Public Assistance Application Deadline Extensions 

Release Date: March 5, 2007
Release Number: 1678-007

» More Information on Oklahoma Severe Winter Storms

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) remind local government officials of approaching deadlines to apply for Public Assistance related to the Jan. 12 Ice Storm.  Under Public Assistance, the federal government pays 75 percent of costs of debris removal, infrastructure repairs, emergency protective measure and restoration of utilities.  The state and local governments each pay 12.5 percent.

The deadline to file a Request for Public Assistance (RPA) for Oklahoma counties declared on Feb. 1 and Feb. 2 has been extended to March 15.  This deadline applies to the following 22 counties: Adair, Atoka, Bryan, Cherokee, Coal, Cotton, Craig, Delaware, Haskell, Hughes, Johnston, Latimer, Mayes, McIntosh, Muskogee, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Ottawa, Pittsburg, Seminole, Sequoyah and Wagoner.

The deadline to file an RPA for Oklahoma counties declared on Feb. 21 is March 22.  This deadline applies to the following 20 counties: Alfalfa, Canadian, Comanche, Dewey, Garvin, Grant, Greer, Jackson, Jefferson, Kay, Lincoln, Osage, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Rogers, Tillman, Tulsa, Washington, Washita and Woods.

The deadline to file an RPA for Oklahoma counties declared on March 5 is April 3.  This deadline applies to Cleveland and McClain counties.

The RPA marks the first step toward accessing the federal disaster Public Assistance program.  In addition to cities, towns and counties, state governments, Indian tribes or other tribal organizations and certain private non-profit organizations are also eligible for assistance.

FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident, initiates mitigation activities and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA works closely with state and local emergency managers, law enforcement personnel, firefighters and other first responders. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

Last Modified: Wednesday, 07-Mar-2007 09:14:01