Only one week left to apply for FEMA disaster assistance

David Ball
The Orange Leader

January 05, 2009 11:20 pm

— It’s nearly the eleventh hour to apply for disaster assistance.
Texas homeowners, renters, and business owners who suffered damages from Hurricane Ike have just one week left to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for disaster assistance.
The registration deadline is Jan. 12. State and federal officials urge Texans who had damage from Hurricane Ike to register with FEMA as soon as possible. Visit the FEMA Web site at www.fema.gov, or call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech- and hearing-impaired.
“FEMA is here to help, and we don’t want Texans with disaster damages to miss the opportunity for assistance,” acting Federal Coordinating Officer Brad Harris said. “If you haven’t registered yet, please do so.”
Disaster assistance may include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repair and other serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance or other sources.
The deadline to apply for U.S. Small Business Administration loans is also Jan. 12. SBA loans are the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term repair or rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property that is not fully covered by insurance.
“Get into the FEMA system before the deadline,” Joan Haun, state coordinating officer, said. “That’s the only way that state and federal assistance can be made available to you.”
More information about the Hurricane Ike disaster is available online at www.fema.gov or www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem.