New Counties Get Disaster Aid 

Release Date: May 30, 2003
Release Number: 1464-42

» More Information on Tennessee Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

Nashville, TN -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) made five new Tennessee counties eligible for individual assistance Friday and added another to the list of those entitled to public assistance.

Residents of Anderson, Cumberland, Knox, Loudon and Roane counties were declared eligible for assistance to families and individuals. Bedford County, already declared for individual assistance, joined the ranks of those eligible for public assistance.

The new counties make 68 of Tennessee's 95 counties declared disaster areas due to the tornadoes, floods and severe storms that began May 4. The additions followed continuing damage assessments by federal and state disaster officials.

Assistance to individuals and families is now available in 65 counties and local governments and agencies in 51 are eligible to apply for financial help in restoring damaged infrastructure and supporting budgets stretched by disaster spending.

Residents of the new counties with uninsured property damage should register with FEMA for federal and state aid by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). The TDD number for those with speech or hearing impairment is 1-800-462-7585.

Individual assistance includes temporary housing and home repair, disaster unemployment assistance, grants for essential needs not met by other programs and U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest loans to repair or replace damaged property. Callers are advised to have the following information available to register.

DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM INFORMATION

When disaster strikes, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administers a number of disaster assistance programs and coordinates the efforts of many other federal agencies that provide services to help people through the recovery process. The types of assistance that are available follow.

Federal Emergency Management Agency Programs

INDIVIDUALS AND HOUSEHOLDS PROGRAM: Housing assistance to individuals and families whose permanent homes were damaged or destroyed by the storm. Types of aid include grants for: temporary housing; emergency repairs needed to make a residence habitable; and mortgage or rental assistance in cases where the disaster has caused extreme economic hardship.

OTHER NEEDS ASSISTANCE: Grants to individuals and families to meet serious disaster-related needs and necessary expenses not covered by insurance or other federal, state or voluntary agency disaster assistance programs.

DISASTER UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE: Weekly benefits to individuals out of work due to the disaster, including self-employed persons, farm owners and others not usually covered under regular unemployment insurance.

U.S. Small Business Administration Programs

HOME/PERSONAL PROPERTY DISASTER LOANS: Low-interest disaster loans to homeowners and renters for restoring or replacing underinsured or uninsured disaster-damaged real and personal property. (Available in declared counties.)

BUSINESS DISASTER LOANS: Disaster loans to repair or replace destroyed or damaged business facilities, inventory, machinery, equipment, etc. not covered by insurance. (Available to large and small businesses in declared counties.) Loans also may be available to small businesses for working capital to assist them during the disaster recovery period. (Available in declared and contiguous counties.)

Last Modified: Monday, 02-Jun-2003 10:14:22