Multi-agency updates

Yutu relief

The CNMI government, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the American Red Cross will be distributing food and water throughout Saipan at five distribution sites on tomorrow, Oct. 28, 2018, at 11am.

The points of distribution are the Kagman Fire Station, San Roque Fire Station, Koblerville Fire Station, American Memorial Park, and Ada Gymnasium

Guam-Saipan flights

United Airlines continues to cancel all flights between A. B. Won Pat International Airport Guam and the Saipan International Airport.

United flights will resume when the Saipan International Airport reopens.

United urges our customers to check the latest status of their flights at united.com or by calling United Reservations at 1-800-UNITED-1 (1-800-864-8331).

BOG relief account

All Bank of Guam branches can now accept cash or check contributions for relief efforts in the CNMI.

Contributions should be made payable to “Typhoon Yutu Relief.”

Bank of Guam earlier today announced a $15,000 partnership with Ayuda Foundation to airlift needed medical supplies for up to 10,000 patients.

Bank of Guam’s Rota branch reopened Friday with regular hours, while its Garapan branch opened with limited hours of 9:30am to 2:30pm. Its Chalan Piao (Saipan) and Tinian branches remain closed.

All CNMI branches were closed today.

Health advisory

The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. would like to notify its customers that due to Typhoon Yutu, the water supply and/or distribution system has been disrupted and the risk of contamination by coliform bacteria is uncertain.

This emergency boil water advisory is intended to inform the public of the status of the drinking water supply and what can be done to reduce the health risks. If tap water is to be used for drinking purposes, consumers are strongly advised to boil water before use.

What should I do? What does this mean?

• Boil tap water before use. Bring all water to a boil, let boil for one minute, then let cool before using, or use bottled water as an alternative. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice. Purpose of the boiling process is to kill bacteria and other organisms in the water.

• This boil water health advisory is in effect immediately to all residents of Saipan and Tinian. If you are experiencing stomach ache, diarrhea, or vomiting, please see your physician as soon as possible. If you experience any of these symptoms and they persist, you may want to seek medical advice. People at increased risk should seek advice from their health care providers about drinking this water.

What is being done?

CUC will continue to monitor chlorine residual throughout the distribution system and ensure that proper treatment is achieved.  Water samples will be collected to analyze for the presence of coliform bacteria and E. coli. CUC will inform you when tests show no bacteria and no longer require water to be boiled.

For more information, contact the CUC Water Division at (670) 322-5030/1.

General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available on the United States EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.

Coast Guard reopens ports

All ports in Guam, Rota, Saipan and Tinian are open as of 1pm, Saturday.

A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules airplane and crew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point conducted an overflight of Saipan with minimal visible damage to waterways seen Friday. That crew is now working to transport personnel and relief supplies. The residents and military families of Guam donated many of these supplies.

Initial port assessments have come back with no significant pollution.

The USCGC Sequoia, homeported in Apra Harbor, is en route to Saipan with 20 pallets of relief supplies, two salvage operators, three explosive ordnance disposal side-scan sonar operators and a Navy chaplain.

The USCGC Kisk, homeported in Apra Harbor, is en route to Tinian with relief supplies.

Both the Grand Mariana I and Grand Mariana II are aground. We have no reports of pollution. Responders applied containment boom around the vessels, and marine salvage teams are planning and taking action.

The Remote Fixed Facility communications on Tinian are back online, while the Saipan Remote Fixed Facility is partially operational. Repairs and troubleshooting are underway.

Resources and personnel continue to arrive in Guam and go onto Saipan and Tinian. Donations may still be dropped off for transport to affected communities. For coordination and more information on donation activities, check the Coast Guard Sector Guam Facebook Page. Donations may be delivered to the sector at Victor Wharf on Naval Base Guam. The Officer of the Day is available at 671-687-0277 for delivery coordination.

SBA ready to assist

Low-interest federal disaster loans are now available to CNMI businesses and residents, U.S. Small Business Administration’s administrator Linda McMahon said.

This covers Rota, Saipan, Tinian and the Northern Islands.

Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. SBA can also lend additional funds to businesses and homeowners to help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available to businesses regardless of any property damage.

Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.

Interest rates can be as low as 3.675 percent for businesses, 2.5 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, survivors must first contact the Federal Emergency Management Agency at www.disasterassistance.gov. As soon as Federal-State Disaster Recovery Centers open throughout the affected area, SBA will provide one-on-one assistance to disaster loan applicants. Additional information and details on the location of disaster recovery centers is available by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955.

UnitedHealthcare and Optum

UnitedHealthcare and Optum, the health benefits and services companies of UnitedHealth Group, are taking action to help people in the Northern Mariana Islands, who may have been affected by Typhoon Yutu.

Support includes assisting health plan participants who may need to make alternate arrangements to access care and early prescription refills, as well as offering a free emotional-support line to help people who might be affected.

• Help Finding a Network Care Provider, Early Refills:  Plan participants who need help finding a care provider in the UnitedHealthcare network or obtaining early prescription refills can call customer care at the number located on the back of their medical ID cards.

• For plan participants who may have misplaced their medical ID cards, call 866-633-2446, 8am-8pm (in the local time zone), Monday through Friday.

• Free Help Line:Optum, a leading health and behavioral health services company, is offering a free emotional-support help line.

The toll-free number, 866-342-6892, will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for as long as necessary. The service is free of charge and open to anyone. Specially trained Optum mental health specialists help people manage their stress and anxiety so they can continue to address their everyday needs. Callers may also receive referrals to community resources to help them with specific concerns, including financial and legal matters.

Along with the toll-free help line, emotional-support resources and information are available online at www.liveandworkwell.com.

FHB assistance

First Hawaiian Bank is providing its customers with a number of customizable options that can provide payment relief on existing loans or quick access to cash for emergencies as needed.

FHB offers several options which are customizable based on the customer’s needs. To learn more about the different options available, stop by any First Hawaiian Bank branch or call Customer Service Center at 1-888-844-4444.

Mobil stations

This morning, the following Mobil gas stations were open and will remain open during daylight hours:

1. Middle Road
2. Kagman
3. Tanapag
4. Garapan