|
Flood aid tops $60 million
|
ATLANTA – The floodwaters have receded, but the level of state and federal disaster assistance continues rising 30 days after historic rains triggered unprecedented flooding across 17 Georgia counties.
Georgia households affected by September storms and flooding have received more than $61.5 million in disaster grants and low-interest loan approvals since the major disaster declaration Sept. 24.
More than $46.7 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster assistance grants and almost $14.8 million in low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) have been approved to aid recovery. The first disaster assistance payments following the Georgia flooding were disbursed by FEMA Sept. 25 – the day after the disaster declaration.
Despite an aggressive community outreach program, there are still people affected by the flooding who haven't applied for disaster assistance, said state and federal emergency management officials.
"There are any number of reasons why people don't register for disaster assistance," said Georgia Emergency Management Director Charley English. "Some people think if they have insurance, for instance, they don't qualify. Others think disaster aid will interfere with their Social Security or Medicare benefits. Neither is true."
More than 23,000 people have registered with FEMA either by going online at www.disasterassistance.gov or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 800-462-7585. The toll-free numbers are staffed seven days a week, 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. until further notice. Help is available in all languages.
The 17 counties under the disaster declaration for Individual Assistance are Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton, Gwinnett, Heard, Newton, Paulding, Rockdale, Stephens and Walker.
Twenty-one counties are eligible for FEMA Public Assistance, which reimburses state agencies and local governments for eligible disaster-related emergency measures and repair and replacement of damaged roads, bridges, public buildings and other infrastructure. The reimbursement is on a 75 percent federal, 25 percent state-local cost-share basis.
| |
|
|
