Local News

With the deadline at mid-point to register for federal/state assistance for those affected by the November 2-11 floods, the total assistance has topped $3.2 million. The last day to register for federal or state assistance will be February 10.

To date, $3,205,901 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster recovery assistance has been disbursed. Currently, 1,754 people have applied for FEMA assistance by calling the toll-free registration number 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech or hearing impaired.

Disaster Recovery Centers in Granite Falls, Issaquah, Kelso, Monroe, Packwood and Puyallup, are open Monday through Saturday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. to provide face-to-face assistance to people who have already applied for FEMA help and may have further questions. More than 770 applicants have been seen at the centers.

Following the November 2-11 floods, a federal disaster declaration was signed authorizing individual assistance (IA) for Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, King, Lewis, Pierce, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Thurston and Wahkiakum counties. The declaration opened the door to individual assistance for those county residents, including grants for uninsured or underinsured housing repairs and assistance for rent and other needs.

“The recovery process for survivors of the November floods begins by calling FEMA’s registration number, 5 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week,” said Ramona VanCleve, IA external liaison.