Assistance for Severe Weather and Flooding that occurred in December 2023 and January 2024 Residents of Kent, Providence, and Washington counties, who were affected by severe storms and flooding that occurred between December 17-19, 2023, and between January 9-13, 2024, can apply for federal assistance. Homeowners and renters who received property loss or damages by either disaster in those counties have until May 20, 2024, to apply. When applying for assistance, you must describe what damage(s) happened on which date to ensure you’re applying under the correct disaster.FEMA Assistance - There are several ways for homeowners and renters to apply.1. Visit a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) at: a. Cumberland Public Library, 1464 Diamond Hill Road, Cumberland, RI 02864 (Open: 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays) b. Warwick Fire Department - Station 10, 225 Potowomut Road, Warwick, RI 02818 (Open: 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays.) c. Coventry Town Hall Annex, 1675 Flat River Road, Coventry, RI 02879 (Open: 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays.) d. Knightsville Manor (Community Room), 85 Briggs Street, Cranston, RI 02920 (Open: 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays.) 2. Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. Help is available in most languages. 3. Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov (also in Spanish).4. Download the FEMA mobile app (also in Spanish) at Google Play or the Apple App Store. To view an accessible video on how to apply visit Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance - YouTube SBA Assistance - Ways to apply for low-interest disaster loans available to businesses and residents in Rhode Island 1. Visit the Business Recovery Center (BRC) at: North Providence Public Safety Complex 1835 Mineral Spring Avenue North Providence, RI 02904 - Hours of operation: 9 a.m.– 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. Closed Sundays. 2. Apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. 3. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 4. Email: disastercustomerservice@sba.gov To view an accessible video on how to apply for SBA visit Reasons to apply for a SBA Loan.
Preparing Is Good For Business How quickly your company is back in business following a disaster will depend on emergency planning done today. The regular occurrence of natural disasters, utility and technology outages, and the potential for terrorism demonstrates the importance of being prepared for many different types of emergencies. By recognizing that each situation is unique, your organization will be better prepared if it plans accordingly. A commitment to planning today will help support employees, customers, and even the community. It also protects your business investment and gives your company a better chance for survival. Plan to Stay in Business Business Continuity Planning: Bring together co-workers from all levels of your organization and form a planning team. Discuss the different types of disasters that could impact your company and the likelihood that they might occur. The risks faced by you organization will vary according to the size, location, and nature of your operations. Plan what you will do if your building is not accessible. Determine the staff, building equipment, and supplies critical to keeping the business operational. Create a list of resources necessary to restore critical business functions. Make a list of your customers and plan on ways to serve them during and after a disaster. Identify key suppliers, shippers, contractors and other resources that you use on a daily basis. Assess the impact that a disaster could have on your suppliers and identify additional suppliers just in case. For additional help on starting your Business Continuity Plan, download our 12 Steps to Business Continuity Guide. 12 Steps to Business Continuity PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Write a Crisis Communication Plan: Discuss how your organization will communicate with employees, local authorities, suppliers, customers, and other during and after a disaster. For additional help on starting your Crisis Communications Plan, download our Crisis Communications Plan Guideline. Crisis Communication Plan PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Protect Your Employees and Your Facilities Your employees and co-workers are your business’ most valuable assets. Provide emergency planning information to employees. Include emergency information in newsletters, on your company intranet, in company emails, etc. Ask employees to provide emergency contact information. Designate a telephone number at a location away from your primary facility where employees can call in order to check in and receive instructions. If you have employees with disabilities or special needs, ask them what assistance they would need. Develop an evacuation plan for all facilities. The ability to evacuate workers, customers, and visitors quickly can save lives. A fire, chemical spill, bomb threat, or other hazard inside the building would require immediate evacuation. Make sure there is a warning system that everyone can hear and two ways out of every part of the building. Identify a location where everyone can gather outside of the building to identify and missing persons. If your company is in high-rise building or large multi-tenant building, coordinate planning with the building manager. Test, Practice and Improve Practice the Plan with Co-workers Conduct regularly scheduled education and training sessions to provide co-workers with information, identify needs, and develop preparedness skills. Include disaster training in new employee orientation programs. Practice emergency procedures, such as evacuation drills, with all employees. Inspect, test, and maintain fire detectors, suppressors, and life safety systems including standby generators. Make sure that all resources required for your emergency and business continuity plans are ready in case an emergency occur Additional Resources Commerce RI FEMA Business Preparedness RI Floodplain Mapping Tool SBA Disaster Loans Business Disaster Supply Kit PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes