Amdall Gallery

FEMA Assistance May Be Available to Cover Underinsured Wildfire Property Losses HONOLULU – Maui wildfire survivors are encouraged to keep FEMA updated on the status of their insurance claim to help with their recovery.It is also important to register with FEMA while you’re waiting for your insurance claim. The deadline to register for federal disaster assistance is Monday, Dec. 11. FEMA may be able to help you if the insurance settlement you received was less than FEMA’s maximum grant and did not cover all your basic disaster-related necessities. You may also be eligible for FEMA assistance if your insurance claim was turned down or if your claim was delayed more than 30 days.The first step is to contact your insurance company. Depending on the status of your insurance claim, you must request:A denial letter: proof that you are not covered by your insurance company.A settlement letter: exactly what is covered by your insurance company.A delay letter: proof the […]

FEMA Application Deadline has Passed but Help Still Available for Floridians The Nov. 29 deadline to apply for FEMA disaster assistance has passed, but help is still available for Floridians who sustained loss from Hurricane Idalia. Applicants should stay in touch with FEMA to ensure the disaster assistance process stays on track. Missing or incorrect information could result in delays in receiving assistance. Update contact information, report additional home damage or a delay in insurance claims in the following ways:Call toll-free 800-621-3362, the telephone line is open every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET. Help is available in most languages.Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov or;Download the FEMA App for mobile devices.If you use a relay service such as VRS, captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service. For the latest information on Florida’s recovery from Hurricane Idalia, visit floridadisaster.org/updates/ and […]

Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Calumet City, IL CHICAGO – A FEMA Disaster Recovery Center will open in Calumet City on Friday, Dec. 1 to help residents kickstart their recovery after the September 17 - 18 storms and flooding. Specialists from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration are at the center to help survivors apply for federal disaster assistance, upload documents, learn about ways to make their property more disaster resistant and get their questions answered in person.The center will be open in the following location:  Calumet City                Calumet City Public Library660 Manistee Ave.Calumet City, IL 60409Hours: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Saturday, Closed SundaysAssistance in languages other than English, including American sign language, and translated materials are available at these centers. Disaster Recovery Center locations are chosen for their accessibility, with the goal of reaching as many people as possible. Accessible […]

Stay in Touch with FEMA to Help Keep Your Recovery on Track HONOLULU – Missing or wrong information could delay the delivery of FEMA assistance. That’s why FEMA encourages homeowners and renters recovering from the August wildfires on Maui to stay in touch with the agency and keep their information as current as possible.Contact FEMA to update your application, get the status of your case or ask questions about the disaster assistance process. FEMA can also help connect you with services providing crisis counseling and disaster legal assistance and nonprofit programs that offer additional resources. FEMA specialists can also check if the Individual Assistance program may cover damage that your insurance does not.Here’s how to stay in touch with FEMA:Create an online account at DisasterAssistance.gov. If you already have one, you can log in to update your status or upload your documents.Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service such as […]

FEMA Appoints First Female National Advisory Council Chair, Welcomes New National Advisory Council Members WASHINGTON – Yesterday, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell announced the appointment of 12 new members and two returning members to the agency's National Advisory Council. This year, Carrie Speranza, director of Esri’s Emergency Management Solutions, is the new National Advisory Council Chair. Speranza previously served as vice chair alongside outgoing Chair Jeff Hansen, director of the Office of Emergency Management for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.The National Advisory Council advises the FEMA Administrator on all aspects of emergency management, including preparedness, protection, response, recovery and mitigation for disasters and national emergencies.“The National Advisory Council (NAC) is charged with making recommendations to improve FEMA’s programs and services. Having a Council that has a diversity of expertise and experiences ensures we’re […]

Equipos de FEMA trabajan en comunidades suburbanas del sur CHICAGO – Los equipos de Asistencia a Sobrevivientes del Desastre (DSA, por sus siglas en inglés) de la Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias (FEMA, por sus siglas en inglés) están visitando de puerta en puerta en las comunidades suburbanas en la región sur del condado de Cook para ayudar a que los residentes afectados por las tormentas e inundaciones ocurridas el 17 y 18 de septiembre puedan navegar el progreso de asistencia federal. Los equipos comenzaron las visitas en Calumet City, Dolton y Riverdale, mientras tienen planificado trasladarse a otras comunidades afectadas durante las próximas semanas. Estos equipos visitarán hogares, viviendas y organizaciones sin fines de lucro en las áreas afectadas para ayudar a los residentes a inscribirse para recibir asistencia; identificar y atender las necesidades inmediatas y emergentes; y referir a otras agencias locales, estatales y voluntarias […]

FEMA Teams Working in South Suburban Neighborhoods CHICAGO - Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) crews from FEMA are going door-to-door in south suburban neighborhoods of Cook County, helping residents affected by the September 17-18 storms and flooding navigate the federal assistance process. Crews have started in Calumet City, Dolton, and Riverdale, with plans to move to other impacted communities in the weeks ahead. These crews will be visiting homes, businesses, and nonprofit organizations in affected areas to help residents register for assistance, identify, and address immediate and emerging needs, and make referrals to other local, state, and voluntary agencies for additional support. DSA crew members will never ask for or accept money and will always be wearing a FEMA identification badge with a photograph. A FEMA shirt, vest or jacket is not proof of identity. While helping someone register, they will ask for personal information, including social security […]

FEMA Awards Over $1.1 Million to Boston University for COVID Testing Staff Costs The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending more than $1.1 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse Boston University for the cost of testing students, staff and faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic.The $1,132,655 Public Assistance grant will reimburse the private research university in Boston for the cost of hiring extra staff and paying existing staff to operate the school’s inhouse testing program between July 2020 and June 2021.Boston University set up its own testing program that included both collection sites at its three campuses as well as a testing laboratory that was able to process over 5,000 tests per day and deliver results within 24 hours.To staff the program, the college hired an assistant director for collections site operations, a collection site supervisor, a collection site service specialist, and an inventory control manager, who were part of […]

FEMA Awards Over $6.1 Million to UMass Memorial Health Care for COVID Overtime Costs The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending more than $6.1 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse UMass Memorial Health Care, Inc. for the cost of paying overtime for staff to handle increased patient loads during the COVID-19 pandemic.The $6,136,867 Public Assistance grant will reimburse the health care system in central Massachusetts – headquartered in Worcester and affiliated with the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School – for the cost of paying overtime to staff between July and December 2022.The 3,261 staff impacted included licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, houseworkers, ambulatory services representatives, medical administrative secretaries, and executive secretaries who worked a total of 264,088 hours.“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist UMass Memorial Health Care with these […]

FEMA Awards Almost $3.5 Million to Massachusetts for COVID Vaccination Costs The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending nearly $3.5 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse it for the cost of providing vaccinations to the public during the COVID-19 pandemic.The $3,494,771 Public Assistance grant will reimburse the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for the cost of contracting to operate a statewide network of mobile vaccination sites between June and December 2022.The contractor operated at 285 locations around the state and provided 73,455 vaccinations to individuals who met certain eligibility criteria. Services provided included screening patients, administering the vaccine, vaccine storage compliance, documenting procedures, and personal protective equipment protocol compliance.“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist Massachusetts with these costs,” said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. “Reimbursing state, […]