One Month Later: More Than $13.6 Million In Assistance For Missourians
Release Date: June 2, 2003
Release Number: 1463-42
» More Information on Missouri Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding
Springfield, MO -- As Missourians prepare to observe the one-month anniversary of the historic tornadoes, severe storms and flooding that began on May 4, federal and state disaster officials said today that assistance is reaching those who need it.
"Missourians are making the best of a terrible situation," said Mike Karl, federal coordinating officer for the Missouri recovery effort. "People in the affected areas are reaching out to each other and to FEMA for help. We're partnering with the State of Missouri to help people find and use the resources that are available to them as they begin putting their lives and communities back together after this devastating disaster."
Jerry Uhlmann, state coordinating officer for the Missouri disaster,
agreed with Karl. "We're doing everything we can to get help to the
people and communities who need it."
Federal and state disaster officials offer the following summary of assistance
efforts to date:
- More than $13.6 million
in grants and low-interest loans has been approved to Missourians affected
by the disaster.
- Of the $13,683,603 approved
in grants and loans for Missourians, $2,425,871
is for Housing Assistance grants for minimal home repairs, direct housing,
and temporary rental assistance not covered by insurance. Another $2,932,132
million in grants has been approved for necessary expenses and
serious needs caused by the disaster. This may include medical, dental,
funeral, personal property, transportation, moving and storage expenses.
- The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved
$8,325,600 in low-interest loans to Missourians affected by the
disaster. Low-interest loans from the SBA are the primary form of federal
disaster assistance for long-term recovery for homeowners, renters and
non-farm businesses of all sizes.
- To date, 5,544 individuals
in disaster-declared Missouri counties have called the toll-free number
(800) 621-FEMA (3362) and the TTY number 800-462-7585.
Applications are taken by phone, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
Multi-lingual operators are available.
- To date, 2,410 home inspections
have been completed by FEMA inspectors. If an applicant is also being
considered for an SBA loan, he or she will receive a second inspection
by SBA.
- A total of 298 FEMA and non-FEMA
personnel are currently deployed throughout Missouri, working
on the recovery effort.
- Voluntary agencies continue to support the recovery
effort. The American Red Cross has served
more than 194,000 meals and snacks to victims and relief workers. The
Salvation Army served close to 4,000 people
from their canteens.
- The last day to apply to FEMA for individual disaster
assistance is July 7, 2003.
- The deadlines for filing claims for Disaster Unemployment
Assistance are June 6, June 11, and June 18,
depending on the county in which the applicant lives or works. More
information is available at local unemployment offices or by calling
800-788-4002.
- Crisis Counseling services are coordinated by the
Missouri Department of Mental Health. Those interested in crisis counseling
should call 800-494-7355 or 800-811-4760.
- The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides special
tax relief for affected Missouri taxpayers, including individuals and
businesses in the disaster area, those whose tax records are located
in a disaster area, and relief workers. The IRS is granting affected
taxpayers an extension till July 14 to file tax returns or make tax
payments that have either an original or extended due date falling between
May 4 and July 14, 2003. Affected taxpayers also have the option of
claiming disaster-related casualty losses on either their 2002 or 2003
federal income tax returns. For more information, call the IRS at 800-829-1040.
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has various programs that
may be available to help agricultural producers who suffered disaster-related
losses. Emergency Loans are available from the USDA Farm Services Agency,
which also coordinates the Emergency Conservation Program. USDA Rural
Development has programs for individual agricultural land users as well
as communities and not-for-profit groups. USDA Natural Resources Conservation
Service provides direct technical and financial assistance to reduce
hazards to life and property through its Emergency Watershed Program.
For information about these and other programs, farmers and ranchers
should contact their local USDA offices.
- Disaster legal services include assistance with insurance
claims, landlord/tenant and other housing problems, home repair contracts,
and replacement of legal documents. For information about free disaster
legal services, call 888-234-5695.
- The week following the tornadoes, FEMA convened a Long-Term Recovery
Working Group, comprised of 21 federal, state and voluntary agencies,
to develop a strategy to address the economic recovery of affected communities,
businesses, and the unmet needs of rural Missourians.
