For Immediate Release
Updated September 5, 2007
Media Contact: Ray Yonkura
(202) 225-2676
Federal Flood Assistance Resources
President Bush Has Now Granted a Disaster Declaration for
Allen, Wyandot, Hancock, Hardin and Richland Counties,
Allowing Residents to Apply for Federal Aid
1. Applications are now being processed and you can apply via telephone or internet. This is your one-stop shop for FEMA, Small Business Administration (SBA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-based aid. Disaster recovery centers are now available with phone banks and internet connections, for those who do not have these utilities due to the flooding.
• Apply by phone 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or, for the speech and hearing impaired, TTY: 1-800-462-7585
• Apply online at www.fema.gov – click on “apply for assistance”
• Whether applying online OR over the phone, you should have a pen and paper and the following information ready:
o Your Social Security number.
o Current and pre-disaster address.
o A telephone number where you can be contacted.
o Insurance information.
o Total household annual income
o A routing and account number from your bank (only necessary if you want to have disaster assistance funds transferred directly into your bank account)
o A description of your losses that were caused by the disaster
2. Insurance Hotline
• For flood-related questions, call the insurance hotline at 1-800-686-1526
3. Disaster Recovery Centers
• Centers have been set up in each affected county:
Allen County: Bluffton Baptist Church, 345 County Line Road, Bluffton, OH 45817
Crawford County : Crawford County Commissioner Office, Law Library (Lower Level), 112 E. Mansfield St., Bucyrus, OH 44820
Hancock County : Findlay Community Recreation Center ("The Cube"), 3430 N. Main St., Findlay, OH 45840
Putnam County : Education Service Center, 124 Putnam Parkway, Ottawa, OH 45875
Richland County : Shelby YMCA, 111 W. Smiley Ave, Shelby, OH 44875 AND Richland Transit Bus Garage, 232 N. Main St., Mansfield, OH 44902
Wyandot County : Solid Waste Recycling Center, 11329 County Highway 4, Carey, OH 43316
**Starting Sunday, September 9, 2007, center hours will change. DRCs will be closed on Sundays, open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays.
• These centers house FEMA, SBA, and other federal agencies
• Citizens can go to these centers to ask questions and get assistance
• Phone banks and internet connections will be available to apply for aid—individuals cannot apply in person at this time
