Disaster Aid For North Carolina Nears $50 Million In First Month; More Than 32,000 Apply For Assistance
Release Date: October 15, 2003
Release Number: 1490-54
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Raleigh, NC -- A total of $49.2 million in federal/state disaster aid had been approved through Tuesday for residents of 47 North Carolina counties that sustained damage during Hurricane Isabel. President Bush declared the disaster shortly after the hurricane made landfall on September 18, at the request of Gov. Mike Easley.
"North Carolina has made great progress in this first month," said Gracia Szczech, the federal official coordinating the response for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). "But there is still much work to be done. Recovery is a lengthy process."
President Bush originally declared 26 counties a disaster area. Ten counties were added to the declaration October 1, and an additional 11 counties were named October 8.
In the month since the original declaration, 32,560 North Carolina residents and business owners have applied for the various forms of federal/state disaster assistance, an increase of 6,691 over last week. FEMA figures show that hundreds continue to register daily by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) (7 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week; TTY 1-800-462-7585).
"The deadline to register for aid is November 17," said Dr. Kenneth B. Taylor, the state official coordinating the response for the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management. "If you have not called yet, please call soon. The aid available can be tapped through that one phone call."
Of the aid granted so far, $12.9 million is for disaster housing, which includes repairs to damaged homes and/or rental costs for people displaced by the hurricane. Of that amount, 98 percent, or $12.7 million has reached applicants. To date, FEMA has sent checks or sped electronic funds transfers to 15,591 approved applicants.
More than 6,700 applicants qualified for nearly $9.5 million through a federal-state cost-share program that provides grants for uninsured losses caused by the disaster (federal share: $7.1 million; state share $2.4 million.) These can include medical, dental, funeral, personal property, transportation, moving and storage, and other expenses. Residents may need to apply for a low-interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) before being eligible for these grants.
The SBA has approved a total of $2.63 million so far for 107 low-interest disaster loans in thirteen counties.
Individuals, families and business owners in the designated counties are eligible for a wide range of disaster assistance programs, including grants for eligible repairs or temporary housing, low-interest disaster loans to both residents and businesses from the SBA, and other emergency measures.
State and local governments, and certain qualifying nonprofit agencies, are eligible for assistance under FEMA's Public Assistance (PA) program, which provides a 75 percent federal cost-share for emergency spending and for rebuilding and repairing damaged infrastructure. So far, the aid approved totals $1.7 million (federal share $1.275 million; state share $425,000).
In addition, the following federal/state disaster assistance has been approved for North Carolina:
- A dozen federal agencies were tasked by FEMA to perform 45 response missions at a cost to the federal and North Carolina state governments of nearly $17.1 million. Missions ranged from supporting mass care operations and disposing of hazardous materials to providing meals, ice, water, showers, satellite images, and medical supplies and personnel.
- State and local governments and the American Red Cross operated 127 shelters at the height of the storm, housing 16,672 people.
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The Environmental Protection Agency and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services carried out identification, collection and disposal of more than 23 tons of hazardous materials, at an estimated cost of $1 million (federal share $750,000; state share $250,000).
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The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, tasked by FEMA, planned and implemented dredging operations at an estimated cost of $4.3 million to fill the channel on Hatteras Island.
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The SBA has issued a total of 18,819 loan applications: 14,653 applications to homeowners and renters, and 4,166 applications to business owners.
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Requests have been issued to inspect 21,005 damaged homes and businesses, and 19,642 of those, about 94 percent, have been completed.
- Nearly 7,500 North Carolinians affected by the disaster have visited Disaster Recovery Centers in affected areas to inquire about available assistance, track their aid applications or seek information about risk-reduction measures to lessen the potential of future property damage.
On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages Citizen Corps, the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Notes for accompanying chart:
ONA = Other Needs Assistance Program: Assistance for applicants who have disaster-related necessary expenses and serious needs not covered by insurance. These may include medical, dental and funeral expenses, as well as personal property, transportation and other expenses.
SBA = U. S. Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Program
Total Apps. * = Total number of households and businesses in North Carolina that have registered with FEMA through October 14. (Deadline for applying is November 17, 2003.)
TOTALS ** = This figure is the total applications for all programs, not just those listed, so the number is more than the total of the column above it.
