President Declares Major Disaster For Georgia

The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) yesterday announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for the State of Georgia to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms, flooding, tornadoes, and straight-line winds beginning on March 26, 2009, and continuing.

Acting FEMA Administrator Nancy Ward said the assistance was authorized under a major disaster declaration issued for the state by President Obama. The President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Coffee, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Echols, Lanier, Lowndes, Miller, Mitchell, Pierce, Tift, Ware, Wheeler, and Worth counties.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding also is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, flooding, tornadoes, and straight-line winds in the counties of Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Baker, Ben Hill, Berrien, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Early, Echols, Grady, Lowndes, Mitchell, Montgomery, Pierce, Toombs, and Ware.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Terry L. Quarles has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Quarles said that additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

FEMA said that residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.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 operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

FEMA leads and supports the nation in a risk-based, comprehensive emergency management system of preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation, to reduce the loss of life and property and protect the nation from all hazards including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters.

-----
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook