PUBLIC INFORMATION

FEMA Specialists Now Available at SBA Business Recovery Centers

FRANKFORT, Ky. – FEMA Individual Assistance specialists are now staffing the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Business Recovery Centers to help survivors recovering from the December tornadoes.

With the March 18-19 closing of the remaining Disaster Recovery Centers, FEMA wants to ensure that disaster survivors can still speak to a specialist in person, update information in their accounts and receive referrals to federal, state and community programs and assistance.

Beginning the week of March 21, an Individual Assistance specialist is available for one week at each of the following SBA Business Recovery Centers:

• Hopkins County: Hopkins County Emergency Management, 130 N. Franklin St., Madisonville, KY 42431
  • Opens 8 a.m. Tuesday, March 22; regular hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CDT Monday to Saturday
  • The center will be closed for one day, Monday, April 4.
• Warren County: Western Kentucky University Business Accelerator Center, Room 118, 2413 Nashville Road, Bowling Green, KY 42101

• Regular hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CDT Monday to Friday.

• Warren County: Kummer/Little Recreation Center, 333 College St., Bowling Green, KY 42101
  • Opens 8 a.m. Tuesday, March 22; regular hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CDT Monday to Saturday

Even with the closings of the Disaster Recovery Centers, help is just a phone call away. Survivors can get answers from specialists at the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. It is also so important to stay in touch with FEMA if you change your address or phone number, even if only temporarily.

If you use a relay service such as video relay service (VRS) or captioned telephone service when you call the FEMA Helpline, give FEMA the number for that service. Helpline operators are available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. CDT daily. Press 2 for Spanish. Press 3 for an interpreter who speaks your language.

For more information on Kentucky’s recovery from the tornadoes, visit fema.gov/disaster/4630. Follow FEMA on Twitter at FEMA Region 4 (@femaregion4) / Twitter and at facebook.com/fema.

Individuals living in Caldwell County, Kentucky, who were impacted by the Dec. 10 tornadoes are being asked to complete a relief survey.

Link to survey — https://forms.gle/DgahDrEKQvSrkbcq5

The newly-formed Caldwell County Long Term Recovery Group, led by Princeton Mayor Kota Young and Caldwell Judge/Executive Larry Curling, wants to identify every local resident impacted by the December 10, 2021, tornado.

The Caldwell County LTRG wants to reach all local households affected by the tornado in order to assess each family’s recovery progress, identify unmet needs, and work with partners to prevent residents from falling through the cracks. County leaders encourage all households to register with FEMA.

To receive additional assistance such as housing assistance from the county and state, all affected households must complete the application for FEMA assistance. County, state and partner assistance may be available for those who receive a rejection from FEMA.

Caldwell County households need to register with FEMA by February 11. To register for FEMA visit www.DisasterAssistance.gov or call 800-621-3362.

The Disaster Recovery Center at the Butler gym is also open this week, and FEMA representatives are available 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for any household needing to register with FEMA or get assistance with appeals.

Those who complete the Caldwell County Tornado Relief Survey survey need to be residents of Caldwell County whose homes were impacted by the Dec. 10 tornadoes and storms.

Individuals and organizations interested in joining the Long Term Recovery Group effort in Caldwell County may email caldwellltrg@gmail.com.

CLICK HERE FOR TIPS ON HOW TO APPEAL A FEMA DECISION

Homeowners and renters with uninsured or underinsured damage to their property from the
Dec. 10-11 tornadoes in Barren, Caldwell, Christian, Fulton, Graves, Hart, Hickman, Hopkins,
Logan, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Taylor and Warren counties have another
month to apply for FEMA disaster assistance.

FEMA has extended its application deadline to Monday, March 14 because the previously
announced date falls on a Sunday.

o   Graves County: Graves County Public Library, 601 N. 17^th St., Mayfield, KY 42066

o   Hopkins County: Community Center, 108 W. Keigan St., Dawson Springs, KY 42408

o   Hopkins County: Mike’s Old Pharmacy, 104 S. Lee Trover Todd Jr. Hwy., Earlington, KY 42410

o   Warren County: Former Sears location at Greenwood Mall, 2625 Scottsville Road, Bowling Green, KY 42104

The centers provide access to technology equipment for those with disabilities. If you need specialized technology equipment, tell the specialist when you call the FEMA Helpline.

