Request for Public Assistance Deadline Approaches in Disaster Area Counties
Release Date: July 2, 2008
Release Number: 1766-030
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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Indiana state and local agencies and certain private non-profit organizations that are eligible for federal disaster assistance are running out of time to apply.
Public Assistance (PA) funds for reimbursement or restoration are available in 34 Indiana counties as part of a presidential disaster declaration for severe weather and flooding that began May 30. These funds are for expenses or damage incurred during the disaster and cover items such as debris removal, emergency protective measures, repair or replacement of roads, bridges, water control facilities, buildings, equipment, utilities, parks and other facilities.
To apply, eligible agencies and organizations must first submit a Request for Public Assistance (RPA) to the State of Indiana. Applicants have 30 days from the date their county was designated eligible for PA to submit an RPA. Since some counties were designated on different dates, those counties also have different deadlines to submit.
Bartholomew, Brown, Clay, Daviess, Decatur, Greene, Hancock, Henry, Jackson, Jennings, Johnson, Knox, Madison, Monroe, Morgan, Owen, Parke, Pike, Putnam, Randolph, Rush, Shelby, Sullivan, Vermillion, Vigo and Washington counties have until July 21 to submit their RPA.
Eight other counties, Adams, Franklin, Gibson, Hendricks, Ohio, Posey, Union and Switzerland counties were recently designated and their deadline to submit an RPA is July 30.
No RPA will be considered after the county deadline.
To date, 172 RPAs have been submitted, but officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) believe there are many other eligible organizations that have yet to apply.
The main goal of FEMA's Public Assistance program is to restore facilities to pre-disaster levels. However, there are funds available that allow certain projects to be rebuilt to a higher standard if it can be demonstrated that increased costs will save money in the future.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Thursday, 03-Jul-2008 07:15:06