Hurricane Michael Update 11/5

Hurricane Michael Nov. 5 Update

Monday, Nov. 5

ESF 14 – Public Information RecoverBayCounty.comBayCountyEmergencyServices@gmail.com

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

  • The Bay County Medical Examiner is reporting 21 casualties in Bay County.
  • The 211 Citizen Hotline continues to receive non-emergency calls. For out-of-state callers, please dial (850) 248-6099.
  • Visit www.safeandwell.org to connect with friends and family. The website can also be used to search for loved ones.
  • No curfew is in place at this time.
  • On Tuesday, Nov. 6 the National Weather Service is calling for showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy with a high near 80. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Tuesday evening is predicted to be showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy with a low around 70. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.

Recover Bay County – By the Numbers

Feeding Assistance

Salvation Army: 284,609 total meals

Red Cross Meals: 418,247 total meals

36 Emergency Response Vehicles (ERV’s) doing mobile feeding with the Red Cross.

Total sheltered: 453

Debris Management: An estimated 1.2 million cubic yards of debris collected total throughout Bay County https://arcg.is/0mvqL4 (Story Map)

Business & Industry Recovery (https://floridadisaster.biz/BusinessOpenCloseStatus)

  • Open pharmacies: 54
  • Open businesses: 825
  • Business damage assessments conducted: 33

TRANSPORTATION TO VOTING POLLS

On Monday (Nov. 5) and Tuesday (Nov. 6), Bay Town Trolley can help get you to the voting polls for free! Plan your route with our online trip planner at www.BayTownTrolley.org. The Bay Town Trolley is running all routes 1 – 8; Monday – Saturday (10 a.m. – 5 p.m.). For additional fixed route information, call 850-960-1084.

Voting Location and Bay Town Trolley Route:

· Parker United Methodist Church  - 908 S Tyndall Parkway

Take any route to connect with Route 2.

· Panama City Beach Senior Center - 423 Lyndell Lane

Take Route 7.

· Supervisor of Election Office – 830 W 11th Street

Take any route to connect with Route 1.

· Lynn Haven Elementary School Cafeteria – 300 W 10th Street

Take any route to connect with Route 1. 

VOLUNTEERS

Are you an organization who is currently in need of volunteers to help with Hurricane Michael recovery efforts? Contact the Volunteer Reception Center (VRC) at (850) 960-4235. The VRC is located at 7734 Franklin Ave., at the Southport Community Center, and is open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The VRC receives and assigns volunteers to areas of the most critical need in Bay County. Volunteer organizations may contact the VRC for assignment, or to request volunteers for specific projects. All volunteer groups should scan and send their volunteer hour logs to Maranda Griffin at mgriffin@baycountyfl.gov for all hours tracked to be reported to FEMA.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance

The FEMA Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) program is available to provide unemployment benefits and reemployment services to individuals who have become unemployed as a result Hurricane Michael. DUA benefits are generally paid for up to 26 weeks beginning with the first week following the date the major disaster began. Individuals are required to substantiate employment or self-employment or to substantiate work that was to begin on or after the date of the disaster through documentation. If proof of employment cannot be provided at the time the claim is filed, individuals have 21 calendar days from that time to meet this requirement.

General Requirements To be eligible for DUA, individuals must:

· Not be eligible for regular unemployment

· Be unemployed or partially unemployed as a direct result of the major disaster; be able and available for work, unless injured as a direct result of the disaster (see conditions below);

· File an application for DUA within 30 days of the date of the announcement of availability of DUA

· Have not refused an offer of employment in a suitable position.

For additional information concerning the DUA program, individuals may contact the DOL at 1-866-487-2365 or their local State UI agency.

Bay County Government Building

The Bay County Government Center (840 W 11th St., Panama City) has reopened. Offices within the Government Building include the Tax Collector, Property Appraiser, Supervisor of Elections, and the Bay County Board of County Commissioners.

The Bay County Board of County Commissioners will meet at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5, in the Commission Chambers of the Government Center.

Social Security Office 

The Panama City Social Security Office (3215 FL-77, Panama City) has reopened. The office hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon.

For residents needing a replacement Social Security Card, Proof of Income, replacement Medicare card, change their address and bank information they can complete these transactions through their personal mySocial Security account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount or visit the office. Residents can call 1(800)722-1213 for more information, to change or update their information or schedule an appointment to file for benefits.

Houses of Worship may be Eligible for FEMA Public Assistance 

Public Assistance (PA) provides grants to state and local governments and certain types of private non-profit (PNP) organizations so that communities can respond to and recover from presidentially-declared disasters. The program is funded by FEMA on a cost-share basis and administered by the Florida Division of Emergency Management. FEMA provides supplemental federal disaster grant assistance, 75 percent reimbursement of eligible costs for Emergency Work (debris removal and life-saving emergency protective measures) and Permanent Work (repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged publicly owned facilities and the facilities of certain non-profit organizations).

· For Eligible PNPs, debris removal is limited to that associated with the property of a facility.

· Emergency protective measures are generally limited to activities associated with preventing damage to a facility and its contents.

· FEMA does not provide PA funding to PNPs for the costs associated with emergency services such as sheltering and feeding survivors and other governmental services; unless those services were at the request of, and certified by, a legally-responsible government entity.

· Operating costs are generally not eligible even if the services are emergency services; unless the house of worship performs an emergency service at the request of, and is certified by, the legally-responsible government entity.

Eligibility requirements for houses of worship

· Be owned or operated by a Private Non-Profit organization.

· Have damage caused by Hurricane Michael that occurred on Oct. 7-19, 2018.

· Provide a non-critical but essential service open to the general public, without regard to their religious or secular nature.

· Provide an IRS current ruling letter granting tax exemption status under Section 501 (c) (d) or (e).

