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Arctic coastal communities are scrambling to repair homes, businesses and protective infrastructure from the damage caused by the fierce Bering Sea storm in September.

before winter sets in to all the time in Louisiana, Florida.

But don't you never thought it would happen here?

What is the status of the recovery effort?

and how do communities access state and federal funds to assist?

We'll discuss it right now on Alaska Insight.

Good Good evening.

Tonight, we'll get an update on damage assessments for Alaska communities that were hit by the remnants of Typhoon Merbok September.

How extensive was the loss to homes and families and subsistence gear?

And what can realistically be accomplished for repairs before frigid temperatures stop that work until next spring?

Our guests will help clarify what's been done and what will have to wait before we have that conversation.

And let's start off with some of this week's top stories from Alaska Public Media's collaborative statewide news network.

For the first time, ever, the Bering Sea snow crab fishery will not open Alaska's Department of Fish and Game announced the closure earlier this week.

The Bristol Bay Red King Crab Fishery will also be closed this year for a second year in a row.

Miranda Westfall, an area management biologist with Alaska's department Fish and Game, said the sudden decline in snow crab came as a shock to biologists.

The quota is down about 90 percent from 2020.

This year's popular numbers were even worse, prompting fisheries closure, Westfall says.

Biologists suspect warmer ocean conditions caused by climate change may be partly to blame for the collapse.

15 people have died in Alaska.

Jails and prisons so far this year, including 20 year old Kitty Douglas, nine out of 15 were under 40 years old.

The Alaska Department of Corrections hasn't had this many deaths in one calendar year since 2000.

15.

It's unclear what's behind this year's high and why seven people died within two weeks of going into custody.

The department hasn't published the causes of death with the exception of 91 year old James Patrick Wheeler.

His death in July was related to covid-19.

The Department of Corrections says it can't disclose much about what led up to the other 14 deaths.

There, limited by a confidentiality policy and health privacy laws, travelers can now book mid-November flights on Aleutian Air Airway between Anchorage and on Alaska.

The airline announced this week.

The new carrier arrives as Alaska residents have faced one thousand dollars one way airfare to Anchorage, which has affected issues ranging from school sports teams, travel to health care decisions.

Non-stop flights on the company's Saab.

Two thousand aircraft are set to begin November 16th.

with two flights per day Monday through Friday.

The new regional airline will increase service to the island beginning Dec. 26.

You can find the full versions of these stories and many more on our website.

Alaska Public.org, or by downloading the Alaska Public Media app on your phone now in the lead up to our discussion this evening on the recovery efforts that are happening in communities along the Bering Sea coast.

We'll first take a quick look at the historic strength of the storm through the observations of Alaskans who were directly in its path when the remnants of Typhoon Merbok slammed into the coast on a mid-September weekend.

Damage tore across hundreds of miles of Alaska's coastline.

affecting communities all along the way, Alaskans described water flooding homes and roads.

Wind tore off roofs, houses floated off their foundations and boats sank.

the damage from Typhoon Merbok was really foundations and boats sank.

the damage from Typhoon Merbok was really overwhelming.

We had never seen storm surges that came so high.

Cities like overwhelming.

We had never seen storm surges that came so high.

Cities like Jack Tullock and Gallivan, with a coastline more vulnerable to future storm surges after protective berms and sand dunes were destroyed.

Joining me tonight to discuss recovery efforts and how affected families and businesses can get help is FEMA deputy Coordinating Officer Yolanda Jackson.

And also joining this evening is Senator Johnny Olsen of Gallivan.

Senator Nelson knows all too well how extensive the damage was in some communities.

Golovin got hit very hard.

Thank you both so much for being here this evening.

and especially for taking time when I know there's so much work to be done and everybody's involved in making repairs right now.

Senator Nelson, I want to start with you.

How is the recovery work going in?

Gallivan you said Wavves knocked down your front door and left three feet of sand inside.

Have you been able to get all the sand out?

And it looks like you're moved back into your house now on from the world, the drawing that we have here.

Thank you very much for having me on there on your show.

I think was a very important time in our history for us.

looking at what has happened as we prepare for what could be happening in the future, as well as taking care of what's has has happened already, It has affected people in very vulnerable people that are young families that are very much affected.

Three houses here.

And of that were completely moved off their foundations and wound up on the high road, which is essentially in the middle of the middle of the street.

We're blocking traffic.

So it's one of those things that we are progress on.

But a lot of things have to be done.

Senator, how you've lived there for many, many years, how does it compare to past storm intensity?

in I'm on more 70 years old and I've never seen quite so bad as this, as was pointed out by the early in the film clip, the water came up very fast in unprecedented levels.

