Ohio Disaster Recovery

Southeast Ohio is home to some of the poorest counties in the state, and local disaster responders are hoping a presidential declaration comes through for the residents.  More than 423 residents of the six western Ohio counties under President Bush's July 15 disaster declaration have registered for disaster assistance in the two weeks since the declaration. Auglaize, Darke, Shelby, Van Wert, Mercer and Logan counties were covered under the declaration. Let’s have some more useful information about Ohio Disaster Recovery.

The goal of Ohio Disaster Recovery planning is to help as many Ohio households and businesses as possible to recover from their damages from the disaster," said Federal Coordinating Officer Ron Sherman of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

FEMA announced Federal Aid Programs for Ohio Disaster Recovery: Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Bush’s major disaster declaration issued for Ohio.

Assistance for Affected Individuals and Families Can Include as Required:

·       Rental payments for temporary housing for those whose homes are unlivable. Initial assistance is provided for up to three months for homeowners and at least one month for renters. Assistance may be extended if requested after the initial period based on a review of individual applicant requirements. (Source: FEMA funded and administered.)

·       Grants for home repairs and replacement of essential household items not covered by insurance to make damaged dwellings safe, sanitary and functional. (Source: FEMA funded and administered.)

·       Grants to replace personal property and help meet medical, dental, funeral, transportation and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other federal, state and charitable aid programs. (Source: FEMA funded at 75 percent of total eligible costs; 25 percent funded by the state.)

·       Unemployment payments up to 26 weeks for workers who temporarily lost jobs because of the disaster and who do not qualify for state benefits, such as self-employed individuals. (Source: FEMA funded; state administered.)

·       Low-interest loans to cover residential losses not fully compensated by insurance. Loans available up to $200,000 for primary residence; $40,000 for personal property, including renter losses. Loans available up to $1.5 million for business property losses not fully compensated by insurance. (Source: U.S. Small Business Administration.)

·       Loans up to $1.5 million for small businesses that have suffered disaster-related cash flow problems and need funds for working capital to recover from the disaster's adverse economic impact. This loan in combination with a property loss loan cannot exceed a total of $1.5 million. (Source: U.S. Small Business Administration.)

·       Loans up to $500,000 for farmers, ranchers and aquaculture operators to cover production and property losses, excluding primary residence. (Source: Farm Service Agency, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.)

·       Other relief programs: Crisis counseling for those traumatized by the disaster; income tax assistance for filing casualty losses; advisory assistance for legal, veteran’s benefits and social security matters.

There are many Ohio Disaster Recovery contractors and their mission and principles are to be the largest marketplace connecting homeowners to prescreened service professionals!

The guiding principles for many Ohio Disaster Recovery plans are:

Serve Their Customers - They seek all customer comments and complaints, and firmly believe that every interaction is an opportunity to create a customer for life. They listen, they care, and they act to exceed their expectations and provide the best customer experience possible.

Get It Done Through Teamwork - They believe the team is stronger than the individual. They rely on the collective talent and creativity of each team member and partner to continuously improve. They treat every team member with honesty, candor, and respect. Most importantly, they celebrate their team victories and have fun every day.

Innovate to Win - They must constantly reinvent themselves and challenge assumptions that limit their opportunities. They strive to anticipate future customer needs and then they solve what may seem unsolvable. They are not afraid of taking risks and making mistakes because the knowledge and experience that is gained will fuel their future breakthrough innovations.

Create Superior Value - They cherish their precious human and capital resources. They focus on doing the right work at the right time and wisely deploy their resources at all times. They are committed to creating superior value for all ServiceMagic stakeholders including their customers, partners, investors, employees and the communities in which they serve.