Individuals who incurred, or may yet incur, financial costs as a result of storms and flooding last April have less than one week remaining to register for assistance, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency.
“I want to be sure everyone concerned knows that there is a deadline to register for federal assistance,” said Governor M. Jodi Rell. “You must get your name and other information into the FEMA system before August 14, and the only way to do it is by registering with FEMA.”
Individual assistance is available to affected homeowners and renters in Fairfield, Hartford, Litchfield, Middlesex, New London, New Haven and Windham counties for eligible losses that occurred April 15 through April 27.
“We want to help everyone who is eligible,” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Mike Parker. “But there is a deadline. FEMA wants everyone who may be eligible for assistance to be registered before the 14th.”
Telephone registrants can call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 (for those with speech or hearing impairments) between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The deadline for telephone registration is 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 13. Individuals may register online at http://www.fema.gov/ until midnight on Aug. 13.
The Aug. 13 deadline also applies to applications for low-interest disaster loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA). For residential property damage not covered by insurance, the SBA loan program is the primary form of disaster assistance. In addition, completion of the SBA loan application is a pre-condition to qualify for some forms of FEMA aid. An exception to the SBA deadline is for Economic Injury Disaster loans, which may be made until March 13, 2008.
“I urge anyone who has received an SBA loan applications to submit it before the deadline,” Gov. Rell said.
