Trending Now #severeWXstory
It's the third year FEMA and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS) have teamed up to lead a public campaign during National Severe Weather Preparedness (NSWP) Week aimed at improving the way individuals prepare for and respond to severe weather. This year, NSWP week will take place March 2 – 8 . The theme for this year's campaign is Be a Force of Nature: Take the Next Step .
Ready.gov wants you to be an inspiration during NSWP Week. Have you been an advocate in your community when it comes to preparedness? Well, we are sure you have stories to share of how you or people within your community have fared better because they were prepared. Even if it is something as simple as helping neighbors build emergency kits for their home or you have done something as major as elevating your home to mitigate and recover from a flood like a homeowner did in the city of Galveston, TX , we want to hear from you!
- Share your survival information for these severe hazards : winter storm , tornado , wildfire , flood or hurricane on Twitter using #severeWXstory .
- Enhance your story with photos, videos or just an inspiring Tweet.
The best stories will be retweeted by @Readygov and @PrepareAthon . All stories can be sent via Twitter now through March 14. Let's get #severeWXstory trending on Twitter!
Additionally, get into the spirit of America's PrepareAthon! and take action to prepare for severe weather by downloading the NSWP week toolkit at www.ready.gov/severe-weather . Stay tuned to FEMA and NWS for the launch of National Severe Weather Preparedness Week starting March 2, 2014 and use #beaforce on Twitter to follow the NSWP Week conversation.
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Disaster Ready Finances
Being ready for severe weather is more than storing water and supplies. You also need to be financially ready. Starting early and having a plan to pay your bills and access your important records and accounts help you get back on your feet faster and avoid problems with your credit when you need it most.
These steps can you get started:
Pre-disaster financial planning is essential for individuals and families to complete because disasters leave many Americans without access to finances or with expensive damages. Safeguarding your finances and important records is easy if you start today.
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Know Your Role
Community members—individuals just like you—are the key to our nation's preparedness and resilience. Although, state and local governments have developed robust capabilities to respond to and recover from events, your whole community's participation, especially during severe weather events is needed to help prepare for the uncertainty of disaster.
You can be part of the collective team in preparing for, protecting against, responding to, recovering from, and mitigating against all hazards. By accessing FEMA's free, online training module “ Preparedness: The Whole Community ,” you can learn about emergency management, response roles, and how you can get involved.
- Learn about the role of government, public and private sector, community, and individual emergency management and response; and
- Learn about how you can get involved through volunteer opportunities and how to develop an action plan for becoming involved.
When the whole community comes together to respond to and help recover from these emergencies—neighbor helping neighbor—we can often meet the needs of everyone.
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Deadline Extension for Youth Preparedness Council
FEMA is looking for youth leaders who are dedicated to public service, who are making a difference in their communities, and who want to expand their impact as national advocates for youth disaster preparedness. Any individual between the ages of 12 and 17 who is engaged in individual and community preparedness, or who has experienced a disaster that has motivated him or her to make a positive difference in his or her community, may apply to serve on the Youth Preparedness Council.
Based on several requests for extensions, FEMA will extend the deadline for Youth Preparedness Council applications to Monday, March 3, 11:59 PM EST .
Youth interested in applying to the Council must submit a completed application package with two letters of recommendation. Specific information about completing and submitting the application and attachments can be found in the application instructions. For more information about the Youth Preparedness Council and to access the application materials, please visit http://www.ready.gov/youth-preparedness-council . New Youth Preparedness Council members will be announced in May 2014.
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Recovery Centers
Got a question about disaster recovery? If a federal disaster declaration is declared in your area you may be eligible for federal assistance. Visit a State Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) to help! A DRC is a readily accessible temporary facility or mobile office in your community where you can apply for federal assistance to cover damage sustained during a disaster. FEMA, Small Business Administration and state officials will help you submit an individual assistance application. Some of the services may include:
- Guidance regarding disaster recovery;
- Clarification of any written correspondence received;
- Housing Assistance and Rental Resource information; and
- Answers to questions, resolution to problems and referrals to agencies that may provide further assistance.
Watch this video to learn more about the DRC.
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Dates for Your Calendar!
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