Hurricane Victims Have More Time To Apply For Aid
Release Date: October 7, 2004
Release Number: 1539-177
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ORLANDO, Fla. -- At Governor Jeb Bush’s request, Florida residents who suffered damages from Hurricanes Charley and Frances have more time to call and register for federal and state disaster assistance, officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the State of Florida Emergency Response Team (SERT) said today.
"Some Floridians have experienced not one, but two or three consecutive, hurricanes and the extra time will help them assess their needs and apply for assistance," said Governor Bush. "I thank our federal partners for providing this extension. We appreciate their continued support as Florida moves from relief to recovery."
“Because the damage has affected so many people, we’ve extended the deadline to December 11 to give people more time to apply for assistance,” said Bill Carwile, federal coordinating officer for the disaster recovery. “If you had damage or uninsured losses and have not yet applied, call FEMA’s toll-free number, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for those with speech or hearing impairment.”
Disaster assistance can include: funding for temporary disaster housing assistance; U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest disaster loans for individuals and business owners to repair or replace real or personal property and housing repair; replacement grants to help meet serious disaster-related needs and expenses not covered by insurance or other assistance programs; and, disaster unemployment assistance.
“If you had damage, you must be entered in the application system by December 11 to be eligible for state and federal disaster assistance programs,” said Craig Fugate, state coordinating officer. “Don’t prejudge yourself or feel that you may be taking something away from your neighbor. We want to reach every disaster victim and ensure that they get the assistance they are entitled to for eligible losses.”
The application period normally closes 60 days after the federal disaster declaration. Although disaster assistance may continue beyond the deadline date, applicants must register before the deadline to be in the system.
“After you apply for assistance, an inspector will call you directly to make arrangements to visit your damaged home or apartment,” Carwile said. “Applicants should ask for identification when an inspector arrives. All FEMA inspectors have badges with photo identification and there is never a fee for the inspection.”
If you suffered damage in a designated county and have not applied, call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for those with speech or hearing impairment.
Declared counties for Hurricane Charley are Brevard, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, and Volusia.
For Hurricane Frances, the declared counties are Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, Suwanee, Union and Volusia.
The State Emergency Response Team (SERT) is a collaboration of Florida’s state 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: Tuesday, 12-Oct-2004 08:35:38