OKLAHOMA CITY -- Only three days remain for survivors of the May 10-13 tornadoes and storms to register for Individual Assistance from the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Friday, July 23, is the registration deadline.
"The deadline to register is almost here," said Federal Coordinating Officer Gregory W. Eaton. "We want storm survivors to receive every dollar they are eligible for, but they have to register first."Oklahomans in Carter, Cleveland, Creek, Garvin, McIntosh, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Pottawatomie and Seminole counties can register by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for people with hearing or speech impairments. Phone lines are open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Help is available in all languages.
Survivors can also register for assistance online by visiting www.DisasterAssistance.gov. And for the first time, users of smart phones and other mobile devices can register for assistance when they visit m.fema.gov.
Hundreds of Oklahomans have applied for assistance, and nearly $7.5 million in state and federal assistance has been made available to families, individuals and businesses.
"Even if you're not sure now whether you need or want assistance, go ahead and register," said State Coordinating Officer Fred W. Liebe. "You might change your mind later."
July 23 also is the last day to apply for low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to qualified homeowners to repair or replace real estate while qualified business owners and nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million. Homeowners and renters may be eligible for up to $40,000 to repair/replace personal property.
The SBA loan application also can lead to further assistance. If the SBA is unable to approve a loan, the applicant may be referred back to FEMA for other disaster aid. For more information on disaster loans, survivors may call the SBA Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 or TTY 1-800-877-8339 for those with hearing and speech impairments.
For more information on Oklahoma disaster recovery, click www.fema.gov/Oklahoma or visit the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) site at www.oem.ok.gov.
Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.
The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) prepares for, responds to, recovers from and mitigates against emergencies and disasters. The department delivers service to Oklahoma cities, towns and counties through a network of more than 350 local emergency managers.
FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
The U.S Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government's primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private, non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts, and covers the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property.
These disaster loans cover uninsured and uncompensated losses and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For information about SBA programs, applicants may call the Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (TTY 1-800-877-8339).
