CLOSE TO A HALF MILLION APPROVED FOR JEANNE RECOVERY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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CLOSE TO A HALF MILLION APPROVED FOR JEANNE RECOVERY

RICHMOND, VA – Federal and state disaster officials announced today that close to a half million dollars in disaster assistance grants have been approved for victims of Tropical Depression Jeanne since the Oct. 18 presidential declaration.

Here is a summary of activities for the period ending Oct. 28, 2004:

In the 10 days since President Bush signed the disaster declaration, 584 homeowners, renters and businesses have registered for disaster assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Registration clears the way for a variety of grant and loan programs to cover uninsured losses for individuals, and low-interest loans for businesses.

FEMA and Virginia have approved $423,308 to pay for temporary housing, basic home repairs and essential needs.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has sent out 308 disaster loan applications to homeowners and business owners. These loans serve as the government's primary form of long-term recovery assistance. Individuals who do not qualify for a loan may be considered for a grant to cover serious unmet disaster-related needs, but first they must complete the SBA loan application.

If you sustained damage from Jeanne, you are encouraged to apply for assistance by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the hearing and speech impaired. Telephone lines are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You may also apply on-line at www.fema.gov.

Farmers who had damage from Tropical Storm Jeanne to their primary residence should register with FEMA. If access to the primary residence is limited due to storm damage, they should also register with FEMA. For other agriculture damage, farmers should contact their Farm Service Agency office.

The Oct. 18 declaration covers the cities of Salem and Roanoke and the counties of Alleghany, Botetourt, Craig, Roanoke, Montgomery, Giles, Patrick and Floyd.

On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages Citizen Corps, the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.