Community Relations Teams To Help Storm Victims
Release Date: June 3, 2003
Release Number: 1464-49
» More Information on Tennessee Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding
Nashville, TN -- Teams of community relations specialists have been deployed to five more Tennessee disaster counties to deliver information about disaster assistance to businesses, homeowners and renters who suffered losses due to the tornadoes, severe storms and flooding that hit the state in early May.
The counties, declared eligible on May 30 for individual disaster assistance, are Anderson, Cumberland, Knox, Loudon, and Roane.
John D. White, Jr., state coordinating officer for recovery efforts, said emergency management officials in each county will help direct the teams to identified areas of need. "We will be going door-to-door in affected neighborhoods to spread the word that help is available for unmet needs arising from the disaster," White said. He added that the teams will remain in the declared counties as long as they are needed.
Michael Bolch, the official in charge of federal recovery operations, said the community relations teams will answer questions about various types of assistance and inform residents that assistance is available only by registering with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TDD) for the speech or hearing impaired.
"As soon as a disaster is declared, these teams work face-to-face with citizens at every level of eligible communities, including government, business, religious and volunteer organizations," Bolch said.
Under the disaster declaration first issued by President Bush May 8, federal and state assistance is available in a wide range of federal and state disaster programs to help families with their recovery from uninsured losses due to the series of storms beginning May 4.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 03-Jun-2003 16:30:44