Disaster Assistance Summary
More Than $6 Million In Federal/State Assistance Approved
Release Date: September 26, 2003
Release Number: 1491-11
» More Information on Virginia Hurricane Isabel
Richmond, VA - According to federal and state officials, more than $6 million in disaster assistance has been approved to help residents recover from Hurricane Isabel.
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Nearly 29,000 individuals have registered by calling FEMA's toll-free number at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech or hearing impaired. The lines are open from 7 a.m. to midnight, daily.
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More than $3.9 million in FEMA grants have been approved to help disaster-affected homeowners and renters who need a place to stay or who may need to make repairs for their homes to be functional.
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More than $2 million has been approved for residents to help cover other eligible disaster needs, such as replacing some personal property, medical, dental and funeral expenses, vehicle costs and certain other expenses.
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On Thursday, 1.9 million lbs. of ice was delivered to the eight distribution sites in areas affected by Hurricane Isabel. Thus far, FEMA has delivered more than 4.7 million lbs. of ice.
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More than 600 people have visited the Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) at the Emmaus Baptist Church in Yorktown for disaster information. Additional DRCs opening today are located at the Ocean View Senior Center in Norfolk, the North Hampton Community Center in Hampton, and in the old Wal-Mart Store in Gloucester.
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The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has issued more than 21,000 applications to homeowners and businesses for low-interest loans.
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People living or working in the 99 disaster-declared counties whose jobs have been affected by Hurricane Isabel may be eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) through the Virginia Employment Commission. Those who are eligible may visit the nearest office for more information. The filing deadline is October 24.
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There are more than 250 FEMA inspectors visiting homes to verify damages caused by Hurricane Isabel.
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The American Red Cross has served more than 240,000 meals.
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Those who are making repairs to their homes and business can check out the contractor's licensing and complaint history with the Virginia Board for Contractors at (804) 367-8511, the Virginia Office of Consumer Affairs at (804) 786-2042 or (800) 552-9963 (if calling from outside the Richmond area), and your local Better Business Bureau.
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Disaster scams or other consumer fraud can be reported to the Office of the Attorney General by calling 1-800-451-1525.
- 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: Monday, 29-Sep-2003 09:58:44