Only One Week Remaining to Apply for Disaster Assistance 

60-Day Application Period Ends August 31, 2006

Release Date: August 24, 2006
Release Number: 1651-015

» More Information on Ohio Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight Line Winds, and Flooding

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Only one week remains for residents and business owners in the disaster-declared counties who sustained damage from the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding that occurred between June 21 and June 23 to apply for disaster assistance.

The deadline to call and apply for disaster assistance is August 31. The eligible counties are Cuyahoga, Erie, Huron, Lucas, Sandusky, and Stark.

"For individuals who have already applied, their cases will continue to be processed," Jesse Munoz, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) federal coordinating officer, said. "We want people to understand that Thursday, August 31, is merely the end of the 60-day application period, which started June 21 when President Bush issued a major disaster declaration for the state."

Loan applications to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for disaster-related losses to real and personal property and businesses of all sizes must also be submitted by that date . SBA officials encourage anyone who has received a disaster loan application to turn it in as soon as possible. Failure to complete and return your SBA loan application will stop consideration for other assistance programs, including additional grants.

To date, 12,321 individuals and business owners have applied for disaster assistance in the eligible counties. Nearly $8 million in grants has been approved for individuals impacted by the disaster, and the SBA has approved 439 low-interest loans for $9.6 million dollars.

There are two easy ways to begin the application process. Residents may call FEMA's special toll-free number 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech and hearing impaired. Both numbers are available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and multilingual operators are also available to answer your call. Residents with Internet access may apply on the agency's Web site at www.fema.gov. Valuable recovery information is also available on the Web site.

Disaster officials also stated that residents waiting for a final insurance settlement should contact the FEMA Helpline at the same toll-free number above to update their claim information.

The SBA Loan Assistance Centers, that were established to assist residents and business owners with the application process, will close on Thursday, August 31. Individuals who need to visit a center for assistance should do so promptly. They are located at:

Valley View Village Hall
6848 Hathaway Road
Valley View, OH 44125
Open: Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Huron County Emergency Operation Center
255B Shady Lane (behind the Sheriff’s office)
Norwalk, OH 44857
Open: Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Lucas County Emergency Services Training Center
2127 Jefferson Avenue
Toledo, OH 43604
Open: Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became a part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

Last Modified: Thursday, 24-Aug-2006 15:24:20