Mitigation Teams Offer Tips To Lessen Disaster Damage 

Release Date: June 6, 2008
Release Number: 1760-010

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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A team of mitigation experts will be at home supply stores in Barry and Jasper counties.

The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in partnership with local home supply stores, offer outreach teams to provide people with mitigation and disaster assistance information.

Teams will be at the following locations:

Barry County
Lowe’s Home Improvement Center
925 E. Highway 60
Monett, MO 65708
From June 11 – 16, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Monday

Jasper County
Lowe’s Home Improvement Center
433 W. Fir Road
Carthage, MO 64836
From June 18 – 23, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Monday

Many of the tips and techniques are specifically geared for the do-it-yourselfer and building contractors. Information on storm shelters, retrofitting buildings, and elevating utilities will be available. The teams provide flood safety clean-up tips for mold and mildew.
Information on the federal disaster assistance is also available.

Those who suffered disaster-related damages should register with FEMA by calling 1-800-621-3362 (FEMA), or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech- and hearing-impaired.

Telephone lines are open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Central Daylight Time, seven days a week. Online, register anytime at www.fema.gov.

Callers must provide their legal name and Social Security number, address of the damaged property and insurance information.

The registration deadline for families, individuals and businesses that suffered flood or related damage during the period March 17 - May 9 is June 26. The standard flood insurance policies from FEMA’s

National Flood Insurance Program have a 60-day period to file proof of loss. That deadline would have been May 16. Policyholders in Missouri have been given an extension to July 15 to file claims with their carriers.

The deadline for those who suffered damages in the severe storms and tornadoes of May 10 – 11 is July 22.

FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

Last Modified: Friday, 06-Jun-2008 14:43:42