Hellish summer of hurricanes smashes FEMA

I've heard those three words repeated in the mountains of Puerto Rico, amid the wreckage of Big Pine Key and from the mayor who thinks his Texas town may die. I've heard them spat in anger and mumbled in resignation and from California, you can hear them choked through smoke and fear in real time as 2017 explodes the ranks of America's fastest growing demographic: Disaster survivor.

U.S. Handled Puerto Rico Hurricane Aftermath Badly, Says Refugee Group

This photo taken last month in San Juan, Puerto Rico, shows roofs damaged by Hurricane Maria and the interior of buildings still exposed to the elements. Carlos Giusti/AP hide caption This photo taken last month in San Juan, Puerto Rico, shows roofs damaged by Hurricane Maria and the interior of buildings still exposed to the elements.

Texas’ Use of Federal Harvey Funds Clouded by Lack of Transparency

Texas has been awarded billions in federal aid to help recover from Hurricane Harvey and the devastating flooding that followed, but it's unclear how the state is spending its share of the money. Disaster recovery experts say the lack of transparency in Texas could hinder coordination, encourage fraud and squander an opportunity not only to rebuild after one of the country's costliest natural disasters, but also to mitigate the risks of the next monster storm.

FEMA homes to stay in Louisiana longer, but rent required

Louisiana residents displaced by the August 2016 flooding and living in mobile homes provided by the federal government can stay in them until May. Louisiana's homeland security office says the Federal Emergency Management Agency agreed to the state's request to extend the temporary housing program - but refused to continue waiving rent for the mobile homes. Jim Waskom, director of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, said the rent requirement could create obstacles for some displaced flood victims.

Disaster Recovery Center in Lake County Will Close

The DRC, jointly operated by the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency , is located at the Clearlake Senior Community Center at 3245 Bowers Ave. in Clearlake. The center will remain open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Friday, Dec. 8, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9. Residents of Butte, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Sonoma and Yuba counties who had damage and losses caused by the wildfires in October can register for disaster assistance or get help with their application by going online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585 .

Deadline to file for added flood insurance dollars approaches at year’s end

State Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon and Federal Emergency Management Agency officials on Wednesday warned homeowners with flood insurance about the importance of a New Year Eve's deadline to seek additional money for uncompensated repair costs from the August 2016 floods. Known as a "proof of loss," the documentation typically comes after a homeowner's initial flood insurance claim and often outlines other post-flood repair costs not caught by insurance adjusters or that are in dispute.

Big contracts, no storm tarps for Puerto Rico

Pedro Deschamps helps workers hired by FEMA to carry out the installation of a temporary awning roof at his house, which suffered damage during Hurricane Maria, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017. A newly created Florida company with an unproven record won more than $30 million in contracts from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide emergency tarps and plastic sheeting for repairs to hurricane victims in Puerto Rico.

Kewin Mill Road repairs to begin Dec. 4

Tuolumne County plans to begin repairing storm-damaged Kewin Mill Road on Dec. 4 after more than six months of wrangling federal officials for funding. David Gonzalves, director of the county's Community Resources Agency, spoke to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday about the project's urgency as the road provides the only access in or out of Cedar Ridge for more than 1,000 residents of the neighborhood.

Disaster claims soar in year of calamities

The number of Americans registered for federal disaster aid jumped tenfold this year, costing billions of dollars in additional emergency funding as the nation nears the end of a historically calamitous year. More than 4.7 million Americans - about 1.4 percent of the population - have registered so far this year for disaster aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

How they voted: Larimer County area congressional votes for Nov. 10-16, 2017

Along with roll call votes this week, the Senate also passed the FEMA Accountability, Modernization and Transparency Act , to ensure that the Federal Emergency Management Agency's current efforts to modernize its grant management system includes applicant accessibility and transparency; the Criminal Antitrust Anti-Retaliation Act , to provide ... (more)

FEMA denies aid for Illinois flood victims.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has decided against helping victims of last summer's record flooding in the Chicago area. In a letter to Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, FEMA administrator Brock Long says the agency determined damage from flooding in Cook, Lake, McHenry and Kane counties was not beyond the state's capability to address.