Individual Assistance Application Deadline Extended

July 30, 2008
J. McLellan 267-2542
Emergency Management

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 7/30/08 Issuing Department: Emergency Management For more information contact: J. McLellan, Dept. of Emergency Management 608/267-2542 Application Deadline Extension Reference #073008-01 Available at: www.co.dane.wi.us Individual Assistance Application Deadline Extended The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced last night that residents (including homeowners, renters, and businesses) wishing to apply for federal assistance with damages or loses caused by storms and flooding between June 5 and July 25, 2008, have until Monday, September 15, 2008 to complete their application. “I appreciate FEMA’s willingness to give citizens more time to finish the paperwork needed to be eligible for help,” County Executive Kathleen Falk said. As of July 30, 2008, there were 677 applications from Dane County that had received awards of $469,419 in housing assistance and $20,798 in other assistance. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is encouraging all persons who were impacted to make a formal application for assistance. Federal assistance to residents includes: · Grants for emergency disaster housing and essential repairs; · Grants for necessities not covered by insurance or other sources; · Low-interest loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA); and · Unemployment benefits, disaster legal services, and crisis counseling. The new deadline to make application is September 15, 2008! If persons have questions regarding their qualification for assistance, they should make application with FEMA. Reporting damage information to local units of government is not applying for federal assistance. Completing the application is the first step in the process to access federal assistance. Applications may be made either : · Over the internet, at http://www.fema.gov/assistance, · By telephone at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or · TTY 1-800-462-7585 for people with speech or hearing disabilities, Web links to important informational resources, including FEMA’s disaster assistance web site, may be found through the Severe Weather & Flood Information link at the top of Dane County’s web page (www.countyofdane.com). ###