Federal disaster assistance has been extended yet again in Arkansas as a result of the storms, tornadoes and flooding that struck the state beginning April 23, the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said Monday.
Ten more counties join the 16 others that have been designated for federal Individual Assistance under the presidential disaster declaration and subsequent amendments. The newly added counties are Cross, Greene, Independence, Jackson, Lawrence, Lonoke, Mississippi, Monroe, Prairie and Woodruff.
In addition 34 more counties have been added to the 10 already set to receive federal aid under FEMA’s Public Assistance program. These are Baxter, Boone, Calhoun, Chicot, Clark, Clay, Cleburne, Cleveland, Crittenden, Cross, Dallas, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Howard, Independence, Izard, Johnson, Lawrence, Lincoln, Madison, Marion, Nevada, Newton, Perry, Pike, Polk, Randolph, Saline, Searcy, Sharp, Van Buren, White and Yell.
“We appreciate FEMA’s response to the state’s request to extend federal help to even more Arkansans. This allows assistance to be available to some of our hardest hit areas,” said State Coordinating Officer David Maxwell.
“We hope these additions to the disaster declaration will jumpstart the rebuilding process in many parts of the state,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Nancy M. Casper. “Our goal is to help the people of Arkansas and their communities recover from this disaster and get back to normal as soon as possible.”
Information about FEMA’s Individual Assistance program is available at www.fema.gov/assistance/process/assistance.shtm. More information about Public Assistance can be found at www.fema.gov/government/grant/pa/index.shtm.
Arkansans in any of the 26 counties now designated for Individual Assistance under the disaster declaration should register with FEMA. They can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov, via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585.
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 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.
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.