President declares major disaster regarding freeze

WASHINGTON, DC — The head of the US Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for California to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by a severe freeze during the period of January 11-17, 2007.

FEMA Director David Paulison said that the President’s action makes Disaster Unemployment Assistance and Food Commodities available to affected individuals in Fresno, Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Monterey, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare and Ventura counties.

Workers who temporarily lost jobs because of the disaster and who do not qualify for state benefits, such as self-employed individuals, may be eligible for unemployment payments up to 26 weeks as a result of the declaration.

Paulison named Justo Hernandez as Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Hernandez said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident, initiates mitigation activities and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA works closely with state and local emergency managers, law enforcement personnel, firefighters and other first responders. FEMA became part of the US Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

Federal aid programs for CA disaster recovery

The following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Bush’s major disaster declaration issued for California.

• Assistance for affected individuals and families can include as required:

• Unemployment payments up to 26 weeks for workers who temporarily lost jobs because of the disaster and who do not qualify for state benefits, such as self-employed individuals. (Source: FEMA funded; state administered.)

• Other relief programs: food commodities. (Source: FEMA funded; state administered.)

• Explanation of Disaster Unemployment Assistance:

• DUA is funded by FEMA and administered, under a delegation of authority, by the US Department of Labor (DOL). DUA provides unemployment benefits and reemployment services to individuals, including self-employed individuals, who were living or working in the affected areas at the time of the major disaster, who are unemployed as a result of the major disaster, and who are not covered under the regular Unemployment Insurance (UI) Program.

• Applicants must apply through California’s Employment Development Department (EDD) by phone, Internet access or in person at local claims offices for benefit-eligibility determinations for either UI or DUA.

• Disaster Unemployment Assistance, for individuals unemployed as a direct result of the major disaster, may begin with the week (as defined in state law) following the beginning date of the incident period and continue for as long as the claimant remains unemployed because of the disaster, but no longer than the 26th week after the disaster declaration date.

FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident, initiates mitigation activities and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA works closely with state and local emergency managers, law enforcement personnel, firefighters and other first responders.