Hurricane Isabel Update 

Release Date: September 24, 2003
Release Number: 1490-09

» More Information on North Carolina Hurricane Isabel

Raleigh, NC -- Federal and state monetary assistance to residents of North Carolina's hurricane disaster counties approached the $2 million mark Wednesday and more than 7,200 persons have now registered for aid.

Of the individual applications approved, $1.2 million is for housing assistance, while $747,000 went to meet other needs not covered by insurance. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has issued 4,505 applications for disaster recovery loans.

FEMA and the state have opened five disaster recovery centers (DRCs) to help applicants answer their questions about available assistance and track the status of their requests. Before visiting a DRC applicants are urged to call the toll-free registration number 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Persons with speech or hearing impairment should call 1-800-462-7585. Both lines are open daily from 7:00 a.m. to midnight.

Fixed DRC locations have opened in the Kill Devil Hills Town Hall (100 Colington St.), in Pasquotank County at the Cooperative Extension Office, 1209 McPherson St., Elizabeth City, and in Washington at the Beaufort County Department of Social Services (632 W. Fifth St.). Mobile DRCs have been set up in Swan Quarter (Mattamuskeet High School, Hwy. 264) and in Columbia (the Old Marine Fisheries Bldg., 3727 Highway 64). Hours of operation will be 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Thursday. Beginning Friday, Sept. 26, the hours will be from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, seven days a week until further notice.

In addition, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) tasked a dozen other federal agencies to perform 33 hurricane recovery missions with an estimated cost of $12.4 million. The missions ranged from delivering ice, water and plastic sheeting to providing air transportation and medical assistance.

Among the agencies participating in the recovery effort at FEMA's request are the U.S. Public Health Service and the departments of Defense, Transportation, Treasury, the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) and the Internal Revenue Service.

ACE has delivered a commercial generator to Powellsville to power a water tower pump and three more are enroute to Columbia and Winton to power pumps. The Corps is moving 18 generators from the mobilization center at Fort Bragg to Rocky Mount for distribution to schools.

Damage assessment teams continue to determine the needs of residents and businesses in the declared counties for housing and to assess the disaster-related costs imposed on local governments.

All roads are passable except Hwy. 12. All hospitals are open.

Several communities are still without water. FEMA will be supplying 1.4 million pounds of ice and a half a million liters of water to the state for distribution to stricken communities during the next week.

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 Citizen Corps, the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.

Last Modified: Thursday, 25-Sep-2003 08:14:23