Illinois Disaster Aid Exceeds $9 Million,Three Weeks Left to Register 

Release Date: August 1, 2008
Release Number: 1771-042

» More Information on Illinois Severe Storms and Flooding

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- More than $9.7 million in federal disaster assistance grants and loans has been approved so far by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for Illinois residents who suffered damages and losses during the severe storms and flooding beginning June 1 and continuing through July 22.

To date, 2,817 homeowners and renters from the 18 designated counties have applied for disaster assistance.

More than 1,500 Illinois residents have visited FEMA's Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) for face-to-face meetings with disaster recovery specialists.

FEMA and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency currently have four DRCs open throughout the state to assist applicants with their disaster recovery applications. The DRCs are staffed with disaster recovery specialists from federal, state and other agencies, and are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Their locations are:

Anyone who has applied for disaster assistance and has received a disaster-loan application from the SBA is urged to complete and return it as soon as possible. If SBA determines that a homeowner or renter is ineligible for a loan, that applicant automatically will be referred to FEMA for other possible grant assistance.  SBA representatives are available to meet with applicants at any of the DRCs.  In addition to those locations, there is a Disaster Loan Operation Center open in Rock Island County at the Milan Municipal Building, 405 East 1st Street, Milan.  SBA representatives will be on hand at the Milan location Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.  The center is scheduled to close August 8, 2008.  

Renters, homeowners and business owners in the 18 Illinois disaster-designated counties who sustained damages or losses from the severe storms and flooding from June 1 through July 22 should be sure to register with FEMA right away if they have not already done so.  The deadline to register is August 25, about three weeks away. 

Even those who are awaiting additional information or services from other sources should  register now for assistance by calling FEMA's toll-free registration line, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Applicants with a hearing- or speech-impairment who have TTY equipment should call TTY 1-800-462-7585. The telephone lines are available from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., daily. Applicants also can register online at www.fema.gov.

The counties designated eligible for Individual Assistance are: Adams, Calhoun, Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Hancock, Henderson, Jasper, Jersey, Lake, Lawrence, Mercer, Rock Island, Whiteside and Winnebago. Individual Assistance can include grants to help pay for temporary housing, essential home repairs and other necessary disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance.

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: Friday, 01-Aug-2008 13:44:10