Hurricanes Frances And Charley Daily Summary For September 15, 2004 

Release Date: September 15, 2004
Release Number: 1539-113

» More Information on Florida Hurricane Charley and Tropical Storm Bonnie
» More Information on Florida Hurricane Frances

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Helpline is experiencing a record number of calls. Because of this high volume, residents with only minor losses, owners of commercial properties, and those who are able to start the recovery process are now urged to wait a few days before calling the Helpline.

The Helpline is the option on the FEMA 800 number for people who have already registered to find the status of their application and get answers to various questions.

In the meantime, there are other options for finding answers to frequently asked questions. People who have already registered are asked to try these options before calling the Helpline.

First, people who have already registered will get an “applicant guide” in the mail that will answer many of their questions. The Helpline staff will not be able to evaluate anyone’s case until an inspector has come to that person’s home or business and evaluated the damage.

Second, those who have access to the Internet can get answers to many frequently asked questions at these Web sites:

Also, Disaster Recovery Centers are now open in many areas, including seven of those that had suspended operations in Charlotte, Desoto, Hardee, Lee and Polk counties. Residents will be able to get answers to questions at those centers, which are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

Farmers and ranchers looking for disaster aid related to farm buildings, farm equipment and crops should call their county office of the Farm Service Agency.

The state of Florida and FEMA are prepared to continue supplying disaster needs to victims of Charley, Frances, and Ivan. The FEMA Logistics Center in Atlanta sends supplies such as ice, water, tarps, emergency medical supplies, blankets and food to federal staging areas in Jacksonville, Lakeland and Homestead, and to state staging areas in Ocalla, Orlando, and West Palm Beach. From there, state and local officials direct FEMA where to transport supplies to more than 50 distribution sites throughout the state. Individuals who want to find the most convenient location for supplies can contact their county emergency manager’s office.

Florida registrations for assistance from FEMA totaled 377,497 at the close of business Tuesday, an increase of 21,796 from the day before. The toll-free phone line, 1-800-621-3362 (FEMA), is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for registrations only. The TTY number for those with speech and hearing impairments is 1-800-462-7585.

Assistance to Florida hurricane victims has reached more than $187 million, up $9 million since the day before. To date, $109 million in housing assistance has been approved for residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed.

Those damaged by both hurricanes Charley and Frances may register for assistance under both disaster declarations. People already registered for Charley who suffered additional damage from Frances must call again for a review of new damages. Those who get a busy message are encouraged to be persistent and try their call again in several hours.

Another resource for those needing to speak in person to a counselor is the Project Hope hotline,
1-866-518-1825. Advisors used to dealing with disaster situations may be able to offer useful help. The line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

More than $78 million in state and federal assistance has been approved to replace essential personal property and meet other uninsured needs.

To date, 142,438 housing inspections have been completed.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved $46 million in low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters and businesses.

Three FEMA Disaster Medical Assistance Teams are in the field and another one is activated for Florida, and to date they have treated 1,431 patients.

A total of 7.5 million cubic yards of debris has been cleared.

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: Thursday, 16-Sep-2004 10:19:17