Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Caldwell County for Texans

AUSTIN, Texas – A State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is now open in Caldwell County for homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage as a result of the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding from Oct. 22 to Oct. 31.

Specialists from the State of Texas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), nongovernmental organizations and the local community are on hand to answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available to survivors.

All Disaster Recovery Centers are accessible and equipped to accommodate disaster survivors who need disability-related communication aids.

The DRC’s location and normal operating hours are as follows:

Allen Bates River Park
Intersection of FM 1979 and Fannin Street
Martindale, TX 78655
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday – Friday
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday
Closed Sunday
Closed Dec. 23 to Dec. 27 for the Holiday

Disaster survivors who have questions may call the FEMA Helpline.

Visiting a DRC is not required to register for FEMA assistance. Survivors can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. (TTY users should call 800-462-7585.) The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week except Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. 

If possible, register for FEMA assistance by phone or online before visiting a center. Going to a DRC is not a requirement of registration, but specialists there can provide guidance regarding disaster recovery and rental resources, explain written correspondence received from FEMA, inform survivors of the status of their application, make referrals to other organizations and answer questions.

When registering applicants will be asked to provide:

  • Social Security number
  • Address of the damaged primary residence
  • Description of the damage
  • Information about insurance coverage
  • A current contact telephone number
  • An address where they can receive mail
  • Bank account and routing numbers for those preferring direct deposit of funds

The presidential disaster declaration of Nov. 25 makes federal assistance available to eligible individuals and business owners in 16 counties: Bastrop, Brazoria, Caldwell, Cameron, Comal, Galveston, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Hays, Hidalgo, Liberty, Navarro, Travis, Willacy and Wilson.

Assistance for eligible survivors can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and for other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses or funeral and burial costs. Also, low-interest disaster loans from the SBA are available for Businesses of all sizes (including landlords), private nonprofits, homeowners and renters.

Low-interest disaster loans help fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. Economic Injury disaster loans are available to businesses and private-nonprofits to assist with working capital needs as a direct result of the disaster.

Eligible survivors should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but under-insured applicants may receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.

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All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. 

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

Visit www.fema.gov/texas-disaster-mitigation for publications and reference material on rebuilding and repairing safer and stronger.

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Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Caldwell County for Texans

Texas Disaster Recovery Centers to Close for Holiday; Phone Lines Remain Open

AUSTIN, Texas – State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in seven Texas counties will be closed Dec. 23 to Dec. 27 for the holiday. Disaster survivors who have questions may call the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Helpline (800-621-3362), which will remain open throughout the holiday.

Visiting a DRC is not required to register for FEMA assistance. Survivors can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. (TTY users should call 800-462-7585.) The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. 

These eight DRCs are affected by the holiday closure:

Travis County

Elroy Community Library

13512 FM812

Del Valle, TX 78617

 

Dove Spring Recreation Center

5801 Ainez Drive

Austin, TX 78744

 

Bastrop County

Church of Christ

287 FM 20

Bastrop, TX 78602

 

Harris County

Denver Harbor

Multi-Service Center

6402 Market St.

Houston, TX 77020

 

Hays County

Hays County Government Center

712 S. Stagecoach Trail

San Marcos, TX 78666

 

Hidalgo County

Porter P. Doss Memorial Library

515 South Kansas Ave.

Weslaco, TX 78596

 

Navarro County

Navarro Center Mall

800 N. Main St.

Corsicana, TX 75110

 

Willacy County

Willacy County EMS

693 South 7th Street

Raymondville, TX 78580

Specialists from the State of Texas, FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), nongovernmental organizations and the local community are available at DRCs to answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available to homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage as a result of the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding from Oct. 22 to Oct. 31.

Local, state and federal officials monitor visits to the DRCs as a measure of recovery. A decrease in visitors to a center is one indicator that disaster survivors are making significant progress and the DRC is no longer needed. Officials will use the break to determine any need for changes in hours and locations. 

For more information on Texas recovery, visit the disaster web page at www.fema.gov/disaster/4245, Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the Texas Division of Emergency Management website, https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem.

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All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. 

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

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Texas Disaster Recovery Centers to Close for Holiday; Phone Lines Remain Open

Federal Low-Interest Disaster Loans Offered to Texas Storm Survivors

AUSTIN, Texas – Most Texans who have registered for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), following the October severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding, will receive an automated phone call from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

FEMA grants may not cover all damage or property loss. Private insurance and low-interest loans from the SBA are major sources of additional funding for disaster recovery.

