FEMA: Federal disaster assistance tops $45 million

FEMA News Desk: 262-780-3271

NEW BERLIN, Wis. – More than $45 million in disaster assistance has been approved to help Grant and Milwaukee County residents recover from severe storms, tornadoes and flooding July 20-24, according to Wisconsin Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Since President Obama designated both counties eligible for Individual Assistance on Sept. 18:

* $45,831,669.68 in Individual Assistance has been approved;

* 31,600 FEMA applications have been received; and

* 4,026 people have visited a Disaster Recovery Center.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has issued 15,726 low-interest disaster loan applications to impacted homeowners, renters and businesses and approved over $5.8 million.

The deadline to register for Individual Assistance is Wednesday, Nov. 17. To register, visit http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or call1-800-621-FEMA/3362 or TTY 1-800-462-7585. Phone lines are open seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. CDT. Multilingual operators are available.

Applicants who received an SBA low-interest disaster loan application must return it by Nov. 17. To apply online using SBA’s Electronic Loan Application, visit https://DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ela. For information and assistance, or for help completing the loan application, contact the SBA Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955. Applicants also may visit the SBA Web site at http://www.SBA.gov/Services/DisasterAssistance, or e-mail SBA at DisasterCustomerService@SBA.gov.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.