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By BILL PEACE; Times Leader Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 30, 1996 Page: 3A
KINGSTON — After distributing millions of dollars in flood-related grants
to Luzerne County homeowners and businesses, the Federal Emergency Management
Agency Disaster Recovery Center on Market Street will close today.
But homeowners and businesses still seeking money for January’s
flood-related property damage have until Friday to submit applications to FEMA
for housing grants and to the Small Business Administration for low-interest
loans.
County residents seeking applications for these grants and loans should
call 1-800-462-9029 for assistance after today.
Applicants also may visit the disaster center at the NatWest Services
building, Lackawanna and Wyoming streets, Scranton, or the Store Office
Complex, 1948 E. Third St., Williamsport.
“A lot of people didn’t realize the extent of damage done to their homes
until after winter’s thaw, so we’re still receiving applications,” said Deena
Urbanski, FEMA public affairs officer.
In Luzerne County, FEMA had received 2,675 applications from flood victims
as of Thursday, and issued 1,464 disaster housing grants totaling $2.47
million. The average grant was $1,577 per claim.
In Wyoming County, 615 applications had been received as of Thursday. FEMA
issued 202 housing grants for a total of $341,175. The average grant was
$1,664.
Statewide, FEMA issued $44 million in housing grants.
“Obviously, not everyone who applied was granted money,” said Urbanski.
“That’s because some people discovered after they applied that they were
eligible for money through their insurance companies.”
Other agencies at the Kingston FEMA office, which is open from 9 a.m. to 6
p.m. today, included the state Department of Welfare and Small Business
Administration.
Jim Atkins, public information officer with administration in Fort Worth,
Texas, said the agency issued 355 low-interest loans to homeowners and
businesses totaling $3.9 million statewide. Of that total, $2.51 million was
issued to homeowners and $1.39 million was issued to businesses, he said.
“We saw a lot of people,” said Atkins. “Damage was more widespread than
anything that has happened there in a while and it was reflected in the number
of people who did not own flood insurance and ultimately applied for loans.”
Urbanski said the federal response to the Jan. 19-20 flooding was the
quickest she has seen in the 40 natural disasters she has witnessed throughout
Pennsylvania.
“A lot of disaster centers opened within days after the flooding. There
really was a quick response to the disaster, and it’ll continue,” she said.
A public meeting to discuss federal disaster assistance is scheduled for 4
to 8 p.m. today at the United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall at Marion and
Warren streets, Tunkhannock. FEMA and Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency
officials plan to attend to answer questions.
TIMES LEADER/ALLISON V. SMITH
Andrew Rudolph, a loan officer for the Small Business Administration, makes
some last-minute calls Monday afternoon in a near-empty FEMA disaster center
on Market Street in Kingston. The center will close at 6 p.m. today.