Loveland Magazine

LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

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Since 2004

Tag: Ohio Emergency Management Agency

  • The 411 on Goshen tornado relief: Get and Give help

    The 411 on Goshen tornado relief: Get and Give help

    Crisis Hotline 513-528-SAVE (7283)

    A News Release from Clermont County

    State and Federal Assistance Programs
    We continue to work with the Ohio Emergency Management Agency to determine if the County qualifies for additional assistance programs. Availability of assistance programs varies based on FEMA criteria including severity, magnitude, and impact of the disaster.   The following factors are considered when evaluating a request for State and/or FEMA Assistance:

    • Concentration of damage
    • Trauma, large number of injuries and deaths, disruptions to community functions, and emergency needs
    • Special populations
    • Voluntary agency assistance
    • Insurance
    • Damaged residential structures

    Assistance to Individuals, Families and Businesses
    To be considered for State and FEMA financial assistance programs, the county must demonstrate that there are a minimum of 25 primary homes and/or businesses with 40% or more uninsured loss. Out of the 451 structures impacted, only 16 meet this criteria.  While the County may not be eligible for additional state and federal financial assistance programs, a Long Term Recovery Committee has been established to identify and address the unmet disaster related needs of impacted residents.


    Assistance Process     – Each individual, family, and business has unique disaster recovery needs.  All are encouraged to seek out resources in the following order:

    1. Immediate needs providers, not limited to:

    2. Insurance Company – contact your insurance provider to determine eligibility

    3. Referral to Community and Volunteer services

    • Volunteer organizations have been assisting residents with woody debris clean up on private property
    • Local food pantries have provided food and other household items

    4. Long Term Recovery Committee (LTRC)  – A case management process is being established to verify disaster related needs.  This will ensure that the resources and donations are allocated to verifiable unmet needs within the local community.

    We are asking for patience as we work to coordinate amongst all of the faith-based, not for profit, volunteer, government, and private sector partners that are supporting the long term recovery effort.  The overarching goal is to reduce duplication and maximize the limited resources to ensure the local communities recover from the July 6, 2022 storms.

    Public Assistance (PA)
    The Public Assistance program provides grants to local governments for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster damaged, publicly owned facilities. To be considered for a State PA program, the County and all of the local jurisdictions collectively will have to exceed $855,264 in eligible expenses.  To be considered for a FEMA PA program, the State collectively would have to exceed $19,233,100 in eligible expenses.  As these storms were localized to Clermont and Brown Counties, it is unlikely that the State will meet the threshold for a Federal PA program.

    We are actively working with our County and local jurisdictions to collect all of the debris management and emergency response expenses as well as the anticipated cost to repair, replace, and restore publicly owned facilities that were damaged by the storms.

    Assistance with woody debris clean-up:
    We continue to connect volunteer organizations with homeowners who need assistance with woody debris.  It is anticipated that the volunteer organizations will continue supporting local residents for many weeks.   If you have already submitted your information for woody debris assistance, please be patient.   If you have not registered, please call 513.735.8500 or e-mail clermontema@clermontcountyohio.gov.  Please provide your name, phone number, and address.

    We are asking residents not to place brush and woody debris in the right of way.    Residents have multiple options for managing the remaining woody debris:

    Steps for restoring electrical service to a structure

    • Contact Clermont County Permit Central at 513.732.7213 concerning the need to have electrical services returned
    • Provide your name, address, and phone number.
    • Clermont County Permit Central will create a permit and begin the process towards returning your electrical service.
    • Once an electrician has the structure ready and repaired, mast, panel, etc. contact the Permit Central for an inspection and “Green Tag” placement.
    • The Building Inspections will complete the inspection, and if approved, will place a “Green Tag” on structure and will send a release to Duke Energy.
    • Contact Duke Energy Service Installation Line directly (877-700-3853) and request a “Reconnection from tornado”.
    • Duke Energy will energize the structure.

    Food and household supplies are available at the following locations:
    Goshen United Methodist Church (6710 Goshen Road)
    Heartland Christian Church (1790 SR 28)
    Williams Corner Church of God (6162 SR 132)
    Newtonsville Food Pantry (794 Wright Street)

    Other Food Pantries serving the county:
    MercyWorks at Rivertree Church 5857 Highview Drive, Milford
    Interparish Ministries: 1075 W. Ohio Pike (on K of C Drive), Amelia

    Mental Health Support
    The Crisis Hotline 513-528-SAVE (7283) is a free and confidential hotline available 24-hours/7 days a week that provides suicide prevention, crisis intervention and referral information to residents of Clermont County and Brown County of all ages.  Crisis workers can give guidance, support and referral information for emotional crisis, suicidal thoughts, domestic violence and addiction issues.    The Hotline is operated by Child Focus, funded by the Clermont and Brown County Mental Health and Recovery Boards and accredited by Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).   You can also use the National Crisis Text Line.  Text: 4HOPE to 741741.  The Crisis Text Line is independently owned and operated.

    Consumer Protection Services
    The Ohio Attorney General’s Office Consumer Protection Division can assist residents with verifying that contractors are reputable.  The Phone number is 800.282.0515 or 614.466.4986

    The Ohio Department of Insurance offers support to homeowner and renters who have questions on the insurance process.   They have a severe weather toolkit that may be useful to residents.   Anyone with insurance questions and complaints can reach Ohio Department of Insurance consumer services representatives through www.insurance.ohio.gov, consumer.complaint@insurance.ohio.gov, and 1-800-686-1526.