To apply for FEMA assistance, visit DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA mobile app or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service such as video relay service (VRS) or captioned telephone service, give FEMA the number for that service. Helpline operators are available from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. CST daily. Press 2 for Spanish. Press 3 for an interpreter who speaks your language.

 For more information on Kentucky’s recovery from the tornadoes, visit fema.gov/disaster/4630. Follow FEMA on Twitter at FEMA Region 4 (@femaregion4) / Twitter and at facebook.com/fema.

For important information about debris removal –

CLICK HERE

CLICK HERE FOR THE FEMA DEBRIS GUIDE 

CLICK HERE FOR THE FEMA DEBRIS REMOVAL GUIDE

CLICK HERE – HOW RENTERS CAN APPLY FOR FEMA ASSISTANCE

Some residents of 16 Kentucky counties who have received initial FEMA rental assistance
because of damage to their homes from the Dec. 10-11 severe storms and tornadoes may be eligible for continued rental assistance.

If you are a resident of Barren, Caldwell, Christian, Fulton, Graves, Hart, Hickman, Hopkins, Logan, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Taylor or Warren County, you may qualify for continued rental assistance while you seek more permanent housing. You would need to demonstrate your storm-related financial need and show you are developing a long-term or permanent housing plan.

How to apply for continued assistance
Fifteen days after receiving your initial rental assistance grant, FEMA will mail to you an “Application for Continued Temporary Housing Assistance.” You must complete the form and document your need for continued rental assistance by providing:

• A copy of your current lease;
• Receipts showing the proper use of federal disaster housing assistance;
• Your current household income, and
• Any household financial obligations you may have.

Sign the application and mail it, along with your supporting documents, to FEMA, P.O. Box 10055, Hyattsville, MD 20782-8055. If you cannot gain entry to your home to find these documents or the originals were destroyed during the tornadoes, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Duplicates of many types of official documents may be available through your municipal government, utility company or bank.

If you have created an account at DisasterAssistance.gov, you may upload documents through the Upload Center in your online account.

If you did not receive the “Application for Continued Temporary Housing Assistance” or you have questions, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Learn more at fema.gov 2

Extensions on rental assistance may be granted for three-month periods, for up to 18 months from the date of the presidential disaster declaration. In Kentucky, the tornado disaster was declared Dec. 12. It is important to keep FEMA updated with your contact information and housing status.

Your rental can be a house, apartment, hotel or recreational vehicle that can keep you near your job, home and place of worship. The assistance covers rent, security deposit and essential utilities such as electricity and water, but not cable or internet.

The approved rental amount will be based on fair market rates for your area as determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. To apply for FEMA assistance, visit DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA mobile app or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service such as video relay service (VRS) or captioned telephone service, give FEMA the number for that service. Helpline operators are available from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. CST daily. Press 2 for Spanish. Press 3 for an interpreter who speaks your language.

For an accessible video on how to apply for FEMA assistance, go to

youtube.com/watch?v=WZGpWI2RCNw.

For referrals to Kentucky’s health and human services agencies as well as community organizations, dial 211, text your ZIP code to 898-211, or view resources online via https://www.uwbg211.org/.
For more information on Kentucky’s recovery from the tornadoes, visit fema.gov/disaster/4630. Follow FEMA on Twitter at FEMA Region 4 (@femaregion4) / Twitter and at facebook.com/fema.

SBA Disaster Loan Program 

LOAN FACT SHEET – CLICK HERE

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) encourages businesses of all sizes, private
nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters to apply for physical damage disaster loans before
the Feb. 10 deadline. Anyone in the declared counties in Kentucky with damages caused by the severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, and tornadoes on Dec. 10-11, 2021 should apply for the disaster loan program.

Disaster survivors are encouraged to apply to SBA as soon as possible, even if they do not know how
much money will be needed. There is no need to wait for insurance claims to settle. SBA loans can be made while insurance recovery is pending. There is no cost to apply or obligation to accept the loan if approved.

