At the end of each week, we post a "What We’re Watching" blog as we look ahead to the weekend and recap events from the week. We encourage you to share it with your friends and family, and have a safe weekend.

Weather Outlook

Our partners at the National Weather Service continue to monitor tropical weather activity, specifically a low pressure system that is producing overcast and some rain along the Gulf Coast.  Although this system has a low chance of becoming a tropical cyclone, we will also continue to monitor weather conditions.

We are also monitoring Tropical Storm Leslie and Hurricane Michael in the Atlantic, although both of these storms are not expected to impact the U.S at this time.

Stay up to date with the latest forecast from the NOAA National Hurricane Center at hurricanes.gov or on your phone at hurricanes.gov/mobile. For updates on the local weather in your area, visit weather.gov or m.weather.gov on your phone.

Hurricane Isaac Photo Recap

As we continue our recovery efforts following the aftermath of Hurricane Isaac, we wanted to share some photos from the past couple of days highlighting the great work being done by federal, state, tribal, and local government agencies, community and faith-based organizations, non-profit organizations, and the private sector to assist survivors as they recover from the storm. 

LaPlace, La., Sep. 5, 2012 -- Jamaal Johnson, an AmeriCorp volunteer teaches a child sign language at the St. John's Baptist Community Center where a temporary shelter has been set up for Hurricane Isaac survivors. FEMA is working with local, state and federal agencies to provide services for residents affected by Hurricane Isaac.

LaPlace, La., Sep. 5, 2012 -- A family of Hurricane Isaac survivors from LaPlace, La. grab a meal from the Red Cross at a distribution center. This group of volunteers came from Houston to help those affected by Hurricane Isaac.

LaPlace, La., Sep. 4, 2012 -- Roger Bostic, left, and Raynell Parker McNeil bag laundry for washing, drying, and folding for a family affected by Hurricane Isaac. Hundreds in LaPlace, La affected by Hurricane Isaac have taken advantage of the service provided by Tide at no charge.

Pascagoula, Miss., Sep. 5, 2012 -- A survivor of Hurricane Isaac completes the application for disaster assistance with a representative of the Small Business Administration. Disaster Recovery Centers have all the representatives of state and federal agencies to assist applicants.

French Settlement, La., Sep. 5, 2012 -- Applicant Services Specialists, Teia Beaulieu, left, and U.S. Congressman Bill Cassidy, M.D., Sixth District of Louisiana, compare signal strength on their cell phone while helping a woman affect by Hurricane Isaac call to register for assistance. Congressman Cassidy requested that FEMA representatives attend the town hall meeting in French Settlement, La. to take questions and provided information to the community.

La Place, La., Sep. 3, 2012 -- Community Relations Specialist, Patricia "Alley" West, (left) goes door to door in neighborhoods affected by Hurricane Isaac handing out flyers and providing information to assist residents who may qualify for FEMA assistance. Areas in La Place flooded when the slow moving storm passed through.

Orleans Parish, La., Sep. 3, 2012 -- Volunteers are working to remove debris from neighborhoods which impacted by during Hurricane Isaac movement through the area.

For more information on how you can assist survivors of Hurricane Isaac, visit www.fema.gov/volunteer-donate-responsibly.

National Preparedness Month

We are officially one week into National Preparedness Month -- but it’s not too late to pledge to prepare and take the necessary steps to get yourself, family, friends, coworkers, and community prepared for an emergency.  The goal of National Preparedness Month is to encourage individuals, businesses, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations to learn about the local hazards in your community, make a family communication plan, build an emergency kit, then get involved in your local community preparedness efforts.

The first step to getting involved in National Preparedness Month is registering as a coalition member at Ready.gov/pledge.  There you will join a community of thousands of individuals, emergency management professionals, businesses, and voluntary and faith-based groups, sharing emergency preparedness information and events, resources, and tools available to help get you prepared for an emergency and spreading preparedness in your own community.

We hope that you will join us and help promote a culture of preparedness by becoming a coalition member and pledging to prepare this September for NPM.

