October 31, 2011 Is FEMA's Registration Deadline

It is important that residents in Nassau & Suffolk County who have been impacted by Thunderstorm Irene register for FEMA aid as soon as possible.  October 31, 2011 is FEMA’s registration deadline and registrations cannot be accepted after the October 31, 2011 deadline. "Registration keeps open the possibility of a wide range of assistance," said Philip E. Parr, FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer. "If your insurance coverage comes up short, or other damage appears later, you need to be registered with FEMA to be considered for disaster assistance."

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The following list is a sample of the assistance available through FEMA:

Temporary Housing: (a place to live for a limited period of time): Money is available to rent a different place to live, or a government provided housing unit when rental properties are not available. 

Repair: Money is available to homeowners to repair damage from the disaster that is not covered by insurance.  The goal is to make the damaged home safe, sanitary, and functional.

Replacement: Money is available to homeowners to replace their home destroyed in the disaster that is not covered by insurance. The goal is to help the homeowner with the cost of replacing their destroyed home.

Permanent/Semi Permanent Housing Construction: Direct assistance or money for the construction of a home.  This type of help occurs only in insular areas or remote locations specified by FEMA, where no other type of housing assistance is possible.

Other Needs: Money is available for necessary expenses and serious needs caused by the disaster. This includes medical, dental, funeral, personal property, transportation, moving and storage, and other expenses that are authorized by law.

To register, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362.  Phone lines are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET,

seven days a week until further notice.  People with hearing disabilities can use the TTY number, 800-462-7585.

Applicants can also register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or with any web-enabled mobile device or smart phone at m.fema.gov. Follow the link to "apply online for federal assistance."

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EPA Calls Formaldehyde a Carcinogen

Image via WikipediaIn the July 2010 issue of Indoor Environment Connections, Mr. Tom Scarlett writes about the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issuing a draft report that concludes that inhaling formaldehyde is definitely a human carcinogen.  Formaldehyde is widely used in products and can be found in many indoor environments, like the temporary trailers that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) bought.  It has been widely published that those temporary trailers had such significant levels of formaldehyde in the indoor air they could not use them as temporary housing for the Hurricane Katrina victims.  In addition, the new study also linked increased incidence of asthma to formaldehyde exposure.  Needless to say EPA's determination will cause increased regulation of formaldehyde in air.  The next steps for this report is for it to be reviewed by an expert panel convened by the National Academy of Sciences.  EPA will then use the review and any comments from the public to complete the Health Assessment for Formaldehyde.

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