Hurricane Isabel Disaster Assistance Update

Release Date: September 30, 2003
Release Number: 1491-24

» More Information on Virginia Hurricane Isabel

Richmond, VA - In the aftermath of Hurricane Isabel, federal, state and local officials continue to assist citizens and jurisdictions in need of disaster assistance. The following is the latest information on the on-going response and recovery effort.

Recovery Assistance for Individuals and Households

More than $8.4 million in FEMA grants have been approved to help disaster-affected homeowners and renters who need a place to stay or who may need to make repairs for their homes to be functional.
More than $4.2 million has been approved for residents to help cover other eligible disaster needs, such as replacing personal property and other expenses such as medical, dental and funeral not covered by insurance.

Direct Federal Assistance for Emergency Life-sustaining Needs

More than $22.8 million has been approved to support life-sustaining missions. These funds have been used since the onset of Hurricane Isabel to support emergency needs such as water, ice, and generators at critical public facilities.

Public Assistance for Emergency Protective Measures and Debris Removal

More than $5.5 million has been approved under the Public Assistance Grant Program. This program provides federal assistance to helps state, local jurisdictions and certain private nonprofit organizations recover from Hurricane Isabel. While these grants are aimed at governments and other qualified organizations, their ultimate goal is to help communities and all its citizens recover from a devastating disaster like Hurricane Isabel
Public assistance funds are 75/25 percent cost-sharing funds between FEMA and the state. For expenses associated with Hurricane Isabel, state and local governments in the declared areas may be eligible to recover costs for debris removal and emergency protective measures. Emergency protective measures may include reimbursement for disaster-related emergency work to ensure public safety, personnel overtime expenses or to reimburse communities for costs associated with emergency generators at critical facilities.
On Monday, 40,000 lbs. of ice and 22,600 gallons of water were delivered to the distribution sites in areas affected by Hurricane Isabel. Thus far, FEMA, in conjunction with the state, has delivered more than 6.3 million lbs. of ice and 1.4 million gallons of water.
To date, 28 generators have been installed at disaster-affected critical public facilities to support life-sustaining community needs.

Nearly 1,850 people have visited the Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) to receive information on disaster assistance. Additional DRCs in Portsmouth and Williamsburg opened today to assist disaster victims. Other DRC activity is as follows:

Alexandria	(16 visitors thus far)
Hampton	(362 visitors thus far)
Gloucester	(361 visitors thus far)
Newport News	(179 visitors thus far)
Norfolk	(230 visitors thus far)
Poquoson	(1,147 visitors thus far)
Virginia Beach	(98 visitors thus far)
Yorktown	(60 visitors thus far)

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has issued more than 31,500 applications to homeowners and businesses for low-interest loans.
Citizens who are only requesting assistance with items purchased after the storm such as generators, chainsaws, wet/dry vacuums, etc. must first register with FEMA by calling 1-800-621 FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for those who are speech or hearing impaired. After registering with FEMA, individuals then contact the Commonwealth of Virginia Disaster Assistance Helpline for Other Needs Assessment at 1-877-327-8271. Individuals will be asked for their FEMA registration number and receipts of purchase.
There continue to be than 350 FEMA inspectors visiting homes to verify damages caused by Hurricane Isabel. To date, 11,949 inspections have been completed.
Twenty-eight Community Relations federal/state teams are working in disaster-declared communities and getting disaster information to those who need it.
People living or working in any of the disaster-declared jurisdictions whose jobs have been affected by Hurricane Isabel, may be eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) through the Virginia Employment Commission. Those eligible may visit the nearest office for more information. The filing deadline is October 24.
Those who are making repairs to their homes and business can check out the contractor's licensing and complaint history with the Virginia Board for Contractors at (804) 367-8511, the Virginia Office of Consumer Affairs at (804) 786-2042 or (800) 552-9963 (if calling from outside the Richmond area), and your local Better Business Bureau.
Disaster-related scams or other consumer fraud can be reported to the Office of the Attorney General by calling 1-800-451-1525.
More than 39,000 individuals have registered by calling FEMA's toll-free number at: 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech or hearing impaired. Lines are open from 7 a.m. to midnight, daily. Even if you have registered for help with voluntary agencies, you still may be eligible for FEMA disaster assistance. Anyone affected by this disaster is encouraged to call.

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.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 01-Oct-2003 09:18:41