A MONTH AFTER TROPICAL STORM DEBBY, MORE THAN $15 MILLION APPROVED FOR DISASTER ASSISTANCE IN FLORIDA

A MONTH AFTER TROPICAL STORM DEBBY, MORE THAN $15 MILLION APPROVED FOR DISASTER ASSISTANCE IN FLORIDA

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - A month after Tropical Storm Debby soaked Florida, more than $15 million in state and federal aid has been approved to help those affected by the storm and flooding.

Almost 10,000 survivors have contacted the Federal Emergency Management Agency for help or information regarding disaster assistance. Many people are seeking housing assistance from FEMA because their primary home is unlivable or inaccessible.

For survivors who have needs other than federal assistance, the FEMA helpline (800-621-3362) serves as a single source of information - referring survivors to partner agencies such as the Salvation Army, the American Red Cross and the U.S. Small Business Administration. Other callers may be interested in disaster unemployment assistance or legal aid. Businesses are also referred to the SBA.

The following is a snapshot of the disaster recovery effort as of July 20:

·        3,314 households have already been approved for FEMA grants that assist with housing and personal property loss.

• $12.3 million approved for housing grants, including short-term rental assistance, home repair and replacement costs.
• $1.6 million approved to cover other essential disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses and lost personal possessions.
• $1.4 million approved for SBA loans to help repair homes and replace property.
• 7,173 home inspections completed.
• 4,560 visits to disaster recovery centers by people affected by the disaster.

People who have insurance are urged to apply for help because they may be underinsured. They can use any of the following methods:

1. By phone, call 800-621-FEMA (3362) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Assistance is available in most languages. People who are deaf or hard of hearing may call (TTY) 800-462-7585.
2. Online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
3. By tablet or smartphone, use the FEMA app or go to m.fema.gov.

Businesses that need help may contact the U.S. Small Business Administration directly at the SBA Disaster Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339), send an email todisastercustomerservice@sba.gov or go to https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/ to apply.

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