Four Counties Added For Individual Assistance; Nine Added For Public Assistance
Release Date: August 31, 2008
Release Number: 1785-009
» More Information on Florida Tropical Storm Fay
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Four additional counties in Florida are now eligible for federal disaster assistance to help individuals and households handle damage from Tropical Storm Fay and continued flooding, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials announced Sunday.
Duval, Leon, Seminole and Wakulla counties were added to the initial major declaration for Individual Assistance announced by President George W. Bush on Aug. 18.
Nine new counties - Alachua, Dixie, Hamilton, Lake, Leon, Marion, Osceola, Seminole and Wakulla - were also designated Sunday as eligible for FEMA's Public Assistance program. Thirty of Florida's 67 counties are now eligible for Public Assistance.
Brevard, Hendry, Okeechobee, St. Lucie and Volusia counties were already determined eligible for assistance to individuals and households.
Baker, Bradford, Calhoun, Brevard, Collier, Duval, Gadsden, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Jefferson, Liberty, Monroe, Nassau, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, Putnam, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Union and Volusia counties were previously declared for Public Assistance.
Individual Assistance can include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses not met by insurance or other assistance programs. 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.
FEMA's Public Assistance program reimburses local and state agencies and certain non-profit agencies for the expenses and damages that occurred during the response and recovery phase of the disaster.
Public Assistance grants are awarded to help pay for emergency protective measures such as police overtime, debris clearance to open vital roads and rights-of-way, removal of threats to public safety and permanent repairs to roads, public buildings, utilities and parks. Permanent work involves restoring infrastructure to its pre-disaster design. This could range from minor repairs to total replacement.
FEMA officials said the assistance was approved based on a review of damage data gathered by federal and state disaster recovery officials.
Affected residents and business owners in the added counties may apply for assistance immediately by calling the registration number at 800-621-FEMA (3362) from 7 a.m. to midnight seven days a week until further notice. Those with a speech-and hearing impairment may call the TTY number at 800-462-7585. Online registration is available at www.fema.gov.
Applicants are advised to have the following information available to help speed up the application process:
- Their current phone number;
- Their address at the time of the disaster and the address where they are now staying;
- Their Social Security number, if available;
- A general list of damages and losses they suffered;
- If insured, their insurance policy number, or the agent's and company name.
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: Tuesday, 02-Sep-2008 09:43:46