FEMA grants flood relief for three more Wash. counties

FEMA grants flood relief for three more Wash. counties

Barbara Damron, a home owner in Rochester that suffered flood damage after last week's storm, listens to a number of speakers during a Thurston County emergency management staff meeting at Rochester High School Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2007, in Rochester, Wash.

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Story Published: Dec 15, 2007 at 5:30 PM PDT

Story Updated: Dec 15, 2007 at 5:30 PM PDT

By KOMO-TV Staff & News Services

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Gov. Chris Gregoire says the federal government has added Mason, Pacific and Thurston counties to the federal disaster declaration for the storm and flooding that began Dec. 1.

The governor said Saturday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency will help individuals and business owners affected by storm damage. FEMA previously granted individual assistance for Grays Harbor and Lewis counties on Dec. 9.

Individual assistance helps residents and business owners with housing assistance, small business loans, crisis counseling and other programs.

Government officials completed a survey of household damage in Mason, Pacific and Thurston counties this week and found widespread damage from flooding, mudslides, landslides and high winds.

Homeowners, renters and business owners in the counties are advised to call 1-800-621-FEMA or register online for assistance.

Applicants registering for aid should be prepared to provide basic information such as name, address and phone number, as well as details of any insurance coverage and any other information to help substantiate losses.

Individuals may be eligible for rent payments for temporary housing, medical and dental care, funeral assistance, grants to replace personal and business property, unemployment assistance for up to 26 weeks for those who lost their jobs because of the storms, and low-interest loans to pay for repairs not covered by insurance. (Read FEMA's assistance guidelines.)

Meantime, state emergency management officials are reaching out to local governments and non-profit organizations in need of aid.

Through the state's public assistance program, FEMA provides federal assistance for storm-damaged entities. Officials have planned several briefings to help the entities apply for aid in all of the six counties named in the president's disaster declaration last week.

The meeting times are as follows:

Monday, Dec. 17

10:00 a.m.
Kitsap County
Kitsap County DEM
911 Carver
Bremerton, Wash.
360-307-5870 (Emergency Management)

2:30 p.m.
Thurston County
2424 Heritage Court SW, Suite A
(Regional Planning Conference Room)
Olympia, Wash.
360-754-3360 (Emergency Management)

Tuesday, Dec. 18

9:00 a.m.
Mason County
Mason County PUD#3 Auditorium
307 W. Cota
Shelton, Wash.
360-740-1151 (Emergency Management)

Wednesday, Dec. 19

9:30 a.m.
Lewis County
Lewis County Fire District 6
2123 Jackson Highway
Chehalis, Wash.
360-748-6019 (Fire Station)

1:30 p.m.
Grays Harbor County
County Forestry Building
310 W. Spruce Street, Suite 212
Montesano, Wash.
360-249-3911 (Emergency Management)
360-740-1151 (Emergency Management)

Thursday, Dec. 20

10:00 a.m.
Pacific County
Emergency Operations Center
Public Safety Building
300 Memorial Drive
South Bend, Wash.
360-875-9340 (Emergency Management)

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