Three Days Till Deadline For Disaster Aid
Those Seeking Aid Should Call Toll-Free 1-800-621-FEMA by Feb. 28, 2005
Release Date: February 25, 2005
Release Number: 1539-390
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ORLANDO, Fla. -- Floridians who sustained damage during the 2004 hurricane season have only three days remaining to apply for disaster assistance. Monday, Feb. 28 is the last day applications will be accepted.
“Applicants will have had more than six months to apply for federal aid,” said Craig Fugate, state coordinating officer for Florida’s State Emergency Response Team (SERT). “The registration deadline has already been extended once to make sure everyone had a chance to get disaster assistance. If you have not registered, please call the toll-free number quickly.”
The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) toll-free number is 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for those who are speech- or hearing-impaired. The lines are operational from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Applicants can also register online at www.fema.gov.
The deadline to return SBA applications is also Feb. 28. Applications received after that date will be reviewed by SBA on a case-by-case basis.
“There are several forms of assistance available to Floridians,” said Bill Carwile, federal coordinating officer. “But if you have not registered with FEMA by Feb. 28, it will be too late to get any federal aid.”
The State Emergency Response Team (SERT) is a collaboration of Florida’s state 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 impacts. Visit www.floridadisaster.org for the latest information on the hurricane relief efforts.
FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Monday, 28-Feb-2005 12:43:16