Georgia Disaster Aid Deadline Nearing

The countdown clock is ticking loudly for any Georgia resident who had property damage or other losses as a result of the tornadoes and severe storms that ripped across the state in mid-March. Only two weeks remain to register for federal-state disaster assistance.

The amended March 20 Presidential disaster declaration set a 60-day period for residents in Bartow, Burke, DeKalb, Floyd, Fulton, Jefferson and Polk counties to apply for a wide range of FEMA disaster assistance programs. The deadline is May 19.

Recovery officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency urge any residents still waiting for insurance settlements or other documentation to register without delay.

Registration is easy. Apply online at www.fema.gov or by a toll-free telephone call to 800-621-FEMA (3362). For the speech- or hearing-impaired the number is (TTY) 800-462-7585. Registration hours are from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday. Multilingual operators are available to assist with registration.

A Helpline option is also available by calling the FEMA toll-free numbers. Applicants may ask questions about disaster assistance programs or the status of their previously filed applications, or request an appeal.

May 19 is also the deadline for homeowners, renters and businesses to return applications to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for loans to cover disaster-related damages to real and personal property.

Officials urge everyone who has registered with FEMA and received an SBA application to complete the form and return it even if they are not seeking a loan. Submitting the SBA application by the May 19 deadline is required before applicants can be considered for some types of FEMA aid.

Information about SBA programs is available by calling 800-659-2955 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday until further notice, or online at www.sba.gov.