Aid Available For Gustav Damage In Mississippi

Residents in three Mississippi counties -
Hancock, Harrison and Washington - have been approved for
individual disaster assistance as a result of damages from
Hurricane Gustav which struck the state on Labor Day.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said that Governor Haley
Barbour's request for residents in those counties was granted
Friday. They're eligible for the Individuals and Households
program, crisis counseling, transitional sheltering assistance for
those displaced and critical needs assistance. The Small Business
Administration's low-interest loan program also will be available.
Residents have 60 days to apply either by phone, 800-621-3362,
or via FEMA's Web site, www.fema.gov
Earlier this week, FEMA declared 20 Mississippi counties
eligible for the Public Assistance program, which allows
governments to be reimbursed for repair of infrastructure and
debris removal and cleanup.
The eligible counties are: Adams, Amite, Claiborne, Copiah,
Forrest, Franklin, George, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson,
Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marion, Pearl River, Pike,
Stone, Walthall and Wilkinson.