President Orders Disaster Aid for Wyo. Tornado Victims

The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced Monday that President Bush has ordered federal disaster aid for Wyoming to help meet the recovery needs of tornado victims in Campbell County.

Michael Brown, under secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response, said the President took the action under a major disaster declaration issued following a review of FEMA’s analysis of the state’s request for federal assistance. The declaration covers damage to private property from the tornado that struck the area on Aug. 12.

After the declaration, Brown designated Campbell County eligible for federal aid to stricken residents that can include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses. Low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration also will be available to cover residential and business losses not fully compensated by insurance.

In addition, Brown said federal funding will be available to the state on a cost-shared basis for approved projects that reduce future disaster risks. He indicated that additional designations may be made later if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

Michael Karl of FEMA was named by Brown to coordinate federal recovery operations. Karl said that affected residents and business owners in Campbell County can begin the disaster application process by registering online at http://www.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will be available starting tomorrow from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.(eastern time) Monday through Friday until further notice.