· Documentation from the state substantiating it is a non-revenue producing, nonprofit organization organized or doing business under state law.

SBA disaster loans are a critical part of your application process. For all PNPs that provide non-critical services, including houses of worship, FEMA may provide Public Assistance funding for eligible permanent work costs only if an SBA disaster loan does not cover them. FEMA will provide financial assistance only if the applicant is denied an SBA loan – or if the loan authorized is insufficient to cover repair costs. Visit the SBA website at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/ or contact the SBA Disaster Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or visit your local DRC by searching at FEMA.gov/DRC.to process your application.

Request for Public Assistance (RPA) Application

Request for Public Assistance (RPA) by submitting your completed RPA forms to www.floridapa.org/site/rpasubmission.cfm. Contact Florida Division of Emergency Management Public Assistance at www.floridapa.org or by calling (805) 815-4400 with questions on submission.

The deadline to complete the RPA is Dec. 14, 2018.

Legal Services

Legal Services of Northwest Florida will be available to provide legal information in the following areas: preventing wrongful evictions, assistance with insurance claims, helping residents receive FEMA assistance, challenging scams and contractor fraud, helping residents with public benefits and more. Information on eligibility and areas of law covered are also available at www.LSNF.org.**

LSNF will have attorneys and/or paralegals as available at the following upcoming events and clinics:

Wednesday, Nov. 7

Free Family Law Clinic, Hosted by Caroll Law, P.A.

Panama City’s Sams Club Parking Lot, 1707 W 23rd St, Panama City, FL 32405

10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Replacing Lost or Damaged Documents in Florida

SNAP Cards

Phone: Agents available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.Monday-Friday at 866-762-2237Website: www.myflfamilies.comGreen Cards:

Phone: 800-375-5283

Website: https://go.usa.gov/xPyWb

Birth and Death Certificates:

Phone: 850-245-4444

Websites:Birth Certificates: http://www.floridahealth.gov/certificates/certificates/birth/index.html

Death Certificates: http://www.floridahealth.gov/certificates/certificates/death/index.html

Florida Driving Licenses:

Phone: 850-617-3000

Website: https://go.usa.gov/xPyW8

Bank Checks, ATM/Debit Cards or Safe Deposit Boxes:

Phone: 877-275-3342

Website: https://www.fdic.gov/

Credit Cards – Contact the appropriate issuing institution:

· Visa: 800-847-2911https://usa.visa.com/support/consumer/lost-stolen-card.html

· MasterCard: 800-627-8372https://www.mastercard.us/en-us/consumers/get-support.html

· Discover: 800-347-2683https://www.discover.com/credit-cards/help-center/

· American Express: 800-327-1267https://www.americanexpress.com/us/content/help/lost-stolen-card.html

Credit Reports: Equifax, Experian or TransUnion

Phone: 877-322-8228

Website: https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action

Social Security Cards:

Phone: 800-772-1213

Website: https://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/

Fraud Alerts or a Credit Freeze:

Both are free. But there are important differences between these two options:

· An extended fraud alert means that a business must verify your identity before it issues new credit. An extended fraud alert, lasting seven years, is available only to identity theft victims. To get an extended fraud alert, you’ll first need an Identity Theft Report, which you can create at IdentityTheft.gov.

· A freeze generally stops all access to your credit report, while a fraud alert permits creditors to get your report as long as they take steps to verify your identity. A freeze is available to anyone, whether or not you are a victim of identity theft. For more information, visit https://go.usa.gov/xPyWX.

Other support:

Identity Theft Resource Center:

Phone: 888-400-5530

Website: http://www.idtheftcenter.org/

Email: info@fightidentitytheft.com.

Medicare Cards:

Phone: 800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778)

Monday-Friday

from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; or

go to https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/

Passports:

Phone: 877-487-2778

Website: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/lost-stolen.html

U.S. Savings Bonds:

Phone: 844-284-2676 (toll-free)

Website: https://go.usa.gov/xPyWp

Federal Tax Returns:

Phone: 800-829-1040

Website: https://www.irs.gov/uac/About-Form-4506T

Military Records:

Phone: 866-272-6272

Website: https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/

Insurance Documents:

Phone: Check with your insurance agent.

Website: http://insurance.lawyers.com/natural-disasters/replacing-personal-documents-lost-in-a-disaster.html

Real Estate and Property Records (Mortgage Documents, Deeds, etc.):

Phone: Contact your agent.

http://insurance.lawyers.com/natural-disasters/replacing-personal-documents-lost-in-a-disaster.html

Medical and Prescription Records:

Call your doctor; medical and prescription records are tracked electronically.

Proof of Address/Residency:

Contact your local utility company to obtain a recent bill.

Medical Services

The Florida Department of Health in Bay County

597 W 11th ST, Panama CityMain Line: 850-872-4455Environmental Health: 850-252-9688Mon-Fri 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (please check-in no later than 3 pm for services)

Full services including:

· WIC (benefits should be automatically loaded to accounts)

· ADAP

· FREE Tetanus, Hep A, and Flu vaccines

· Family Planning

· Birth and death certificates

· Environmental Health (co-located at main office at 597 W 11th ST, Panama City)

The Springfield and Southport WIC offices are currently closed. Clients who used these locations can call the Bay County WIC office at 850-872-4666. Many clients received automatic reloading of benefits due to the storm.

Northwest Florida Early Learning Coalition, Co-located at the DOH-Bay

597 W 11th ST in the Diabetes Services wing

Mon- Fri 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Florida Therapy, Co-located at DOH-Bay

597 W 11th ST8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Patients please call 877-234-5351 or 850-681-6001 or visit FlaTherapy.com for information.

Life Management Center 

Mental Health Clinic located at A.D. Harris Learning Village

819 E 11th ST, Panama City


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