Release date: 

September 22, 2015

Release Number: 

HQ-15-067

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to the State of California and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by the Valley Fire on September 12, 2015, and continuing.
The President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Lake County.
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 is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.
Timothy J. Scranton has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.  Scranton said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the commonwealth and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.
Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated area can begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or by web enabled mobile device at m.fema.gov.  Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

Valley Fire Update

Fire Update Courtesy of the Press Democrat

 

The latest tally of Valley fire destruction, released Tuesday, put the number of structures lost in the blaze at 1,910 with 1,238 believed to be single-family homes.

Cal Fire’s damage estimates inched up overnight as inspection teams nearly completed surveys of the fire, which charred 76,067 acres since it started in Lake County Sept. 12 and is now 75 percent contained.

The fire, which spread to Sonoma and Napa counties, ranks among the top three most destructive fires in the state’s history.

Of the structures destroyed, 23 are multi-family homes, 46 are commercial structures and 585 are sheds or smaller outbuildings, Cal Fire said.

Firefighters said the losses may rise as additional surveys are completed and mop-up continues. The toll includes three people killed and four firefighters injured.

As of this morning, about 3,800 firefighters were deployed, working to secure more of the fire perimeter, Cal Fire said.

Residents were returning to some neighborhoods as mandatory evacuation orders were lifted in certain areas.

For complete wildfire coverage go to: www.pressdemocrat.com/wildfire

HCRN has received more then 100 request for assistance from friends & families impacted by the Valley and Butte wildfires in Northern California. Currently more then 131,000 acres have burned with a projected loss of 400-1000 homes destroyed.

This is an area very close to me as myself and two of our Board members grew up in the area. We greatly need your financial support so that we can respond immediately. As many of you know this will be our first major response in the last two years as I have been recovering from a stroke and brain tumor. I am health and ready to go.

Our mission will be three phase depending on the needs.
Phase 1- To provide immediate Chaplaincy for emotional and spiritual care. We will be taking a team of four to serve families and responders while working along side our local partners. While we are there we will be completing damage assessments to determine phase two and three and working with our faith-based partners to establish resources for long term needs.

Phase two- To develop recovery with the faith-based community to care for the long term needs. This will be working directly with local churches and other faith-based partners to ensure all families needs are met.

Phase 3- If there are a large number of uninsured or low-income families who are not able to rebuild their home then we will consider a Rebuild Camp.

Please pray for all impacted by these deadly fires and for the safety of our First Responders.

Your financial gifts will allow us to serve a very devastated community. Thank you in advance for your immediate financial consideration.

Here are a couple of quick links for you.

Fire Facts

Donate Now

Fourteen years ago we were blessed to serve in NYC. Our mission was to support, care and love on FDNY/NYPD, Cantor Fitzgerald and the children who lost a parent in the terrorist attack on 9/11.
 This was a very difficult response in many ways, but God saw us through. Everyone old enough to remember can tell you exactly where they were at approximately 8:45 AM.

Here are a few photos to help share our story.

One of the Firehouses we served. 13 firefighters were lost. 

 Facebook page remembering Engine 40 / Ladder 35.

2 AM in Central Park with NYPD's Finest

 

Each Firehouse we served received one of these beautiful books

We delivered stuffed animals to the children who lost a parent that worked at Cantor Fitzgerald

One of the many Firehouses we served (Brooklyn)

One of our amazing teams

We continue to remember all 2,753 who gave their lives that day in NYC, Washington DC and Pennsylvania To all who served with us during this time, Thank you!

Checkout the September issue of The Beacon
    Download Here_

Monte & Kim Brenneman visiting with Lois Parker

Remembering the past and looking ahead to the future

Looking back on last weeks festivities was important for several reasons. First it was a time to remember and honor those who served. From First Responders to all the Volunteers who came from all over the world to help. Second, those who lost their lives, and third, to remember and celebrate life with the families we served.

I wished we had the time to visit everyone but that just wasn't possible. We did however get to visit with a few. In every case the families wanted us to be sure to say hi and thank you to everyone who came to help.

We greatly enjoyed our time and I wish I could give you heart warming stories about all the families we saw. As a faith-based organization, faith plays the key role in what we do. I want to share with you some of our visits and would ask that you pray for these dear families.

Our first stop was to see Miss. Ella. She is still in love with her home but has been going through some tough times. First she wanted us to pass on that she lost her sister. She was walking back from getting coffee and doughnuts for she and Miss. Ella and die of a heart attack. Miss. Ella and her sister where very close, so close that they lived across the road from one another. Secondly, she fell on her porch. She has damaged her tail bone and lives in constant pain. Please pray for Miss. Ella that she can regain the faith that made her strong and for the healing of her emotional and physical pain.

Next we got to visit with Miss. Parker. She is such an amazing woman. She looks so much at peace and loves her home. In fact Monte and the team screened in her porch while in town. They had a blast doing so.

What would a trip to the Gulf be without a visit to see George and Gloria? Well we got to see Gloria and Wendy, but George has passed away. Gloria shared that George wasn't feeling well and went to the doctor. He found out that he had cancer. He was gone within the week. Gloria and George were married for 52 years. Gloria is doing amazing and wants anyone who helped to build her home to stop by for some gumbo. What a wonderful woman. Val and I had a great visit with her.

Doug Desilvey looks incredible. The guy never ages. He is retired and enjoying life and continues to share his story and faith where ever he goes.

Our last stop was to see Mr. & Mrs. Cook. Wow, their home is absolutely beautiful! They are such a great couple. What a wonderful spirit of love and grace. Apparently we just missed Alvin. Alvin is doing very well and hasn't had any back or leg pain now for over five years. Ms. Cook is dealing with diabetes, but other then that she is well. Mr. Cook is still working away at his body shop. Again I wished we had great news about everyone, the Cooks youngest son Chris went to be with the Lord three years ago. He died of cancer.

What a blessing it was to see these dear people. They will forever be a part of our lives. 

I want to remember and say thank you to every church who made Hope City possible and for their incredible support and the gift of love. To Monte and Kim Brenneman for your leadership, faithfulness and tireless effort you made to ensure that everyone who passed through Hope City had the best experience possible. To Shelly for your commitment to each family you worked with. To Kim and Jordan Garrett, Kevin Harris, Buddy and everyone else you served in camp with us. And finally to my dear friend Kevin Moss. Kevin has served with us now for the past 10 years and never ceases to amaze me how organized and patient he is. You are a blessing Kevin.

Last I just want to thank the Lord for this group of people who always lived their faith, even in the hard times. For as much work as we did they would all tell you the same thing. God receives all the Glory. Thank you Val, Travis, Jordan and Megan for your love and support and for all your hard

work not only during Katrina, but the hundreds of other communities we have served. What a great week.

I am thankful for all we get to do. I look forward to what God has next for us at HCRN. Whatever it is, where ever it is, all I can say is "here I am Lord, send me."

I leave you with this.  I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope.Jeremiah 29:11