The recorded message gives instructions on how to request an application for a low-interest disaster loan. Loans are available to help disaster survivors – including businesses, private non-profits, homeowners and renters with recovery efforts – in their recovery efforts.

Businesses of all sizes and nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

SBA also offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available to businesses regardless of any property damage.

Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.

SBA provides one-on-one assistance to disaster loan applicants at any of the Disaster Recovery Centers in the affected area. Additional information is available online at sba.gov/disaster or by calling SBA Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955. Deaf and hard-of-hearing persons may call 800-877-8339.

To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, SBA encourages survivors to first register with FEMA online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. TTY users should call 800-462-7585. The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

The presidential disaster declaration of Nov. 25 makes federal assistance available to eligible individuals and business owners in 16 counties: Bastrop, Brazoria, Caldwell, Cameron, Comal, Galveston, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Hays, Hidalgo, Liberty, Navarro, Travis, Willacy and Wilson.

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Federal Low-Interest Disaster Loans Offered to Texas Storm Survivors

Holly Hill Disaster Recovery Center Transitions to Disaster Loan Outreach Center

COLUMBIA, S.C.  – The Holly Hill disaster recovery center will transition to a disaster loan outreach center beginning Monday, Dec. 14 to accommodate the needs of South Carolina flood survivors.

Representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration will be available to meet with homeowners, renters and business owners who had disaster-related damage to answer questions, explain SBA’s disaster loan program, help them complete their applications and close approved disaster loans.

The center is located at:

  • Holly Hill Government Building, Suite B at 8423 Old State Road in Holly Hill

The center is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Survivors with questions about an SBA disaster loan application can also call the SBA Disaster Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339 or email DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov.

Many services available at disaster recovery centers are also available by calling the FEMA helpline. Applicants can get help by calling 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585; those who use 711/VRS can call 800-621-3362. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

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Holly Hill Disaster Recovery Center Transitions to Disaster Loan Outreach Center

Texas Receives Federal Disaster Declaration; Texans Urged to Apply for Disaster Aid

Texas Receives Federal Disaster Declaration; Texans Urged to Apply for Disaster Aid

DENTON, Texas – Texans affected by the recent severe storms should register now with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

President Barack Obama issued a major disaster declaration Nov. 25 for 15 Texas counties. It makes federal Individual Assistance available to eligible families, individuals, renters and business owners in Bastrop, Brazoria, Caldwell, Comal, Galveston, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Hays, Hidalgo, Liberty, Navarro, Travis, Willacy and Wilson counties.  

People in these 15 counties who had damage from the Oct. 22-31 storms can register for FEMA assistance three ways:

  • Online, or via smartphone or web-enabled device, at www.DisasterAssistance.gov;

  • By calling 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. The registration hotline will be open on Thanksgiving Day.

Assistance for eligible survivors can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and for other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses or funeral and burial costs. Long-term, low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) also may be available to cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

Eligible survivors should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but under-insured applicants may receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.

Registering with FEMA is required for federal aid, even if the person has registered with another disaster-relief organization such as the American Red Cross, or local community or church organization. FEMA registrants must use the name that appears on their Social Security card. Applicants will be asked to provide:

  • Social Security number

  • Address of the damaged home or apartment

  • Description of the damage

  • Information about insurance coverage

  • A current contact telephone number

  • An address where they can get mail

  • Bank account and routing numbers if they want direct deposit of any financial assistance.

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Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status.  If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.  Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800)877-8339.

 

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Source: 

Texas Receives Federal Disaster Declaration; Texans Urged to Apply for Disaster Aid

Survivors Urged to Stay in Touch with FEMA

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The deadline for Calaveras and Lake county wildfire survivors to register with FEMA has passed, but various forms of disaster assistance remain available. Survivors who registered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency are urged to stay in touch with the agency.

“Even though the DRCs are closed, FEMA remains in California to work with the state and local governments to provide assistance with recovery,” said Tim Scranton, Federal Coordinating Official for this disaster. “FEMA will remain as long as needed.”

Charles Rabamad, the Deputy State Coordinating Officer added: “Recovery is ongoing, all this work could not be done without our federal, state and local partnerships. Cal OES continues to support and assist these communities in the rebuilding and redeveloping efforts.”

