ST. CROIX, Virgin Islands – Free advice is available to Virgin Island survivors who are cleaning up and rebuilding after hurricanes Irma and Maria, including techniques to lessen damage to homes, businesses and property in the event of future storms.
Hazard Mitigation Specialists from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be available in the coming days to answer questions on stronger building practices. Rebuilding or repairing a home after a disaster can be a daunting task, but with the right information homeowners can build safer, smarter and stronger against disasters.
Time and location:
- Home Depot, Barron Spot, St. Croix
- Jan. 10 – 14
- Jan. 17 – 22
- 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Information will be provided on cleaning up mold and mildew after a storm, as well as tips on how to protect your home against strong winds by securing roofs and siding using special hardware. FEMA encourages those affected by the storms to stop by and learn more about how to prepare for and help prevent damage to your home before a disaster.
Survivors can check on the status of their FEMA claim at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362. Individuals who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY should call 800-462-7585 directly. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS) may call 800-621-3362. The SBA customer service number is 800-659-2955.
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Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-3362 (voice, 711/VRS - Video Relay Service) (TTY: 800-462-7585). Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish).
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
Follow us on social media at twitter.com/femaregion2 and www.facebook.com/FEMAUSVirginIslands.
To donate or volunteer, contact the voluntary or charitable organization of your choice through the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) at www.nvoad.org. For those who wish to help, cash donations offer voluntary agencies the most flexibility in obtaining the most-needed resources and pumps money into the local economy to help businesses recover. The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands also has the “Fund for the Virgin Islands” at www.USVIrecovery.org.