Aid Totals Climb To $27 Million
Release Date: June 13, 2003
Release Number: 1464-60
» More Information on Tennessee Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding
Nashville, TN -- Nearly $27 million in state and federal aid has been disbursed to Tennessee residents and businesses since May's onslaught of storms, tornadoes and flooding was declared a federal disaster.
Another $54 million has been requested to help local governments and agencies, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said today.
Disaster assistance in Tennessee includes these totals:
- To date, 10,959 applicants have registered for state and FEMA aid
by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or 1-800-462-7585
(TDD) for the hearing or speech impaired. Registration lines
are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- $26.9 million in disaster aid has been disbursed to eligible residents
and businesses in grants and loans.
- $6.8 million of the total is for Disaster Housing assistance grants.
- $10.3 million is for individual and household grants to help
meet essential needs not covered by insurance or other programs.
- $9.8 million is for U.S. Small Business Administration loans
to homeowners, renters and businesses. ($6,336,800 for home loans,
$2,901,700 for business loans, and $625,200 for economic injury
loans)
- $6.8 million of the total is for Disaster Housing assistance grants.
- So far 6,953 residents have reported housing damage, and FEMA staff
has completed 6,740 inspections of damaged property.
- More than three-fourths of the state (73 of the state's 95 counties)
is now eligible for some form of disaster assistance.
- 3,691 residents have visited state-FEMA disaster recovery centers
staffed by disaster specialists to answer applicants' questions. Currently
a fixed-site center is operating in Jackson and two mobile centers are
visiting Chattanooga and Jackson.
- Public Assistance reimbursement for local governments and agencies
is estimated to exceed $54 million. To date, 198 local governments and
agencies have been briefed on available programs. Their requests include
$17 million for debris removal, more than $4 million for emergency protective
measures (police, public employees, immediate actions to restore critical
facilities), and $33 million to repair or replace damaged infrastructure
- roads, bridges, and buildings.
- Additional funding has been approved to help the state provide:
- Disaster Unemployment Assistance.
- Crisis Counseling for individuals and families to help with anxiety,
grief and other emotional reactions in the aftermath of the disaster.
- Disaster Unemployment Assistance.
- A series of hazard mitigation demonstrations is being held for residents to promote storm-resistant safe rooms and flood risk-reduction measures. In the first week, more than 2,100 people attended the hazard mitigation sessions. The demonstrations will continue into July, as shown in this schedule:
| Antioch Home Depot 1155 Bell Road June 22-28 |
Chattanooga Home Depot 6421 Perimeter June 29-July 5 |
Dyersburg Forcum-Lannom 2100 Pioneer Road June 14-21 |
| Hixson Lowe's 5428 Highway 153 July 6-12 |
Jackson Lowe's 671 Vann Drive Through June 14 Home Depot 1220 Vann Drive Through June 14 |
Murfreesboro Home Depot 1750 Old Fort Parkway June 15-21 Lowe's 1825 Old Fort Parkway June 22-28 |
| Nashville Lowe's 4531 Nolensville Pike June 15-21 |
Last Modified: Friday, 13-Jun-2003 13:08:50