Nebraska Disaster Declaration Opens Door to Recovery Programs

LINCOLN, Neb., June 23, 2008 -- The federal disaster declaration on Friday, June 20, 2008 opens the door for recovery assistance for Nebraskans according to officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

If you live in Buffalo, Butler, Colfax, Dawson, Douglas, Gage, Hamilton, Jefferson, Kearney, Platte, Richardson, Sarpy or Saunders County, there are a number of programs available for eligible applicants.

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Disaster assistance may include:

* Rental payments for temporary housing if you can not live in your home or apartment. Initial assistance may be provided for up to three months for homeowners and at least one month for renters. Payments may be extended after the initial period based on a review of your needs.
* Grants for home repairs and replacement of essential household items not covered by insurance to make damaged dwellings safe, sanitary and functional.
* Grants to replace personal property and help meet medical, dental, funeral, transportation and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by your insurance or by other federal, state and charitable aid programs.
* The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) provides low-interest loans to cover the uncompensated losses for personal contents up to $40,000 for both homeowners and renters and up to $200,000 for homeowners for physical damage to their residence.
* The SBA also provides low-interest loans up to $1.5 million for uncompensated physical losses suffered by businesses of any size and private, non-profit organizations. Additionally, working capital loans are available for economic injuries sustained by small businesses in the declared counties and the adjoining counties. The combination of the two business loans cannot exceed $1.5 million.
* Loans from the Farm Service Agency of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture up to $500,000 for farmers, ranchers and aquaculture operators to cover production and property losses, excluding primary residence.

How to Apply for Assistance:

If you live in one of the declared counties, you can apply for FEMA aid by phone 24 hours a day. Call (800) 621-FEMA (3362). People with special speech or hearing needs can call TTY (800) 462-7585. Completing the application takes approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Residents of declared counties may also apply for assistance online at www.fema.gov/assistance.

When you register, you will be assigned a nine-digit registration number. Make sure to write down this number and keep it safe. You will need the number to track the progress of your claim with FEMA.

Residents registering for aid should be prepared to provide basic information such as; name, permanent address, and phone number, insurance coverage and information that helps substantiate losses.

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.

Source: FEMA