More Than $2 Million Approved for 2013 Flood Survivors

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Less than a month after federal disaster aid was made available to the State of Alaska, more than $1 million in awards and more than $1 million in loans have been approved for households and businesses to help them recover from losses caused by the flooding of the Yukon River that occurred between May 17 and June 11, 2013, disaster officials announced today.

“It’s important to note that awards are a form of financial disaster-aid that does not have to be repaid,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Dolph Diemont of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), he pointed out, provide amounts needed for extensive repairs and rebuilding.

Assistance made available as of July 21, 2013, includes:

• $1,033,234 in FEMA awards disbursed to individuals and households.

• $422,373 for housing assistance.
• $610,860 for other needs.

• $1,029,500 in low-interest disaster loans approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration for homeowners, renters and businesses.
• 285 housing inspections completed.
• 289 visits to Disaster Recovery Centers.
• 170 face-to-face meetings with survivors have been conducted by FEMA’s Individual Assistance Task Force in the cities of Emmonak, Alakanuk, Fort Yukon, Hughes, Circle, Eagle, and Tok as well as at the Willow House in Fairbanks.

The funds for individuals and households are made available to people found to be eligible for assistance in the Regional Educational Attendance Areas (REAAs) of Alaska Gateway, Lower Yukon, Yukon Flats, and Yukon-Koyukuk.

“While state, federal, and voluntary organizations continue to respond to the serious needs of people and communities who suffered losses as a result of the flooding, we strongly urge everyone who suffered losses in those REAAs to register for help with FEMA,” said State Coordinating Officer Bryan Fisher.

Those with flooding losses in the eligible REAAs can register by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or online at DisasterAssistance.gov. Registration by mobile device is also available at www.m.fema.gov. Those with a speech disability or hearing loss who use TTY can call 800-462-7585 (TTY).  Multilingual registration can be done by phone.

Applicants can apply for an SBA disaster loan online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure Web site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. 

Residents and business owners can obtain information on SBA disaster loans by calling SBA’s Customer Service Center toll-free at (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or visiting SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.  Individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can call (800) 877-8339.

Those affected can register in person at one of the two Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) that have been set up to assist individuals, households and businesses affected by the spring floods:

• In Galena at the Galena Interior Learning Academy, 359 Challenger Road,
• In Fairbanks at 751 Old Richardson Hwy., Suite 202.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, at both DRCs.

If you intend to register at one of the DRCs, please bring:

• Your Social Security number
• Current and pre-disaster address
• Block and lot number
• A telephone number where you can be contacted
• Insurance information
• Total household annual income

Staff at the DRCs can review and update applicant information and address individual questions and concerns.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses and private, nonprofit organizations to cover costs of repair or replacement of damaged real estate, personal property, and business assets not covered by insurance or other aid. SBA offers disaster loans to cover working capital disaster needs caused by disaster for small businesses only and most private, nonprofit organizations,

There are three ways to apply for an SBA disaster loan:  After registering with FEMA, go online to SBA’s secure site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela; call 1-800-659-2955 (deaf and hard-of-hearing call 1-800-877-8339); or, visit the Disaster Recovery Center for one-on-one service. For more information on SBA disaster assistance, go to www.sba.gov.