Application Deadline For Disaster Assistance Extended To January 31
Release Date: January 19, 2006
Release Number: 1609-068
» More Information on Florida Hurricane Wilma
ORLANDO , Fla. -- The deadline for Florida residents affected by Hurricane Wilma to apply for federal/state disaster assistance has been extended to Tuesday, January 31 , say officials from the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Florida 's State Emergency Response Team (SERT).
The first step in applying for aid is to register with FEMA. There are two ways to register: Log on to www.fema.gov , or call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for those with speech or hearing impairments. Both lines are available 24/7. Residents are urged to register for assistance only once; registering multiple times may cause delays in the assistance process.
Those who suffered losses from the hurricane have a variety of assistance programs available to them as they seek to recover in the storm's aftermath. Individual Assistance can include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance or other aid programs . Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are also available to cover losses sustained by renters, homeowners and businesses.
To be considered for such aid, individuals must have sustained losses or damage from Hurricane Wilma and reside in a county that has been designated eligible for Individual Assistance programs. The following counties have been designated: Brevard, Broward, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Indian River, Lee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe , Okeechobee, Palm Beach , and St. Lucie.
Last Modified: Friday, 20-Jan-2006 09:30:14