More counties to get storm help
By From staff reports
Published in News on September 6, 2011 1:46 PM
RALEIGH -- Twenty four additional counties have been designated for federal disaster assistance to help households and businesses recover from Hurricane Irene.
Duplin, Greene, Johnston and Wilson counties, along with Bertie, Brunswick, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Edgecombe, Gates, Hertford, Jones, Martin, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Onslow, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Pitt, Vance, Warren and Washington are the latest counties eligible for help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Individual Assistance program.
Counties previously designated are Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Dare, Halifax, Hyde, Lenoir, Pamlico and Tyrrell.
Individual assistance for homeowners and renters can include grants to help pay for temporary rental assistance, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses not met by insurance or other assistance programs. Also, low-interest disaster loans from the Small Business Administration are available to cover residential and business losses not fully compensated by insurance.
In addition, Wayne is one of 29 counties now eligible for federal disaster funds for Public Assistance to help their governments recover. The other coun-ties eligible for help are Beaufort, Bertie, Brunswick, Camden, Carteret, Chowan, Columbus, Craven, Currituck, Dare, Duplin, Edgecombe, Greene, Halifax, Hyde, Jones, Lenoir, Martin, Nash, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Pitt, Tyrrell and Wilson.
Public Assistance is a cost-share reimbursement program which includes: debris removal, emergency protective measures, road systems and bridges, water control facilities, public buildings and their contents, public utilities and parks and recreation areas.
The Public Assistance program is open to state, local and tribal government agencies and certain private nonprofit organizations. Examples of eligible private nonprofit facilities are electric and water utilities, custodial care and medical organizations, and educational institutions.
Typically, the federal share of total eligible costs is 75 percent with state and local agencies paying the balance.
Survivors and business owners in the newly designated counties may apply for assistance by calling FEMA's toll-free registration number, 800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY at 800-462-7585. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service can call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. Multilingual operators are available to assist with the application process.
An application may be completed online by going to www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
Survivors can also apply for federal assistance directly at m.fema.gov by using a tablet or smartphone or by downloading FEMA's App for Android phones at market.android. com/details?id=gov.fema. mobile.android.