Lake County Approved for Individual Disaster Assistance
Release Date: August 6, 1999
Release Number: 1283-04
» More Information on Minnesota Severe Storms, Winds and Flooding
DULUTH, Minn. -- Officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Minnesota Division of Emergency Management (DEM) announced today that Lake County residents are now eligible to apply for individual assistance due to an amendment of the President's earlier disaster declaration.
Anyone in Lake County whose home or business suffered damage or loss in the severe storms and flooding that occurred between July 4 and August 2 is urged to apply for assistance by calling the FEMA toll-free registration number at 1 800 462-9029. Those with a speech or hearing impairment can call TTY 1 800 462-7585. Phone lines will be open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. until further notice.
The July 28 declaration allowed Lake County, along with seven other northern Minnesota counties, to receive assistance for infrastructure repair and reconstruction and to defray costs for debris removal and emergency services in the aftermath of the storms and flooding that began on July 4.
With the recent declaration amendment, homeowners, renters and small business owners in four northern Minnesota counties - Lake, Cook, Itasca and St. Louis - can apply for various types of disaster assistance including disaster housing assistance, low-interest loans to repair or replace storm-damaged property or grants for serious needs and necessary expenses not met by other relief programs. In order to be considered for these assistance programs, however, people must apply by calling FEMA's toll-free number.
"Phone-in application has proven to be the simplest, quickest and most efficient way to apply for disaster assistance," said Ron Sherman, FEMA Coordinating Officer. "Your toll-free call is the only way to begin the process of making application for the state and federal assistance programs made available under the President's declaration."
When calling to apply, have the following information available for application processing:
- Your current phone number
- Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying
- Your Social Security number, if possible
- A general list of damages and losses suffered
- Good directions to the property that was damaged
- If insured, your insurance policy number or the agent and company name
- General financial information
Kevin Leuer, State Coordinating Officer for the disaster recovery operation, urged residents of Lake, Cook, Itasca and St. Louis counties to call the application number immediately. "Even if you don't have all the information necessary or if it was lost in the storms, don't hesitate to call, and don't prejudge your eligibility," he said. "It's important that all impacted residents get the assistance for which they qualify."
Last Modified: Friday, 12-Dec-2003 13:42:22