After a record $22B disasters in 2020, it’s time to overhaul US disaster policy – here’s how: Opinion
Updated Jan 11, 2021;
Posted Jan 11, 2021
In a year tied for the warmest on record globally, the U.S. was hit with costly hurricanes, wildfires, storms and drought. (AP Photo/Noah Berger and Gerald Herbert)
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The year 2020 broke disaster records across the country in destructive and expensive ways. The Atlantic had so many hurricanes, meteorologists ran out of tropical storm names for only the second time. Across the Midwest, extreme storms flattened crops and tore up buildings. Western states repeatedly broke records for their largest wildfires on record. Globally, it was tied for the hottest year on record.
January 10, 2021
Following Hurricane Sally, FEMA approved 7,986 individuals and households for $33 million in FEMA assistance, including $25.7 million approved for housing assistance and $7.3 million approved for other disaster-related needs.
Another $81.2 million in SBA loans were approved for 2,081 applicants. And 4,472 claims were filed with the National Flood Insurance Program with $121.1 million paid out.
How to check status of your FEMA application
Survivors in Bay, Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties who registered with FEMA can check the status of their applications, ask questions and get information in several ways:
Using the FEMA App for mobile devices
Calling 800-621-3362 (800-462-7585 TTY). Multilingual operators are available. Those who use a relay service such as a videophone, InnoCaption or CapTel should provide FEMA with their specific phone number assigned to that service.
NOAA released its list of climate and weather disasters that cost the nation more than $1 billion each. Like many climate and weather events this past year, it shattered the record.
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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administers the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The NFIP offers insurance coverage for physical losses to buildings and/or contents caused by a flood. Over the years, FEMA has incurred debt from the Department of Treasury to pay claims and expenses associated with NFIP-insured properties. According to the Government Accounting Office (GAO), FEMA is unlikely to collect enough in premiums from NFIP-insured properties to repay this debt. Although changes to the NFIP have been under consideration for some time in order to bridge the gap between premiums and expenditures, new rates for all NFIP-insured properties will go into effect on October 1, 2021 pursuant to a major overhaul of the NFIP referred to as “Risk Rating 2.0.”