For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 12, 2006

Statement on Federal Disaster Assistance for Washington

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Washington and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides during the period of November 2-11, 2006.

The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, King, Lewis, Pierce, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Thurston, and Wahkiakum.

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 on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

R. David Paulison, Director, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Elizabeth Turner as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

The Agency said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the State and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

The Agency said that residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering online at http://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) Monday thru Saturday.

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

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