Kansas Disaster Assistance Tops $23 Million
Release Date: June 8, 2007
Release Number: 1699-027
» More Information on Kansas Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
WICHITA, Kan. -- As Kansans go into a second month of disaster recovery efforts, more than $5 million in federal grants and $18 million in loans have been approved.
The Kansas Division of Emergency Management (KDEM) has been working with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials since President Bush declared the disaster on May 6 after severe storms, tornadoes and flooding began May 4 and continued through May 18. Homeowners, renters and business owners with uninsured or under-insured disaster-related losses in 18 counties may now register for disaster assistance. Grants and loans are available to individuals; loans are available to businesses.
Assistance totals would not be complete without noting the dedication of volunteers from over 45 organizations who left their homes and families to answer the call for help, said Michael L. Karl, federal coordinating officer for the Kansas disaster.
Volunteers have logged more than 31,000 hours on response and recovery efforts and will continue to do so to help people with unmet needs not covered by federal and state programs, Angee Morgan, state coordinating officer, said.
The South-Central Kansas Tornado Recovery Organization has been working with FEMAs Voluntary Agency Liaison to begin addressing the needs of residents in Kiowa, Comanche, Edwards, Pratt and Stafford counties. This organization has four committees: case management, volunteer efforts, building needs and donations. The number for more information is (620) 862-5882.
Highlights of the disaster recovery to date:
Individual Assistance
- $4 million has been approved through FEMA's Individuals and Households Program. That includes $3.8 million in grants for housing assistance and more than $822,000 for Other Needs Assistance, which may pay for uninsured personal property losses and disaster-related medical, dental and funeral expenses.
- 1,176 families have received housing assistance, with 53 displaced families now occupying FEMA-provided travel trailers.
- 2,784 Kansans visited Disaster Recovery Centers to register for disaster assistance, get help with their applications, apply for disaster loans, and learn about mitigation measures to rebuild safer and stronger.
Residents in Barton, Clay, Cloud, Comanche, Edwards, Kiowa, Leavenworth, Lyon, Osborne, Ottawa, Phillips, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Riley, Saline, Shawnee and Stafford who need assistance are urged to register by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). The TTY number is 1-800-462-7585 for applicants with special speech or hearing needs. Registration is also available on the Internet at www.fema.gov.
SBA Disaster Loan Program
- $18.2 million in disaster loan funding has been approved by the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
As the federal government's primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property, SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund real estate repairs or rebuilding efforts, and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover uninsured and uncompensated losses and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. SBA representatives are at all Disaster Recovery Centers to meet individually with each resident or business owner to answer any questions about SBA's disaster loan program, help them complete their disaster loan application and accept their completed applications. Anyone not able to visit a center should call 1-800-659-2955 for SBA assistance or visit the website at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.
Public Assistance
- $472,000 (federal share) in FEMA Public Assistance grants has been approved.
Local governments and certain eligible private non-profit organizations in 31 counties - Barton, Chase, Cherokee, Clay, Comanche, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Edwards, Ellsworth, Harper, Jackson, Kingman, Kiowa, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Lyon, Nemaha, Osage, Osborne, Ottawa, Pottawatomie, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Riley, Saline, Shawnee, Stafford, Wabaunsee and Washington - may apply for Public Assistance grants for debris removal, emergency services related to the disaster, and the restoration of damaged public facilities.
FEMA Public Assistance grants are made on a cost share basis. FEMA funds 75 percent of the cost for approved work and the remaining 25 percent comes from state and local resources. The state of Kansas manages the grants for all projects.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, economic status or retaliation. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, you should call FEMA toll-free at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or contact your State Office of Equal Rights. If you are suspicious of any abuse of FEMA programs, please contact the Fraud hotline at 1-800-323-8603.
SBA is the federal governments primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts, and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover uninsured and uncompensated losses and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.
Last Modified: Friday, 08-Jun-2007 23:01:07