Monday Is The Last Day To Apply For Disaster Assistance
Release Date: April 15, 2005
Release Number: 1580-038
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Federal and state disaster officials are reminding residents that Monday, April 18, is the last day to call and apply for disaster assistance for damage caused by the severe winter storms and flooding that occurred from December 22, 2004 through February 1, 2005.
The following is an update of recovery activities as of close of business Thursday, April 14:
- 11,423 individuals from the 32 declared counties have applied for assistance.
- 6,394 claims have been approved for the Individuals and Households Program totaling $8,095,579 in grants.
- $ 546,200 in loans have been approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
(Disaster assistance grants are entirely separate from other government programs and tax-free.)
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Ohio Emergency Management Agency (Ohio EMA) recovery officials stated that individual assistance can continue beyond the 60-day deadline, but Monday, April 18 will be the last opportunity for disaster victims to apply. It only takes about 15 to 20 minutes to register, and FEMA personnel are standing by to determine eligible losses. Even if residents have received assistance from previous disasters or filed a flood insurance claim, they may still be eligible for assistance from this disaster declaration, which was issued by President Bush on February 15. Nearly 11,500 disaster victims have already called to apply.
More than $8.6 million in grants and low-interest loans has already been approved for thousands of homeowners, renters, and business owners, who have applied by calling toll-free number, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech or hearing impaired. Both numbers are available from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday thru Saturday. Individuals with Internet access now have the option to register on the website at www.fema.gov, where valuable recovery information is also available.
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: Friday, 15-Apr-2005 15:12:11