The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced on June 7 that federal disaster aid has been made available to Illinois to supplement the state and local recovery efforts in the area by severe storms occurring on April 19, 2011, and April 22 to May 2, 2011, and flooding resulting from those storms beginning on April 19, 2011, and continuing.
The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of
Alexander, Franklin, Gallatin, Hardin, Jackson, Lawrence, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, White, and Williamson.
Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.
Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.
Gregory W. Eaton has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Eaton said that additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.
Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated county can begin applying for assistance today by registering online at www.disasterassistance.gov, by web enabled mobile device at m.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 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.
