More Than Half A Million Dollars Approved For Disaster Assistance
Release Date: February 6, 2004
Release Number: 1507-014
» More Information on Ohio Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A total of $571,198 in grants and low-interest loans have already been approved for Ohio disaster victims in seven designated counties that became eligible to call and apply for assistance just over a week ago, according to federal and state disaster recovery officials.
Federal, state, local and voluntary agencies are working in partnership to help Ohio residents following the severe storms, flooding, mudslides and landslides that occurred January 3-30. Applicants may be eligible for more than one type of disaster assistance. The following is an update of their activities as of close of business Thursday, February 5:
- 451 individuals have called to apply for assistance; number of applicants by county: Franklin (233), Jefferson (63), Licking (9), Morgan (47), Ross (24), Tuscarawas (29), and Washington (46)
- 118 applications have been approved for Home Repairs, totaling $348,878 – for repairing disaster-damaged, uninsured homes to a safe, sanitary and functional condition
- 69 applications have been approved for Temporary Disaster Rental Assistance, totaling $75,614
- 93 applications have been approved for Other Needs Assistance, totaling $131,706 – may include grants for medical, dental, funeral, personal property, transportation and other eligible expenses
- 2 U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest disaster loans have been approved for a total of $15,000
- 241 SBA low-interest disaster loan applications were issued: 203 to homeowners and renters and 38 to business owners
- 89 people have visited one of the Disaster Recovery Centers in the affected areas
- Residents and business owners in the designated counties who sustained damage or loss can begin the disaster application process by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the hearing and speech impaired. Phone lines will be available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday thru Saturday, until further notice. After calling to apply, people can visit a nearby Disaster Recovery Center to get disaster assistance information and receive help in completing their SBA loan applications. They can also talk with mitigation specialists and receive information on low-cost ways to reduce future disaster damages.
- Disaster Recovery Centers are now open at these locations:
Muskingum Township Building at 26 Townhall Road, Marietta, closing 6:3 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 7.
Dillonvale Fire Department at 153 Main Street, Dillonvale, closing 6:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 7.
Jackson Township Fire Dept., 3650 Hoover Road, Grove City -- open 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Monday through Saturday, closed Sunday, February 8, and closing at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 14.
Riecker Building, Chamber of Commerce Room, 155 East Main Street, McConnelsville; open 9:30
a.m. to 6: 30 p.m., Friday, Saturday and Monday, Feb. 6, 7 and 9 only.
Moose Lodge, 418 North Main Street in Uhrichsville, open 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Wednesday and
Thursday, Feb. 11 and 12 only.
Technical experts and/or informational handouts at the centers will explain mitigation techniques. Mitigation simply means taking action now to lessen damage to your home or business from a future flood or other severe weather events. The free advice is available to anyone interested in ways to protect their families and homes in future disasters; not just those whose homes were affected by the January flooding.
- The SBA has issued 241 loan applications to homeowners, renters and/or business owners. Officials urge applicants to complete their loan paperwork as soon as possible, even if they have not received a final settlement from their insurance company. If the loan application is not returned it will delay other forms of disaster assistance. SBA representatives are available at all Disaster Recovery Centers for applicants who need assistance completing their loan paperwork.
The SBA is the primary source of federal funds for long-term disaster recovery for owners of private property, including renters, homeowners, non-farm businesses of all sizes and private non-profit organizations. These low-interest loans cover costs of repair or replacement of damaged real estate, personal property and business assets not fully covered by insurance or other aid.
- Beginning Monday, Feb. 9, SBA will operate two workshops, at the prior disaster recovery center locations, in Dillonvale and Marietta. SBA representatives will be available at the Dillonvale Fire Department located at 153 Main Street in Dillonvale, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. This office will cease operation at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. SBA representatives will also be available at the Muskingum Township Building located at 26 Townhall Road in Marietta between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. This office will cease operation at noon on Thursday.
On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages Citizen Corps, the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
The Ohio EMA coordinates State assistance and resources during an emergency and prepares the state for all hazards through planning, training, exercises and funding activities at the state and local level. This includes providing assistance to individuals and administering state and federal assistance to individuals and governmental entities recovering from disaster-related damage and costs. Ohio EMA coordinates homeland security funding, weapons of mass destruction training, anti-terrorism planning and training, and assists local and state agencies determine homeland security strategies and priorities.
Last Modified: Monday, 09-Feb-2004 08:45:04