Maine, Rhode Island Granted Disaster Aid for February Storm

March 27, 2013Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

Maine will be eligible for federal help to cover the costs of a blizzard that hit in early February.

President Barack Obama on Monday approved Gov. Paul LePage’s request for a disaster declaration.

The declaration means Androscoggin, Cumberland, Knox, and York counties are eligible for assistance to cover snow removal work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities.

The storm on Feb. 8-9 caused coastal flood damage and costly snow removal that LePage says is estimated to be more than $3.5 million.

LePage says FEMA will reimburse municipalities and state agencies for 75 percent of their costs for at least 48 hours of snow removal, as well as the costs related to emergency protective measures and any infrastructure damage from the storm.

President Obama has also granted a major disaster declaration for Rhode Island to provide federal aid for state and local recovery efforts from the snowstorm of Feb. 8-9.

The declaration announced last Friday by the White House makes federal funding available to state and local governments, and to certain private nonprofits on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and repair and replacement of facilities damaged in Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence and Washington counties.

Federal funding is also available to the state and eligible local governments for a 48-hour incident period in Kent, Providence, and Washington counties.

Aid is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

 

Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetCategories: East NewsTopics: disaster recovery, federal disaster aid, federal disaster declaration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMAHave a hot lead? Email us at newsdesk

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October Disaster Loss at $1.08B: Allstate

November 28, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleCommentsAllstate Corp. expects to report October disaster losses of $1.08 billion, mostly due to superstorm Sandy, the home and auto insurer said on Wednesday.

Allstate, the largest publicly traded home and auto insurer in the country, said its gross losses were $1.28 billion but that it expected to recover about $200 million in reinsurance.

Two-thirds of the losses are in New York state, the insurer said, while 20 percent are in New Jersey and the rest are elsewhere. Allstate said it had already paid $340 million in claims as of last Monday.

Sandy is expected to be the second-costliest disaster in U.S. history, behind only Hurricane Katrina. Industry experts estimate insured losses of as much as $25 billion, excluding any claims paid by the federal flood insurance program.

Allstate’s Sandy losses are not as severe, though, as the $1.4 billion hit the company took from tornadoes in April 2011.

 

Copyright 2012 Reuters. Click for restrictions.Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetCategories: National NewsTopics: Catastrophe, Claims, P&C Companies, Personal Lines, Reinsurance, SuperstormHave a hot lead? Email us at newsdesk

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Clark County Asks Nevada For Disaster Aid After Floods

October 4, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

Clark County commissioners are asking the state of Nevada for disaster relief funds in the aftermath of flash floods that killed two people and caused an estimated $2.6 million in damages to government property.

The request that county leaders approved Tuesday could bring assistance for government agencies and low-cost loans for businesses damaged after record-setting rains Aug. 22 and Sept. 11.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported the money won’t go to help homeowners who don’t have flood insurance.

Clark County Fire Chief Bertral Washington told commissioners the state only has about a half-million dollars for disaster relief. But southern Nevadans can be eligible for federal aid if damages to public and private property top $6.6 million.

A state team is set to visit the area Wednesday to assess damages.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetCategories: West NewsTopics: flood insurnace, Floods, NevadaHave a hot lead? Email us at newsdesk

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Florida Appeals Denial of Federal Disaster Aid for Isaac Damage

September 21, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

Florida Gov. Rick Scott is appealing the federal government’s decision to deny additional aid for damage caused by Hurricane Isaac last month. Scott is also asking for more aid than originally requested.

On Sept. 19, the Federal Emergency Management Agency denied Scott’s request that President Barack Obama issue a disaster declaration.

Florida’s initial request of $26.8 million was for public assistance for Bay, Collier, Escambia, Monroe, Okaloosa, Palm Beach and Santa Rosa counties.

In its appeal Florida is also also including Broward, Franklin and Martin counties, where estimated damage is now nearly $10 million.

This brings the total statewide initial damage figure for the 10 counties to $36.7 million.

“We agree with the request of Florida U.S. Senator Bill Nelson and Florida U.S. Congressman Alcee Hastings who also sent a letter to the President on September 12, 2012 expressing their support for the major disaster declaration,” Scott wrote in his appeal to FEMA.

 

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Louisiana Insurance Department Disaster Plan in Place

August 28, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

With Hurricane Isaac likely headed for the southeast coast of Louisiana, the Louisiana Department of Insurance reports that it has implemented its Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP), which is designed to ensure that the agency will operate with minimal interruptions in the event of a disaster.

The hurricane is expected to make landfall either tonight or early tomorrow morning.