I never thought I'd see it come up this ever before.

I have never seen this.

I've never before and thought it was going to be as high as was, but it certainly came with the force that I wasn't.

We were some of us weren't prepared for and because of that we had devastating losses that we had here in the community with how is not just floating away and floating around, but also houses that were on very firm foundations and were shifted to a certain degree where water, plumbing, water supply as well as electricity was interrupted, causing some signa problems, one one of which was due to young families were severely affected.

One of the houses they tried to move back into place the other day and while they're lifting efforts, were there the house essentially disintegrated in front of the information that we're watching.

Ms. Just heartbreaking.

Well, thank you, Senator, for getting us started there.

We're having a little Internet connection, trouble, but I'm not surprised coming from Golovkin that maybe we would have some some issues here and there.

So thank you so much for being with us, Yolanda.

I want turn to you now.

FEMA inspectors have been visiting affected communities.

Do you have an idea of how many communities have had damage documented and what's the current status of repairs on them?

So I thank you for having me so we have survivors and the regional educational attendant areas bearing street costumey, lower Guam and the Yukon were all affected by the severe storm that occurred between the 15th and the 20th, about all of those survivors apply for the state of Alaska and FEMA disaster assistance.

So we are running these joint efforts here.

We've got, as you mentioned, the state of Alaska and FEMA representatives on the ground traveling to all those affected villages and areas to help those survivors apply.

We're performing inspections.

We have currently about five and sixty three registered applicants currently, we've approved about two hundred two point four million right now in assistance from the federal side.

That's about eight hundred fifty six thousand in housing hundred fifty six thousand in housing We've also got other needs.

One five million.

Right.

So that's all that assistance going up to those survivors right now.

trying again to support getting them back on their feet before that big freeze.

Right.

So the sense of urgency is there.

We've got FEMA inspectors in those villages on the ground in Bethel and that's where we go out to those hubs and then go and visit those surrounding villages and that were all affected by the storm.

One thing I want to mention, too, is we we have established an Alaska specific disaster hotline.

It is staffed in Anchorage right.

And I mentioned that.

I heard the the montage here when we started the one of the survivors mentioned sea see stuff in Puerto Rico and the hurricanes and stuff like that.

We saw that here in Alaska.

So we decided to staff that disaster hotline here in Anchorage.

So survivors are encouraged to call.

And that number is one 866 three four two one six nine nine.

They can visit Alaska or they can visit disaster assistance dot gov, or they can use the FEMA mobile app.

But as you see what the senator, depending on where you're at, connectivity is limited there.

So we have a hotline set up again, one eight six six three four two one six nine nine nine.

And we are going to be featuring that number a little later on during the program.

And also we'll link to the places that people can go on the Alaska site page for accessing that assistance.

So, Yolanda, following there, once the governor makes a federal disaster declaration request, and that's approved, FEMA supports the state and recovery efforts.

Describe that, how that assessment field work goes and community what is the process for ensuring that people and communities have the right documents to get that financial support?

Thank you for asking that question.

because the documentation is very important.

And again, the first step is calling that that hotline and talking to those customer service representatives and ensuring, you know what you need to provide to them.

We also I want to mention we do have FEMA tribal specialists that are also engaged as well.

We support some of the different language and translation to I do want to mention some of the the the specific items that you world need to be able to to apply for assistance like information, income, any homeowners or renters insurance is is critical as well.

If applicable.

And information on damage to your residence, proof of occupancy to your residence, proof of occupancy that could be like a lease or rental agreement.

A statement, a bank statement or a pay stub, a utility bill.

But even official letter from a tribal community leader, that's also helpful as well.

And should have pictures.

Yeah, any any for if they have them before pictures.

Is that helpful?

Any of that information is helpful.

And again, the folks that are staffing that that hotline, they're there to help and walk you through that process.

And we'll really talk to you.

Those case managers are great in helping you through that process.

Senator, housing is always chronically short in rural areas.

after, as you were mentioning, some of the homes were completely destroyed where are those families staying now?

without relatives that are here in Garland specifically, as well as other communities in surrounding areas?

The problem is that those those houses usually are already overcrowded.

And because of that, adds to the overcrowding problem that we do have with especially with younger kids, younger children, are even not even in school yet.

They are still need to be taken care of.

And that makes the housing problem even more acute.

Absolutely.

We're going to look at more footage of the storm's aftermath and the destruction that it left see firsthand the extent of the destruction.

