state.

Four New Disaster Recovery Centers Open
(Release Dates: Nov. 6, 9, 2005) 

FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers opened in Columbia , New Orleans , Winnsboro and St. Joseph .

The new recovery centers will operate from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week until further notice.

Housing Update
(Release Date: Nov. 7, 2005) 

To date, the total number of temporary housing units ready for occupancy has reached more than 40,000 throughout the affected Gulf States . As of Nov. 4, in Louisiana there were 12,450 total units including, 6,423 travel trailers and mobile homes on private, industry, group and commercial sites are occupied; 2,307 units on cruise ships are occupied; 980 FEMA-leased hotel rooms are occupied, and 2,740 units of federal housing provided by the United States Department of Housing & Urban Development and the United States Department of Agriculture are now occupied.

There are also several housing sites under construction throughout Louisiana . Crews are working to complete sites in various parishes including Orleans , St. Bernard, Jefferson and East Baton Rouge .

Take Precautions When Cleaning After Hurricanes
(Release Date: Nov. 8, 2005) 

Workers and individuals cleaning homes and buildings damaged by recent hurricanes should remember to protect themselves from dangerous contaminants, particularly mold.

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

Last Modified: Monday, 14-Nov-2005 09:23:07