AUSTIN, Texas – When disaster strikes, many people think they have only FEMA to help them recover. But in fact FEMA is only one of myriad agencies and organizations ready to provide assistance to those affected by calamities, both natural and manmade.  Since the severe storms and flooding engulfed Hidalgo, Cameron and Jim Wells counties in June and July, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), volunteer groups, and FEMA have all worked together to help survivors get back on their feet. Through federal low-interest disaster loans, SBA assists businesses of all sizes...

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A survivor’s story: One year after Hurricane Harvey  AUSTIN, Texas — Greg Norman and his dog, Jake, live in a nice, comfortable home that has largely been rebuilt since Hurricane Harvey. Norman knows, however, things could have turned out very differently if it weren’t for the help of charitable organizations and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.  “I wanted to be the guy who told FEMA how much I appreciated them,” Norman said in June, “because without their assistance, without any exaggeration, Jake and I could be living under a bridge somewhere.”...

A survivor’s story: One year after Hurricane Harvey AUSTIN, Texas — Lying on her bed in Port Aransas the night after Hurricane Harvey tore through, Sandra Maynard was startled when her lap dog, Fritz, began to bark.  “I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, the looters are here.’”   The 76-year-old had just inventoried her home and was making plans for her second night alone since her one-story townhome flooded with rainwater and sewage. She had a flashlight, but all her candles were gone.  “I did have sheets and stuff in a closet,” she said,...

Before considering new construction and repairs on property located in flood-hazard areas, survivors of the severe storms in Hidalgo, Cameron and Jim Wells counties are urged to consult local building officials to obtain floodplain development permits. Obtaining building permits is especially important for those with homes or businesses located within a 100-year floodplain. Floodplain development permits cannot be waived, and local governments cannot reduce or ignore the floodplain requirement.  Know your local flood risk by viewing and downloading your community’s flood risk products from FEMA’s Map Service Center (MSC) Product Catalog. Flood...

AUSTIN, Texas – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded more than $1.2 million for the City of Groves to remove debris deposited by Hurricane Harvey.  The cost of debris removal in Groves is nearly $1.4 million. The grant of more than $1.2 million is the federal share of the cost and requires a 10 percent nonfederal match by the applicant, or $137,964. This grant comes from FEMA’s Public Assistance grant program which reimburses communities for actions taken in the immediate response to and during recovery from a disaster. Eligible applicants...

A survivor story: One year after Hurricane Harvey AUSTIN, Texas – Rose Pickens knew more about floods and federal disaster assistance than most people when Hurricane Harvey hit. She had received aid from FEMA after her house was damaged in the Memorial Day 2016 flood, and through her role as director of a local nonprofit, she had assisted many impoverished families whose homes had flooded.    Nonetheless, her family’s road to recovery after Harvey presented a slow, daunting journey.  “A lot of people think it’s a sprint, that it should be done quickly,...