Ohio County, West Virginia – The Federal Emergency Administration (FEMA) has been actively assisting affected residents after the catastrophic flooding that swept the Triad on June 14. Ohio and Marion County provided $11.7 million in personal assistance following a federal disaster statement on July 22.
FEMA quickly established a disaster recovery center and began providing financial assistance to affected people. Media relations expert Kim Fuller stressed the urgency of this situation, saying: “We are on a thirty-day mark. The application deadline is 30 days. This will be September 22, which is the deadline.”
Fuller explained that FEMA’s team of disaster survivors is interacting with the community through special events and pop-up disaster recovery centers. “People don't have to go to the disaster recovery center themselves. They can come and pop up the disaster recovery center and register, or they can find out what the status of their application is, or they just have questions,” she said.
Hundreds of residents have applied for assistance before the September 22 deadline. FEMA has been working closely with local and state agencies to ensure resources are directed to where they are most needed.
Monica Myles, a public affairs expert with the Small Business Administration (SBA), stressed the importance of applying for assistance without delay. “They don't have to wait for insurance applications, they can apply for FEMA,” Miles said, noting that while the funds from insurance and SBAs are not available, aid can speed up recovery.
Despite significant progress in Ohio County, the FEMA acknowledged the recovery process was underway and urged anyone who has not yet applied for assistance by the deadline. “Again, the deadline is September 22 and anyone affected by the flood must apply and submit appropriate documents,” Fuller said.