Aid Now Available for East Brunswick, County Declared Disaster Area

East Brunswick residents and businesses can now apply for financial aid from the federal government after President Barack Obama declared Middlesex County a major disaster area and eligible for FEMA assistance.

Residents and businesses can register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Monday through Sunday.

“At one point this week, there will an announcement where they can go apply in person, but we don’t know where it will be yet. It will be someplace in the county, but that has yet to be determined," said Office of Emergency Management coordinator Chief Austin Kosik.

"Everybody with damage should apply," he added.

FEMA is encouraging residents to register for potential federal grants or loans for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help recover from the storm’s effects.

Registering for federal assistance gets the process started. People should clean up, take pictures and move forward with their lives knowing that assistance may be coming, according to FEMA officials.

Owners of residences or businesses impacted by the storm are encouraged to register. A person could receive up to $30,400 in federal assistant grants.

“Homeowners may be eligible for loans that could pay the rest of their mortgage or have a home rebuilt,” Victor Inge, public information officer with FEMA said. “It’s important to register with us.”

Within days of registering, eligible applicants will be telephoned to make an appointment to have their damaged property inspected. Inspectors, contractors with FEMA, will visit to make a record of damage, at no cost. Residents will also receive a packet in the mail that will include an application for a loan with the Small Business Administration, the agency’s federal partner in disaster relief.

“Fill it out. Some people will see the application and say they don’t want a loan and throw it out,” Inge said. “Fill it out, reason being that if you are eligible for a disaster grant from FEMA, you might be eligible for an SBA loan.”

A person could potentially be eligible for both a FEMA grant and a small business loan, but each situation is different, he said. Anyone not eligible for a small business loan will be referred back to the federal agency for eligibility for other assistance.