BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION CONTINUES FEDERAL RECOVERY EFFORTS IN
MAUI, FEMA URGES RESIDENTS AFFECTED BY HILARY TO PAY ATTENTION TO
LOCAL OFFICIALS
[https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20230821/biden-harris-administration-continues-federal-recovery-efforts-maui-fema]


Release Date: 
八月 21, 2023 

WASHINGTON -- Today, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell will travel
with President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. and First Lady Jill Biden to Maui,
Hawaii, to survey wildfire damage, speak to residents about their
loss, commend emergency responders and announce new steps
toward recovery. 

As the recovery moves into the next phase, President Biden, alongside
Administrator Criswell, will announce that he is appointing FEMA
Region 9 Administrator Bob Fenton as the Federal government’s
“Chief Federal Response Coordinator” for Maui. In this role,
Fenton will oversee the federal government’s long-term recovery work
on the ground for Maui. President Biden is directing Chief Federal
Response Coordinator Fenton to ensure that every federal asset is
provided to help the community rebuild as fast as possible in Maui.

More than 1,000 federal personnel are on the ground in Maui assisting
residents in their greatest time of need, including nearly 450
search-and-rescue team members and 40 canines trained to identify
remains. FEMA’s Disaster Survivor Assistance teams are going to
shelters and survivors’ homes to help people register for
assistance. To date, the Biden-Harris Administration has approved $8.6
million in assistance to over 2,800 households, including $3.6 million
in initial rental assistance.

FEMA URGES RESIDENTS TO STAY SAFE AFTER HILARY 

While FEMA continues coordinating federal response efforts in Hawaii,
the agency is also closely monitoring the impacts from post-Tropical
Storm Hilary. FEMA is closely coordinating with California, southwest
states and Tribal Nations in the path of the storm and stands ready
to provide support as needed. The National Response Coordination
Center at FEMA’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. is operating
around the clock. FEMA pre-positioned supplies at March Air Reserve
Base in Riverside, California.

Residents in the path of Hilary should continue to listen to their
local officials, as flooding is often the greatest threat to life and
property from a tropical storm. FEMA deployed two Incident Management
Assistance Teams to California and they are prepared to assist with
any requests for federal assistance. Additional teams are on standby
for deployment if necessary. FEMA also deployed a Staging Management
Team, Incident Support Base Team and Disaster Survivor Assistance
Strike Team to California to support the state and Tribal Nations.
Additionally, three Mobile Emergency Response Support units are en
route to California to provide communications and technical support.

The National Weather Service [https://www.weather.gov/] predicts
post-Tropical Storm Hilary will produce additional rainfall amounts of
2 to 4 inches today, with isolated storm totals up to 12 inches, in
portions of Southern California and Southern Nevada. Continued
localized flash and urban flooding is expected. Residents who live in
areas affected by wildfires in the last two years should be especially
cautious as burn scars have an increased risk of flash flooding and
debris flows. 

As the storm continues to move across Nevada today and into Oregon and
Idaho through Tuesday, visitors and residents in in the storm’s path
should monitor their local news for updates and directions provided by
their local officials and heed local evacuation orders. 

FEMA encourages everyone to visit www.Ready.gov
[http://www.Ready.gov] or www.Listo.gov [http://www.Listo.gov] to
learn more about how to be prepared and how to protect yourself and
your loved ones during emergencies. 

STAY SAFE DURING AND AFTER THE STORM

Important safety reminders if you’re in an area that has been, or is
still being impacted by the storm:

	* Flooding is often the greatest threat to life and property from a
tropical storm. It poses a significant threat for drowning and can
occur before, during or after the center of a storm passes through an
area. Be aware: Flooding can sometimes cut off transportation routes
with little or no warning.
	* Don’t drive or walk through flood waters. It only takes a small
amount of water to move people or vehicles. If you encounter a flooded
roadway, don’t attempt to pass through water; turn around, don’t
drown. 
	* Stay off the roads. 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.
	* Avoid downed power or utility lines; they may be live with deadly
voltage. Report them immediately to your power or utility company.
	* Your National Flood Insurance Program policy will cover and
reimburse certain actions
[https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-05/Loss_Avoidance_Fact_Sheet_Consumers_508.pdf]
you take to minimize damage to your home and belongings before a
flood.