Assistance Approaches $900,000 For Ohio Disaster Victims; Application Phone Lines Closed Weekends And Presidents' Day
Release Date: February 13, 2004
Release Number: 1507-018
» More Information on Ohio Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A total of $896,065 in grants and low-interest disaster loans has been approved for Ohioans who have applied for disaster assistance, according to figures released today by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Ohio Emergency Management Agency (Ohio EMA).
Disaster recovery officials urge anyone who suffered damages or loss from the severe storms and flooding that occurred January 3-30 to apply for disaster assistance by calling the FEMA toll-free application line at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Those with speech or hearing impairment can call TTY 1-800-462-7585.
The phone lines will be closed, Saturday, Sunday and for the Presidents’ Day holiday on Monday, February 16. Current hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The last day to apply for assistance is March 26.
The following is an update of recovery activities as of close of business Thursday, February 12:
- 608 individuals have called to apply for assistance from the 7 disaster-designated counties (see page 3 for breakdown by county);
- 291 applications have been approved for Housing Assistance grants, totaling $645,733 – may include grants for temporary rental assistance and repairing disaster-damaged, uninsured homes to a safe, sanitary and functional condition;
- 134 applications have been approved for Other Needs Assistance, totaling $171,232 – may include grants for medical, dental, funeral, personal property, transportation and other eligible expenses
- 10 U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest disaster loans have been approved for a total of $79,100;
- 383 SBA low-interest disaster loan applications were issued: 319 to homeowners and renters and 64 to business owners.
- Only one day left to visit the Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Grove City. The DRC will cease operation on Feb. 14 at 6:30 p.m. Beginning Tuesday, Feb. 17, SBA will operate a workshop, at the prior disaster recovery center in Grove City. SBA representatives will be available at the Jackson Township Fire Department located at 3650 Hoover Road between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. This office will cease operation at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 19.
- Assistance is still only a phone call away. Those affected by the disaster who still have questions about assistance or low-interest disaster loans can also call the Helpline at the same toll-free numbers – 1-800-621-FEMA or TTY 1-800-462-7585 – to get answers about disaster assistance or inquire about the status of their application.
- The major disaster declaration issued by President Bush also made public assistance funding available to assist with eligible infrastructure losses in 12 Ohio counties, including Athens, Belmont, Guernsey, Harrison, Jefferson, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Perry, Ross, Tuscarawas and Washington.
To date, 175 requests for public assistance have been received from eligible municipalities, public agencies and qualified private non-profit organizations for approved costs of debris removal, emergency protective measures, road repairs, repair of water control facilities and restoration of buildings, utilities, and recreational facilities. FEMA will pay 75 percent of the cost of approved projects and the State will provide 12.5 percent of the cost. The declaration also makes cost-shared funding available to the State of Ohio for approved projects that reduce future disaster risks.
On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the Citizen Corps, the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
The Ohio EMA coordinates State assistance and resources during an emergency and prepares the state for all hazards through planning, training, exercises and funding activities at the state and local level. This includes providing assistance to individuals and administering state and federal assistance to individuals and governmental entities recovering from disaster-related damage and costs. Ohio EMA coordinates homeland security funding, weapons of mass destruction training, anti-terrorism planning and training, and assists local and state agencies in determining homeland security strategies and priorities.
Last Modified: Friday, 13-Feb-2004 15:46:08