Preparations made by divisions of the LDI include the following:

Insurance Company Emergency Adjuster Registration program prepared in case claims adjusters need to be sent to disaster areas; online registration ready.Call center ready to be activated by Property & Casualty Consumer Affairs Division.Travel teams assigned and ready for dispatch to Disaster Recovery Centers statewide.All insurance company contact information updated and ready to distribute to public and for call center staff.Post-Disaster Insurance Guide information assembled and ready to distribute.Employee Emergency Response System ready to instruct staff in case of office closure; all staff emergency communications equipment ready.Remote site for meeting with insurance industry selected (England Air Park

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Texas Governor Again Renews Drought Disaster Declaration

April 23, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

Gov. Rick Perry has renewed a proclamation declaring Texas a disaster due to the drought.

Perry renewed the disaster status on April 20, extending a similar proclamation from last July.

The governor initially declared the drought a disaster in December 2010, and a severe lack of rainfall still plagues much of the state.

The proclamation allows municipalities to apply for state assistance in dealing with the drought’s impacts, including fighting and recovering from wildfires. It also officially notes the added strain on state water resources.

Texas endured the worst-single year drought in its history through last summer, and a relatively wet winter has been followed by little rainfall statewide in recent weeks.

The drought also helped fuel the costliest wildfire season in terms of property damage in state history last year.

 

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetCategories: Texas / South Central NewsTopics: Coastal, declaration, Disaster (Flood, drought, EQ, etc.), Perry, Texas, W-FireHave a hot lead? Email us at newsdesk

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Dallas County Declares Local Disaster from Storms

April 6, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

Dallas County, Texas, officials have declared a local disaster following a tornado that damaged or destroyed about 300 homes and businesses.

County Judge Clay Jenkins has asked Gov. Rick Perry to authorize government disaster assistance from the April 3 storms in Lancaster. Perry toured some of the devastated areas on May 5.

Jenkins, who signed the declaration, estimates road and bridge damage to Dallas County will exceed $1 million.

Dallas-based Oncor on April 5 reported about 700 customers still without electricity as utility crews worked to restore power.

More than 320 American Airlines and American Eagle flights were canceled at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Dozens of planes were still being inspected for possible storm damage.

 

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetCategories: Texas / South Central NewsTopics: Coastal, dallas, Disaster (Flood, EQ, etc.), lancaster, tornado, tornado recovery, W-FireHave a hot lead? Email us at newsdesk

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Solution for Disaster Recovery? House in a Box, Maybe

April 23, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticle3 Comments

In one of the New Orleans neighborhoods hit hardest by flooding in Hurricane Katrina‘s aftermath, developers have built a prototype house that’s aimed at providing a quick housing solution for areas blown away by hurricanes and tornadoes or knocked down by earthquakes.

The dwelling in the Lakeview sectionof New Orleans is somewhat box-like, with a roof that slants inward and an arched structure in front that forms a covered front porch.

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Federal Disaster Assistance Denied for Oklahoma

April 23, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

Gov. Mary Fallin’s office says her request for federal assistance to individuals and businesses affected by a tornado that killed six in Woodward has been denied.

A news release said that Fallin will now ask the U.S. Small Business Administration for a disaster declaration for Woodward County.

The early morning tornado on April 15 left three girls 10 and younger and three men dead.

Preliminary damage assessments found the storm affected 224 homes and businesses in the county. Of those, 73 were destroyed, 22 had major damage and 21 had minor damage.

An SBA disaster declaration would provide for low interest disaster loans for renters, homeowners and business owners to repair or replace property damaged by the severe weather if it is not covered by insurance or other assistance programs.

 

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetCategories: Texas / South Central NewsTopics: assistance, Disaster (Flood,Coastal,EQ,W-Fire,etc.), fallin, tornado, woodwardHave a hot lead? Email us at newsdesk

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FEMA: More than $2M in Indiana Disaster Aid Approved

April 9, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

More than $2 million in federal aid has been approved for homeowners, businesses and others affected by southern Indiana tornadoes and other storms earlier this year.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency says that through April 4 nearly $1.2 million has been approved to pay for expenses not covered by insurance or other programs. That includes temporary rental assistance, repairing and replacing household items, and disaster-related medical costs.

FEMA also says the U.S. Small Business Administration has approved more than $990,000 in low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses and nonprofits.

Storms caused extensive damage Feb. 29 through March 3 in Clark, Jefferson, Ripley, Scott, Warrick and Washington counties.

 

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetCategories: Midwest NewsTopics: Disaster (Flood,Coastal,EQ,W-Fire,etc.), FEMA, Indiana, tornado recovery, tornadoesHave a hot lead? Email us at newsdesk

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