WASHINGTON -- FEMA is leaning forward with our federal, state, local and tribal partners to support a state managed, locally executed response to impacts from Hurricane Delta and is supporting Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards and affected community leaders on necessary damage assessments.
Three Urban Search and Rescue Teams and an Incident Support Team are conducting operations in Louisiana, and Mobile Emergency Operations Vehicles are standing by to provide emergency communication capabilities for federal resources, if needed.
President Trump approved Emergency Declarations for Louisiana and Mississippi, earlier this week, authorizing FEMA to provide emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance for designated parishes and counties. Alabama’s request for an Emergency Declaration is under review.
Personnel Deployed
As of today, 470 FEMA responders are deployed in support of Hurricane Delta, including Incident Management Assistance Teams. Additional personnel from the federal government, including the Department of Defense, Department of Transportation, Health and Human Services, Department of Energy, DHS Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency and Army Corps of Engineers, have been mission assigned to provide support to impacted states and tribes, as needed.
Gulf Residents
It is critical Gulf residents continue paying attention to their local officials and staying safe. If you have been evacuated, do not return until local officials tell you it is safe to do so. If you have an emergency, call 9-1-1. Local first responders are the best source of help.
Emergency workers may be assisting people in flooded areas or cleaning up debris. You can help them by staying off the roads and out of the way. Keep out of the water. Do not attempt to walk, swim, wade or drive through flood waters. Flood water can contain dangerous debris, downed power lines and other risks.
Use extreme caution when operating heavy machinery, generators, or removing debris. Never use generators indoors or in any partially enclosed area and keep them away from windows, doors and vents. For more information on generator safety, please visit ready.gov/power-outages and cdc.gov/co/generatorsafetyfactsheet.html.
Wear a mask in public settings, especially when social distancing is not possible, and follow CDC guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
When it is safe to return to your home or business, take precautions as you inspect your home and document damage. Save all your receipts for any post-disaster home repair and clean up. If you have insurance, you must file a claim with your insurance company. File a claim as soon as possible. Insurance agents and claims adjusters will work closely with you on your claim. With a remote adjustment, it may take several hours or more to document damage.
Louisiana Update
In Louisiana, more than 7,000 people remain in congregate or non-congregate shelters and more than 7,000 are without power. If you have an immediate need for food or shelter, contact 2-1-1 so you can receive assistance. You can also text “LAShelter” to 898211 for shelter information.
Responding During COVID-19
While some aspects of program delivery may look different this year, our commitment to helping people before, during and after disaster remains our full focus, and we are ready to deliver on our mission.
FEMA will continue to work with our state, tribal and local partners as they plan for evacuating and sheltering operations in a COVID-19 environment. Finding shelter is critical in times of disaster. Shelter outside of the hazard area could include staying with family or friends, seeking a hotel room or staying in a mass shelter. FEMA, other federal agencies and the American Red Cross have modified policies and planning and have taken actions to ensure the federal government can respond to any disaster during our continued coronavirus response efforts.
In alignment with FEMA’s Pandemic Operational Guidance, FEMA is leveraging technology to deliver the agency’s programs at the highest level possible, while preserving our workforce and survivors. These methods include virtual damage assessments and inspections for FEMA Individual Assistance and Public Assistance programs, as well as National Flood Insurance Program claims.
In advance of hurricane and wildfire season, FEMA expanded the capacity of its National Response Coordination Center, response centers around the country and trained additional staff to be postured to respond to multiple on-going incidents.