Disaster Assistance Summary
Nearly $4 Million In Federal/State Assistance Approved
Release Date: September 25, 2003
Release Number: 1491-09
» More Information on Virginia Hurricane Isabel
Richmond, VA -- State, federal and local officials and voluntary agencies continue to help Virginians who were affected by the Hurricane Isabel. To date, nearly $4 million in disaster assistance has been approved to help residents meet their most basic disaster-recovery needs.
- More than 22,500 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.
- On Wednesday, 1.8 million lbs. of ice was delivered to the
eight distribution sites in areas affected by Hurricane Isabel. Today, 1.4
million lbs. have already been delivered and FEMA anticipates an additional
800,000 lbs. by the end of the day. This will meet the state's full request
for today.
- As of noon today, a total of 6.16 million lbs. of ice have
been delivered to distribution sites within hurricane-affected areas.
- More than 400 people have visited the Disaster Recovery
Center at the Emmaus Baptist Church at 814 Yorktown Road in Poquoson. The
center is designed to serve those who need disaster information or want to
check on the status of their application. Hours of operation are:
Monday - Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Additional DRCs are scheduled to open shortly.
- A hotline, operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
is open for those needing information and answers to questions regarding debris
removal and building contractors. The toll-free number is 1-866-880-1380
and is in operation from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., daily. THIS
NUMBER IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY AND NOT TO SCHEDULE DEBRIS PICKUP.
- More than $2.4 million in FEMA
grants have been approved to help disaster-affected homeowners and renters
who need a place to stay or who only need to make repairs for their homes
to be functional.
- More than $1.3 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.
- The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has issued
more than 12,570 applications to homeowners and businesses for low-interest
loans.
- 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.
- There are more than 250 FEMA inspectors visiting homes and
businesses to verify damages caused by Hurricane Isabel.
- The American Red Cross has served more than 150,000 meals, and the Salvation Army has provided more than 23,000 meals.
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: Friday, 26-Sep-2003 08:13:26