Disaster Assistance Available for Parts of Missouri
Release Date: June 13, 2007
Release Number: 1708-001
» More Information on Missouri Severe Storms and Flooding
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Residents of Missouri have witnessed how disasters threaten personal property, homes, businesses and infrastructure. The severe storm that occurred May 5-18 was the second disaster event this year.
On June 11, President Bush signed a federal disaster declaration authorizing the release of grants through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Public Assistance (PA) and Individual Assistance (IA) programs to help affected communities recover from the early May flooding.
The disaster declaration makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Carroll, Chariton, Clay, Daviess, DeKalb, Gentry, Holt, Jackson, Lafayette, Livingston, Morgan, Nodaway, Osage, and Platte counties. Assistance can include low interest disaster loans from the US Small Business Administration (SBA). Disaster loans from SBA help homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and nonprofit organizations fund rebuilding and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property.
Federal funding has also been made available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the storms in Andrew, Atchison, Bates, Carroll, Cass, Chariton, Daviess, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Holt, Howard, Livingston, Mercer, Nodaway, Platte, Ray, Saline, and Worth counties.
"The Presidential declaration opens the door to FEMA grants that will supplement state and local recovery efforts," said Lee Rosenberg, Federal Coordinating Officer for the disaster. "The IA program can include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses. The PA program strengthens communities which do not have the means or resources to bounce back from a disaster, helping to ensure a community's important public needs are met."
Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.
Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance immediately by registering online at www.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (local time) Monday thru Sunday.
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.
Last Modified: Thursday, 21-Jun-2007 08:25:51