Individual Assistance and 17 Counties Added to Disaster Declaration
Release Date: February 7, 2002
Release Number: 1401-02
» More Information on Oklahoma Ice Storm
Oklahoma City, OK - Disaster assistance has been expanded to include aid for homeowners, renters and business owners affected by the recent winter ice storm and 17 counties were added to the disaster declaration bringing the total to 45 designated counties now eligible for additional federal assistance, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today while visiting the state.
FEMA Director Joe M. Allbaugh said the additional assistance was approved based on his review of damage data gathered by federal and state disaster recovery officials. Twenty-eight (28) counties were previously designated for public assistance (emergency protective services and debris removal) under the original major disaster declaration issued by President Bush on February 1. Expanded public assistance is also now available for five of the previously designated counties.
"We remain committed to delivering assistance wherever it's needed and to making sure that every qualified individual and family receives the help they need to get back on the road to recovery," Allbaugh said.
Affected residents and business owners in the designated counties may apply for assistance by calling the toll-free registration number, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will be available starting Friday, February 8, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., seven days a week until further notice.
The 17 new counties are Cleveland, Comanche, Creek, Garvin, Grady, Greer, Harmon, Jackson, Kiowa, Lincoln, McClain, Nowata, Pottawatomie, Rogers, Stephens, Tillman and Tulsa. The original disaster-designated counties include Alfalfa, Beaver, Beckham, Blaine, Caddo, Canadian, Cimarron, Custer, Dewey, Ellis, Garfield, Grant, Harper, Kay, Kingfisher, Logan, Major, Noble, Oklahoma, Osage, Pawnee, Payne, Roger Mills, Texas, Washington, Washita, Woods, and Woodward.
Even if individuals have already reported their damages to the American Red Cross or their local and county officials, Allbaugh said calling the registration numbers is the only way to apply for a wide range of state and federal disaster assistance programs that can include funding for temporary housing, U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest loans for individuals and businesses to repair or replace damaged property, disaster unemployment assistance, and grants for serious needs and necessary expenses not met by other programs. (See last page for Disaster Assistance Program Information.)
Callers are advised to have the following information available to help speed up the application process:
- Your current phone number
- Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now
- Your Social Security number, if available
- A general list of damages and losses you suffered
- Good directions to the property that was damaged
- If insured, your insurance policy number, or the agent's and company name.
- General financial information
Allbaugh also announced that all categories of public assistance are now available in Canadian, Garfield, Kingfisher, Osage, and Washita. Joint preliminary damage assessment teams are continuing to gather damage estimates from the ice storm and additional forms of federal assistance may be designated later based on the results. The teams are comprised of personnel from Oklahoma Department of Civil Emergency Management (ODCEM), FEMA, and county and local officials.
Recovery News
- To support the state request to supply electrical power to essential facilities, FEMA has provided 34 generators. To date, 23 generators have been deployed to communities still without power. FEMA also requested the US Army Corps of Engineers to deploy "Prime Power" Teams from the Army's 249th Engineer Battalion at Ft. Lewis, Wash. These teams assess the power requirements of the requesting facility and supervise installation of the generators.
- More than 100,000 gallons of water, mostly supplied in 20-ounce bottles, have been distributed to communities in need of drinkable water. A first shipment of 30,000 gallons of bottled water supplied by FEMA from the Federal Water Reserve was released to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma (Oklahoma City) and transported to affected areas by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and the Oklahoma National Guard. An additional supply of 75,000 gallons procured by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers arrived in Oklahoma City on Sunday, February 3, and has been delivered to areas still without power.
Voluntary agencies have set up toll-free numbers for those still in need of emergency assistance: Call the American Red Cross at 1-800-283-0711 for emergency food and shelter assistance. Call the United Methodist Committee on Relief at 1-800-539-8541 for help with emergency home repairs or debris removal.
Disaster Assistance Program Information
When disaster strikes, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administers a number of disaster assistance programs and coordinates the efforts of many other federal agencies that provide services to help people through the recovery process. The types of assistance that are available follow.
Federal Emergency Management Agency Programs
Disaster Housing Assistance: Housing assistance to individuals and families whose permanent homes were damaged or destroyed by the storm. Types of aid include grants for: alternate rental housing; emergency repairs needed to make a residence habitable; and mortgage or rental assistance in cases where the disaster has caused extreme economic hardship.
Individual And Family Grant Program: Grants to individuals and families to meet serious disaster-related needs and necessary expenses not covered by insurance or other federal, state or voluntary agency disaster assistance programs.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance: Weekly benefits to individuals out of work due to the disaster, including self-employed persons, farm owners and others not usually covered under regular unemployment insurance.
U.S. Small Business Administration Programs
Home/Personal Property Disaster Loans: Disaster loans to homeowners and renters for restoring or replacing underinsured or uninsured disaster-damaged real and personal property. (Available in declared counties.)
Business Disaster Loans: Disaster loans to repair or replace destroyed or damaged business facilities, inventory, machinery, equipment, etc. not covered by insurance. (Available to large and small businesses in declared counties.) Loans also may be available to small businesses for working capital to assist them during the disaster recovery period. (Available in declared and contiguous counties.)
Last Modified: Monday, 25-Aug-2003 13:17:42