WASHINGTON –The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Florida to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the area affected by Hurricane Hermine during the period of August 31 to September 11, 2016.

The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Citrus, Dixie, Hernando, Hillsborough, Leon, Levy, Pasco, and Pinellas counties. 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 to state and eligible tribal and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Hurricane Hermine in Citrus, Dixie, Franklin, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Pasco, Pinellas, Suwannee, Taylor, and Wakulla counties.

Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Terry L. Quarles has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Quarles said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated area can begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.