    Financial donations can make the largest impact following a disaster.   It allows disaster relief organizations the flexibility to buy the appropriate supplies to address the unique needs of the community.  Financial donations can be made to any reputable disaster relief organization that is operating in the area.

    Connect Clermont has created a Disaster Relief Fund for Clermont County.    These funds will be used to support the long-term recovery effort.  100% of the proceeds will be directed to the impacted residents. Cash or check donations can be brought to any Park National Bank location.

    Connect Clermont
    c/o Disaster Relief Fund
    2400 Clermont Center Drive, Suite 100,
    Batavia, OH 45103.

    Resources

    Need Help?

    Call: 513.735.8500
    E-mail: clermontema@clermontcountyohio.gov
    Food Pantry List
    Building Permit
    Restoration of Food Assistance
    Rental & Utility Assistance
    Tree Service Companies
    American Red Cross – 800.REDCROSS
    Long Term Recovery Committee (LTRC)

    Want to support relief efforts?

    Financial Donations

    Information Sources 

    Goshen Township
    Miami Township 
    Wayne Township
    Goshen Local School District
    Clermont County Disaster Declaration
    State of Ohio Disaster Declaration

    Disaster Relief Organizations Working in the Community

    American Regulators
    Goshen Community Church

  • Three Weeks until the Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill

    Three Weeks until the Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill

    On 10.18.18, Ohioans are encouraged to Drop, Cover and Hold On

    Columbus, Ohio – National Preparedness Month is almost over, but that doesn’t mean we stop preparing for disasters. FEMA, the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium (CUSEC) and the Ohio Emergency Management Agency (Ohio EMA) are encouraging citizens to stay prepared and Get Ready to ShakeOut during the annual Great Central U.S. ShakeOut earthquake drill.

    Held annually on the third Thursday in October, ShakeOut is set for October 18th at 10:18 AM. CUSEC notes though, like fire drills, the earthquake drill can be scheduled for a date and time more suitable for schools and businesses.

    “Ohio has had four low-scale earthquakes so far this year.”

    “People may say ‘Why do we need to practice earthquake drills in Ohio?’ We practice because Ohio does experience earthquakes,” said Ohio EMA Executive Director Sima Merick. “Ohio has had four low-scale earthquakes so far this year. It is also good to know earthquake safety in the event you’ve traveled to another state or country where quakes can occur with higher magnitude and frequency.”

    The actual ShakeOut drill is only one minute long. But ShakeOut is more than an earthquake drill. ShakeOut is intended to get people to talk about emergency preparedness and to plan for all hazards and disasters such as earthquakes, floods, fires, tornadoes or hazmat incidents.

    What do you do during the ShakeOut drill? Practice the safest response to an earthquake:

    • DROP where you are, onto your hands and knees. This position protects you from being knocked down and allows you to stay low and crawl to shelter if it’s nearby. If you have mobility issues, either lock the wheels of your wheelchair or stay seated, and bend over.
    • COVER your head and neck with one arm and hand. If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl underneath it for shelter. If no shelter is nearby, crawl next to an interior wall, away from windows.
    • HOLD ON until the shaking stops. If you are under a table or desk for shelter, hold onto it with one hand and be ready to move with your shelter if it shifts.

    There is still time to register to participate. Individuals, schools, businesses and organizations can easily register online at www.shakeout.org/centralus/. Earthquake preparedness information and resources are also available on this site. If you registered last year, you need only to confirm/update your information.

    Additional earthquake preparedness information is also available at www.ready.ohio.gov. Click on “Earthquakes” in the green menu bar.

    To date, more than 2 million people have registered to participate in the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut.

      Accounting Plus–Bingaman Accounting and Tax Service, LLC is a tax preparation, payroll and bookkeeping company locally based in Loveland, OH.
  • Kaisich approves Disaster Relief Program for Clermont jurisdictions impacted by February storms

    Kaisich approves Disaster Relief Program for Clermont jurisdictions impacted by February storms

    Batavia, Ohio – The Clermont County Emergency Agency was notified on July 25 that Gov. John Kasich approved the implementation of the State Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) for local government agencies in Clermont County impacted by the Ohio River flood and tornado that occurred this past February.

    These jurisdictions have the potential to be reimbursed up to an estimated $943,000. Each eligible agency must submit a letter of intent to apply to the Ohio Emergency Management Agency, which is coordinating this effort, by Aug. 24. The Ohio EMA will then get funding approval from the State Controlling Board, which meets on Sept. 10, before distributing any funds.

    These expenses represent local government outlays during the flood and tornado, including debris removal, life-saving emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged publicly-owned facilities. This funding is available to the local political subdivisions and non-profit organizations that participated in the damage assessment process.

    The jurisdictions and potential reimbursement amounts are:

    Batavia Township – $104,000

    Clermont County Engineer – $266,139.63

    Clermont County Sheriff – $9,237.95

    Washington Township – $58,719.40

    Village of New Richmond – $124,811.80

    Clermont County Commissioners – $11,351.34

    Franklin Township – $246,277.44

    Monroe Township – $18,081.46

    Pierce Township – $44,601.78

    Village of Moscow – $30,000

    Clermont Municipal Court – $5,089

    Clermont County Park District – $3,500

    Adams-Clermont Solid Waste District – $21,000

    Countywide Total                                            $942,809.80

    Previously, these Clermont County jurisdictions had submitted an application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for disaster relief through its Public Assistance Program. FEMA denied certain expenses that it considered ineligible as FEMA was unable to determine that the damage was caused specifically during the February storms.

    Under the SDRP, the state will reimburse 75% of eligible expenses. Each government agency will be responsible for the balance of the expenses.