In Chevak, Reporter Emily Schwing captured photo and video of extensive damage to boats and fishing gear and reported on how the community was pulling together to help each other through it.

But this was a pretty significant storm.

And so a lot of elements of livelihood were impacted.

And it's not just homes.

It's a wide ranging impact.

And so we need to make sure that that all components that may have been affected by the storm are being taken care of.

All components that were affected belong to people who didn't experience damage to their homes.

can still get assistance for damage related to their livelihoods.

This means boats freezer's nets, other subsistence gear, Is this a new area of compensation for FEMA to recommend ice that these are not recreational items?

These are tools for people's survival.

So immediately after the storm, we, our FEMA leadership from our administrator, Dan Criswell, our region, TED Regional administrator, really none came out.

They went out to the areas that were impacted, discuss with community leaders are really taking into account the subsistence and the importance of the culture, what that meant to the culture of Alaska.

Alaskans here and we have critical needs assistance for those survivors.

It's a one time seven hundred dollars payment, and that's eligible for households for life saving, life sustaining items.

There's also including a shipping supplement of thirteen hundred dollars, and that's in the form of a housing grant to cover any additional cost of transporting or repair material supplies for eligible survivors as well.

If you've already applied for that, you've received FEMA assistance with this additional amount, you can also get a supplement for that as well to include transportation costs.

We know how hard is to get stuff up there as well.

as far as the damage assistance items such like fishing equipment, ATVs, boats, outboard motors, smokehouses, snowmobiles, all of those items are also included as part of that as well.

So and is there a cap on how much compensation can be made in that regard?

Because some of the fishing equipment and boats and motors are at great cost and how will people prove those losses?

if some of that equipment has that they need to replace?

Has been lost to sea?

So, so that's why it's really important for survivors to apply for both FEMA and the state.

They both have.

We both have individual assistance programs and they may provide assistance for housing repairs and replacement of personal property, including assistance items that one or the other may not, you know, be approved for.

So just really quick example, of state assistance may cover damage.

FEMA cannot so FEMA may provide funding for contents of fish camps, but cannot provide grants for damaged or destroyed camp structures.

or something like that.

And so really make sure that you're also applying for the state grants it.

Also the FEMA or the state program and the FEMA program that that would be to make sure that you're getting everything covered for fantastic.

Thank you for that.

And here is the information on the new hotline number specific to the Alaska disaster.

This was created after Alaskans complained about hours long wait times on hold due to the Florida disaster.

So this is an Alaska specific number.

Senator, you mentioned one family that had harvested two moose.

They had them all processed and frozen and ready for winter.

But Seawall water inundation ruined the meat.

There has also been fish and berries and other harvested food that was destroyed.

Financial assistance can help by store food, but help us understand the emotional and cultural loss when all of that hard work and security of traditional food is lost.

I think that's a very important question.

Partly because those of us that live out here in rural Alaska are firmly, independently minded in the idea that we can go and live off the land if we have to.

And when we have put away things like berries and fish and moose meat, it makes us feel we can continue on with that lifestyle like our families did for all the years that they public assistance, like FEMA and other other entities out here.

And so I think it's emotionally it's one of those gratifying things where you can provide for your family where you can provide for your family show your children how to go ahead and show them how to go and fish, show them how to go ahead and pick their dreams up the tundra.

And so I think from that standpoint, it's one of those things that shouldn't certainly can supplement that with financial help.

from buying it and buying things from the store.

But in order to go ahead and be able to have too much force like we have had in the past, it's much more fulfilling to have where you've actually gone out there kind of the moose shot, the moose caribou, same thing with berries and berries.

Fish as well.

Yeah, absolutely.

Yolanda Femur's biggest program is the individual and household assistance.

What does that offer?

You talked a little about this earlier, but does it matter if people have private insurance coverage for storm damage or if they don't have anything like that?

Because most people probably don't.

So so with the individual assistance program, again, we do provide assistance for housing repairs and replacement that personal property.

But we do take to account any insurance payouts that you may have.

So, again, by calling that helpline that you all are going to provide for for the folks there, if you do have insurance, provided that if you don't have insurance, we take that into account as well.

We also work with the small business Association.

So we also are also offering that those low income or those low interest loans as well.

So if you don't have insurance, that's also an avenue for folks to get back on their feet.

When you say low interest, what what are the interest rates for some residents?

apply for disaster assistance from FEMA could also be referred SBA to apply for those low interest, very low disaster loans.

They've got the long term, low interest disaster loans for business, nonprofits, homeowners, and even renters as well.

Those can cover losses that are not fully compensated by insurance or other sources.

