Source: PRESS RELEASE, 10/7/11

 

Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that she has secured federal disaster assistance for individuals in Bladen, Columbus and Sampson counties who suffered damage during Hurricane Irene.

Families and business owners in the three counties can now seek low-interest loans or grants to help them recover from Irene. The additional counties will be added to the federal disaster declaration for 35 North Carolina counties that Gov. Perdue requested and was approved by President Obama.

"We remain vigilant in pursuing any assistance available to help communities return to normal operation," Gov. Perdue said. “This will be tremendous help for families and business owners in those counties as they work to rebuild.”

The Federal Emergency Management Agency provides two types of assistance. Individual assistance aids families and businesses, while public assistance helps with community recovery costs, such as clearing debris and repairing public facilities.

In the six weeks since Hurricane Irene struck North Carolina, more than $38 million in federal and state disaster assistance has been approved to help residents recover in the 35 declared counties. More than 30,000 survivors have contacted FEMA for help or information regarding disaster assistance. Many people are seeking housing assistance from FEMA because their primary home has been damaged or destroyed.

Other callers may be interested in disaster unemployment assistance, crisis counseling or legal aid.
Disaster Recovery Centers have been opened in 27 communities to provide one-on-one assistance for those who suffered losses from the storms. Representatives from N.C. Emergency Management, FEMA and the Small Business Administration staff the centers providing guidance on the recovery process. People have made more than 13,800 visits to the centers, which remain open in 10 cities.

Survivors who have additional needs are referred to partner agencies such as the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the Small Business Administration.

The following is a snapshot of the disaster recovery effort:
• 7,711 households have received FEMA grants to help pay for temporary housing and/or replace personal property.
• $18.9 million approved for housing grants, including short-term rental assistance and home repair costs.
• $3.9 million approved to cover other essential disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses and lost personal possessions.
• $15.4 million in low-interest disaster loans approved by the SBA.
• 21,832 home inspections completed.

With today's action, 38 counties have been approved for individual assistance, and 37 counties have been approved for public assistance.

Counties approved for both individual and public assistance are: Beaufort, Bertie, Brunswick, Camden, Carteret, Chowan, Craven, Columbus, Currituck, Dare, Duplin, Edgecombe, Gates, Greene, Halifax, Hertford, Hyde, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, Martin, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Onslow,  Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Pitt, Sampson, Tyrrell, Vance, Warren, Washington, Wayne and Wilson. Bladen County has been approved for individual assistance only.