Seven Counties Get More Disaster Aid
Release Date: September 23, 2004
Release Number: 1545-049
» More Information on Florida Hurricane Frances
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Disaster assistance to seven Florida counties has been expanded to make them eligible for federal funds to rebuild or restore essential public facilities damaged by Hurricane Frances.
The counties are Baker, Bradford, Dixie, Hernando, Liberty, Marion, and St. Lucie.
Under its public assistance program, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) determined that state and local agencies and certain non-profit organizations in these counties might apply for funds to repair damaged facilities.
FEMA pays 75 percent of the cost of projects under the public assistance program.
The counties previously were designated eligible to seek federal help with debris removal and overtime pay for emergency workers. The added categories of assistance are roads and bridges, utilities, water control facilities, buildings and equipment, and parks and recreation areas.
With the exception of Liberty, all of the counties also are eligible for assistance under the individuals and households program.
The State Emergency Response Team is a collaboration of Florida’s emergency management agencies led by the state coordinating officer. SERT’S mission is to ensure that Florida is prepared to respond to emergencies, recover from them, and mitigate their impact. Visit http://www.floridadisaster.org for the latest information on the hurricane relief effort.
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 National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Last Modified: Thursday, 23-Sep-2004 11:01:12