So we do have information you can call the SBA customer service.

They can give you a lot more information there that number is one 800 six five nine two nine five five.

And those folks are also working with that.

That's part of our interagency coordination there.

That SBA works really closely with FEMA and the state.

So no clarity really on what the interest rate might be at this point.

And they also have a website that folks can also go to that's disaster loan assistance, SBA dot gov and again, that's part of that interagency coordination there.

So FEMA, the state SBA, all working together to try to get folks back on their feet and you coordinate with with tribes and Alaska native corporations are there are people being trained to help offer this assistance.

There's people who have to apply for funds.

The deadline is November 22nd.

isn't that right?

Yes, ma'am.

We do have those FEMA tribalist specialist, the expertly trained and support our tribal corporations working directly with the state as well to better facilitate the coordination of all the federal resources that are available to the tribes.

We have interagency recovery partners.

That is the American Red Cross.

We've got, you know, our Coast Guard is here with all the different partners coming together.

And really, it's prioritizing the needs of our tribal partners.

And what I've always found is asking, right.

We never assume we know what you need and I found that to be uniquely through working with different tribal partners.

It's you ask the question, well, they'll tell you what you need.

And Alaskans are very unique in that way as well.

coming, you know, living in the lower 48.

You come to Alaska, Alaska, Alaskans will tell you what they need right up front.

They're very resilient in that way.

Senator, what are your observations about how tribal and native corporation officials are helping out for community members right now?

or compliment?

My representative here and it's been very responsive and no nothing but praise from the people here in Golovin, especially, as well as the surrounding areas.

Constituents.

I haven't much time just who are saying that they're the no, the specific hotline that they have for Alaska.

Senator.

No, that's thirtyish.

The people that are answering the phones seem to understand how important these fish camps are that have been wiped out.

You when I've gone over there with a helicopter and looked at the look at some of the places, all I see are going to clothesline, you know, that everything everything else is gone.

And so with that, I want to thank those entities, FEMA in particular, for being so adaptive to what we the uniqueness we have up here.

But as far as what we've seen so far, I think the response that Governor Dunleavy has been by a couple of times, Senator Murkowski has been by twice already.

She brought one of the heads, FEMA, up here, one of the directors, as well as Mary.

But all of the Congress from donors has been by.

And next week we plan on having Senator Sullivan come on up and take a look, see see some of the devastation that is here.

So with that in mind, I think they've been very responsive.

I know that when we looked at one of the problems that we had here in was we lost the power plant, which is down here on the lower part of the north part of the Gulf.

And and they had to shut the power down.

And so because of that, they were able to corp as well as the native corporation as well sound we're able to go and put generator packet of generators together, extension cords and things that we were able to go ahead and provide ourselves power.

If there was another power outage.

And in about 30 seconds power outage.

And in about 30 seconds Senator, on talk of Alaska earlier this month, we talked about the storm and the damage and an email came in from a listener who said, when are we going to cut our losses?

or move everybody off the coast?

How do you respond to comments like that?

for people who have lived in these areas for thousands of years?

Probably that attitude out there that, you know, if you if you don't like what for your operational expenses, for your the price of oil or the price of joint products, do higher than Anchorage, where they got cheap natural gas.

We'll see what happened.

People down there in Anchorage, you got a big homeless population.

The people that are without skills because they can afford to go and live in the city.

And because of that, you have these real problems, real social problems with even young children that are now essentially.

Yes, Homeless here in metropolitan areas.

People want to stay where they are, where they've been for generations.

Thank you so much, Senator Olsen.

Good luck with the ongoing recovery efforts.

Thank you, Yolanda, for being with us tonight as well.

And the work you're doing, winter is closing in fast and getting applications in before the November deadline for financial assistance.

will be critical for communities, families and businesses along the western Bering Sea coast to get the help they'll need to have safe housing and services through the long winter.

season.

Links to where to access that help are on the Alaska Insight page.

That's it for this edition of Alaska Insight.

will be off for the next two weeks.

to bring you the debate for the state series.

The Governors debate will be on Wednesday, October 19th.

The U.S. House debate is Wednesday, October 26th, and the U.S. Senate is Thursday, the 27th.

all airing live statewide from seven to eight p.m.. We hope you'll join us and be sure to tune in daily to your local public Public radio station for Alaska Morning News and Alaska News Nightly every weeknight.

Be part of important conversations happening on Talk of Alaska every Tuesday, and visit our website, alaska public dot org for breaking news and reports from across the state.

Thanks for joining us this evening.

I'm Lori Townsend, goodnight.