Monday Is The Last Day To Apply 

Release Date: October 26, 2007
Release Number: 1722-021

» More Information on Illinois Severe Storms and Flooding

ROCKFORD, Ill. – Monday is the last day for Illinois residents and business owners who were affected by the severe storms, tornados and flooding Aug. 7-8 to apply for disaster assistance, said officials at the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

October 29 is the last day applications will be accepted for Individual Assistance and for SBA. Federal and state disaster recovery officials urge those who have not applied to do so as soon as possible by calling the toll-free registration number, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585 for those with speech or hearing impairments. Individuals can also register for disaster assistance online at www.fema.gov.

Individuals may contact SBA by calling 800-659-2955 or by visiting SBA's Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. Those with hearing impairments can call 800-877-8339.

After the application deadline, FEMA's toll-free phone lines will still be available to assist those who have already registered. Applicants who have questions about the disaster assistance programs or questions about the status of their previously filed applications should continue to use FEMA's toll-free number.

To date, 1113 individuals and business owners have applied for disaster assistance in the eligible counties. Nearly $1.58 million in grants has been approved for individuals impacted by the disaster, and the SBA has issued 829 applications and approved $1,074,400 dollars in loans.

There are two easy ways to begin the application process. Residents may call FEMA’s toll-free number 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech and hearing impaired. Both numbers are available from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Residents with Internet access may apply online at http://www.fema.gov. Valuable recovery information is also available on the website.

Disaster officials also stated that residents waiting for a final insurance settlement should contact the FEMA Helpline at the same toll-free number above to update their claim information.

The SBA Loan Outreach Centers, that were established to assist residents and business owners with the application process, will close on Monday October 29 at 6 p.m. The locations are:

Freeport Public Library
100 East Douglas St., 2nd Floor Board Room
Freeport, IL 61032
Open: Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Pioneer Parking Deck
315 N. Main St. (@ Park Avenue)
Rockford, IL 61101
Open: Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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: Tuesday, 06-Nov-2007 16:00:13