PRESIDENT OBAMA SIGNS MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATION FOR GEORGIA

For Immediate Release
April 23, 2009

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of
Georgia and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery
efforts in the area struck by severe storms, flooding, tornadoes,
and straight-line winds beginning on March 26, 2009, and continuing.

The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected
individuals in the counties of Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Coffee,
Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Echols, Lanier, Lowndes, Miller,
Mitchell, Pierce, Tift, Ware, Wheeler, and Worth.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs,
low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs
to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of
the disaster.

Federal funding also is available to State and eligible local
governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a
cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement
of facilities damaged by the severe storms, flooding, tornadoes,
and straight-line winds in the counties of Appling, Atkinson, Bacon,
Baker, Ben Hill, Berrien, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Early, Echols,
Grady, Lowndes, Mitchell, Montgomery, Pierce, Toombs, and Ware.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard
mitigation measures statewide.

Terry L. Quarles has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer
for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

FEMA said that damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and
additional counties may be designated for assistance after the
assessments are fully completed.

FEMA said that residents and business owners who sustained losses in
the designated counties can begin applying for assistance tomorrow
by registering online at or by
calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing
and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from
8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.