Special to The Gazete
TIFTON — Residents affected by recent severe weather that included flooding in Tift and other counties in declared disaster areas in Georgia can now apply for some financial relief.
Gov. Sonny Perdue announced Thursday that President Barack Obama has approved a Federal Disaster Declaration for Berrien, Tift and Worth and 23 other South Georgia counties.
The devastating period of severe weather began March 26 and continued through April 10. Tornadoes, straight-line winds, hail, severe thunderstorms, flash flooding and flooding resulted in widespread residential, commercial and infrastructure damage across South Georgia.
"We have some hard work ahead of us and we appreciate the prompt response by President Obama and Acting FEMA Administrator Nancy Ward," said Perdue. "It will greatly help the citizens whose lives have been disrupted."
Residents and business owners who sustained losses can begin applying for assistance by registering online at www.fema.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. until 6 p.m. (local time) Monday through Sunday. Disaster Recovery Centers will be opening within the next week. Tift County Emergency Management Director Scott Bowers said that Tift County residents will be advised as soon as the schedule is finalized.
Individual assistance can include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses. Low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration also will be available to cover residential and business losses not fully compensated by insurance.
Obama has also designated that local governments and eligible private non-profit organizations in Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Baker, Ben Hill, Berrien, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Early, Echols, Grady, Lowndes, Mitchell, Montgomery, Pierce, Toombs and Ware will be able to receive federal funds to help offset 75 percent of the cost of the initial emergency response, debris removal and restoration of damaged public facilities.
The state submitted a request Thursday to “add-on” the following counties for federal disaster assistance based on the preliminary damage assessments already completed: Individual Assistance only - Ben Hill and Richmond; Public Assistance only - Brooks, Calhoun, Cook, Crisp, Decatur, Dodge, Dougherty, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Lanier, Miller, Monroe, Pulaski, Tattnall, Telfair, Thomas, Tift, Turner, Upson, Wayne, Wheeler, Wilcox and Worth.
The state also submitted Thursday a request to FEMA to conduct joint local-state-federal PDAs in the following counties to begin the process of determining eligibility: Individual Assistance only - Appling, Camden, Montgomery and Tattnall; Public Assistance only Brantley, Camden and McIntosh.
This disaster declaration also makes all counties in Georgia eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program which provides assistance to state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for actions taken to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural hazards.
Perdue made the request April 10 for a federal declaration after reviewing preliminary damage assessment figures submitted by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency. GEMA will request preliminary damage assessments be conducted in additional counties as further information on local damage reports becomes available. More counties may be made eligible after further evaluation by local, state and federal officials.
Whether applying online or over the telephone, people should have a pen and paper and the following information ready:
• Social Security number(s).
• Current and pre-disaster address.
• A telephone number where you can be contacted.
• Insurance information.
• Total household annual income.
• A routing and account number from your bank if you want to have disaster assistance funds transferred directly into your bank account.
• A description of your losses that were caused by the disaster.
• Housing Needs. Temporary Housing (a place to live for a limited period of time): Money is available to rent a different place to live, or a government provided housing unit when rental properties are not available.
• Repair: Money is available to homeowners to repair damage from the disaster to their primary residence that is not covered by insurance. The goal is to make the damaged home safe, sanitary, and functional.
• Replacement: Money is available to homeowners to replace their home destroyed in the disaster that is not covered by insurance. The goal is to help the homeowner with the cost of replacing their destroyed home.
• Permanent Housing Construction: Direct assistance or money for the construction of a home. This type of help occurs only in insular areas or remote locations specified by FEMA, where no other type of housing assistance is possible.
• Money is available for necessary expenses and serious needs caused by the disaster. This includes:
• Disaster-related medical and dental costs.
• Disaster-related funeral and burial cost.
• Clothing; household items (room furnishings, appliances); tools (specialized or protective clothing and equipment) required for your job; necessary educational materials (computers, school books, supplies).
