Latest news with #DisasterSurvivorAssistance
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
FEMA assistance climbs to $8.9 million
princeton – More than $8.9 million in federal assistance has now been approved for area flood victims, FEMA said Monday. FEMA has now approved $8,931,727 in Individual Assistance for a six county region, which includes Mercer, McDowell and Wyoming counties, according to Nate Custer, a media relations specialist with FEMA. That amount includes $5,560,002 for Housing Assistance and $3,371,725 for Other Needs Assistance. The federal funds are in response to the Feb. 15 flood, which caused widespread damage across the region. This FEMA aid included 2,735 valid registrations. Broken down by county, McDowell County had the most registrations with 1,168 followed by Mingo County with 615. Mercer County had 410 registrations followed by 394 in Wyoming County, 85 in Wayne County and 80 in Logan County. Mitigation and Disaster Survivor Assistance staff in McDowell County are at Jimmy's Hardware and Supply in Roderfield to help residents with their Individual Assistance applications, provide information about rebuilding their homes and share resources on safe clean-up procedures, agency officials said. Flood victims needing help with food now have another route to aid which started Monday. The West Virginia Department of Human Services announced that West Virginia residents who lived or worked in Mercer, McDowell, Mingo and Wyoming counties and were impacted by the Feb. 15 flood may be eligible for USDA's Disaster Supplement Nutrition Assistance, D-SNAP, benefits beginning Monday through March 21. FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers are open in Mercer, McDowell and Wyoming counties. • The Mercer County Disaster Recovery Center is located at the Lifeline Princeton Church of God on 250 Oakvale Road in Princeton. Mercer County's center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is closed Sunday. This center will be closed March 22 and April 19 for the church's previously scheduled events. • The McDowell County Disaster Recovery Center is located at Bradshaw Town Hall, 10002 Marshall Highway in Bradshaw. It is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed Sunday. • The Wyoming County Disaster Recovery Center is located at the Wyoming County Courthouse on 24 Main Avenue in Pineville. It is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and closed Sundays. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
More than $1 million in federal disaster assistance approved in West Virginia
WEST VIRGINIA (WVNS) — More than $1 million in federal disaster assistance was approved in West Virginia for those affected by flooding in February 2025. How to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance According to a press release from Governor Patrick Morrisey, more than 1,334 households in West Virginia received approval for more than $1 million in federal disaster assistance. Thanks to state efforts and the hard work of FEMA and the Trump administration, over $1 million in individual assistance has already been approved for West Virginians affected by the floods. I encourage those in the designated counties to continue to apply for assistance and connect with the Disaster Recovery Centers for any help needed through the process. Governor Morrisey Two additional Disaster Recovery Centers to be opened by FEMA in southern West Virginia People can go to Disaster Recovery Center's (DRC's) to apply for FEMA assistance, update their application, or find out about other available resources. Local, state, and federal agency staff members at DRC's can help disaster survivors with questions about FEMA applications and additional resources and support. Reaching this milestone has been a team effort. FEMA is here and working side-by-side with our West Virginia partners to ensure our mission is done quickly and efficiently. I want to thank our state and local partners, because FEMA could not have reached this milestone without them. We will continue to push forward and support the people of West Virginia who were impacted by the February 15 storm. Mark O'Hanlon | Federal Coordinating Officer Disaster Recovery Centers can be found in Mercer, McDowell, Wyoming, and Mingo counties, and the press release stated that Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) teams are in communities affected by the flooding to walk door-to-door to help residents with FEMA assistance applications and information. FEMA Disaster Recovery Center to open in McDowell County People who were affected by flooding in Mercer, McDowell, Wyoming, and Mingo counties can go to the Disaster Assistance website, the FEMA mobile app, or call 1-800-621-3362 to apply for disaster assistance. Those who applied for FEMA assistance and have questions about the application or appealing a FEMA determination letter can visit a DRC for help or they can call the FEMA helpline at 1-800-621-3362 where FEMA staff can answer questions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
FEMA help tops $2 million in Mercer
