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FEMA provides federal funds to help fight Gold Canyon Fire

SEATTLE – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Gold Canyon Fire burning in Josephine County, Oregon.

FEMA Region X Regional Administrator, Kenneth D. Murphy determined that the fire threatened such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. Murphy approved the state of Oregon’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) at 11:17 p.m. PDT on August 30, 2016.

The fire started on August 30, 2016, and had burned in excess of 120 acres of state and private land. At the time of the request, the fire was threatening 105 primary residences in and around the communities of Selma. Level 3 evacuations were issued for approximately 660 people. At the time of the authorization, the fire was zero percent contained.

The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of the state of Oregon’s eligible firefighting costs for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires. These grants provide reimbursement for firefighting and life-saving efforts. They do not provide assistance to individuals, homeowners or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.

Fire Management Assistance Grants are provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies.

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FEMA provides federal funds to help fight Gold Canyon Fire

FEMA provides federal funds to help fight Suncrest Fire

SEATTLE – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Suncrest Fire burning in Chelan County, Washington.

FEMA Region X Regional Administrator, Kenneth D. Murphy determined that the fire threatened such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. Murphy approved the state of Washington’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) at 9:19 p.m. PDT on August 27, 2016.

The fire started on August 27, 2016, and had burned in excess of 400 acres of state and private land. At the time of the request, the fire was threatening 470 primary residences in and around the Suncrest area of the city of Leavenworth. Voluntary evacuations were issued for approximately 1,880 people. There are six other large fires burning uncontrolled within the state. At the time of the authorization, the fire was zero percent contained.

The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of the state of Washington’s eligible firefighting costs for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires. These grants provide reimbursement for firefighting and life-saving efforts. They do not provide assistance to individuals, homeowners or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.

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FEMA provides federal funds to help fight Suncrest Fire

FEMA provides federal funds to help fight Henry’s Creek Fire

SEATTLE – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Henry’s Creek Fire burning in Bonneville County, Idaho.

FEMA Region X Regional Administrator, Kenneth D. Murphy determined that the fire threatened such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. Murphy approved the state of Washington’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) at 10:10 p.m. PDT on August 24, 2016.

The fire started on August 21, 2016, and had burned in excess of 57,000 acres of federal, state and private land. At the time of the request, the fire was threatening 785 homes in and around the cities of Irwin, Swan Valley and the commuty of Palisades, total population 2,000. Approximately 471 of the threatened homes are primary residences and 314 are secondary homes. The fire was also threatening the Blacktail Recreational Area, BP Energy lines, the Palisades Dam, and the Yellowstone Trout Habitat in the area. Voluntary evacuations were issued for approximately 120 people. There are seven other large fires burning uncontrolled within the state. At the time of the authorization, the fire was ten percent contained.

The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of the state of Idaho’s eligible firefighting costs for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires. These grants provide reimbursement for firefighting and life-saving efforts. They do not provide assistance to individuals, homeowners or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.

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FEMA provides federal funds to help fight Henry’s Creek Fire

Federal Aid to Rebuild Infrastructure Following Three Texas Disasters Nears Quarter Billion Dollars

AUSTIN, Texas—Three major disaster declarations affecting dozens of Texas counties—some on multiple occasions—will result in nearly one quarter-billion dollars in federal assistance to repair or replace damaged infrastructure.

FEMA said today that combined federal aid for severe weather disasters in May-June 2015; October 2015, and January 2016 will help fund recovery efforts for 3,087 individual projects among 569 applicants for Public Assistance.

Public Assistance is an element of FEMA’s disaster response that benefits everyone—neighborhoods, cities and states, as well as certain private nonprofit organizations—by reimbursing eligible work on damaged publicly-owned infrastructure.

PA dollars:

clean up the community and repair bridges
put water systems and utilities back in order
repair hospitals and emergency services
rebuild libraries and replace damaged books
rebuild schools and universities and
restore damaged public parks so families can enjoy them again.

FEMA provides a minimum of 75 percent of the cost to repair or replace disaster-damaged infrastructure.

PA projects are developed and approved by local, state, and federal officials and work is continuing on many. Payments are usually made on a reimbursement basis.

Public Assistance funding applicants can include:

state agencies
local and county governments
private nonprofit organizations that own or operate facilities that provide essential government-type services

Recovery work also continues on disasters resulting from storms this year in March, April and May-June.

