As the for federal wildfire disaster aid approaches, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is sharing some statistics that underscore the fires鈥� impact: The disbursement of some $36 million in wildfire aid, including $13.2 million in grants, and $19 million in low-interest 鈥渄isaster loans.鈥� And the agency is urging anyone who hasn鈥檛 yet filed a claim to do so before Friday.
FEMA public information officer Bob Howard says the agency鈥檚 grants have gone to different needs: $10.7 million to rental assistance and grants to rebuild homes, and $2.5 million to cover lost personal property, medical care, and even funeral expenses.
The agency has also spent some $78,000 in disaster unemployment assistance.
An additional $19 million in low interest disaster loans, provided by the Small Business Administration, have been made available to homeowners, renters and businesses; Howard calls them 鈥渁 great tool to help people on the road to recovery.鈥�
But FEMA鈥檚 assistance is coming to a close. While over 4,000 Texans have registered with FEMA across 23 counties, Howard implores anyone who might need assistance 鈥� but hasn鈥檛 yet registered for it 鈥� to do so now. 鈥淭his is a hard deadline,鈥� Howard says, 鈥� so people who don鈥檛 register by this Friday won鈥檛 be able to register for disaster assistance 鈥� Register and find out if you鈥檙e eligible for assistance because once the deadline passes, you鈥檙e not going to be able to.鈥�
Phone registration (1-800-621-3362) ends at 9 pm this Friday, January 6; registration on FEMA鈥檚 website ends Friday at midnight Central Time.
