Kay County approved for individual aid from FEMA

Kay County residents and business owners who need help recovering from widespread flooding in May and June may now apply to receive individual assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Governor Kevin Stitt announced in a press release on June 11.

The request for individual assistance, which was approved by FEMA last week, was filed by the governor's office following weeks of flooding, tornadoes, and high winds across the state. With the request approved, homeowners and renters in Kay County can seek grants that help pay for home repairs, temporary housing, and other “serious disaster-related expenses” that are not covered by an insurance provider, according to an accompanying release from FEMA.

Business owners affected by severe weather can apply for a loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration. The loans offer low interest rates, and they cover “residential and business losses as a result of the disaster,” FEMA stated in the release. Non-profit organizations may also apply for a loan through the SBA.

Unemployment assistance is available to individuals who lost their jobs as a result of severe weather, the governor's release stated.

Kay County joins 16 other Oklahoma counties in being allowed to obtain individual assistance. Those counties are: Delaware, Mayes, Okmulgee, Payne, Pottawatomie,  Sequoyah, Canadian, Creek, Logan, Muskogee, Osage, Ottawa, Rogers, Tulsa, Wagoner, and Washington.

Additional counties may be added in the future, as damage assessments across the state are still ongoing, the governor said.

Here's how to apply for aid:

- Residents and business owners in the aforementioned counties may apply for disaster assistance by calling FEMA's toll-free registration number,  800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585. They may also apply online by visiting http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov.

- Those who need to apply for a low-interest disaster loan online using the SBA’s secure website may do so at  http://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

For more information on disaster assistance available through the SBA, call the SBA’s customer service center at  800-659-2955.

You can also find information by visiting http://www.sba.gov/disaster or by emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Individuals with hearing impairments may call 800-877-8339 for more information.