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Help Information— Red Cross, FEMA, Small Business Admin., State Gov’t Assistance

NEW JERSEY – Following is a checklist from the New Jersey Business Portal that you may want to share with your constituents. Visithttp://www.state.nj.us/njbusiness/growing/disaster/recovery_resources.shtml to copy it directly from their web site.

Business Recovery Check List — Most business owners are aware of basic steps that should be taken before a hurricane, such as backing up computer files and having a preparedness plan. However, after a large storm, you have no idea what condition your business will be in. To keep the business flow as continuous as possible, you need to know what to do right after the hurricane.

What to do after a disaster?

• Contact insurance agent or company

• Have building inspected

• Contact utilities to restore electric, gas, telephone, and water

• Re-establish communications with employees, customers and suppliers

• Assess Damage

o Note structural, equipment and property damage including inventory, and materials

o Avoid additional damage by making temporary repairs in order to continue to conduct business at current facility

o Secure the building if relocation is necessary

• Cleaning of facility

o Make sure building is safe before reopening or allowing employees to return

o Use proper safety items in the clean-up process Financial Implications

• File business interruption insurance claim

• Determine lost income

• List steps required before the business can reopen

• Consider financial obligations during interruption, including payroll and debt service

• Gather the following information for insurance adjusters:

o Sales records and history

o Profit and loss statements and income tax forms

• Maintain records of extra expenses incurred

There are also many state and federal government resources available to businesses. They include:

NJ Office of Emergency Management
NJ State Police Headquarters
PO Box 7058
West Trenton, NJ 08628
609-882-2000
www.state.nj.us/njoem

New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness
P.O. Box 091
Trenton, NJ 08625-0091
609-584-5076 or ohsp@ohsp.state.nj.us
www.state.nj.us/njhomelandsecurity

 

American Red Cross (ARC)

Contact the local chapter for publications on disaster planning.

American Red Cross Headquarters
2025 E. Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006

The ARC offers emergency training, go to

www.redcross.org

Small Business Administration

New Jersey District Office
Two Gateway Center
Newark, NJ 07102
973-645-2434
www.sba.gov

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Region II
26 Federal Plaza
New York, NY 10278
212-680-3600 or toll free 800-621-FEMA

 

State Government Assistance

For information on emergency planning and technical assistance contact the Business Action Center at 1-866-534-7789. Call Center representatives are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m

US Department of Labor approves Disaster Unemployment Assistance

The U.S. Department of Labor announced that it approved Governor Chris Christie’s request for eight (8) New Jersey counties to qualify for federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance as a result of the destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy.

This special assistance program pertains to people in and around portions of New Jersey that were declared a federal disaster area, including Atlantic, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Union counties. Federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available for persons, including self-employed individuals, who were living or working in the affected counties at the time of the disaster, and who are unemployed as a direct result of the damages caused by the storm.

At this time, the assistance is available only in connection with those areas declared a federal a disaster area, including Atlantic, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Union counties. Additional counties may be added to the disaster declaration following continued damage assessments by local officials, representatives of the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Individuals unemployed because of the disaster that began on Oct. 28 should FIRST file for unemployment insurance benefits through the Internet by going to www.njuifile.net.

The Internet processes claims faster. However, if needed, people may also file a claim by telephone by contacting the state Department of Labor’s Re-employment Call Centers at:

North Jersey – (201) 601-4100

Central Jersey – (732) 761-2020

South Jersey – (856) 507-2340

A 30-day deadline ending December 3, 2012 is in effect for filing claims resulting from Hurricane Sandy.

For additional information regarding Disaster Unemployment Assistance or for FEMA services please call the FEMA emergency number at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. Information is also available via theInternet atwww.disasterassistance.govandwww.fema.gov.

For information on all New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development programs and services visit http://lwd.dol.state.nj.us/labor/index.html andwww.Jobs4Jersey.com

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