Texas
Interagency Interfaith Disaster Response
e-Buzz
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12 September 2007 |
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Flood
Recovery and VOAD Discussion for Williamson
County
It has been two years since many of the greater
Round Rock area non-profits met to debrief after
Hurricane Rita. A steering team composed of John
Sneed, Richard Rago, Lori Scott, Victoria Lippman,
Don Loving, Debbie Hoffman, Katie Ryan and Dale
Ricklefs has formed to address two issues. The
first issue is the immediate needs of individuals
in Williamson County who have gone through the
FEMA process and may still need assistance following
all of the flooding this past summer. Additionally,
we should be informing individuals in the county
about the availability of FEMA funding for qualifying
individuals and/or support from the county area
non-profits for those who were not aware of funding
possibilities. What we do not know is the capacity
of area of non-profits to provide financial and/or
building assistance and their experience in case
management. That will be one discussion of this
group-addressing current unmet needs. Unfortunately,
we do not know the extent of the needs.
The second major issue
is a discussion on creating an umbrella VOAD group or falling
under another area VOAD group. The group would provide assistance
during response and recovery as a disaster response steering
committee. It would help determine how unmet needs are addressed
as part of recovery,
and help coordinate the identification and appropriate mitigation
of needs as part of the immediate response.
We also see this group as being responsible for setting up
training/drills at least a couple of times a year, similar
to EOC training offered for emergency personnel. An umbrella
VOAD, under certain conditions, is recognized by NIMS (National
Incident Management System) as a part of the Donation Management/Unmet
Needs function. We believe this will replace Annex T in the
city's Emergency Management Plan.
A meeting has been set
up for September 21, 2007 at the Round Rock Public Library,
216 E. Main Street, from 1:30-3:30 in the meeting room at the
back of the library. Please RSVP to Dora Owens atdowens@round-rock.tx.us
if you are able to make it. Due to the short amount of time
we have on this day, these will be the two main topics of conversation.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email the members
of the current steering committee. More information will be
sent to you over the next week or so. We look forward to seeing
you there!
Debbie
Hoffman, Habitat for Humanity, debbieh@williamsonhabitat.org
Victoria Lippman, RR
Area Volunteer Center, vlippman@volrock.org
Don Loving, Caring Place, dloving@caringplacegeorgetown.com
Richard Rago, RR EOC/Fire
Department, rrago@round-rock.tx.us
Dale Ricklefs, Annex
T Co-Coordinator, City of Round Rock dale@round-rock.tx.us
Katie Ryan, United Way
of Williamson County, katie@unitedway-wc.org
Lori Scott, RR Serving
Center, lori_c_scott@yahoo.com
John Snead, Director,
Williamson County EMS, jsneed@wilco.org
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Hope
For Heroes
Serving
those who serve and their families
The
Samaritan Center for Counseling and Pastoral Care is launching
a new program called HOPE for HEROES to provide FREE counseling
for military personnel and their family members who have
unmet mental health needs as a result of service in Iraq
or Afghanistan. The Samaritan Center received a $300,000
two-year grant from the Texas Resources for Iraq and Afghanistan
Deployment (TRIAD) Fund of the San Antonio Area Foundation.
The grant will allow us to send outreach counselors to
provide mental health services in homes, churches, and
other non-traditional settings for military families located
in Williamson, Travis and Hays counties. Home services
will be especially important for those who have mobility
problems due to combat injuries.
This is a new program and the first of its kind in our community. There
have been several recent articles in the Austin American Statesman
and other publications about the need for mental health care
for our combat vets and their families. Some estimate the
number of our returning soldiers and family members that are
struggling with depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress, family
violence, suicide, addiction and other problems are as high as
75%. Many of these men and women returning from combat
who need counseling are hesitant to use traditional sources for
fear it will be reported on their military record. We offer
completely free and confidential services.
We ask you to help spread the word about the Samaritan Center's
HOPE for HEROES program. This program can help save
families and lives. In addition, this is an extraordinary
opportunity to serve the brave men and women who serve us and
need our help when they return home.
For more information call Nancy
Blaich at 512-451-7337 ext. 112 or Michele Riggs at 512-633-HOPE
(4673).
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Disaster
Officials Urge Texans To Buy Flood Insurance
Release Date: September 11, 2007
Release Number: 1709-088
WACO, Texas -- As Texas - and much of the Midwest - emerges
from a series of major floods, federal and state officials
are urging people to buy flood insurance before the next flood
hits.