Summary of Public Assistance to Three Texas Disasters

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds and Flooding	Counties	Applicants	Projects	Federal Share*
May-June 2015	110	381	2,265	$175.9 million
October, 2015	57	85	486	$40.1 million
January, 2016	51	103	336	$32.5 million
TOTALS	178	569	3,087	$248.5 million

*Current estimate

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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.

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Federal Aid to Rebuild Infrastructure Following Three Texas Disasters Nears Quarter Billion Dollars

Federal assistance hits $72 million for West Virginia flood survivors

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – Seventy-two million dollars in federal disaster assistance have been approved to date for survivors of the June 22-29 severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides. The aid comes to West Virginia as a result of the major disaster declaration signed by President Obama on June 25.

The money has come to survivors in the form of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants to individuals and households; FEMA public assistance grants to local governments and nonprofit organizations; low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and claims paid by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Nearly five weeks into the recovery, FEMA has approved nearly $29.8 million in housing assistance, more than $5.4 million in other needs assistance and $1.43 million in public assistance. In addition, the SBA approved 426 low-interest disaster loans totaling more than $27.9 million, and 939 NFIP claims have been filed totaling more than $7.5 million in payouts.

A total of 8,034 households and businesses have applied to FEMA for disaster assistance. Individual disaster assistance grants for homeowners, renters and businesses affected are available to residents of 12 counties: Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Roane, Summers, and Webster.

Disaster assistance for individuals may include grants to help homeowners and renters with temporary housing, essential home repairs, personal property replacement, and serious disaster-related needs. Disaster assistance grants from FEMA are not taxable income and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicare and other federal and state programs. Grants do not have to be repaid to the federal government.

Public assistance grants are available in Braxton, Gilmer, Lewis, Randolph, Upshur and Wayne counties and are also available in the 12 individual assistance counties. FEMA Public Assistance Grants provide funding to state, tribal and local governments, and certain types of private, nonprofit organizations. These monies help communities quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies declared by the president.

FEMA-contracted housing inspectors have completed nearly 6,400 inspections of disaster-damaged properties to verify damage.

Registering with FEMA is the first step in qualifying for disaster assistance. Aug. 24 is the last day for survivors to file an application. FEMA encourages all survivors who sustained disaster-related damage or losses to apply by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362 (TTY users should call 800-462-7585) or online at DisasterAssistance.gov . The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

In support of the State of West Virginia, 89 Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) personnel have been canvassing storm-damaged neighborhoods. In the first 30 days of recovery operations, DSA workers visited 15,720 homes in severely storm-damaged neighborhoods. They are equipped to register survivors with FEMA and answer their questions about disaster assistance.

The State and FEMA operate Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in Clay, Greenbrier, Kanawha, Monroe, Nicholas and Webster counties. The centers report 6,506 visitors to date. DRCs are open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Sundays. An easy-to-use DRC Locator is available at http://asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm

The SBA, one of FEMA’s partners in disaster recovery, offers low-interest disaster loans to businesses, homeowners and renters. SBA disaster loans may cover repairs, rebuilding, as well as the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged real estate and personal property. SBA has staff on hand at all FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) to assist survivors, one-on-one.

For more information about SBA loans, call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit http://www.sba.gov/disaster. TTY users may call 800-877-8339. Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. The deadline to file an SBA physical disaster loan application is Aug. 24.

If your SBA loan application is approved, you may be eligible for additional funds to cover the cost of improvements that will protect your property against future damage. Examples of improvements can include something as simple as elevating to the first floor utilities, water heaters and furnaces, sump pumps, etc. Mitigation loan money would be in addition to the amount of the approved loan, but may not exceed 20 percent of total amount of physical damage to real property to a maximum of $200,000 for home loans.

In addition, the SBA operates three Business Recovery Centers (BRCs) to enable storm-impacted businesses to meet individually with SBA representatives and find out how a low-interest disaster loan can help them recover.

The BRCs are located at:

Greenbrier County

Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corp.

804 Industrial Park, Suite 5

Maxwelton, WV 24957

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Kanawha County

Charleston Area Alliance

1116 Smith Street

Charleston, WV 25301

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Nicholas County

Summersville Village Hall

Conference Room

400 N. Broad Street

Summersville, WV 26651

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Other help available to individuals:

For those who lost work as a result of the storms, Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available. New claims for DUA must be filed within 30 days of the date of the announcement of availability of DUA. For more information, visit WorkForce West Virginia at workforcewv.org.
In conjunction with FEMA, WorkForce West Virginia is advertising open temporary positions in Kanawha, Greenbrier and Raleigh Counties. Interested “local hire” applicants may complete an enrollment form at workforcewv.org.
Free disaster legal assistance is available to storm survivors. This service offers counseling on insurance claims, landlord-tenant issues, home-repair contracts, and the replacement of legal and other legal matters. Call the toll-free hotline 877-331-4259.

