Hurricane Isabel Disaster Assistance Totals More Than $55.7 Million
Release Date: October 7, 2003
Release Number: 1491-50
» More Information on Virginia Hurricane Isabel
Recovery Assistance for Individuals and Households
- A total of more than $23.9 million has been approved for the Individuals and Households Program with more than $16.7 million approved for housing needs and more than $7.1 million approved for other disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.
Direct Federal Assistance for Emergency Life-sustaining Needs
- More than $23.5 million has been approved to support life-sustaining missions since the onset of Hurricane Isabel for critical needs.
Public Assistance
- More than $8.3 million has been approved under the Public Assistance Grant Program. This program may provide federal assistance to help state, local jurisdictions and certain private non-profit organizations with debris removal, emergency protective measures and permanent restoration to public buildings, equipment, roads, bridges, water facilities and utilities.
Disaster Update Information
- More than 7,000 people have visited Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) to
receive information on disaster assistance. Those who need disaster assistance
information can visit any DRC open throughout the affected areas. A complete
list of DRCs can be found at the Virginia Department of Emergency Management's
website - www.vaemergency.com.
Click on "Isabel Information Center."
- More than 62,100 individuals have registered by calling the U.S. Department
of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) toll-free
number at: 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585
for the speech or hearing impaired. Lines are open from
7 a.m. to 8 p.m., daily. Even if you have received help from voluntary
agencies, you still must register with FEMA to receive federal disaster assistance.
- The FEMA Helpline also is operational for those who may need to check on
the status of their application or make changes to vital information such
as their telephone number or address. The telephone number and hours are the
same as the registration number. The Helpline can also refer those who want
to visit a DRC for disaster information to a center nearest them.
- The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has issued more than 43,200
applications to homeowners and businesses for low-interest loans.
- Citizens who are only requesting assistance with items purchased between
Sept.18 and Oct. 1, 2003 such as generators, chainsaws, wet/dry vacuums, etc.
must register with FEMA by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585
for the speech or hearing impaired. After registering with FEMA, those who
applied will receive a letter from the Commonwealth of Virginia's Other Needs
Assistance Program with additional information.
- People living or working in any of the disaster-declared jurisdictions whose
jobs have been affected by Hurricane Isabel, may be eligible for Disaster
Unemployment Assistance (DUA) through the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC).
Individuals are urged to visit the nearest VEC office for more information.
The filing deadline is October 24.
- A hotline has been established to coordinate volunteers
to help with debris/tree removal from private property. Citizens who need
assistance with debris removal or cleanup, or who are interested in volunteering,
are encouraged to call 1-877-245-5513. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 7
p.m., daily.
The American Baptist Men, Southern Baptist Convention, United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), the Southern Baptist Conservatists of Virginia, and the Mennonite Disaster Service are coordinating and carrying out these efforts.
- Those making repairs to their homes and businesses can
check out the contractor's licensing and complaint history with the Virginia
Board for Contractors at (804) 367-8511, the Virginia Office of Consumer Affairs
at (804) 786-2042 or (800) 552-9963 (if calling from outside the Richmond
area), and your local Better Business Bureau.
- Disaster-related scams or other consumer fraud can be reported
to the Office of the Attorney General by calling 1-800-451-1525.
- If you have a general question about insurance, the Virginia State Corporation Commission's Bureau of Insurance has a telephone line for disaster victims. They may call 1-800-552-7945 from 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon. - Fri. or e-mail general questions to bureauofinsurance@scc.state.va.us.
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 Citizen Corps, the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 07-Oct-2003 15:39:36