There are less than two weeks left to apply for disaster assistance grants from FEMA and to submit applications for physical disaster loans to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). West Virginia survivors eligible for federal assistance, because of the June 22-29 storms and flooding, have until Wednesday, Sept. 7 to file their applications.
Two months after President Obama signed the June 25 disaster declaration making West Virginia residents eligible for federal assistance, nearly 9,000 homeowners and renters have applied to FEMA for help in recovering from the severe storms and flooding, landslides and mudslides that ravaged 12 West Virginia counties.
The registration deadline was extended to Sept. 7 at the request of West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, citing a continued flow of new applications to receive federal assistance in the wake of the storms.
Disaster assistance for individuals may include grants to help homeowners and renters with temporary housing, essential home repairs, personal property replacement, and disaster-related needs. Disaster assistance grants are not taxable income and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicare and other federal and state programs.
Registering with FEMA is the first step in qualifying for assistance. FEMA encourages all survivors who sustained disaster-related damage or losses to apply by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362 (TTY users should call 800-462-7585) or online at DisasterAssistance.gov . The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.