COUNTY-BY-COUNTY DISASTER AID PROGRAMS: Individual Housing and Other Needs
| DECLARED COUNTY | TOTAL APPS. * | HOUSING ASSISTANCE | ONA | SBA LOANS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAMILIES | AMOUNT | FAMILIES | AMOUNT | # of LOANS | AMOUNT | ||
| BEAUFORT | 1,312 | 385 | $624,428.36 | 249 | $307,606.39 | 6 | $199,400 |
| BERTIE | 2,551 | 545 | $980,908.68 | 490 | $626,813.64 | 1 | $26,200 |
| BLADEN | 438 | 76 | $126,225.85 | 72 | $98,458.87 | - - - - | - - - - |
| BRUNSWICK | 215 | 39 | $43,584.55 | 88 | $110,175.33 | 1 | $5,000 |
| CAMDEN | 454 | 39 | $63,910.33 | 44 | $32,658.58 | - - - - | - - - - |
| CARTERET | 1,366 | 740 | $1,904,826.71 | 305 | $967,280.95 | 19 | $920,200 |
| CHOWAN | 2,478 | 434 | $768,334.35 | 507 | $678,226.67 | 8 | $84,300 |
| COLUMBUS | 605 | 118 | $171,231.40 | 92 | $97,915.79 | - - - - | - - - - |
| CRAVEN | 489 | 167 | $327,355.64 | 79 | $139,991.78 | - - - - | - - - - |
| CUMBERLAND | 94 | 16 | $11,256.38 | 17 | $13,349.74 | - - - - | - - - - |
| CURRITUCK | 754 | 117 | $297,625.26 | 72 | $63,206.14 | - - - - | - - - - |
| DARE | 1,428 | 207 | $338,110.08 | 104 | $242,760.98 | 7 | $244,100 |
| DAVIDSON | 49 | 26 | $68,977.90 | 4 | $1,566.47 | - - - - | - - - - |
| DUPLIN | 86 | 13 | $13,640.95 | 13 | $11,831.13 | - - - - | - - - - |
| DURHAM | 81 | 11 | $44,141.55 | 17 | $20,203.89 | - - - - | - - - - |
| EDGECOMB | 206 | 45 | $108,080.51 | 44 | $81,466.36 | - - - - | - - - - |
| FRANKLIN | 52 | 13 | $35,585.19 | 7 | $27,721.85 | - - - - | - - - - |
| GATES | 1,178 | 159 | $260,070.32 | 185 | $196,728.14 | 1 | $6,600 |
| GRANVILLE | 26 | 5 | $6,616.96 | 5 | $4,513.44 | - - - - | - - - - |
| GREENE | 113 | 25 | $30,979.13 | 29 | $52,909.87 | - - - - | - - - - |
| HALIFAX | 1,603 | 249 | $342,851.72 | 389 | $392,161.90 | - - - - | - - - - |
| HARNETT | 30 | 4 | $8,768.07 | 1 | $2,145.84 | - - - - | - - - - |
| HERTFORD | 2,469 | 561 | $743,294.64 | 512 | $571,377.70 | - - - - | - - - - |
| HYDE | 1,226 | 438 | $1,119,125.28 | 280 | $944,160.65 | 26 | $515,600 |
| JOHNSTON | 51 | 6 | $11,499.00 | 8 | $13,776.74 | - - - - | - - - - |
| JONES | 84 | 27 | $60,260.68 | 16 | $16,734.17 | - - - - | - - - - |
| LENOIR | 192 | 41 | $50,411.40 | 47 | $66,325.89 | - - - - | - - - - |
| MARTIN | 608 | 163 | $244,053.89 | 104 | $155,844.25 | - - - - | - - - - |
| NASH | 200 | 45 | $71,473.77 | 43 | $74,414.20 | - - - - | - - - - |
| NEW HANOVER | 1,691 | 176 | $216,820.01 | 1,034 | $1,103,881.79 | - - - - | - - - - |
| NORTHAMPTON | 1,606 | 330 | $506,883.02 | 254 | $261,949.68 | 1 | $4,700 |
| ONSLOW | 210 | 94 | $135,049.96 | 43 | $38,869.87 | - - - - | - - - - |
| PAMLICO | 1,064 | 473 | $1,398,148.71 | 173 | $392,195.57 | 4 | $191,200 |
| PASQUOTANK | 2,518 | 290 | $387,614.21 | 362 | $409,278.08 | 6 | $80,900 |
| PENDER | 171 | 43 | $42,753.33 | 54 | $63,753.77 | - - - - | - - - - |
| PERQUIMONS | 1,778 | 308 | $623,387.11 | 396 | $534,642.36 | 17 | $211,500 |
| PERSON | 8 | 0 | $0.00 | 1 | $265.98 | - - - - | - - - - |
| PITT | 383 | 94 | $206,902.77 | 82 | $122,987.88 | - - - - | - - - - |
| ROBESON | 109 | 19 | $28,355.75 | 29 | $48,385.44 | - - - - | - - - - |
| SAMPSON | 62 | 19 | $22,966.72 | 5 | $2,344.92 | - - - - | - - - - |
| TYRELL | 715 | 209 | $397,858.82 | 181 | $203,171.31 | 8 | $123,900 |
| VANCE | 43 | 6 | $12,913.39 | 3 | $7,987.56 | - - - - | - - - - |
| WAKE | 123 | 18 | $35,742.31 | 14 | $15,650.98 | - - - - | - - - - |
| WARREN | 74 | 16 | $18,724.90 | 12 | $5,440.24 | - - - - | - - - - |
| WASHINGTON | 1,318 | 272 | $382,726.49 | 213 | $272,247.83 | 2 | $20,000 |
| WAYNE | 111 | 10 | $14,527.47 | 11 | $12,580.77 | - - - - | - - - - |
| WILSON | 120 | 32 | $40,869.69 | 24 | $31,007.84 | - - - - | - - - - |
| TOTALS** | 32,650 | 7,072 | $12,937,473.75 | 6,715 | $9,540,450.03 | 107 | $2,633,600 |
Prepared by FEMA's Joint Information Center, Raleigh, NC, Wednesday, October 15, 2003.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 15-Oct-2003 13:46:20