Applicants can track their claims and should notify FEMA of changes to their mailing addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and if they receive insurance settlements or discover additional damages.

How to reach FEMA:

  • Go online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or www.fema.gov
  • Dial the FEMA Helpline 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585
  • For those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services, call 800-621-3362
  • The toll-free numbers are operated from 6 a.m. to midnight daily

Survivors Advised to Stay in Touch with FEMA

  • Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages.

Although the Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) are closed, the U.S. Small Business Administration will operate Disaster Loan Outreach Centers (DLOCs) at the DRC sites in San Andreas and Middletown. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

At the DLOCs disaster loan applications, started before Nov. 23, can be finalized. The two facilities will remain open until further notice.

For more information, contact the SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@SBA.gov or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339. DLOCs will be closed from Thanksgiving Day through the weekend, reopening Monday, Nov. 30.

Other services available to survivors include:

  • Crisis Counseling is a service provided through your county Mental Health Department. Services, for children and adults, help survivors deal with the emotional affects of going through a crisis. Call the Calaveras County Mental Health Crisis Hotline: 800-499-3030 (main office number 209-754-6525). The Lake County Mental Health Crisis Hotline is 800-900-2075.
  • Legal Services is provided to survivors for free through the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association. Legal advice is limited to cases that will not produce a fee including assistance with insurance claims, advice on landlord/tenant problems, home repair contracts and contractors, mortgage-foreclosure problems, assisting in consumer protection matters, remedies and procedures and replacement of wills and other important

legal documents. Survivors unable to pay for legal services may call 800-657-0479 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Monday through Friday. For TTY: call 711.

For more information on California’s wildfire recovery, visit: caloes.ca.gov or fema.gov/disaster/4240 and follow us on Twitter @femaregion9 and @Cal_OES and on Facebook at facebook.com/FEMA and facebook.com/CaliforniaOES.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been

Survivors Urged to Stay in Touch with FEMA

discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an                 

SBA loan. However, applicants who are referred to SBA for a disaster loan must apply to be eligible for additional FEMA assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

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Survivors Urged to Stay in Touch with FEMA

FEMA Reminds Survivors: One Call Gets You In

COLUMBIA, S.C. –Survivors of South Carolina flooding Oct. 1-23 can get help with one phone call.

Call the Federal Emergency Management Agency helpline at 800-621-3362 for information about many federal disaster assistance-related matters. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Survivors who use TTY may call 800-462-7585; those who use 711/VRS can call 800-621-3362. They can also visit www.disasterassistance.gov.

During the holiday period, FEMA encourages residents to assist South Carolina recovery by passing along to those affected by storms and flooding the various ways the helpline can assist them. They can:

  • Register for federal disaster assistance by the Friday, Dec. 4 deadline. FEMA allows one registration per household. Households should register only once.

  • Ask questions about FEMA decision letters.

  • Learn how to appeal FEMA decision letters. All applicants may appeal.

  • Inquire about the status of a registration.

  • Provide change of address, telephone and bank account numbers and insurance information to avoid disaster assistance processing delays.

  • Receive information about FEMA home inspections.

  • Get questions answered about federal disaster assistance and the application process.

Applicants should have their nine-digit FEMA registration number available if they want to discuss their application.

Survivors should have the following information before registering:

  • Date of loss

  • Social Security number

  • Current mailing address and damaged home address, including Zip Codes

  • Telephone numbers

  • Names of household members at the time of the disaster

  • Insurance information

  • Total gross income for the household

  • Bank account numbers if they want to have money deposited directly if eligible

  • Loss descriptions

For the latest information on South Carolina flood recovery operations, visit scemd.org and fema.gov/disaster/4241.

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FEMA Reminds Survivors: One Call Gets You In

Sumter Disaster Recovery Center Reopens at New Location on Tuesday

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The disaster recovery center formerly at the Sumter County Civic Center will reopen at the following location at 8 am. Tuesday, Nov. 24:

  • Central Carolina Technical College building located at 853 Broad St. in Sumter

The center will be open six days a week Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. until further notice. The center will be closed Thanksgiving Day.                                                                                                                

Representatives from the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Small Business Administration and other agencies will be at the center to explain disaster assistance programs and help survivors apply for aid.

If possible, before going to a disaster recovery center, people with flooding losses should register with FEMA.  They can go online to DisasterAssistance.gov or call 800-621-3362. Help is available in most languages, and lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week until further notice.

