Flow Of Aid To Storm Victims Increases; FEMA Opens Disaster Recovery Centers At Locations Throughout The Disaster Area
Release Date: August 18, 2004
Release Number: HQ-04-127
» More Information on Florida Hurricane Charley and Tropical Storm Bonnie
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A record number of disaster assistance applications from victims of Hurricane Charley were processed yesterday by the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency, bringing the total registrations to 43,321 as of 7 p.m. Tuesday. As of 12 p.m. Wednesday, checks for over $6.5 million had been issued for temporary housing, housing repairs and other disaster-related needs. The U.S. Small Business Administration reported it had issued 20,384 disaster loan applications (17,169 for homes and 3,215 for businesses).
FEMA has expanded hours for teleregistration beginning today, and will operate from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice. Affected individuals can call FEMA’s toll-free registration line at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585. Call volume remains high, and FEMA officials ask people to please hold on as wait times are running several minutes.
To address the needs of impacted residents, FEMA will open an additional Disaster Recovery Center today, bringing the total to five spread among Lee, Desoto, Hardee and Charlotte counties. Three more will be opening tomorrow in Highlands, Polk and Volusia counties. In addition, 1,000 community relations workers have been deployed to provide information to storm victims and are fanning out across affected communities.
Restoration of power continues, and more than 1.4 million households have had the electricity restored through the help of 3,500 out-of-state electrical workers. Current estimates are to get power restored to most of the remaining 420,000 households by Friday, Aug. 20, except for the hardest hit cities of Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda and Arcadia. There, most power is expected to be restored by Aug. 29, contingent on good weather and no unforeseen events.
The first travel trailers were put into operation yesterday, with more arriving at a commercial park in North Venice this afternoon. Initial analyses, based on remote sensing devices, indicates that 88,375 housing units have been damaged and 141,647 persons displaced in Osceola, Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, Polk and Sarasota counties. To help residents in damaged homes, FEMA has delivered 10,000 tarps to cover damaged roofs and enlisted Americorps volunteers to assist the U.S. Corps of Engineers and help elderly and special needs residents place tarps on their damaged homes.
As residents made their way back on several barrier islands that had been closed since Hurricane Charley slammed ashore last Friday, FEMA’s community relations teams passed out flyers and manned comfort stations, distributing ice, water and emergency supplies, along roads leading to the islands. FEMA’s Veterinary Medical Assistance Team, part of the National Disaster Medical System, plans to be on the islands today, reaching out to residents who had to leave pets behind to provide any needed medical treatment.
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, 19-Aug-2004 10:38:39