Additional Oklahoma Counties Receive Disaster Assistance
Release Date: September 17, 2007
Release Number: 1718-009
» More Information on Oklahoma Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that 12 additional counties have been approved for individual disaster assistance and 20 counties for public disaster assistance. The Presidential Disaster Declaration is the result of damages from the severe storms, flooding, and tornadoes occurring August 18-September 12.
Individual assistance, to be coordinated by OEM and FEMA, can include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses. Low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) also will be available to cover residential and business losses not fully compensated by insurance.
With today's announcement, 15 counties are now eligible for individual assistance for the severe weather which occurred August 18-September 12. Individuals in Canadian, Cleveland, Comanche, Custer, Grady, Kiowa, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Pottawatomie, Seminole, and Stephens counties, affected by this disaster, are now eligible to apply for federal individual assistance with todays announcement. Individuals in Blaine, Caddo, and Kingfisher have already been designated for Individual Assistance.
Homeowners, renters, and business owners, who sustained losses in the designated counties, may apply for assistance by registering online at www.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing-and speech-impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time Monday thru Saturday.
If you have sustained losses and damages in any of the recent severe storms, flooding, and tornadoes and have filed for disaster assistance for a different disaster time period, be sure to call 1-800-621-FEMA or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing-and speech-impaired and register with FEMA for your additional disaster occurrence. Also, contact the SBA regarding filing a loan application related to an additional severe weather occurrence.
The 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 contact SBA by calling toll free 1-800-659-2955 or visit the website at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.
The 20 counties, with damages from the severe weather which occurred August 18-September 12, now approved for Public Assistance are: Blaine, Caddo, Canadian, Cleveland, Comanche, Cotton, Custer, Dewey, Garvin, Grady, Kiowa, Kingfisher, Logan, McClain, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Pottawatomie, Seminole, Stephens, and Washita counties.
Under the Public Assistance Grant Program, FEMA awards grants to assist state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations with the response to and recovery from disasters. The program provides funding for debris removal, implementation of emergency protective measures and permanent restoration of infrastructure. The program also encourages protection from future damage by providing assistance for hazard mitigation measures during the recovery process.
Public assistance is based on a partnership between FEMA, state and local officials. FEMA is responsible for managing the program, approving grants and providing technical assistance to the state and its applicants.
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: Wednesday, 26-Sep-2007 09:20:59