Georgia Receives Presidential Disaster Declaration for Counties Damaged by Heavy Rains, Flooding

Friday, April 24, 2009

Contact: Office of Communications 404-651-7774

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that President Barack Obama approved a Federal Disaster Declaration for 27 counties that the Governor requested aid for following a devastating period of severe weather beginning March 26 and continuing through April 10. Tornadoes, straight-line winds, hail, severe thunderstorms, flash flooding and flooding resulted in widespread residential, commercial and infrastructure damage across South Georgia.   

"We have some hard work ahead of us and we appreciate the prompt response by President Obama and Acting FEMA Administrator Nancy Ward," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "It will greatly help the citizens whose lives have been disrupted."

              The counties eligible to receive individual assistance include: Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Coffee, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Echols, Lanier, Lowndes, Miller, Mitchell, Pierce, Tift, Ware, Wheeler and Worth.

Residents and business owners in these counties who sustained losses can begin applying for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (local time) Monday through Sunday.

Individual assistance can include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses. Low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration also will be available to cover residential and business losses not fully compensated by insurance.

The President has also designated that local governments and eligible private nonprofit organizations in the following counties: Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Baker, Ben Hill, Berrien, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Early, Echols, Grady, Lowndes, Mitchell, Montgomery, Pierce, Toombs and Ware; will be able to receive federal funds to help offset 75 percent of the cost of the initial emergency response, debris removal and restoration of damaged public facilities.

This disaster declaration also makes all counties in Georgia eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program which provides assistance to state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for actions taken to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural hazards.

Governor Perdue made the request April 10 for a federal declaration after reviewing preliminary damage assessment figures submitted by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA).  GEMA will request preliminary damage assessments be conducted in additional counties as further information on local damage reports becomes available. More counties may be made eligible after further evaluation by local, state and federal officials.

GEMA is the lead state agency for coordination of emergency and disaster response activities. For more emergency information, visit www.gema.ga.gov.

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