Disaster Assistance for Oklahoma Storms Expands to Include 12 More Counties

OKLAHOMA CITY – Homeowners, renters and business owners in 12 more Oklahoma counties affected by the severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding starting on May 5 through June 22 can now apply for state and federal disaster assistance. Those counties include Adair, Cherokee, Coal, Delaware, Garvin, Hughes, Lincoln, Logan, Love, Murray, Ottawa and Pontotoc, which now brings the total to 45.

Individual Assistance was extended to those counties after a review of on-going damage assessments by the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Disaster help for eligible applicants may include grants for rental assistance or temporary housing, home repairs and serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance. The latter might include help with medical, dental, funeral, repair or replacement of personal property including vehicles, and moving and storage expenses.

Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration may be available to businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations and homeowners and renters for losses not fully compensated by insurance or other sources and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

Survivors in all 45 designated counties (Adair, Atoka, Beckham, Bryan, Caddo, Canadian, Carter, Cherokee, Choctaw, Cleveland, Coal, Comanche, Cotton, Delaware, Garvin, Grady, Hughes, Jefferson, Johnston, Kiowa, Latimer, Le Flore, Lincoln, Logan, Love, Marshall, Mayes, McClain, McCurtain, McIntosh, Murray, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Ottawa, Pittsburg, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Pushmataha, Rogers, Seminole, Stephens, Tillman, Tulsa and Wagoner) who sustained losses or damage from storms that occurred between May 5 and June 22 are urged to register with FEMA as soon as possible.  Having contacted any non-FEMA organization or agency does not count as a registration with FEMA.

Register online with any computer, smartphone or tablet at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362.

The deadline for registering with FEMA is August 26.

The SBA low-interest loans might be available to businesses of all sizes, certain nonprofit organizations and homeowners and renters for losses not fully compensated by insurance or other resources.

For more information on Oklahoma disaster recovery, click http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4222  or visit the OEM site at www.oem.ok.gov.