Survivors may be eligible for Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (D-SNAP) benefits through the Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. D-SNAP benefits can be used to buy food, but cannot be used for alcoholic beverages, tobacco or non-food items. Storm survivors can apply for these benefits from July 25 through July 31. More information is available at www.dhhr.wv.gov

Federal assistance hits $72 million for West Virginia flood survivors

Storm survivors OK’d for more than $46.4 million in federal aid

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – Disaster assistance grants approved for homeowners and renters affected by June 22-29 severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides, has reached more than $46.4 million, less than a month after President Obama issued a major disaster declaration for West Virginia.

That total includes Federal Emergency Management (FEMA) grants of nearly $27.5 million in housing assistance, more than $5 million in other needs assistance and $924,000 in public assistance. In addition, more than $13 million in low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) have been provided to West Virginians.

Nearly 7,600 households and businesses have registered with the FEMA to date. Disaster assistance for individuals may include grants to help homeowners and renters pay for temporary housing, essential home repairs, personal property replacement, and serious disaster-related needs.

FEMA Public Assistance Grants provide funding to state, tribal, and local governments, and certain types of private, non-profit organizations. These monies help communities quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies declared by the president.

The SBA, one of FEMA’s partners in disaster recovery, approved 200 low-interest disaster loans to businesses, homeowners and renters. SBA disaster loans may cover repairs, rebuilding, as well as the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged real estate and personal property. SBA has staff on hand at all FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) to assist survivors, one-on-one.

The BRCs are located at:

Greenbrier County

Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corp.

804 Industrial Park, Suite 5

Maxwelton, WV 24957

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Kanawha County

Charleston Area Alliance

1116 Smith St.

Charleston, WV 25301

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Nicholas County
Summersville Village Hall
Conference Room
400 N. Broad St.
Summersville, WV 26651

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Federal disaster assistance for homeowners, renters and businesses is now available to residents of 12 counties: Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Roane, Summers, and Webster.

FEMA-contracted housing inspectors have completed nearly 6,000 inspections of disaster-damaged properties to verify damage. Currently, there are 17 inspectors in the field.

FEMA encourages all survivors who sustained disaster-related damage or losses to 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. Multilingual operators are available.

In support of the State of West Virginia, FEMA has deployed 144 Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) personnel to canvass storm-damaged neighborhoods. To date, 15 teams of DSA workers have visited 12,325 homes in severely storm-damaged neighborhoods. They are equipped to register survivors with FEMA and answer their questions about disaster assistance.

The State and FEMA operate Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in the affected areas. The centers report 5,017 visitors to date. DRCs are open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Sundays. An easy-to-use DRC Locator is available at http://asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm

Other help available to individuals:

For those who lost work as a result of the storms, Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available. New claims for DUA must be filed within 30 days of the date of the announcement of availability of DUA, according to the following schedule:
July 27, 2016: Greenbrier, Kanawha and Nicholas Counties.
July 29, 2016: Clay, Fayette, Monroe, Pocahontas, Roane, Summers and Webster Counties.
August 4, 2016: Jackson and Lincoln Counties.

For more information, visit Work Force West Virginia at workforcewv.org

Free disaster legal assistance is available to West Virginia storm survivors. This service offers counseling on insurance claims, landlord-tenant issues, home-repair contracts, the replacement of legal documents destroyed by the storm and other legal matters. Call the toll-free hotline 877-331-4279.
Survivors may be eligible for Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (D-SNAP) benefits through the Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. D-SNAP benefits can be used to buy food, but cannot be used for alcoholic beverages, tobacco or non-food items. Storm survivors can apply for these benefits from July 25 through 31. More information is available at www.dhhr.wv.gov

Disaster assistance grants from FEMA are not taxable income and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicare and other federal and state programs. Disaster grants are just that – grants that do not have to be paid back to the government.

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Storm survivors OK’d for more than $46.4 million in federal aid

Disaster Assistance tops $28 million for West Virginia storm survivors

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – Disaster assistance grants approved for homeowners and renters affected by last month’s severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides, has reached more than $28 million, less than three weeks after President Obama issued a major disaster declaration for West Virginia.

