FEMA Assistance Reaches $2.5 Million for Nov. 2-11 Floods
Release Date: January 5, 2007
Release Number: 1671-021
» More Information on Washington Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides
LACEY, Wash. -- To date, $2,545,604 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster recovery assistance has been disbursed to those affected by the Nov. 2-11 floods. Currently, 1,485 people have applied for FEMA assistance by calling the toll-free registration number 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech or hearing impaired.
"The recovery process for survivors of the November floods begins by calling FEMA's registration number, 5 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week," said Libby Turner, federal coordinating officer.
Disaster Recovery Centers in Baring, Granite Falls, Kelso, Monroe, Packwood and Puyallup, are open Monday through Saturday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. to provide face-to-face assistance to people who have already applied for FEMA help and may have further questions. To date more than 540 applicants for assistance have been seen at the centers.
Due to the Nov. 2-11 floods, President Bush authorized a federal disaster declaration for 11 Washington counties: Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, King, Lewis, Pierce, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Thurston and Wahkiakum. The declaration opens the door to individual assistance for those county residents, including grants for uninsured or underinsured housing repairs and assistance for rent and other needs.
Along with FEMA grants, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers low-interest loans to homeowners, renters, businesses of any size and private nonprofit organizations.
"The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved more than $1.7 million in low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters, and businesses of all sizes whose property was damaged by the severe storms and flooding which occurred November 2, through 11, 2006 in Washington," said Nancy Gilbertson, District Director of the SBA's Seattle District Office.
SBA is the federal government's primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA representatives at all of the Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) are continuing 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. For the hours of operation and location or your nearest DRC, call the SBA Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955. Anyone not able to go to a DRC should call this number for SBA information and assistance or visit www.sba.gov.
Information about assistance is also available by calling the State of Washington's November Floods Helpline, 1-800-688-3469. State representatives are ready to answer specific and general questions about the Nov. 2-11 flood damages.
FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident, initiates mitigation activities and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA works closely with State and local emergency managers, law enforcement personnel, firefighters, and other first responders. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Friday, 05-Jan-2007 16:12:06