Deadline for FEMA assistance quickly approaching

Survivors of the April tornadoes have until Monday, June 27 to register for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Saturday, May 28 will mark the halfway point in the 60-day registration period that survivors have to apply for FEMA disaster assistance. Applications must be filed before the deadline.

Residents and business owners who have been affected by the disaster in any of the 42 counties designated for FEMA individual disaster assistance and have not applied for disaster assistance are strongly encouraged to do so quickly.

Carol Hector-Harris, a public information officer with FEMA, said as soon as the flow of traffic to the Disaster Recovery Center slows down, FEMA representatives will assume everyone who needs assistance has received it and they will close the Disaster Recovery Center at that point.

“It’s important for those who have been waiting to apply for assistance to apply now,” Harris said.

The deadline to return a loan application to the Small Business Administration for physical damages is also Monday, June 27. While survivors are not required to accept a disaster loan, completing the SBA application process is a key to receiving other assistance for impacted residents in the 42 designated counties.

Low interest disaster SBA loans are available to homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes. They are the largest source of disaster funds to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, making repairs to or rebuilding damaged structures to a functional condition. SBA has approved approximately $14 million in disaster loans.

To date, more than 76,000 survivors in Alabama have registered for disaster assistance. Since the April 28 disaster declaration date, approximately $43.6 million in FEMA assistance has been approved to individuals.

The DRC for Franklin County is located at the Russellville Parks and Recreation Department on Ash Avenue behind the Russellville Marketplace.