Cotton County Residents Urged to Use DRC in Lawton
Release Date: August 6, 2007
Release Number: 1712-024
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OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- Federal and state officials urge residents of Cotton County to go to the Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Lawton for information on federal individual diasaster assistance and other aid now available due to the recent Presidential Disaster Declaration for Cotton County. The DRC at 4135 W. Gore in Lawton, serves Comanche and surrounding counties including Cotton County and will be open to serve these areas 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for six days, Aug. 7 - 12.
Cotton County was among 15 additional counties added August 3 to the presidential declaration authorizing individual assistance to those affected by recent severe weather in Oklahoma. Individuals in the 20 declared counties of Blaine, Bryan, Canadian, Cleveland, Comanche, Cotton, Grady, Logan, Kiowa, McClain, Nowata, Oklahoma, Ottawa, Payne, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Rogers, Seminole, Stephens, and Washington are eligible for federal individual assistance.
Homeowners, renters, and business owners, who sustained losses in the designated counties, are encouraged to register before visiting the DRC by going online at www.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585 for the hearing-and speech-impaired.The toll-free telephone numbers are available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (local time), seven days a week.
Coordinated by the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), individual assistance can include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses.
State and federal disaster specialists are available at the DRC to answer questions, provide written information, and help fill-out applications. SBA representatives will answer questions about SBA's disaster loan program, which is available to homeowners, renters and small business owners, providing low-interest disaster loans up to $200,000 to repair or replace homes and up to $40,000 to repair or replace personal property. Up to $1.5 million is available for uncompensated business disaster losses SBA is the federal government's primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts, and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover uninsured and uncompensated losses and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. Disaster victims should first register with FEMA. Anyone with questions about SBA disaster assistance may also contact SBA by calling toll free 1-800-659-2955 or visit the Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 07-Aug-2007 07:40:44