POTUS Declares Federal Disaster, Aid for Parishes in Louisiana

Parishes Approved for Disaster Assistance

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Louisiana and ordered Federal aid to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Ida beginning on August 26, 2021, and continuing.

The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in the parishes of:

Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding also is available to State, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for debris removal in the parishes of:

Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana and emergency protective measures statewide. 

For a period of 30 days from the start of the incident period, assistance for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, is authorized at 100 percent of the total eligible costs.

Lastly, Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Damage assessments are continuing in other areas, and more parishes and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated parishes can begin applying for assistance by registering online at:

http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice. 

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Major Disaster Declaration, can begin applying for assistance by registering online at http://DisasterAssistance.gov
LCCF coordinates with Governmental and state agencies to inform and provide resources to businesses in Louisiana in emergencies, pandemics and other instances where communications needs are to be expedited.

Stay up-to-date on State Emergency Disaster News, Business Resources and Emergency Procurement Efforts. Forward this information along to other minority or BIPOC businesses that would benefit from Emergency or Disaster Relief information.

DOES YOUR BUSINESSS HAVE A GAMEPLAN FOR DISASTER?
There are major power outage issues across Southeast Louisiana. Travel is restricted due to flooding and other problems. If you plan to evacuate due to a lack of power, check 511la.org for road closure information and make sure you bring along adequate supplies. Include masks and other PPE due to the latest COVID-19 surge.

Call 211 for shelter updates. Don’t forget your pets. Plan for any needs associated with your pets.

Stay informed and check/re-stock your emergency supplies. Emergency planning starts with individuals and families.
Recovery Updates for the Greater New Orleans Area:
(as of 8/30)
  • Power - The damage from the hurricane, among the most powerful to hit Louisiana ever, caused Entergy to lose all eight transmission lines that feed electricity into the Greater New Orleans area. Damage assessments are continuing; based on experience, restoration will occur within one week to 10 days for most customers across Entergy’s service area, and up to three weeks for those in the worst-hit places. Note: these estimates may change as more is learned. Cleco will release time estimates for its customers shortly, as well. You can read more here.

  • Water – New Orleans S&WB is operating pumps and drinking water on self-generated power; Entergy redundancy is expected to return in about a week. Water service in Jefferson Parish is estimated to return in about five days, as watermain breaks are repaired.

  • Roads – I-10 between New Orleans and Baton Rouge is closed. Per DOTD, “there is debris in the roadway, making this portion of the interstate unsafe for the traveling public.” This and other major roadway alerts may be read here.

  • Airport – All flights were cancelled today, and over 170 have been cancelled for Tuesday so far. While the terminal and runways appear to be undamaged, loss of power (operating on emergency power), water, and phones is impacting service. The situation is described as “fluid.” The best information on MSY is found on Twitter here.

  • Assistance Resources:
  • Disaster Assistance - Based on a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration signed on August 29, residents of all ten GNO, Inc. region parishes may be eligible for FEMA disaster assistance. Affected individuals are encouraged to apply for disaster assistance in addition to filing insurance claims. Disaster assistance may cover expenses uncovered by insurance claims, such as grants for temporary housing, home repairs, or other needs. To file for disaster assistance, https://www.disasterassistance.gov/ or call 800-621-3362.

  • SBA Disaster Loan Assistance - Small businesses in Louisiana and Mississippi impacted by Ida can now apply for disaster assistance through the SBA. The SBA offers disaster assistance in the form of low interest loans to businesses, nonprofit organizations, homeowners, and renters located in regions affected by declared disasters. To learn more about programs that are available to Louisiana businesses and to apply, click here.

  • Property Insurance Information
  • Business Interruption FAQs – In general, business interruption insurance policies cover specific losses experienced by a business as a result of physical damage to the property that is insured. These policies typically list or describe the types of perils they cover; perils that are not listed in the policy are typically not covered. Flooding is not covered by a typical business interruption policy (National Flood Insurance policies are available for commercial properties, but only cover property damage. The NFIP does not offer or provide coverage for business interruption). You can read more on business interruption from the Louisiana Department of Insurance here.

  • Additional Living Expenses. If you are a homeowner who is displaced from your home, your policy may have provisions for expenses incurred while your house is being repaired or rebuilt. You can find more on additional living expenses here.  You can find answers to other storm-related information in GNO, Inc. Post-Storm FAQs.

  • DNAP Pre-Registration – Eligible recipients can now pre-register for DSNAP. DSNAP is only administered after a federally declared disaster and after the State of Louisiana receives approval from the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services to activate DSNAP services. Pre-Registration for DSNAP does not necessarily guarantee benefits. To learn more about who is eligible for DSNAP benefits and how to apply, click here.
DISASTER/BUSINESS INTERRUPTION PLAN
Plan to Stay in Business?

Business continuity planning must account for all hazards (both man-made and natural disasters). Plan in advance to manage any emergency situation. Assess the situation, use common sense and available resources to take care of yourself, your co-workers and your business's recovery. Carefully evaluate internal and external operations to determine which staff members, materials, procedures and equipment are absolutely necessary to keep the business operating.

 
Talk to Your People

A solid business emergency plan only works if everyone on your team is aware of the plan and the actions they need to take.

  • Involve Co-Workers
  • Include people from all levels in emergency planning.

Practice the Plan
  • Drills and exercises will help you prepare.

Promote Preparedness
  • Encourage your employees and their families to: Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Informed.

Crisis Communication Plan
  • Detail how you will be in contact with employees, customers and others during and after a disaster.

Employee Health
  • People who have experienced a disaster may have special recovery needs.

Protect Your Investment

As well as planning for an emergency, you can also take steps to protect your company and secure your physical assets.
Insurance Coverage
  • Policies vary, meet with your provider to review current coverage.

Utility Disruptions
  • Prepare for extended outages during and after a disaster.

Facilities, Buildings & Plants
  • Take steps to secure physical assets.
  • Equipment
  • Conduct a room-by-room walk-through to determine what needs to be secured.

Building Air Protection
  • Assess the HVAC system to improve indoor air quality.

Cyber Security
  • Protect your data and information technology systems.
Louisiana Economic Development will work closely with business owners and parish, state and federal officials to assess the economic impact of Hurricane Ida and facilitate access to business recovery resources. Click to see Resources for Impacted Businesses
3901 MacArthur Blvd,
Box 6012 New Orleans, LA 70114
Phone Number: 1 504-655-7572