Little More Than A Month Remaining To Apply For State/Federal Tornado Disaster Assistance; More Than $6.1 Million In Assistance To Date 

Release Date: October 24, 2002
Release Number: 1433-28

» More Information on Indiana Severe Storms and Tornadoes

Indianapolis, IN -- Disaster assistance for tornado victims in Indiana is as close as the nearest phone, state and federal officials remind those seeking help in recovering from the Sept. 20 storms. But the time remaining to make that call is drawing to a close. The last day to apply for state/federal disaster assistance is November 25.

"We encourage tornado victims who still need assistance to let us know. A telephone call is all it takes," said State Coordinating Officer Patrick R. Ralston with Indiana State Emergency Management (SEMA).

Those who suffered damages or loss from the tornadoes and severe storms of September 20 can apply for assistance by calling the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) toll-free application number,
1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Those with a speech or hearing impairment can call TTY 1-800-462-7585. Both lines are open 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (EST) seven days a week.

More than $5.6 million in low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and disaster housing grants from FEMA (to help make a damaged home livable or to rent alternate accommodations) have been approved for Indiana residents who have applied for disaster assistance. Also $538 thousand has been obligated for other unmet disaster related needs by the Individual Family Grant Program (IFG), jointly funded by FEMA and the state. These latest figures were released today by SBA, FEMA and SEMA.

Local, state and federal recovery officials and voluntary organizations have combined efforts to assist victims of the severe weather in putting their lives back together. This is a summary of recovery activities as of close of business October 24:

Disaster Unemployment Assistance: The deadline is nearing for people to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance. Those interested in applying must do so at their local WorkOne Center by Monday, October 28. The program, which is administered by the state and funded by FEMA, is available to help individuals affected by the disaster who are not covered by regular unemployment insurance. Those interested should first call the FEMA toll-free application line at 1-800-621-FEMA (TTY 1-800-462-7585), then apply at a local WorkOne Center. WorkOne Centers can be found by calling 1-888-WORKONE or by going to the Dept. of Workforce Development web site at www.workforce.IN.gov.

Crisis Counseling: People who have gone through a disaster such as a tornado may experience trouble sleeping, anxiety, irritability, depression and lack of concentration. Talking about disaster experiences and sharing feelings about them will help people feel better about what has happened. Those interested in crisis counseling services should call 1-800-344-8802. The phone line is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This assistance has been made available for children and adults affected by the tornadoes and severe storms through a grant from FEMA to the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction. The program provides for individual and family therapy and culturally appropriate supportive counseling.

Disaster Legal Assistance: Another form of disaster assistance available to victims of the tornadoes and severe storms is legal advice provided by the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association. These disaster legal services are meant for low-income individuals who, prior to or because of the disaster, are unable to secure legal services adequate to meet their needs. To contact one of these attorneys, call
1-866-336-8276. The first available attorney will return your call as soon as possible.

Voluntary Agencies: Several organizations are still providing services to victims of the disaster who have immediate needs. American Red Cross, Salvation Army and various faith-based organizations have contributed many hours to the cleanup efforts and recovery process. Disaster victims with unmet needs can call their local chapter of American Red Cross or 317-684-1441 for referral to a local chapter.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has established workshops to help those who would like assistance with filling out their loan packet. The locations and hours of operation are:

Disaster Assistance by County

The following chart shows a county-by-county breakdown of Disaster Housing assistance, Individual and Family Grant Program assistance and U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loans. All figures are as of close of business, Wednesday, October 23.

County Applications Received Disaster Housing Program Individual and Family Grant Program SBA Disaster Loans for Individuals and Businesses
    Grants Issued Amount Approved Grants Issued Amount Approved Loans Issued Amount Approved
Bartholomew 1 * * * * * 0
Brown 1 * * * * * 0
Daviess 1 * * * * * 0
Delaware 18 3 $4,298 * * 4 $128,300
Grant 6 * * * * * 0
Greene 2 * * * * * 0
Hamilton 1 * * * * * 0
Hancock 18 * * * * 6 $101,500
Henry 6 * * * * 2 $8,700
Jay 2 * * * * * 0
Johnson 73 3 $2,108 * * 5 $272,800
Knox 18 * * * * 5 $310,600
Madison 45 * * * * 4 $205,200
Marion 1176 301 $231,934 147 $410,873 64 $2,009,600
Monroe 76 15 $10,630 9 $34,194 21 $801,100
Morgan 296 50 $45,087 13 $40,315 28 $936,900
Owen 3 * * * * * 0
Posey 25 9 $11,772 5 $46,153 5 $336,200
Rush 4 * * * * * 0
Sullivan 1 * * * * * 0

While the number of applicants for each county is listed, the number of grants and the amounts are not listed if there are less than three approved claims for that county in order to preserve the privacy of individuals. * denotes less than three in that category.

Last Modified: Thursday, 31-Jul-2003 12:06:47