Have a great weekend!

Supporting ongoing severe storm response and recovery 
We continue to support our state, local and tribal partners affected by last week’s severe storms and resulting power outages. We’ve blogged about the federal family’s efforts several times since then, including the invaluable work of many voluntary organizations.

The thing to remember about FEMA’s role is that we are there to support state and local partners. We have staged many commodities near the affected areas, including generators (to power critical infrastructure), food, water, kits for infants and toddlers, and durable medical equipment. If these supplies are needed by the state, we continue to stand ready to meet those needs. If you live in an area impacted by last week’s severe storms, the best place to find information about available assistance is through your local emergency management office.

We will continue to support the response and recovery efforts and provide updates on this blog as needed.

Federal disaster assistance available in 11 Florida counties

Live Oak, Fla., July 4, 2012 -- FEMA Community Relations Specialist Julius Gibbons works with Red Cross Shelter Manager Marge Gray to better understand the needs of shelter clients and how FEMA and the Red Cross can best partner to assist storm survivors. FEMA is responding to severe flood damage and destruction across Florida caused by Tropical Storm Debby.

Earlier this week, President Obama authorized federal disaster assistance for individuals affected by tropical storm Debby in 11 Florida counties (Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Franklin, Hernando, Highlands, Pasco, Pinellas, Suwannee and Wakulla). If you live in one of the designated counties and sustained losses or damages from Tropical Storm Debby, you can register with FEMA by one of the following methods:

• Call 800-621-FEMA (3362), which is video relay service accessible. Assistance is available in most languages and lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, seven days a week. If you are deaf or hard of hearing and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585. 
• Go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov. 
• By smartphone or tablet, use the FEMA app or go to m.fema.gov.

FEMA and the state currently have two disaster recovery centers open as well, in Suwannee and Wakulla counties. At a disaster recovery center, representatives from the Florida Division of Emergency Management, FEMA, the Small Business Administration and other agencies explain disaster assistance programs and help survivors apply for aid.

Visit our website for more information on Tropical Storm Debby recovery efforts.

Record heat
It’s been a hot July 4th week for millions around the country – and the National Weather Service is predicting extreme heat will continue for much of the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest through the weekend. Here are a few reminders if the heat will be on in your neighborhood:

• Check on family, friends, and neighbors who do not have air conditioning, especially those who spend much of their time alone. 
• Never leave children or pets alone in closed vehicles. 
• Drink plenty of water, even if you do not feel thirsty. 
• Stay on the lowest floor out of the sunshine if air conditioning is not available. 
• Stay indoors as much as possible and limit exposure to the sun. 
• Bookmark m.fema.gov or download the FEMA smartphone app to get extreme heat safety tips on your phone.

And if it’s hot for you, it’s also hot for your animals. So remember to give them water, shade, and rest to keep them cooled down

Continued wildfire response & flash flooding risk
While the heat has been the topic of conversation along the East Coast, wildfires remain front-and-center out west. We continue working closely with our state, local, and tribal partners in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Montana to closely monitor the fires. For several fires, we are supporting the firefighting efforts through Fire Management Assistance Grants, which provides financial assistance so firefighters and first responders can focus all their efforts on reducing the negative impacts of the fire.

Other federal partners, such as the U.S. Forest Service and Department of Interior, are working through the National Interagency Fire Center to provide the necessary assets such as fire engines, helicopters, air tankers and military support to help suppress the fires. You can find more about the federal government’s role at www.nifc.gov. (For more on specifics about FEMA’s role during wildfires, check out this blog post from last week.)

Because so many areas have been affected by wildfires so far this season, it’s important to remember that the risk of flash flooding increases after a wildfire. Only a few minutes of excessive rainfall can cause a flash flood – so make sure you know how to get to higher ground if necessary. Visit Ready.gov/floods for more information on what to do before, during, and after a flood, and bookmark mobile.weather.gov on your phone so you can easily check the weather forecast in your area.