Victims of June Storms and Flooding Have Less Than One Month Left to Apply
Release Date: August 4, 2006
Release Number: 1651-013
» More Information on Ohio Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight Line Winds, and Flooding
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Disaster victims of the June 21-23 severe storms and flooding have less than a month to apply for state and federal disaster assistance before the August 31 deadline. More than 11,000 residents in the six designated counties have applied and more than $13.7 million in grants and low-interest loans has been made available.
The following is an update of recovery activities from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Ohio Emergency Management Agency (Ohio EMA) as of close of business Thursday, Aug.3:
- 11,176 individuals from the declared counties have applied for assistance.
The application breakdown by county is Cuyahoga 5,570, Erie 292, Huron - 607, Lucas 4,146, Sandusky 304, and Stark - 257.
- $7,207,635 in federal and state grants have been issued to more than 4,800 applicants through the Individuals and Household Program. (This assistance may be used for temporary disaster housing assistance; repairing disaster-damaged, uninsured homes to a safe, sanitary and functional condition and replacement grants for serious, disaster-related needs and expenses not covered by insurance or other assistance programs.)
- $6,420,500 in U.S. Small Business Administration low-interest disaster loans have been approved for 268 applicants (261 home and 7 business loans)
- 6,792 disaster loan applications have been issued by the SBA, including 6,012 for homeowners and renters and 780 for business owners. SBA officials encourage anyone who has received an application from the SBA to turn it in as soon as possible in order to avoid delaying other forms of possible assistance.
- 9,999 inspections have been completed, and 113 inspections are still pending
- 1674 people have visited Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) or SBA Disaster Loan Assistance Centers
Assistance Still A Toll-Free Call Away
Federal and state officials urge anyone who suffered damages or loss from the severe storms, tornadoes, straight line winds and flooding from June 21-23 to apply for assistance by calling the FEMA toll-free registration number 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Those with speech or hearing impairment can call TTY 1-800-462-7585. Both lines are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily until further notice. You also may register through the Internet at www.fema.gov . The deadline to apply for assistance is Aug. 31.
SBA Disaster Loan Assistance Centers Available
To date, 25 people have visited one of the three SBA Disaster Loan Assistance Centers that began operation on July 24. SBA representatives are available to answer questions and help residents complete their low-interest loan applications. A FEMA representative also is on site to answer FEMA-related questions.
The Toledo location is at the Lucas County Emergency Services Training Center , 2127 Jefferson Ave. The hours of operation for this center are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday until further notice.
In Cuyahoga County the center is located at 6848 Hathaway Road, Valley View, will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. until further notice.
The Norwalk Center is located at the Huron County Emergency Operations Center (EOC), 225 B Shady Lane . The EOC is located behind the Sheriff's Office. The hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday until further notice.
SBA offers disaster loans up to $200,000 to repair disaster-damaged primary residences. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to replace damaged personal property such as furniture and clothing. Loans to businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations up to $1.5 million are available to repair or replace damaged real estate, machinery and equipment, supplies and inventory. Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) are also available to small businesses unable to pay bills or meet operating expenses because of the disaster.
FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became a part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Monday, 07-Aug-2006 06:48:05