June 15, 2008
Release Number: 1763-019
» More Information on Iowa Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division (HSEMD) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that nine additional counties are now eligible for Individual Assistance.
Benton, Bremer, Cerro Gordo, Delaware, Fayette, Floyd, Hardin, Johnson, and Linn counties have been added to the May 27 major disaster declaration providing Individual Assistance to help homeowners, renters and business owners recover from the effects of severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that began May 25 and continues. Individual Assistance has now been approved for 18 Iowa counties.
Cerro Gordo, Delaware and Floyd counties were previously approved to receive federal Public Assistance to help communities rebuild infrastructure. The total number of counties approved for Public Assistance is now at 15. Disaster assessments of additional counties are on-going.
Residents who suffered damages in these nine counties should register with FEMA online anytime at www.fema.gov or call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the hearing- or speech-impaired. The toll-free numbers are available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week. Residents who registered following the initial storms on May 25 do not have to re-register, but they should call and report any additional damage to their property caused by recent storms.
Disaster assistance for individuals may include:
* Grants to help pay for temporary housing and home repairs to make a home habitable
* Grants for serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance
* Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for homeowners, renters and business owners to cover residential and business losses not fully compensated by insurance
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