That total includes more than $24.2 million in housing assistance and more than $4.3 million in other needs assistance. More than 6,900 households and businesses have registered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to date. Disaster assistance may include grants to help homeowners and renters pay for temporary housing, essential home repairs, personal property replacement, and serious disaster-related needs.

During the same period, one of FEMA’s partners in disaster recovery, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) approved 55 low-interest disaster loans to businesses, homeowners and renters, totaling just over $3 million. SBA disaster loans may cover repairs, rebuilding, as well as the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged real estate and personal property.

Federal disaster assistance is now available to residents of 12 counties: Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Roane, Summers, and Webster. FEMA-contracted housing inspectors have completed more than 5,400 inspections of disaster-damaged properties to verify damage. There are currently 32 inspectors in the field.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) encourages all survivors who sustained disaster-related damage or losses to 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. Multilingual operators are available.

In support of the State of West Virginia, FEMA has deployed 15 teams of Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) personnel to canvass storm-damaged neighborhoods. DSA workers are equipped to register survivors with FEMA and answer their questions about disaster assistance.

The State and FEMA have opened 14 Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) and one Mobile Disaster Recovery Center (MDRC) in the affected area. The centers report 3,319 visitors to date. DRCs currently are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week.

Other help available to individuals:

An easy-to-use DRC Locator is available at http://asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm
For those who lost work as a result of the storms, Disaster Unemployment Assistance is available. For more information, visit Work Force West Virginia at workforcewv.org
Free disaster legal assistance is available to West Virginia storm survivors. This service offers counseling on insurance claims, landlord-tenant issues, home-repair contracts, the replacement of legal documents destroyed by the storm and other legal matters. Call the toll-free hotline 877-331-4279.

Disaster assistance grants from FEMA are not taxable income and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid, welfare assistance, food stamps and several other programs. Disaster grants are just that—grants that do not have to be paid back to the government.

Additional information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery can be found by visiting fema.gov/disaster/4273, twitter.com/femaregion3, twitter.com/FEMA, facebook.com/FEMA, fema.gov/blog and the flood information pages at http://wvflood.com/Pages/default.aspx

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Disaster Assistance tops $28 million for West Virginia storm survivors

FEMA Urges You to Spend Disaster Funds Wisely

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – More than $23.5 million in federal assistance has been approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help West Virginians recover from the devastating severe storms, floods, landslides and mudslides that struck the state during the incident period of June 22-29, 2016. While assistance is tax-free and grants don’t have to be repaid, FEMA urges you to use the funds quickly, wisely and only for disaster-related expenses.

When a grant is awarded, FEMA will send you a letter listing approved uses including:

home repairs (e.g., structure, water, septic and sewage systems)
rental assistance for a different place to live temporarily
repair or replacement of a flooded essential vehicle
medical care for an injury caused by the disaster
repair, cleaning or replacement of clothing, specialized tools
necessary educational materials (e.g., computers, school books, supplies)
moving and storage expenses related to the disaster
other disaster-related expenses

You may spend your FEMA grant in any way that helps you achieve the goal of permanent, safe, sanitary and functional housing.

Rental assistance grants are provided for temporary housing when a disaster leaves your home uninhabitable or inaccessible.
You, as a homeowner or renter, can choose to rent an apartment, house, mobile home or some other temporary rental unit.
If you intend to seek continued rental assistance, you’ll need receipts to show you used the grant for rent.

Disaster grants should not be used for regular living expenses, such as utilities, food, medical or dental bills not related to the disaster, travel, entertainment or any discretionary expense not related to the disaster.

It’s important to remember that federal law prohibits duplicating federal grants from other sources, i.e., “double-dipping.” FEMA also encourages you to keep your receipts for three years to show how the funds were spent. After every major disaster FEMA conducts audits of disaster assistance payments to ensure taxpayer dollars were properly provided by the agency and appropriately used by recipients.

When you get a letter from FEMA, read it carefully. If you have any questions, call the FEMA Helpline, 800-621-3362; TTY users can call 800-462-7585. You can visit one of the 11 Disaster Recovery Centers open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Sunday, weather permitting. To locate the closest center, call the Helpline or visit http://go.usa.gov/x3NnJ, or download the FEMA APP to your mobile device.

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FEMA Urges You to Spend Disaster Funds Wisely

Businesses, Nonprofits Can Seek Low-interest Disaster Loans to Aid Recovery

AUSTIN, Texas – Businesses and nonprofit organizations that sustained damage or losses from the May-June storms and floods can apply for a low-interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration to help with their recovery.

