Public Assistance Reimbursements in Mississippi Top $565 Million
Release Date: November 30, 2005
Release Number: 1604-151
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JACKSON, Miss. -- Public assistance funds obligated to local governments and agencies for Hurricane Katrina recovery has topped $565 million in Mississippi, state and federal emergency management officials said today.
The grant awards were announced by the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).
“Across the state, communities are still faced with many challenges as they recover from the impacts of Hurricane Katrina,” said Robert Latham, Mississippi Emergency Management Director. “We will continue to work with FEMA and local governments to get recovery funds into the hands of impacted communities as quickly as possible. Whether large or small, reimbursement checks will be significant to each community as they work to recover and rebuild.”
MEMA administers the Public Assistance programs for the state of Mississippi to reimburse eligible entities for costs incurred during disaster response and recovery efforts. Local governments, state agencies and private non-profit organizations across Mississippi use the funds to restore their communities and rebuild critical infrastructure.
“Public Assistance grants reimburse local governments and certain private non-profit organizations for expenses related to a disaster,” said Nick Russo, FEMA federal coordinating officer. “Through our cooperative efforts, local governments are making incredible – and in many cases historic – progress, yet we know much work remains to be done, and Mississippians can rest assured we are committed to Mississippi for the long haul.”
Government agencies, special districts and private non-profits can request an application packet for disaster assistance by calling (601) 965-2596 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., or file online at www.mississippipa.org. The deadline for applying for Public Assistance is Nov. 30.
For more information about the Public Assistance program and process, please see the Public Assistance Fact Sheet and visit www.fema.gov.
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.
Last Modified: Monday, 05-Dec-2005 13:34:47