Public Assistance To 21 Counties Expanded For Ivan
Release Date: September 27, 2004
Release Number: 1551-020
» More Information on Florida Hurricane Ivan
ORLANDO, Fla. -- U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials announced on Saturday that disaster assistance has been expanded to make 16 Florida counties eligible for federal funds to rebuild or restore essential public facilities damaged by Hurricane Ivan. In addition, five counties were designated to receive help for emergency services related to the storm.
Under its public assistance program, the FEMA will allow state and local agencies and certain non-profit organizations in these counties to apply for funds to help with debris removal, emergency services related to the storm, and repair or rebuild damaged facilities such as roads and bridges. FEMA pays 75 percent of the cost of projects under the public assistance program.
Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington counties can seek funds for repair and rebuilding of road systems, bridges, water control facilities, public buildings, public utilities, and parks and other public recreational areas.
These counties previously were designated eligible to seek federal help with debris removal and emergency services. All are eligible for assistance under the individuals and households program, with the exception of Jefferson.
The five counties now eligible to receive federal assistance to cover emergency services related to the storm are Charlotte, Collier, Lee, Monroe and Sarasota.
The State Emergency Response Team (SERT) is a collaboration of Florida’s emergency management agencies led by the state coordinating officer. SERT’s mission is to ensure that Florida is prepared to respond to emergencies, recover from them, and mitigate their impact. Visit http://www.floridadisaster.org for the latest information on the hurricane relief effort.
On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 28-Sep-2004 13:06:16