Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Elderly residents affected by Hurricane Sandy could find themselves victims of unscrupulous contractors and scam artists.
- GOVERNMENT
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Wednesday, March 13
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is advising seniors recovering from Hurricane Sandy to be on the lookout for scam artists claiming to represent FEMA, the Small Business Administration (SBA), or the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). By going door to door to storm-damaged homes or making contact by phone or on the Internet, scam artists may try to obtain personal information, such as Social Security and bank account numbers or falsely claim that you need to make a payment to a federal agency. FEMA is offering residents a number of tips to ensure that they're not victims of a potential scam: On any follow-up calls, a FEMA representative will only ask for the last four digits of the applicant’s Social Security number. …
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) releases a statistical snapshot of its disaster relief efforts.
The following is from a FEMA news release: Disaster assistance to New Jersey survivors of Hurricane Sandy by the numbers as of March 4: Survivors can register online and check on the status of their applications at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov. They also can call 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585. Those who use 711-relay or video relay services can call 800-621-3362. Recovery assistants are available daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The deadline for survivors to register with FEMA for federal disaster assistance and return SBA disaster loan applications is Monday, April 1. Survivors can ask questions about their SBA disaster home or business loan applications by calling 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339 or …
Friday, March 8, 2013
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection held a local public hearing. What do the new standards mean to you? Tell us.
A huge crowd of people from all over the state gathered at a Thursday night NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) public hearing in Long Branch to protest the potential adoption of FEMA's advisory base flood elevation (ABFE) maps as the new elevation standard for the the state. The crowd, mostly comprised of unhappy homeowners impacted by Hurricane Sandy, sounded off at Long Branch City Hall on the contentious issue. "The thought of increasing flood insurance premiums into the tens of thousands of dollars is daunting," Toms River resident Margaret Quinn said. Quinn lives in the Silverton section of Toms River, and said her house was more than 50 percent damaged. She, like so many others, has been displaced by the hurricane, and…
Thursday, February 21, 2013
A grassroots organization opposed to FEMA's new flood maps is hoping to make some changes.
The same complaints George Kasimos has shared with his neighbors across the street he’s seen posted online, questions and concerns futilely written in emails and posted on message boards and social media sites, left unanswered. Shore area residents are angry, they’re frustrated, and they want to know what’s next. There’s a movement brewing, but what it lacks is direction. Like many residents of the Rumson and Sea Bright area as well as the rest of the Jersey Shore, Kasimos is facing an uncertain future following Hurricane Sandy, one that’s especially clouded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s new flood elevation maps. He wants to fight the maps, knows he’s not alone. But if residents are to stand a chance, they need to be …
Thursday, February 14, 2013
The ongoing workshops are being held in several home improvement stores throughout the area.
- NEWS
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Thursday, February 14
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is providing free advice on how to repair or rebuild your Hurricane Sandy-damaged home at several home improvement stores throughout the area. With an eye on rebuilding to mitigate future disaster damage, FEMA experts will be on hand to offer building techniques that can help protect homes, businesses and other properties. Among the topics advice is being offered on are: • Ridding a home of mold and mildew. • Understanding flood- and wind-resistant building methods. • Knowing the benefits of flood insurance. • Elevating or anchoring utilities. Sepecialists are on hand today, Thursday, and Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 16 from 8:30 a.m…
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Residents of Union Beach met with Rep. Frank Pallone on Tuesday to air grievances about insurance.
Randall Kidd’s story isn’t unique. A Union Beach resident, he’s faithfully paid into the National Flood Insurance Program for years, insuring his home against the kind of flood damage caused by Hurricane Sandy with a $217,000 policy he hoped would make him whole. After his home was destroyed by the late October storm, Kidd set about filling out the appropriate paperwork, meeting with adjusters who came in from out of state and waiting for the check to arrive so he could start to work. Finally, the check did come, but for $89,000, less than half of what contractors have told him it will cost to rebuild his home. In a crowded conference room at Union Beach’s municipal building, Kidd and other area residents met to find an answer, or at least…
Thursday, February 7, 2013
The governor was joined by Shaun Donovan in Sea Bright Thursday afternoon.
The $1.8 billion recently allocated for use in Community Development Block Grants, or CDBGs, will be used primarily to help residents and small businesses affected by Hurricane Sandy recover, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan said Thursday afternoon. Joined by Gov. Chris Christie in Sea Bright, Donovan said the funding is the first chunk of approximately $16 billion that will help homeowners along the East Coast rebuild, filling the gaps between aid provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and loans issued by the Small Business Administration (SBA). The grant funding is part of the more than $50 billion aid package approved by Congress less than a month ago. With storms like Sandy, known, …
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Center opened on Nov. 19
- GOVERNMENT
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Tuesday, February 5
FEMA's Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Long Branch will be closing on Saturday, Feb. 9 at 4 p.m. The DRC is located at Long Branch Fire Station No. 4 on Union Avenue. Since the Long Branch DRC opened Nov. 19, 2012, there have been more than 2,500 visits from Hurricane Sandy survivors, a FEMA news release states. However, the releases says, "state and federal officials have been paying close attention to how many applicants are visiting centers throughout the state. "Over the past weeks, the number of individuals seeking help at the Long Branch and Sayreville centers has dropped, indicating the information needs of survivors in the area have mostly been met," the release states. The DRC located in Sayreville will also be closing on Feb. 9…
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Saturday, February 2, 2013
Representatives from several State departments will be on hand to answer questions and provide assistance to residents.
Editor's note: A previous version of this story reported that the event would be held Monday. The event is being held Tuesday. Representatives from several state departments are slated to spend the day in Monmouth County Tuesday, offering expert advice and assistance in a number of areas to victims of Hurricane Sandy, Gov. Chris Christie's office announced recently. Senior staff members from the Department of Banking and Insurance, Department of Community Affairs, Department of Environmental Protection, and the Business Action Center will be on hand at Union Beach Hose Co. #1 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to do casework for residents who need assistance. The day of casework is part of Gov. Chris Christie's Mobile Cabinet effort, which seeks to …
Bayshore Bill
11:34 am on Thursday, February 21, 2013
people now the time to fight back at fema call your congressmen and senators every day .flood ins rates will push us all out one day more ›