Kansas Disaster Assistance for May Storms Exceeds $58 Million
Release Date: August 17, 2007
Release Number: 1699-067
» More Information on Kansas Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
WICHITA, Kan. -- More than $58 million ($58,194,749) in assistance has been approved to date by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as they continue to assist the state of Kansas and the Kansas Division of Emergency Management (KDEM) in the recovery from the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding from May 4 to June 1.
Disaster recovery efforts through August 16 include:
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4,524 individuals from 24 designated counties have applied for disaster assistance. Although August 6 was the last day residents and business owners who suffered damage or loss due to the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding from May 4 to June 1 could register for assistance, they can still call the FEMA Helpline to check the status of their assistance applications. To reach the Helpline, they can call the same number they used to register, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), then press #2. This will route their call to a Helpline operator who can call up their file and answer their questions.
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More than $7 million ($7,543,217) in Housing Assistance has been approved to cover rental assistance, temporary lodging and housing repairs. There are 217 families living in temporary housing supplied by FEMA.
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More than $1.5 million ($1,557,718) in Other Needs Assistance (ONA) has been approved to cover personal property loss, medical costs and other serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance.
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5,449 visits to Disaster Recovery Centers throughout the region have been made by people affected by the disaster who have met with recovery experts there.
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4,212 home inspections have been conducted.
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Public Assistance grants totaling more than $8 million ($8,601,914) have been obligated to date in response to 40 of 434 Requests for Public Assistance (RPAs) from public entities (counties, cities, certain private non-profit agencies). The remaining RPAs currently are being evaluated and additional RPAs are being received. Under FEMAs Public Assistance program, qualifying jurisdictions can be partially reimbursed for eligible emergency protective measures, debris removal, and the repair or replacement of damaged facilities and infrastructure.
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The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved more than $40 million ($40,491,900) in low-interest disaster loans to Kansas residents and businesses. The SBA provides low-interest loans to homeowners, renters, non-profit organizations and businesses of all sizes.
SBA representatives at all the Disaster Recovery Centers will continue to meet individually with each applicant to provide assistance in completing their disaster loan application, answer any questions about SBA's disaster loan program, and accept completed disaster loan applications. Anyone not able to visit a center should call 1-800-659-2955 for SBA assistance or visit the website at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.
FEMA Public Assistance (PA) grants are available in 40 counties to reimburse state and local governments and some private non-profit organizations for eligible costs including emergency protective measures, debris removal and repair or replacement of damaged public facilities and infrastructure.
Governmental entities, municipal authorities, and certain private nonprofit organizations in the following counties are eligible to apply for PA grants: Barton, Brown, Chase, Cherokee, Clay, Comanche, Cowley, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Edwards, Ellsworth, Harper, Harvey, Jackson, Kingman, Kiowa, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Lyon, Marshall, McPherson, Morris, Nemaha, Osage, Osborne, Ottawa, Pawnee, Pottawatomie, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Riley, Saline, Shawnee, Smith, Stafford, Sumner, Wabaunsee, and Washington. For more information, local governments in eligible counties should contact their KDEM officials.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 02-Oct-2007 15:27:49