Florida Disaster Registrations Slow; Outreach Continues
Nearly 16,000 people have registered with FEMA, $17.4 million approved for help
Release Date: October 10, 2008
Release Number: 1785-062
» More Information on Florida Tropical Storm Fay
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Six weeks after Tropical Storm Fay swamped portions of the state with record rainfalls, recovery officials report a decline in new registrations and applicant visits to Disaster Recovery Centers.
To date 15,843 Floridians in the 23 counties designated for Individual Assistance have registered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Almost all of the more than $13 million approved from FEMA's Individuals and Households Program has been rapidly disbursed to people from hard-hit areas.
In addition, the U.S. Small Business Administration has approved more than $3.5 million in low-interest disaster home loans, $568,400 in loans for businesses as well as nearly $360,000 in Economic Impact Disaster Loans due to disaster-related costs of lost business.
Nearly 12,000 people have visited Disaster Recovery Centers. Eight DRCs remain open in Florida, down from the 29 that were deployed at various times throughout the state. Currently the total for all centers averages about 150 visitors daily. Nearly 60 state and federal Community Relations specialists continue to reach out to survivors in designated counties.
By the end of this week the last remaining shelter, in Lee County, will have closed. At their peak, 49 shelters were home to 1,704 displaced Floridians in the aftermath of the high winds and continued flooding caused by the heavy tropical downpours.
Home inspections continue for new applicants. To date 12,845 inspections have been requested and 12,574 (97.8 percent) have been completed. The average time from registration to inspection holds steady at a two-day turnaround.
A six-week snapshot:
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Total assistance approved and disbursed from FEMA's Individuals and Households Program now stands at $13.02 million.
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The Individuals and Households Program provides assistance in two main categories Housing Assistance and Other Needs Assistance. To date, FEMA approved funding to 4,075 applicants.
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Housing Assistance helps pay for emergency rental assistance, temporary lodging and housing repairs. Nearly $11.5 million in Housing Assistance was disbursed to 3,260 households.
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Other Needs Assistance helps cover personal property loss, medical costs and other serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance to individuals and households. Other Needs Assistance funding was approved to 1,604 individuals, with more than $1.5 million disbursed.
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The federally-funded, state-administered Disaster Unemployment Assistance program has approved 85 claims for work loss primarily related to the disaster. To date, nearly $20,000 has been paid through the program. Program benefits end February 21, 2009.
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Current debris removal cost estimates are at least $3.1 million. FEMA's Public Assistance disaster specialists have completed 187 kickoff meetings with eligible applicants in the initial phase of the reimbursement process for state and local governments, agencies and certain eligible non-profits. Only 18 remaining meetings are currently scheduled.
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Residents with disaster-related damage are urged to register by calling FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). The hard of hearing, deaf or speech impaired may call the TTY number at 800-462-7585 to apply. Multilingual operators are available to speak to applicants. The toll-free telephone numbers are open from 7 a.m. to midnight daily until further notice. Applicants may also register online at www.fema.gov.
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: Friday, 10-Oct-2008 15:36:01