“SBA disaster loans are the major source of federal disaster recovery aid,” said Federal Coordinating Officer William J. Doran III, who is in charge of FEMA’s operations in Texas. “The interest rates are low—as low as 4 percent for businesses and 2.625 percent for nonprofits for the life of the loan.”

SBA offers two types of disaster loans to businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, aquaculture and most nonprofits, including faith-based ones: physical disaster loans and economic injury disaster loans.

Physical disaster loans are used to repair or replace damaged buildings and business assets. Economic injury disaster loans help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, aquaculture businesses and most private nonprofits meet financial obligations they cannot meet because of the disaster.

Business owners may also be eligible to refinance existing liens or mortgages.

SBA low-interest disaster loans for businesses have several advantages:

SBA requires no collateral for both physical loans or economic injury loans less than $25,000. SBA requires the borrower to pledge as collateral only what is available, plus satisfactory credit and the ability to repay.
Applicants don’t have to wait for insurance settlements to obtain loans.
Loans are written for a length of time appropriate to the type of loan, but SBA may make adjustments in the length of the loan to lower the monthly payments. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.
SBA offers mitigation loans to help pay for improvements to reduce potential for future damage. These mitigation funds are available for up to 20 percent of the total amount of disaster damage.
SBA never charges an application fee or points for its disaster loans.

By law, SBA business loans cannot exceed $2 million. If a business is a major employer, SBA may waive the limit.

The deadline to file for a physical damage disaster loan is August 10. The deadline for an economic injury disaster loan is March 11, 2017.

No one is obligated to accept a loan if approved. SBA gives applicants six months to decide whether to accept a loan.

Applicants may apply online using the electronic loan application via SBA’s secure website at DisasterLoan.sba.gov/ela.

Disaster loan information, application forms and a list of counties eligible for assistance are available online at SBA.gov/disaster, from SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or by emailing DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call 800-877-8339.

SBA representatives are also available at disaster recovery centers to provide information about disaster loans, the application process or help completing an SBA application. To find the nearest one, go online to the disaster recovery center locator at asd.fema.gov/inter/locator.

Completed applications can be mailed to:
U.S. Small Business Administration
Processing and Disbursement Center
14925 Kingsport Rd.
Fort Worth, TX 76155

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Businesses, Nonprofits Can Seek Low-interest Disaster Loans to Aid Recovery

Disaster Assistance Tops $10.4 Million for West Virginia Survivors

CHARLESTON, WV – One week after President Obama issued a major disaster declaration for West Virginia, more than $10.4 million has been approved for homeowners and renters affected by the severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides that began June 22, 2016.

That total includes more than $8.6 million in housing assistance and nearly $1.8 million in other needs assistance. More than 5,200 households and businesses have registered with FEMA to date.

Disaster assistance may include grants to help homeowners and renters pay for temporary housing, essential home repairs, personal property replacement, and serious disaster-related needs. Nearly 70 housing inspectors have completed more than 2,000 inspections of disaster-damaged properties to verify damage.

Federal disaster assistance is now available to residents of 12 counties: Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Roane, Summers, and Webster.

In support of the State of West Virginia, FEMA has deployed 12 Disaster Survivor Assistance teams to canvass shelters and visit storm-damaged homes in hard-hit areas to register people and answer their questions about disaster assistance.

Other help available to individuals:

The State and FEMA have opened five Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in hard-hit areas, with more scheduled to open soon. The centers report 934 visitors to date. DRCs

are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. The centers will be open for the July 4^th holiday.
An easy-to-use DRC Locator is available at http://asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm
For those who lost work as a result of the storms, Disaster Unemployment Assistance is available. For more information, visit Work Force West Virginia at workforcewv.org
Free disaster legal assistance is available to West Virginia storm survivors. This service offers counseling on insurance claims, landlord-tenant issues, home-repair contracts, the replacement of legal documents destroyed by the storm and other legal matters. Call the toll-free hotline (877) 331-4279.

One of FEMA’s federal partners in disaster recovery, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), offers low-interest disaster loans for businesses of all sizes, homeowners, renters and private non-profit organizations. SBA disaster loans may cover repairs, rebuilding, as well as the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged real estate and personal property.

For more information on the West Virginia recovery operation—including fact sheets about Individual Assistance, Public Assistance and Disaster Unemployment Assistance—visit the disaster web page at www.fema.gov/disaster/4273 and www.dhsem.wv.gov/Pages/WV-Flood-Information.aspx

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Disaster Assistance Tops $10.4 Million for West Virginia Survivors

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