For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 14, 2002

President Orders Federal Aid for Alabama

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Alabama and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms and tornadoes on November 5-12, 2002.

The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Cullman, Dale, DeKalb, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Hale, Henry, Houston, Jefferson, Lamar, Lawrence, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, Pickens, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega, Tuscaloosa, Walker and Winston.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and 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 also is available to the State and eligible local governments in the counties of Cullman, Cherokee, Fayette and Walker on a cost-sharing basis for the repair or replacement of public facilities damaged by the severe storms and tornadoes. Federal funding is also available on a cost share basis for hazard mitigation measures.

Joe M. Allbaugh, Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), named C. Michel Butler as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

The Agency said that damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and additional assistance and counties may be added after the assessments are completed.

The Agency said that residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance tomorrow 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. seven days a week until further notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FEMA (202) 646-4600.

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