$380,466 IN DISASTER ASSISTANCE TO SMYTH COUNTY

 

Media Contacts:
FEMA - Josie Pritchard        (276) 973-0078
VDEM - Suzanne Simmons   (276) 973-0063
SBA Colleen Hiam                 (276) 282-4612

        FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
        May 14, 2002
        FEMA-1406-DR-VA-NR71

$380,466 IN DISASTER ASSISTANCE TO SMYTH COUNTY
 

NOTE TO EDITORS: Federal, state, local and voluntary agencies are working in partnership to help SW Virginia residents following the March flooding. The following is a summary of ongoing response and recovery efforts for Smyth County. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) will update this information periodically from their Joint Information Center in Wise. The information is current as of May 14, 2002.

WISE, VA. - Smyth County has received $380,466 in disaster loans and grants for individuals, businesses and government agencies affected by rains and flooding in March.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced the following figures for federal disaster assistance for Smyth County as of May 14.

  • 184 registrations for disaster assistance.
  • $223,107 in disaster housing assistance approved.
  • $60,859 in Individual and Family Grant benefits approved for essential unmet needs.
  • $96,500 approved for U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest loans.

Total federal disaster assistance for the Southwest Virginia counties of Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe, and the city of Norton has reached $5.3 million.

The deadline for registering for federal disaster assistance for the March 17-20 flooding is June 1. Applicants should call the FEMA registration number, 1-800-621-3362. Those who have already registered, but have questions or need to update personal information, can call the FEMA Helpline, 1-800-621-3362. The hours for both services are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week and both are available to the speech- or hearing- impaired by calling TTY 1-800-462-7585.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Information on the Southwest Virginia disaster is also available on FEMA's homepage on the Internet at www.fema.gov, or VDEM's homepage at www.vaemergency.com. Information also is available through FEMA's 24-fax-on-demand service by calling (202) 646-FEMA. RADIO NEWS DIRECTORS: For recorded actualities on response and recovery operations call the FEMA Radio Network at 1-800-323-5248.