Aug.
19, 2017
Justice
secures federal disaster declaration for W.Va.
CHARLESTON,
W.Va. – President Donald J. Trump has granted a request from
Governor Jim Justice and issued a disaster declaration to help areas of West
Virginia hit by the July 28-29 severe storms, flooding, landslides, and
mudslides.
The declaration approves federal
assistance to affected individuals and households in Harrison, Marion,
Marshall, and Wetzel counties. It also provides public assistance to those
counties as well as Doddridge, Monongalia, Ohio, Preston, Randolph, Taylor,
Tucker and Tyler counties.
Public assistance is for state and local
government entities as well as eligible private nonprofit organizations, and
offers funding for emergency work and to repair or replace disaster-damaged public
facilities.
Individual assistance can include grants
for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured
property losses, and other programs to help individuals, households and
businesses recover.
The president’s declaration further
provides cost-sharing assistance statewide through the Hazard Mitigation Grant
Program, to support efforts that prevent or reduce long-term risks from such natural
hazards.
“I am grateful to the president for his
action on behalf of our fellow West Virginians who are hurting after this
disaster,” Governor Justice said. “I look forward to working with the Federal
Emergency Management Agency to help our affected families and businesses get
back on their feet.”
Governor Justice requested the major
disaster declaration on Aug. 10, after joint state-FEMA damage assessment teams
in the four most severely hit counties identified 161 homes destroyed or seriously
damaged and another 557 with minor damage or otherwise affected.
Governor Justice had proclaimed a State of
Emergency on July 29 for Harrison, Marion, Marshall, Monongalia, Ohio, Taylor,
Tucker and Wetzel counties. He expanded that declaration on Aug. 7 to include
Doddridge, Preston and Randolph counties.
The Division of Homeland Security and
Emergency Management, which is part of the Department of Military Affairs and
Public Safety, will continue to coordinate with FEMA and other federal
officials for the delivery of the approved disaster assistance.
“The governor’s efforts to quickly request
assistance from the president will allow the state and FEMA to provide much-needed
assistance to survivors in the declared counties,” Division of Homeland
Security Emergency Management Director Jimmy Gianato said. “I urge individuals
to immediately register with FEMA so that they can begin getting assistance. We
thank our FEMA counterparts for their hard work in assisting the state.”
Individuals and business owners who
sustained losses in the designated area can begin applying for assistance Aug.
19 by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or
by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).
Disaster assistance applicants, who have a
speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585
directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call
1-800-621-3362.
The toll-free telephone numbers will
operate from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.
# #
#