Registration Deadline Quickly Approaching
Release Date: August 21, 2006
Release Number: 1649-057
» More Information on Pennsylvania Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides
HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Federal and state officials are reminding Pennsylvanians living in disaster-designated counties, who may have experienced damages or losses during the floods in late June, that September 2 is the deadline to register for disaster assistance.
"FEMA and the Commonwealth remain committed to helping Pennsylvanians recover from the late-June floods," said Commonwealth Coordinating Officer James R. Joseph.
Registering for disaster assistance is relatively easy. Just call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or for the hearing- and speech-impaired, 1-800-462-7585 . Online registration is available as well at www.fema.gov. Lines are open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Multilingual operators are also available.
Housing assistance and Other Needs Assistance (ONA) grants are available, as well as low-interest loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA). To date, over 11,000 Pennsylvanians have registered for disaster assistance. More than $43 million has been approved in the form of housing assistance, ONA grants, and SBA loans for individuals, households and businesses.
"Eligible applicants will continue to receive assistance after September 2, as applications that are received by the deadline continue to be processed" said Federal Coordinating Officer Tom Davies. "But, if residents do not apply by the deadline, they can no longer be considered for disaster aid."
FEMA's temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, an applicant must complete an SBA loan application to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.
FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Monday, 21-Aug-2006 14:26:07