Days Dwindle Down To Deadline To Apply For Recovery Assistance 

Release Date: February 22, 2000
Release Number: 1292-180

» More Information on North Carolina Hurricane Floyd & Irene

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The end of the month is the end of the line for people who still have not registered for state and federal programs to aid them in recovery from Hurricanes Floyd and Irene and the subsequent flooding.

In just one week, on Tuesday, February 29, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) recovery Hotline is scheduled to top accepting applications for the entire range of federal and state programs designed to help people ut their lives on the road to normalcy following a natural disaster.

"After a significant surge in registrations last week, the number of calls to the FEMA recovery Hotline are now in steady decline," said Federal Coordinating Officer Carlos Mitchell. "It's appears that we may have finally reached the last holdouts or people who weren't aware that help is available to get them through the crises of a disaster."

Mitchell said people should call the Hotline without delay, 1-800-462-9029 or 1-800-462-7585 for individuals with hearing or speech impairments. The line is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday and will shut down at 6 p.m. next Tuesday.

Anyone who suffered losses or damages or who was exposed to potential hidden damage from the storms and floods is strongly urged to register. Sometimes insurance will not cover all the losses, and some state or federal program may exist to cover those deficiencies. Occasionally, hidden damages may appear months after the disaster. These, too, might be covered, but only if a person has previously registered with the FEMA recovery Hotline.

Residents of the 66 North Carolina counties declared disaster areas by the President as a result of the 1999 storms and floods may be eligible for disaster recovery assistance, but only if they register before the Tuesday, February 29, deadline.

Counties in which residents may be eligible for recovery assistance:

Alamance, Anson, Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Brunswick, Camden, Carteret, Caswell, Chatham, Chowan, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Currituck, Dare, Davidson, Duplin, Durham, Edgecombe, Forsyth, Franklin, Gates, Granville, Greene, Guilford, Halifax, Harnett, Hertford, Hoke, Hyde, Johnston, Jones, Lee, Lenoir, Martin, Montgomery, Moore, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Onslow, Orange, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Person, Pitt, Randolph, Richmond, Robeson, Rockingham, Rowan, Sampson, Scotland, Stanly, Stokes, Tyrrell, Union, Vance, Wake, Warren, Washington, Wayne, and Wilson.

Last Modified: Thursday, 11-Dec-2003 09:33:55