FEMA urges West Virginians to protect their identity and stay informed
FEMA urges West Virginians to protect their identity and stay informed CHARLESTON, W.Va. — After a natural disaster, it is important to protect your identity against fraud and identity theft. In some cases, criminals may try to get information by pretending to be disaster workers. Scam artists may try to apply for FEMA assistance using names, addresses, and Social Security numbers they have stolen from people affected by a disaster. Keep these things in mind to protect your identity and stay informed: Federal and local disaster workers do not solicit or accept money. Don’t trust anyone who offers financial or contracting help and
West Virginians Can Learn More About Rebuilding Their Homes
West Virginians Can Learn More About Rebuilding Their Homes CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Residents in Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Wayne, and Wyoming counties who were impacted by the winter flooding between February 15 – 18, 2025 can visit Jimmy’s Hardware and Supply in McDowell County to speak with a FEMA mitigation specialist about building their home back better. FEMA can provide education and resources to residents on safe clean-up procedures and mitigation actions to reduce the effects of future events. Mitigation staff can discuss opportunities on programs that are available to homeowners, explain the building and permitting process, and provide information
FEMA Encourages Survivors to Stay in Touch and Keep Their Recovery on Track
FEMA Encourages Survivors to Stay in Touch and Keep Their Recovery on Track TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – More than 1,000 FEMA staff are still on the ground in Florida to help survivors recover from Hurricanes Milton, Helene and Debby. FEMA will continue to process applications, receive, and manage appeals, conduct inspections and assist applicants and local officials with questions and information about recovery programs. Survivors who applied for FEMA assistance should continue to stay in touch with the agency to update their application. Missing or outdated material could result in delays. Information that may need to be updated includes: Your current housing situation, phone number
Volcano Watch — Peering into a crystal ball: What tiny crystals can tell us about their trip through the magma chamber
Volcano Watch is a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates. This week's article was written by HVO post-doctoral researcher Heather Winslow. (A) Spatter cone samples from the Kīlauea middle East Rift Zone eruption in and near Nāpau Crater from September 15–20, 2024. Crystals were collected from samples like this. (B) Back-scattered electron image of a plagioclase crystal from the September 2024 Kīlauea middle East Rift Zone eruption. This crystal shows two distinct chemical zones from its core to rim. The core has a different composition from the rim of the
Survivors Begin Living In FEMA-Provided Housing As Their Recovery Continues
Survivors Begin Living In FEMA-Provided Housing As Their Recovery Continues Individuals and families who lost their homes to Helene’s wrath are beginning to move back to areas near their homes. FEMA Direct Temporary Housing Assistance is available to eligible survivors in Carter, Cocke, Greene, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties to bring some comfort and stability as survivors recover and their homes are restored. Travel trailers and manufactured housing units have arrived in Tennessee and survivors started moving into private sites this week. Preparing travel trailers and manufactured housing units for placement on private property can be a complex process that
U.S. gasoline prices this Thanksgiving are at their lowest since 2020
On the Monday before Thanksgiving, the retail price of regular gasoline averaged $3.04 per gallon (gal) across the United States, 7% less than the same time last year. Retail gasoline prices this Thanksgiving are at their lowest since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted gasoline demand.
Globe, U.S. had their 2nd-warmest Septembers on record
September Highlights: The release of the September 2024 U.S. and Global Climate Reports was delayed due to significant infrastructure damage near NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) headquarters in Asheville, NC from Hurricane Helene. NCEI is in the process of returning to full operations and anticipates restoration of most data feeds in the near future. Temperatures were above average across much of North and South America as well as Europe, but globally, temperatures averaged cooler than what was observed during September 2023, ending the 15-month record streak of record warm global temperatures. The year-to-date global temperature was the warmest
FEMA’s Temporary Housing for Wildfire Survivors Extended to February 2026, Supporting their Continued Recovery
FEMA’s Temporary Housing for Wildfire Survivors Extended to February 2026, Supporting their Continued Recovery HONOLULU – At the request of the state of Hawaiʻi, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved a one-year extension of the Individuals and Households Program (IHP), including Financial Assistance and Direct Temporary Housing Assistance for survivors of the Maui wildfires. The 18-month initial period of assistance for FEMA IHP was set to end Feb.10, 2025 but has now been extended to Feb. 10, 2026. Under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, FEMA may extend the period of assistance due to extraordinary