Maryland Disaster Aid Nears $58 Million
Release Date: November 7, 2003
Release Number: 1492-66
» More Information on Maryland Hurricane Isabel
Baltimore, MD -- Maryland residents have received just under $58 million in disaster aid in the seven weeks since the state was declared a federal disaster area due to Hurricane Isabel.
According to state and federal officials from the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the money represents more than $18.7 million in housing assistance, $5.5 million in assistance for other needs such as personal property, transportation and medical expenses, $27.9 million in low interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and more than $3.6 million in funds to rebuild infrastructure.
The following is a summary of the response and recovery activity since President Bush declared the state eligible for federal disaster assistance on September 19.
- The deadline to apply for disaster assistance is November 18, 2003.
- 16,019 applications for individual assistance have been received from residents in the 23 declared counties and city of Baltimore.
- $18,717,841 has been disbursed to residents to assist with temporary housing and home repairs.
- $5,548,225 in Other Needs Assistance, which provides money for necessary expenses and serious needs not covered by insurance such as medical, dental, funeral, personal property or transportation, has been disbursed.
- 10,405 property inspections have been completed.
- 13,005 applications for U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loans have been issued.
- $29,096,100 in disaster assistance loans have been approved.
- More than 7,935 people have visited FEMA/MEMA/Local Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) since they opened. Representatives of state, federal, and voluntary agencies, including loan officers from the SBA, are on-site to provide information and answer questions and concerns.
- $3,608,041 has been approved for projects to rebuild Maryland's infrastructure damaged by Hurricane Isabel.
- $722,000 in direct federal aid for specific response and recovery projects.
The toll-free hotline for Maryland Department of Human Resources is 1-888-756-7836, for individuals who may need assistance from local or state departments or agencies. Those with questions about their insurance may call the Maryland Insurance Administration at 1-800-492-6116.
Individuals may apply for disaster assistance by calling FEMA's toll-free registration line at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY: 1-800-462-7585 for speech or hearing impaired. Hours are 7 a.m. until 8 p.m., seven days a week. The deadline to register is November 18, 2003.
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 Citizen Corps, the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
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Disaster Recovery Center Locations Hours of operation for the following DRCs are Monday - Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
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|---|---|
| Baltimore County: Back River Neck Community Center 801 Back River Neck Rd. Essex, MD 21221 |
Dorchester County: County Office Building 501 Court Lane Cambridge, MD 21619 |
As of close of business November 6, 2003
| County | Applications |
|---|---|
| Allegany | 13 |
| Anne Arundel | 2,080 |
| Baltimore | 3,777 |
| Baltimore (City) | 1,226 |
| Calvert | 548 |
| Caroline | 39 |
| Carroll | 78 |
| Cecil | 319 |
| Charles | 355 |
| Dorchester | 971 |
| Frederick | 156 |
| Garrett | 9 |
| Harford | 434 |
| Howard | 121 |
| Kent | 356 |
| Montgomery | 711 |
| Prince Georges | 2,281 |
| Queen Annes | 654 |
| Somerset | 531 |
| St. Marys | 835 |
| Talbot | 365 |
| Washington | 38 |
| Wicomico | 96 |
| Worchester | 26 |
| Total | 16,019 |
Last Modified: Friday, 07-Nov-2003 10:31:16