Only One More Week Left To Call And Apply For Disaster Assistance 

Release Date: April 11, 2005
Release Number: 1580-037

» More Information on Ohio Severe Winter Storms, Flooding and Mudslides

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Only one week remains for individuals and business owners in the 32 Ohio counties designated for individual assistance to apply for state and federal aid to replace losses from the winter storms and flooding that occurred between December 22, 2004 and February 1, 2005.

The deadline to call and apply for disaster assistance is April 18. The eligible counties include: Ashland, Athens, Auglaize, Belmont, Clark, Coshocton, Crawford, Darke, Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Guernsey, Henry, Hocking, Holmes, Huron, Licking, Jefferson, Logan, Miami, Morgan, Muskingum, Pickaway, Pike, Richland, Ross, Scioto, Stark, Tuscarawas, Warren, Washington and Wyandot.

Individuals and business owners in the eligible counties who sustained losses but still have not applied for assistance should do so by calling the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) toll-free application number, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). There is also a special number for those with hearing or speech impairment, TTY 1-800-462-7585. Both numbers are operational from Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. until further notice. People may also register online at www.fema.gov.

People who have already applied may call the FEMA Helpline at the same numbers, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585), even after the deadline, to check on the status of their application and get additional information.

The Ohio EMA coordinates the state's response and recovery from the State of Ohio Emergency Operations Center. One of the primary focuses of the agency is to ensure that Ohio citizens are prepared for all hazards with the capability to respond to and recover from an emergency or disaster and to lead mitigation efforts against the effects of future disasters.

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.

Last Modified: Monday, 11-Apr-2005 08:41:07