"
Even if you weren't flooded recently, you may still be vulnerable
to rising water," said Federal Coordinating Officer Kenneth Clark
of the Federal Emergency Management Agency."
"
The risk of flooding is almost three times greater than the risk
of fire over the period of a 30-year mortgage, yet most people
are insured against fire but not floods," Clark noted. "Obviously
it makes good sense to insure for both."
In 1968, Congress created the National Flood Insurance Program
(NFIP) to help individuals insure themselves for a reasonable
cost against flooding. Local governments must first agree to
participate in the NFIP before its residents can purchase the
insurance. Almost 40 years after its creation, NFIP oversees
5.4 million policies throughout the country.
Most people who live in NFIP participating communities, including
business owners, homeowners and renters, are eligible to purchase
Federally-backed flood insurance. A residential building can
be insured up to $250,000 and its contents up to $100,000. Renters
can cover belongings up to $100,000, and non-residential property
owners can insure their buildings up to $500,000 and contents
up to $500,000. The premiums for an NFIP policy, averaging
about $500 a year, can be less expensive than the monthly payments
on a federal disaster loan.
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) maintains its Floodsmart
Web site (www.floodsmart.gov)
so people can assess their vulnerability to flooding, calculate
their costs for structure and contents insurance, and find nearby
agents who sell NFIP policies.
All areas are susceptible to flooding, although to varying degrees.
It is advisable to have flood insurance in high risk areas and
even in low-to-moderate flood risk areas; between 20 and 25 percent
of the NFIP's claims come from outside high-flood-risk areas.
Flood insurance policies do not take effect until 30 days after
purchase, so it is important to buy coverage now, before the
next flood. There is no waiting period if a policy is purchased
at a mortgage closing.
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.
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FEMA
Mitigation Experts Coming To Webb County
Release Date: September 8, 2007
Release Number: 1709-086
WACO, Texas -- Rebuilding or repairing a home after flooding
can be a daunting task. But with the right information,
homeowners can build back in a way that reduces the likelihood
of future damage. Experts from the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) are coming to a local building supply store
in Webb County to provide information about disaster-resistant
building practices. Information provided by FEMA's mitigation
experts will include:
- Effective techniques for cleaning
up mold
- Relocating electrical systems above
potential floodwater
- Elevating heating, cooling and water
systems
- Installing backflow valves to prevent
sewer backup
- The availability and benefits of flood
insurance
Mitigation experts will be available in Laredo September
11 to September
16 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at:
Wal-Mart
5610 San Bernardo Ave
Laredo, Texas 78041
"
FEMA Mitigation experts are a good resource for residents
to learn ways to protect themselves and their homes from
future damages," said Federal Coordinating Officer Kenneth
Clark. "I encourage residents in the Laredo area to stop
by and pick up this valuable information."
According to a Multi-hazard Mitigation Council (MMC) report, "...a
dollar spent on mitigation saves society an average of $4.00." It's
also possible that mitigation measures may increase the value
of a home.
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.
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Texas
Disaster Flood Designations Continue
All
Texans should be aware that Texas continues to be "number one" in
disaster across our country. Some 12,000 Texan households
have registered with FEMA. Four new counties, Milam,
Montague, Stephens and Wise, have been added to the list for
a current total of 43 affected counties. Due to additional
flooding caused by Tropical Storm Erin, more counties have
made requests for Federal Declarations and may well receive
designations in the near future.
TIDR will give a more complete update in the next few days. If
you are in a county that has been declared, please be in contact
with your local Long Term Recovery Committee or Voluntary Agencies
Active in Disaster (VOAD). If you are a flood victim, make
sure to register with FEMA at 1-800-621-FEMA
(3362).
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Disaster
Tools and Training Workshop
It's
not too late to register for Church World Service's
Texas Tools and Trainings!
Training
Events Time:
9:00a.m.
- 3:15p.m.
Thursday,
Sept 13 - Corpus Christi
Parkway
Presbyterian Church
3707 Santa
Fe, Corpus Christi, TX 78411
Friday,
Sept 14 - Victoria
Grace Presbyterian
Church
3604 N.
Ben Jordan, Victoria, TX 77901
Saturday,
Sept 15 - San Antonio
First Presbyterian
Church
404 N.
Alamo 77205
(Use the
Avenue E entrance)
San Antonio,
TX 78205
Register
through TIDR
phone
(512) 458-8848
fax
(512) 458-8852
email:
info@tidr.org |
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