More Than 100,000 Persons In Texas Apply For Disaster Aid; $78 Million Approved
Release Date: September 30, 2005
Release Number: 1606-011
» More Information on Texas Hurricane Rita
AUSTIN , Texas -- Total assistance approved for persons in Texas affected by Hurricane Rita has risen to more than $78 million as the second week of the recovery effort begins. Federal and state officials as well as voluntary agencies are providing many other services such as food, water and ice; generator installations; mass care for both human and animal needs; animal rescue; shelters for general and special needs; and transportation for nursing home residents to federal medical stations.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that 160,831 residents have registered for some form of assistance since President Bush declared parts of the state eligible for disaster aid on September 24.
Approved funding totals include:
- More than $78 million for 39,019 FEMA Housing Assistance grants to help pay for temporary housing and emergency home repairs; and
- To date, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved $5,550,900 for long-term, low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters and businesses.
A snapshot of other disaster aid in Texas :
- Twenty Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) are currently open and assisting disaster victims. To date 68,554 state residents or temporary evacuees currently residing in Texas have visited the centers;
- Corps of Engineer state parks continue to offer free-of-charge camping sites with travel trailers currently housing 452 individuals and families at 148 sites on 14 lakes;
- About 45,104 people remain in the 316 shelters still open in the state.
- More than 400 State/FEMA community relations specialists are conducting door-to-door outreach in storm-damaged neighborhoods; and
- The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has received more than 500 claims for disaster losses due to flooding in Texas . The federally backed program has 463,273 policies in the amount of $88,058,301,000 in force in Texas .
In preparation for Hurricane Rita, hundreds of sites sheltered evacuated pets and livestock. The most accurate numbers available indicate that 20,000 companion animals were evacuated. Of these animals, 13,000 were sheltered by or with their owners. The remainder were sheltered by humane animal care organizations in Bryan-College Station, Austin , Dallas and Bexar County . Another 10,000 head of livestock, most of which were horses, also were evacuated.
Affected Texas residents and businesses, as well as displaced evacuees currently residing in the state, are encouraged to begin the application process as soon as possible by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or 800-462-7585 (TTY), for the hearing- and speech-impaired. The lines remain open 24 hours a day, seven days a week until further notice and multilingual registration personnel are able to assist applicants in several languages. Internet registration is available online at www.fema.gov .
FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Thursday, 25-May-2006 08:22:00