Jan. 30—bluefield — Six weeks after a major disaster was declared for Mercer County, more than $2 million in federal aid has been approved for area residents. More than 955 households have registered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to date for assistance in recovering from the Sept. 24, 2024 storm. The deadline to apply for disaster assistance is Feb. 7. "Getting $2 million into the hands of the people of Mercer County has been a team effort," Federal Coordinating Officer Georgeta Dragoiu said. "FEMA continues to work side-by-side with West Virginia and Mercer County emergency management and local officials to coordinate this mission. I also want to thank our state and local nonprofits and our private sector and media partners in getting the word out. We couldn't have reached this important milestone without them." "Recovery is always a team effort, and this milestone reflects the dedication of everyone involved — from FEMA to local officials, nonprofits, and community partners," West Virginia Emergency Management Division Deputy Director Matthew Blackwood added. "We remain committed to supporting the people of Mercer County as they rebuild and recover." Disaster assistance may include grants to help homeowners and renters pay for essential home repairs, personal property replacement, and essential disaster-related needs. In December 2024 and January, FEMA deployed Disaster Survivor Assistance teams to visit storm-damaged homes across Mercer County and to register people and answer their questions about disaster assistance. The remnants of Hurricane Helene pounded the region — including Bluefield in particular — during the morning and afternoon hours of Sept. 24, 2024, downing thousands of trees and power lines across the region. The survivor assistance specialists visited more than 2,250 residences, interacting with more than 660 individuals, as well as 66 faith-based organizations and 245 businesses to meet survivors where they are. Housing inspectors have completed more than 640 inspections of disaster-damaged properties to verify damage. FEMA Enhanced Application Services specialists completed more than 470 follow-up calls with survivors, walking them through the application process and collecting information to help complete their requests for federal assistance, FEMA officials said. Their extra efforts led to more than $529,000 being approved for Mercer County residents' recovery. Federal disaster assistance is still available to residents of Mercer County. FEMA is encouraging all survivors who sustained disaster-related damage or losses to apply for assistance at Mercer County's Disaster Recovery Center. The Mercer County Disaster Recovery Center is located at the Lifeline Princeton Church of God on 250 Oakvale Road near Princeton. This disaster recovery center's hours of operation are as follows: —Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. —Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. —Closed Sundays. Survivors can also call 800-621-3362, FEMA officials said. The toll-free telephone line operates from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. They can also go online to or download the FEMA app on their smartphone. Jim Accurso, a public affairs specialist with the Small Business Administration, spoke Tuesday before the Bluefield Board of Directors and later the Mercer County Commission about the upcoming deadline to apply for SBA loans. "Deadline is coming on Feb. 7 to apply for the physical disaster loans," Accurso said after speaking with the board of directors. "Our economic injury loans, the deadline for that is not until Sept. 25, and those are for the businesses that had a setback related to the storm, working capital. If they need some help to get back on their feet; again, tied to the storms related to Hurricane Helene in late September. " SBA representatives are available at both the Princeton Public Library and the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center near Princeton, Accurso said. The Princeton Public Library, located at 920 Mercer Street, is open on the following days: —Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. —Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. —Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. —Closed Sunday. "Applying online can be done through Feb. 7 at Accurso said. "However, it's best done in person with a trained and experienced Customer Service Rep at one of our recovery centers." The SBA loans have interest rates as low as 4% for businesses, 3.25% for nonprofit organizations and 2.813% for homeowners and renters, Accurso said. People seeking more information about SBA loans can call SBA's Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, email disastercustomerservice@ or visit Applicants may also apply online via SBA's secure website at FEMA aslo offers other programs for people impacted by Tropical Storm Helene. Free disaster legal assistance is available to West Virginia storm survivors. This service offers counseling on insurance claims, landlord-tenant issues, home-repair contracts, the replacement of legal documents destroyed by the storm and other legal matters. People seeking these services can call the legal hotline 866-255-4370. Disaster assistance grants from FEMA are not taxable income and will not affect eligibility for Social Security (including disability benefits), Medicaid, welfare assistance, food stamps and several other programs. Disaster grants are money that does not have to be paid back to the government, FEMA officials said. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@ Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
