President Approves Disaster Aid for Arkansas

The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for Arkansas to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms, flooding and tornadoes beginning on May 2 and continuing.

FEMA Administrator David Paulison said the President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Benton, Cleburne, Conway, Crittenden, Grant, Lonoke, Mississippi, Pulaski, Saline and Van Buren Counties.

Paulison said that FEMA assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding is also available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, flooding, and tornadoes in the counties of Cleburne, Conway, Crittenden, Grant, Lonoke, and Van Buren. Federal funding is also available on a cost sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Paulison named Kenneth Riley as the federal coordinating officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the State and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

FEMA said that residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated county can begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering online at www.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.