Natural Disaster Aftermath and Recovery Resources for Lawyers
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida on Thursday, September 26 and made its way up through Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee. Winds and rain stretched from its primary path into surrounding areas. The path and destruction of this storm is immense and devastating. Following are resources for lawyers affected by the storm in the aftermath and then resources to help with recovery. The following page will be updated as more information becomes available.
The Aftermath
After a natural disaster residents, families, friends and neighbors first must deal with the initial aftermath. Locating people, fulfilling necessities like food, water, and shelter, awaiting restoration of communication, power and water services, clearing debris for safety and dealing with loss and trauma come first.
Disaster Recovery | NC DPS (NC Department of Public Safety Hurricane Helene Emergency Management).
This site includes information about road closures, power outages, county information, a distress helpline, missing person and reunification resources, FEMA resources, housing assistance, clean up and insurance information, and much more for dealing with the immediate needs of the community, including visitors, residents, and businesses.
American Red Cross Shelters and Disaster Relief Services
During a disaster the Red Cross provide shelters for food, health services, charging stations for cell phones and medical devices, emergency supplies, information clearing house from multiple agencies and access to caseworkers to assist with disaster recovery planning and financial assistance.
DisasterAssistance.gov Immediate Needs
Resources for finding lost family, pets and friends, locating food, water and shelter, emergency medical services, and more for immediate needs are available on this website.
FEMA
Apply for assistance, find recovery centers, and emergency response resources.
Tropical Storm Helene Disaster Assistance
A very good clearinghouse of information from Legal Aid of NC.
Recovery
DisasterAssistance.gov Moving Forward
There are many things to think about when you return home or find you need to rebuild after a disaster. The site provides information on cleaning up damage and rebuilding. You can also find financial help, like disaster assistance loans by the Small Business Administration (SBA).
Records Emergencies
Responding to damage of records, records recovery services, and recovery procedures from the National Archives.
Small Business Administration Disaster Loans in North Carolina
Information for filing for home disaster, business physical disaster, and economic injury disaster loans.
After Disaster Strikes: A Checklist
Checklist from the Oregon Professional Liability Fund on aftermath and recovery for law firms after a natural disaster.
Disaster Planning for Lawyers: Preparing, Reacting, and Resuming Life
Prepared by the State Bar of Texas Disaster Response Task Force, a self-described “bar bones” summary of items to do in the recovery process.
A Dozen Disaster Recovery Tips
Written by Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway, this is a short list of things to do when recovering from a disaster.
Get Legal Help
If you or someone you know needs help with a legal issue related to the disaster there are pro bono resources available:
Disaster Helpline
Toll-Free: 1 (866) 219-LANC (5262)
8:30 AM – 1:30 PM, Monday – Friday
5:30 PM – 8:30 PM, Monday & Thursday
Apply for free help with civil (non-criminal) legal issues. Those 60 and older should call the Senior Helpline.
Ask LIA (Legal Information Assistant)
Legal Aid of North Carolina has a chat based Legal Information Assistant. Learn more about this resource and how to use it at LANC-LIA – Legal Aid of North Carolina
LANC’s Self-Help Resource Library
Check out the resource library on Legal Aid’s website at legalaidnc.org/disaster that includes 50+ videos with information on a range of disaster topics including replacing lost documents, Disaster Unemployment Assistance, property taxes, and more.
Mental Health
Trauma, compassion fatigue, and other mental health issues are common for survivors of natural disasters and those who help them. NC lawyers can seek help from BarCARES – North Carolina Bar Association or Lawyer Assistance Programs and Law Professionals | NCLAP
The Disaster Distress Helpline from SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) is a national hotline dedicated to providing year-round disaster crisis counseling. This toll-free, multilingual, crisis support service is available 24/7 to all residents in the U.S. and its territories who are experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.
How You Can Help
This episode of the Lawyer2Lawyer podcast on Natural Disasters and Dealing with the Aftermath with guests attorneys from the Disaster Legal Service Program, Pro Bono Net’s Disaster Response Legal Fellow and the deputy director of the Puerto Rico Legal services describe their experiences working as lawyers during and after catastrophic events and how lawyers can assist in the aftermath. They provide insight on the issues people have and how to help.
NCBA+NCBF Disaster Legal Services
The NCBA Young Lawyers Division coordinates NC Disaster Legal Services (DLS), a pro bono program run in partnership with Legal Aid of NC, FEMA, and the ABA Young Lawyers Division, with support from the NC Bar Foundation. In the wake of Tropical Storm Helene, the DLS pro bono program is ramping up to serve those affected in Western NC. NC attorneys, paralegals and law students are encouraged to share their time, expertise and charitable support for the disaster recovery effort.
Please sign up to serve as a volunteer for the DLS effort here.
Donations to the NCBF DLS Fund will help move volunteer legal resources into affected areas to assist with FEMA claims and appeals, habitability, school displacement, estate planning, consumer protection and more.
Please make a charitable donation to the NCBF Disaster Legal Services Fund here.
Statewide Disaster Relief Legal Resources | North Carolina State Bar (ncbar.gov)
Resources for lawyers who need help and want to help, as well as information about courts and orders in NC.
Out of State Attorneys Seeking to Help
Lawyers who are not licensed in North Carolina can help provide pro bono legal services. On October 1st the North Carolina Supreme Court approved the North Carolina State Bar’s temporary rule amendment allowing lawyers not licensed in North Carolina to immediately begin providing pro bono legal services to indigent victims of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Helene. Learn more and register with the NC State Bar.
Question? Suggestion? Have a resource to share? Please contact Catherine Sanders Reach at the Center for Practice Management.