- FEMA's mitigation staff tasked the Department of Commerce-Economic
Development Administration to prepare a rapid report on the economic
impact of the tornadoes and related storms.
- FEMA mission-assigned AmeriCorps teams to help with
debris removal. The special needs referral number for AmeriCorps assistance
is 800-489-8183.
- FEMA's debris management teams provided technical and contracting
expertise to 11 public entities.
- FEMA's Community Relations teams visited officials and many residents
in all 71 Missouri counties now eligible for some form of federal disaster
assistance.
- A total of 2,115 people
visited one of 11 Disaster Recovery Centers established throughout the
disaster-affected area to learn about federal and state disaster assistance
programs. Disaster Recovery Centers are now open in Battlefield,
Camdenton, Canton, Carl Junction, Desoto, Jackson, Mt. Vernon, Stockton,
and Kansas City. Those affected by the disaster are encouraged
to visit a center to talk face-to-face with a recovery specialist and
to check on the status of their applications. For the address of the
Disaster Recovery Center nearest you, call 1-800-621-FEMA
(3362). The Battlefield DRC will close at 6 p.m. on June 5. The Camdenton
center will close at 6 p.m. on June 6.
- Approximately 400 people
have visited the mobile safe room, currently
on tour throughout Missouri. A safe room
is a new or retrofitted room designed to withstand extreme winds and
severe, tornadic weather. The mobile safe room will be in Jackson on
June 3 and 4 at the old Wal-Mart; in Desoto at the Disaster Recovery
Center in Redeemer Lutheran Church on June 6 and 7; and in Canton at
the Disaster Recovery Center in United Methodist Church on June 10 and
11.
- 30 Missouri counties are now eligible to apply to FEMA's Public Assistance (Infrastructure) Program. They are: Barton, Bollinger, Camden, Cape Girardeau, Cass, Cedar, Christian, Crawford, Clay, Dallas, Franklin, Greene, Howard, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Lawrence, Lewis, Maries, Miller, Oregon, Osage, Pike, Platte, Polk, Pulaski, Scott, and Washington. To date, 36 Public Assistance projects totaling more than $1.9 million (federal share) are currently in the review and approval process.
The following is a list of the 68 Missouri counties where residents are eligible to apply to FEMA for Individual Assistance, followed by the number of applications received to date per county:
| Disaster Counties | Total Applications Received | Disaster Counties | Total Applications Received | Disaster Counties | Total Applications Received |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audrain | 1 | Franklin | 100 | Perry | 0 |
| Barry | 29 | Greene | 169 | Pettis | 8 |
| Barton | 51 | Henry | 2 | Pike | 22 |
| Bates | 0 | Hickory | 3 | Platte | 132 |
| Benton | 1 | Howard | 38 | Polk | 105 |
| Bollinger | 2 | Jackson | 55 | Pulaski | 38 |
| Boone | 30 | Jasper | 549 | Ralls | 0 |
| Buchanan | 0 | Jefferson | 1563 | Randolph | 0 |
| Callaway | 4 | Johnson | 4 | Ray | 1 |
| Camden | 146 | Knox | 5 | Saline | 15 |
| Cape Girardeau | 183 | Laclede | 1 | Scott | 29 |
| Cass | 16 | Lafayette | 3 | Shelby | 8 |
| Cedar | 610 | Lawrence | 540 | Ste. Genevieve | 2 |
| Chariton | 0 | Lewis | 181 | St. Clair | 0 |
| Christian | 44 | Lincoln | 1 | St. Francois | 24 |
| Clark | 1 | Marion | 8 | St. Louis | 23 |
| Clay | 502 | McDonald | 4 | Stoddard | 1 |
| Clinton | 0 | Miller | 7 | Stone | 2 |
| Cole | 29 | Moniteau | 2 | Taney | 1 |
| Cooper | 0 | Montgomery | 2 | Vernon | 25 |
| Dade | 1 | Morgan | 5 | Washington | 127 |
| Dallas | 77 | Newton | 5 | Webster | 0 |
| Douglas | 0 | Osage | 7 | TOTAL | 5,544 |
Last Modified: Tuesday, 03-Jun-2003 09:14:44