Ohio Disaster Recovery Assistance Approaches $7M

Nearly $7 million in grants and loans have been approved for disaster assistance in Ohio since the presidential declaration of Feb. 15, according to figures released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Ohio Emergency Management Agency (Ohio EMA). The presidential declaration covers the period of Dec. 22, 2004 through Feb. 1, 2005. The deadline for applications for disaster assistance is April 18, 2005.

The following is an update of recovery activities as of close of business Tuesday, April 5:

* 8,572 individuals from the 32 declared counties have applied for assistance.
* 4,653 claims have been approved for the Individuals and Households Program totaling $6,585,028 in grants.
* 961 people have visited one of the 12 Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs)/SBA Disaster Outreach Centers (DOCs) that were temporarily opened in various locations to help meet the needs of disaster victims.
* $372,100 in loans have been approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Individuals, families and business owners who suffered losses in the declared counties should apply for assistance by calling FEMA’S toll-free number, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362.) The special number for those with hearing or speech impairment is TTY 1 800 462-7585. These numbers are available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, until further notice.

Individuals may check on the status of their application, update their current information, or request general assistance information by calling those same numbers. People can also register for assistance online at www.fema.gov.