Tennessee Recovery Pace Accelerates
Release Date: February 18, 2008
Release Number: 1745-004
» More Information on Tennessee Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- In less than two weeks since President Bush declared a major disaster for the state of Tennessee, significant amounts of federal aid have begun to flow into the affected areas.
Families and individuals who suffered damage from the tornadoes and severe storms of Feb. 5-6 have been approved to receive $1,360,237 in assistance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the state of Tennessee.
"Safe and secure housing is a vital step in the recovery process,"said James Bassham, director of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. "The housing assistance check likely will be just the first check for many Tennesseans affected by last week's storms.
Under the federal disaster declaration, renters, homeowners and businesses in Benton, Hardin, Hickman, Houston, Lewis, Macon, Madison, Montgomery, Perry, Shelby, Sumner, Trousdale and Williamson counties are eligible to apply for disaster assistance.
"We are encouraging anyone in the declared counties who suffered damage in these storms to apply with FEMA, whether they have insurance or not,"said Gracia Szczech, the federal coordinating officer for this disaster. "Even if their insurance covers most of the damage, there are other types of assistance and services that FEMA and the state of Tennessee can offer disaster victims.
Below is the breakdown of federal aid for the counties affected by the severe storms and tornadoes, as of close of business Feb. 17:
- 3,137 households have registered with FEMA for some form of disaster assistance, including financial grants, loans and other disaster-related services.
- $1,093,161 has been approved through the Individuals and Households Program to help pay for housing assistance, including rental assistance and repairs to homes.
- $267,076 has been approved to help applicants cover other disaster-related needs such as medical and dental expenses, lost personal possessions, funeral costs and loss of essential transportation.
- Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) are operating daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. until further notice in eight counties: Macon, Sumner, Hardin, Madison, Shelby, Williamson, Benton and Hickman.
- 1,403 home inspections have been requested, with more than 80 percent completed.
- FEMA Community Relations teams continue to canvas disaster-affected communities.
Residents can apply for assistance by calling FEMA's toll-free registration line (800) 621-FEMA (3362), TTY (800) 462-7585 or online at www.fema.gov.
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, 19-Feb-2008 08:43:24