FEMA Community Relations Teams Add A Personal Touch  

Release Date: July 21, 2003
Release Number: 1475-06

» More Information on Kentucky Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Rock Slides, and Tornadoes

Frankfort, KY -- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Community Relations teams are reaching out to those affected by the severe storms and tornadoes that hit Eastern Kentucky between June14 and June 27.

These disaster-recovery specialists are visiting local officials and those affected by the severe storms in the 20 Kentucky counties included in the presidential declaration of July 2, 2003.

Teams are working in Boyd, Breathitt, Carter, Clay, Elliott, Floyd, Greenup, Harlan, Johnson, Knott, Lawrence, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Magoffin, Martin, Owsley, Perry, Pike, and Rowan counties. Team members will visit all counties in Kentucky designated to receive Individual Assistance.

Nine counties - Boyd, Carter, Elliott, Greenup, Lawrence, Lewis, Owsley, Perry and Rowan - received presidential disaster declarations for both the May and June storms.

"In those counties, Community Relations teams are explaining that if people suffered weather-related damages in May and again in June, they must apply for each disaster separately," Federal Coordinating Officer Scott Wells said. "Applying twice is not hard to do. All it takes is a phone call to the toll-free teleregistration number at 1-800-621-FEMA. This will ensure that you will be considered for the help that's available."

Community Relations teams also visit community-based organizations and businesses to enlist support in distributing information on available disaster assistance. Team members often go door-to-door to ensure that all those affected by the storms know that state and federal disaster assistance may be available and how to apply for help.

To apply for assistance or to get more information on the kind of recovery help that is available, Kentuckians in the 20 Individual Assistance disaster-designated counties may call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). For those who are hearing- or speech-impaired, the TTY number is 1-800-462-7585. Phone lines are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. When needed, multi-lingual operators are available.

The state and federal assistance programs include: grants for short-term rental needs; grants to make minimal home repairs; low-interest U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loans to repair major damage and/or replace damaged personal property; grants to meet serious disaster-related needs not covered by other programs.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 22-Jul-2003 09:56:46