FEMA Update

This E-News Update includes information on federal and state resources available to help Minnesota and North Dakota business owners and their employees recover from the floods. We welcome your comments, questions, good stories, and suggested topics. Please send emails to FEMAPrivateSector-DR1830MN@dhs.gov for Minnesota, and for North Dakota Recovery to FEMAPrivateSector-DR1829ND@dhs.gov.



situational update



MINNESOTA: On April 10, 2009, the major disaster declaration was amended to include FEMA Individual Assistance for eligible applicants in the following counties: Clay, Norman, Traverse and Wilkin. The initial declaration was approved by President Obama on April 9, 2009 for Public Assistance for seven counties and for Mitigation statewide. Eight additional counties were added for Public Assistance on April 14 bringing the total to 15 counties. More counties may be designated after the assessments are completed. For more information, please visit: http://www.fema.gov/news/eventcounties.fema?id=11328.



NORTH DAKOTA: On April 10, 2009, the Emergency Protective Measure declaration was expanded to include FEMA Individual Assistance for eligible applicants in the following counties: Adams, Barnes, Billings, Burleigh, Cass, Dickey, Emmons, Foster, Grand Forks, Griggs, Hettinger, Kidder, LaMoure, Logan, McIntosh, Mercer, Morton, Nelson, Ransom, Richland, Sargent, Steele, Stutsman, Towner, Traill and Williams. For more information, please visit: http://www.fema.gov/news/event.fema?id=11268



Apply for fema disaster assistance

Often the first step to recovery is making sure your employees are ready and able to come back to work. In counties designated for Individual Assistance, homeowners and renters can apply for FEMA assistance. The toll-free number is the same for both states. For Minnesota, the toll-free number is open 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. CDT, and for North Dakota residents, the toll-free number is open 6 a.m. to 12 midnight CDT. Online registration is available any time. To apply by phone, call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) (TTY 1-800-462-7585) or apply online at www.disasterassistance.gov. Multi-lingual operators are available.



What information do I need to have on hand before I apply?

Please have the following information available when you call:

• Pen and paper to record your registration number

• A phone number and a reliable alternate phone number in case we need to call you back

• Address of the damaged property

• Brief description of damages

• Social Security number

• Insurance information (if you have insurance)

• Current mailing address

• Bank account information (if you are eligible for disaster assistance, you may choose to have the assistance check deposited directly into your bank account)



FEMA disaster assistance covers basic needs only and will not normally compensate you for your entire loss. If you have insurance, the government may help pay for basic needs not covered under your insurance policy. Some disaster aid to individuals does not have to be paid back, while other assistance may come in the form of loans.



FEMA provides multi-lingual products and services to Limited English Proficiency residents and support services for residents with special needs in order to ensure that all residents receive information needed to apply for assistance. If your employee(s) need assistance, please email us at FEMAPrivateSector-DR1830MN@dhs.gov for Minnesota, and for North Dakota, email FEMAPrivateSector-DR1829ND@dhs.gov.







Visit a local disaster Recovery Center

Applicants are not required to visit a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC). However, a visit to a DRC provides an opportunity for residents to meet face-to-face with representatives from state and federal agencies and find answers to questions they may have about the recovery process.



MINNESOTA: As of April 15, Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) have opened in Moorhead and Breckenridge. The DRC is staffed by FEMA, SBA, and other federal and non-profit agencies.



MOORHEAD Minnesota State Community and Technical College

Higher Education Community Center

1110 14th St. S (Corner of 14th St. S and 12th Ave.)

Moorhead, Minnesota 56560



Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Monday through Saturday



BRECKENRIDGE Wilkin County Community Room

505 S. 8th St.

Breckenridge, Minnesota 56520



Hours: April 16 through 18: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

April 19: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.



NORTH DAKOTA: As of April 14, 2009 Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) opened in Bismarck, Fargo, and Linton. The DRCs are staffed by FEMA, the SBA and other federal and state agencies, and are open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. until further notice.



BISMARCK Gateway Fashion Mall

2700 State Street, Suite F5

Bismarck, North Dakota 58501



FARGO Cass County Court House Annex

1010 Second Ave. S

Fargo, North Dakota 58108



LINTON Linton Community Center

101 First St. NE

Linton, North Dakota 58552



BEULAH Beulah Civic Center

120 7th Street NE

Beulah, North Dakota 58525

apply for an SBA Business disaster loan/Visit A Business Recovery Center



The SBA Business Recovery Centers are specially designed to provide a wide range of services to businesses physically and economically impacted by the flooding.



MINNESOTA: Minnesota State University – Moorhead

Small Business Development Center

Center for Business, Suite 115

1104 Seventh Ave. S

Moorhead, Minnesota 56563

Beginning Monday, April 20; Mondays through Saturdays: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.



NORTH DAKOTA: West Acres Shopping Center, 3902

13th Avenue South, Suite 5237

Fargo, North Dakota 58103

Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays: 9 am to 6 pm

Wednesdays: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.



Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.



Also, businesses (all sizes) and non profit organizations may apply to SBA for low-interest disaster loans of up to $2 million to repair or replace damage to real estate, leasehold improvements, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. These loans cover uninsured losses or situations where the insurance coverage falls short of the repair or replacement costs.



Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) are working capital loans that help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. These loans are intended to assist throughout the disaster recovery period.



Business owners may also receive support from SBA Customer Service Representatives at any Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in North Dakota and Minnesota.



For more information, applicants may contact the SBA Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or by emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or visiting the SBA Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. Hearing impaired individuals may call (800) 877‑8339



After registering with FEMA, applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure Web site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.



How to contract your services with FEMA

Wondering how to get government contract work to support the Minnesota or North Dakota recovery and ongoing activities?



The first step is to register your business with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database at http://www.ccr.gov/ and then contact FEMA’s Industry Liaison Service Center (ILSC) to understand how to do business with FEMA. You can contact the ILSC at (202) 646-1895 or via email at FEMA-Industry@dhs.gov.



FEMA’s Private Sector Division

This E-News Update is provided by FEMA’s Private Sector Division, which is part of the federal response to DR-1829-ND and DR-1830-MN. If you no longer wish to receive these Private Sector E-News Updates, reply with the word “REMOVE” in the subject line. If someone forwarded you this email and you would like to be added to the distribution list, send an email with the word “SUBSCRIBE” in the subject line to FEMAPrivateSector-DR1829ND@dhs.gov. or FEMAPrivateSector-DR1830MN@dhs.gov