Fla. Disaster Registrations Slow; Outreach Continues

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Six weeks after Tropical Storm Fay swamped portions of the state with record rainfalls, recovery officials reported a decline in new registrations and applicant visits to Disaster Recovery Centers on Friday.

To date, 15,843 Floridians in the 23 counties designated for individual assistance have registered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Almost all of the more than $13 million approved from FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program has been rapidly disbursed to people from hard-hit areas.

In addition, the U.S. Small Business Administration has approved more than $3.5 million in low-interest disaster home loans, $568,400 in loans for businesses as well as nearly $360,000 in economic impact disaster loans due to disaster-related costs of lost business.

Nearly 12,000 people have visited Disaster Recovery Centers.

Eight DRCs remain open in Florida, down from the 29 that were deployed at various times throughout the state. Currently the total for all centers averages about 150 visitors daily.

Nearly 60 state and federal community relations specialists continue to reach out to survivors in designated counties.

By the end of this week, the last remaining shelter -- in Lee County -- will have closed. At their peak, 49 shelters were home to 1,704 displaced Floridians in the aftermath of the high winds and continued flooding caused by the heavy tropical downpours.

Home inspections continue for new applicants. To date, 12,845 inspections have been requested and 12,574 have been completed.

The average time from registration to inspection holds steady at a two-day turnaround.