Disaster assistance applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing should call 800-462-7585 (TTY). For Video Relay Service or accommodations to visit a center, call 800-621-3362.

Federal disaster assistance for individuals and families can include money for temporary rental assistance and essential home repairs for primary residences not covered by insurance.

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Sumter Disaster Recovery Center Reopens at New Location on Tuesday

Last day to register with FEMA and apply for SBA disaster loans

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Today is the last day that wildfire survivors in Calaveras and Lake counties can register to receive housing or other needs assistance grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and apply for disaster recovery loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Wildfire survivor registration for FEMA assistance will be accepted until midnight tonight online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362; TTY 800-462-7585; 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

Registration in person with a FEMA Individual Assistance expert is available today until 6 p.m. at any of the three Disaster Recovery Centers:

 

Calaveras County:   

The Calaveras County Disaster Recovery Center in San Andreas

891 Mountain Ranch Rd., San Andreas, CA 95249

 

Lake County:            

The Lake County Disaster Recovery Center in Clearlake

14860 Olympic Dr., Clearlake, CA 95422

 

The Lake County Disaster Recovery Center in Middletown

 21256 Washington St., Middletown, CA 95461

 

Beginning at 9 a.m. tomorrow, the San Andreas site in Calaveras County and the Middletown facility in Lake County will transition to SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Centers (DLOCs) to assist homeowners, renters, businesses and private nonprofits.  Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. DLOCS will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 26, and Friday, Nov 27. The DLOCS will reopen on Monday, Nov. 30, and be open until further notice.

Last day to register with FEMA and apply for SBA disaster loans

In addition, business owners and residents may contact the SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@SBA.gov or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

The Lake County Disaster Recovery Center in Clearlake will close permanently after today.

For more information on California’s wildfire recovery, visit: caloes.ca.gov or fema.gov/disaster/4240 and follow us on Twitter @femaregion9 and @Cal_OES and on Facebook at Facebook.com/FEMA and Facebook.com/CaliforniaOES.

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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who are referred to SBA for a disaster loan must apply to be eligible for additional FEMA assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

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Last day to register with FEMA and apply for SBA disaster loans

FEMA Grants to Help Washington Communities Recover Costs from August Windstorm

CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – As Washington responders pick up the pieces from the latest round of severe weather, specialists from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Washington State Emergency Management Division (EMD) are working with local and tribal officials to help communities recover from last summer’s severe wind event.

The presidential disaster declaration and the subsequent amendment stemming from the August 29 windstorm make FEMA Public Assistance (PA) grants available to eligible applicants in Clallam, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, Snohomish and Whatcom counties.

The PA program reimburses state and local governments, federally recognized tribes and certain private nonprofit organizations for eligible expenses they incurred in protecting lives and property ahead of the storm and in any subsequent cleaning up and needed repairs.

“Washington’s responders made enormous efforts to protect our citizens and get power lines fixed and debris removed during and after the August windstorm,” said State Coordinating Officer Kurt Hardin of EMD.  “FEMA grants will go a long way toward reimbursing applicants for much of their expenses.”

To date, 31 potential applicants have filed a Request for Public Assistance (RPA) to initiate a disaster claim under the Oct. 15 disaster declaration.

Since the declaration, the EMD, with FEMA support, has held a series of briefings for potential applicants to provide a general overview of the grant program, outline program deadlines and answer any questions.

Also taking place are initial meetings among applicants and project officers from EMD and FEMA to discuss which types of emergency expenses and projects are federally reimbursable. They also discuss the process of rebuilding structures to resist damage in the future. These meetings are an important step in getting assistance dollars back into the communities.

“By helping state, local and tribal governments, and looking for ways to reduce future damages, the Public Assistance program has an impact on every person who lives in those communities,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Thomas Dargan of FEMA.

Under the PA program, FEMA reimburses qualifying applicants for 75 percent of their eligible expenses, while the other 25 percent is the nonfederal share. The federal portion is paid directly to the state, which then makes disbursements to the local and tribal jurisdictions and other entities that incurred costs directly related to the disaster.

More information about the PA program is available at www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit and on the Washington EMD website at http://mil.wa.gov/emergency-management-division/.

Additional information regarding the federal response to the windstorm disaster, including funds obligated, is available at www.fema.gov/disaster/4242.

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FEMA Grants to Help Washington Communities Recover Costs from August Windstorm

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