Additional Disaster Assistance For Local Governments Is Made Available To 16 Tennessee Counties 

Release Date: November 21, 2002
Release Number: 1441-07

» More Information on Tennessee Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

Nashville, TN -- Sixteen Tennessee counties are now eligible for the FEMA Public Assistance program, which provides aid to local governments affected by tornadoes and severe storms, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today.

Counties eligible for the Public Assistance program are: Anderson, Bedford, Carroll, Coffee, Crockett, Cumberland, Gibson, Madison, Marshall, Meigs, Morgan, Roane, Scott, Tipton, Van Buren and Warren.

FEMA Director Joe M. Allbaugh said the additional assistance was approved following a review of damage data gathered by federal and state disaster recovery officials. Under the original declaration issued by President Bush on November 13, sixteen counties were designated for aid to individuals, families and business owners.

"Our continuing commitment is not only to help meet the recovery needs of devastated families and businesses," Allbaugh said, " but to ensure that the vital community services they also depend on are restored as quickly and efficiently as possible."

Under the FEMA Public Assistance program, Allbaugh said affected local governments and certain private non profit entities are eligible to apply for federal funds to pay 75 percent of the approved cost for debris removal, emergency services related to the disaster, and repairing or replacing damaged public facilities, such as roads, buildings and utilities.

Procedures for requesting the assistance will be explained at a series of applicant briefings at locations to be announced shortly by state and federal disaster officials.

The original declaration provided assistance to individuals and businesses in the following counties: Anderson, Bedford, Carroll, Coffee, Crockett, Cumberland, Gibson, Henderson, Madison, Marshall, Montgomery, Morgan, Rutherford, Scott, Sumner and Tipton.

Last Modified: Monday, 21-Apr-2003 12:43:59