| By Bob Weaver
It's good news for several Calhoun property holders affected by the May flood.
They can now apply for disaster assistance, according to Calhoun OES Director Kathy Woods
The Individual Assistance Program can get people the money they need to fix homes and replace the personal belongings needed to survive. But it's not a 100 percent fix.
About a dozen property holders have already contacted FEMA's toll free number, Woods said.
"It's not too late," she said, indicating many county residents often fail to ask for outside help when disaster strikes.
Woods has been working for several weeks with FEMA and other officials to get some help for Calhoun property holders.
Officials from the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that disaster survivors in Calhoun County are now eligible to apply for disaster assistance to help them recover from the effects of the severe storms, flooding, mudslides, and landslides that began on May 3.
Calhoun County residents and business owners have a wide range of programs available such as funding for temporary housing assistance, grants for disaster-related needs and help with expenses not covered by insurance or other assistance programs.
Calhoun was designated for Public Assistance for infrastructure repairs on June 2, 2009.
Disaster survivors may apply for assistance online at www.disasterassistance.gov or by calling this toll-free number, 800-621-FEMA (3362), between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily.
Callers should have dddress of the damaged property; current address and telephone number; insurance information; total household annual income; a bank routing and account number for direct deposit; a description of losses caused by the disaster.
FEMA disaster assistance covers basic needs only and will not normally compensate disaster survivors for their entire loss.
For those with insurance, the government may help.
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