“Waiting to file an SBA application could cause unnecessary delays in receiving disaster assistance, and survivors may miss the application deadline. Submitting the loan application is an essential part of the disaster recovery process,” said Kem Fleming, director of SBA Field Operations Center East.
The disaster declaration covers Barren, Caldwell, Christian, Fulton, Graves, Hart, Hickman, Hopkins, Logan, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Taylor, and Warren counties in Kentucky, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA.

Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans: Adair, Allen, Boyle, Breckinridge, Butler, Calloway, Carlisle, Casey, Crittenden, Daviess, Edmonson, Grayson, Green, Hancock, Hardin, Larue, Livingston, Marion, McCracken, McLean, Metcalfe, Monroe, Nelson, Simpson, Todd, Trigg, Washington and Webster in Kentucky; Mississippi and New Madrid in Missouri; and Henry, Lake, Montgomery, Obion, Robertson, Stewart and Weakley in Tennessee.

Customer Service Representatives are available at the SBA Business Recovery Center (BRC) in Marshall County to answer questions about the disaster loan program and assist business owners in submitting their applications. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the SBA has established protocols to help protect the health and safety of the public. All visitors to the DLOC are encouraged to wear a face mask.

Businesses and private nonprofit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or
replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other
business assets. Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase up to 20 percent of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements may include a safe room or storm shelter, sump pump, elevation, retaining walls, and landscaping to help protect property andoccupants from future damage caused by a similar disaster.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and
most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet
working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available
regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.

Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace
disaster-damaged or destroyed personal property. Interest rates are as low as 2.83 percent for businesses, 1.875 percent for nonprofit organizations, and 1.438 percent for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at:

https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela/s/

and should apply under SBA declaration # 17286, not for the COVID-19 incident.
To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, applicants should register online at
DisasterAssistance.gov or download the FEMA mobile app. If online or mobile access is unavailable,
applicants should call the FEMA toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362

Businesses and individuals may also obtain information and loan applications by calling the SBA’s
Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or
emailing DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Loan applications can also be downloaded at
sba.gov/disaster. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration,
Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Feb.10, 2022. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Sept. 12, 2022.

Birth Certificate Replacement:
To replace birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates issued within the Commonwealth of Kentucky, you can contact the Office of Vital Statistics by calling 800-241-8322.  You can also place an order for replacements online by visiting their website:  https://chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dehp/vsb/Pages/default.aspx.

Social Security Card Replacement:
To replace social security cards issued by the Social Security Administration, please contact the Social Security Administration by calling 800-772-1213.  You can also visit their website:  https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/replacement-card.html.

Driver’s License Replacement:
To report a change of address on your driver’s license or to replace a lost driver’s license, please visit: https://drive.ky.gov/driver-licensing/Pages/Drivers-License-and-ID-Card.aspx#lost-drivers-license-permit-or-id-cards.

CLICK HERE FOR RED CROSS INFORMATION SHEET

RELIEF EFFORTS

There has been a relief fund set up through the Caldwell County Chamber of Commerce at Farmers Bank and Trust.

To donate to tornado relief through GoFundMe go to https://gofund.me/fceb7b01

To donate to tornado relief through Venmo, use @Chambertornadofund

Monetary donations for tornado victims can be made locally in person at the following locations.

Farmers Bank and Trust both locations

First Southern National Bank both locations

Planters Bank

Checks should be made to, Chamber of Commerce Tornado Fund or HR Ministries Inc.

Donations can also be made online at:

Go Fund Me: https://gofund.me/fceb7b01

Venmo: @chambertornadofund

Additional information can be found at yournextbank.com or fsnb.net

Benevolence Applications for those in need of supplies can be picked up and dropped off at Calvary Baptist Church or any of Farmers Bank and Trust or First Southern National Bank & Trust Locations.

If you are a Tornado Impacted Individual and need transportation to a supply or donation distribution center, please contact PACS transportation

• Lyon Co residents call (270) 498-9332

• Hopkins and Caldwell residents call 270-821-3232 or 270-339-9041

• or toll free at 1-800-467-4601