JIC Recovery Release No. 45 - Avoid Sharing Unofficial Information; GWA Update; New Hours for Disaster Debris Disposal Sites - GHS OCD

Avoid Sharing Unofficial Information:

The Joint Information Center is aware of an unofficial circulating message purporting that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is informing the community to hire private contractors to conduct assessments. That circulating message and guidance is false.

The community is reminded to avoid sharing unofficial information and messages further, to avoid confusion.

To clarify, FEMA always advises disaster survivors to first contact their insurance company and go through their established process for submitting a claim for damages. Then survivors should apply for federal disaster assistance at disasterassistance.gov, by using the FEMA mobile app, by calling 800-621-3362 (The Helpline is available 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week at no cost for Guam residents) or by stopping by a Disaster Recovery Center located at Guam Community College, Dededo Sports Complex, C.L. Taitano Elementary School and Inalahan Community Center (open seven days a week 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.).

Survivors may be eligible to receive assistance for uninsured and underinsured damage and losses resulting from Typhoon Mawar. If they have homeowners, renters or flood insurance, they should file a claim as soon as possible because FEMA cannot duplicate benefits for losses covered by insurance. If their policy does not cover all their disaster expenses, they may be eligible for federal assistance.

Federal assistance may include financial help with temporary lodging and home repairs, as well as other disaster-related expenses.

GWA Update:

The Guam Waterworks Authority (GWA) provides the Water System Status update as of 9 a.m.:

Northern:

GWA northern water system is operating normally.
91 operable wells are online (76% of total wells).
There are currently 47 wells on island power and 44 operating on gensets.
GWA continues to operate all available wells to increase reservoir levels throughout the northern system and send more water to the Central System.

Central:

Santa Rita and Agat have been restored.
Service on Cross-island road area restored up to the Sumay area of Santa Rita.
Talo’fo’fo main village has been restored.
Piti, including the higher area of Nimitz Hill, Asan, and Hagatna, are fully restored.
Until levels in Barrigada, Chaot, and Mangilao reservoir levels build, higher areas in Mangilao, Ordot, Chalan Pago will continue to experience intermittent service disruption during peak demand times.

Southern:

GWA’s southern water system continues to operate at reduced capacity at the Ugum Surface Water Treatment Plant.
Water services are restored from Ipan to Umatac.

Ten (10) - 6,000 gallon Flexible Potable Water Tanks (FPWT):

North

Dededo Mayor’s Office, Dededo
Mount Santa Rosa (near observatory), Yigo
Astumbo Community Center, Dededo
Yigo Gym, Yigo
Yigo, Gill-Breeze Subdivision

Central

St. Teresita Church, Mangilao
Adacao Elementary School
Shop 4 Less – stationed at the rear of the building on S. Biang St side, Maite

South

Santa Rita/Apra Hts - Sinifa
Agat, Santa Ana

The water tanks listed above are accessible 24 hours a day/7 days a week at this time. Once the tanks are depleted, they will be refilled and returned to service at locations still without water.

A precautionary boil water notice remains in place. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice. Residents island-wide, who have water service, are asked to limit use for cleaning, bathing, and cooking in order to conserve water to allow reservoir levels to increase.

For information, contact GWA’s 24/7 phone line at (671) 646-4211 or go to www.facebook.com/guamwaterworksauthority.

Disaster Debris Disposal Sites Operational 9 A.M. - 6 P.M.:

Effective Monday, June 12, 2023, the three typhoon debris disposal sites located at the old transfer station in Dededo, the former Tiyan carnival grounds in Barrigada, and Ypao Point in Tamuning will be operational from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., seven days a week.

As a reminder, the community is urged for the following:

The DYA Cottage Homes site on Vicente Castro Street in Talofofo is only open for GREEN WASTE.
To ensure efficient flow at each typhoon debris disposal site, residents must PRE-SORT AND SEGREGATE waste prior to arrival at the typhoon debris disposal sites.
Scavengers and scavenger hunting in the disposal site are strictly prohibited

Visit the following links for the latest information:

Governor’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/govlouguam
GHS/OCD Website: https://ghs.guam.gov/
GHS/OCD Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GHSOCD/

For more information, contact the Joint Information Center at (671) 478-0208/09/10.

X Flooding is a temporary overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry. Flooding may happen with only a few inches of water, or it may cover a house to the rooftop. There are many possible causes of floods including heavy rain, coastal storms and storm surge, waterway overflow from being blocked with debris, or overflow of levees, dams, or waste water systems. Flooding can occur slowly over many days or happen very quickly with little or no warning, called flash floods.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/floods

Wildfire

Regularly clean the roof and gutters.
Maintain an area approximately 30’ away from you home that is free of anything that will burn, such as wood piles, dried leaves, newspapers and other brush.
Connect garden hoses long enough to reach any area of the home and fill garbage cans, tubs, or other large containers with water.
Review your homeowner's insurance policy and also prepare/update a list of your home's contents.

Fire Weather

Turn on your TV/radio. You’ll get the latest weather updates and emergency instructions.
Know where to go. If you are ordered to evacuate, know the route to take and have plan of where you will go. Check-in with your friends and family.
Keep your car fueled, in good condition, and stocked with emergency supplies and a change of clothes.

Drought

Conserve water

Take shorter showers.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.
Run the washer less frequently and only when you have a full load.
Water your lawn less frequently and do so when the temperature is cooler in the early morning or late evening.
When you run the tap to heat or cool water, keep a pitcher to store the water and use it to water plants.
Avoid washing your car.

Practice fire prevention

Don't set off fireworks when conditions are dry.
Deposit cigarette butts in the proper receptacle to avoid starting a
Pour water over camp fires and backyard fire pits to ensure they are completely out before leaving them unattended.

Follow directions from local officials. If there are restrictions on water usage, be sure to heed them.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/wildfires and https://www.ready.gov/drought

X
Typhoons/Hurricanes are massive storm systems that form over the water and move toward land. Threats from typhoons/hurricanes include high winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge, coastal and inland flooding, and rip currents.

“Hurricanes” form in the Atlantic Northeast Pacific region and “Typhoons” form in the Northwest Pacific Region. These large storms are call cyclones in other parts of the world.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.

JIC Recovery Release No. 45 - Avoid Sharing Unofficial Information; GWA Update; New Hours for Disaster Debris Disposal Sites