HONOLULU, Hawaii - With the deadline just three weeks away, officials urge homeowners, renters and business owners of The Big Island who sustained losses due to the October 15 Kiholo Earthquake to register for assistance now, if they have not already done so. Anyone still waiting on an insurance settlement, contractor's estimate or any other part of the process is encouraged to register regardless of whether this information is yet available.

The deadline for registering for aid under President Bush's disaster declaration is Friday, December 22, 2006, according to the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and State Civil Defense.

Don't delay. Register by logging onto http://www.fema.gov/ or by calling toll free 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. (local time) Monday through Friday.

"We want to be sure that anyone who might be eligible registers before the deadline," Lee Rosenberg, federal coordinating officer, said.

"If you are waiting for an insurance settlement, you should register now because after the settlement, you may still have unmet needs that may be eligible for federal or state programs," said Ed Teixeira, state coordinating officer.

If you have already registered and have questions about your application, call the helpline at 1-800-621-3362.  Make sure to have you registration number available.

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