Public assistance briefings scheduled

The Washington Emergency Management Division’s Public Assistance (PA) Program

is assisting applicants for public assistance by providing applicant briefings for local governments and certain non-profit organizations that suffered damages from the recent storm damage in six counties. Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be available at the meetings.

Grays Harbor, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, and Thurston counties have been designated for

Public Assistance under the Presidential Disaster Declaration of Dec. 8. The briefings are

scheduled for Dec. 17, 18, 19, and 20, 2007. Applicants will be asked to identify the categories they are applying for on their Requests for Public Assistance.

The PA Grant Program is to provide assistance to states, local governments, and certain Non-

Profit organizations to alleviate suffering and hardship resulting from major disasters or

emergencies declared by the President.

The meetings will be conducted at the following sites, dates and times:

Tuesday, December 18

Mason County

9 a.m. - Mason County PUD#3 Auditorium, 307 W. Cota, Shelton, WA, 360-740-1151

Wednesday, December 19

Lewis County

9:30 a.m. -Lewis County Fire District 6, 2123 Jackson Highway, Chehalis, WA, 360-748-6019

Grays Harbor County

1:30 p.m., County Forestry Building, 310 W. Spruce Street, Suite 212, Montesano, WA, 360-249-3911 or 360-740-1151 (both numbers are Emergency Management)

Thursday, December 20

Pacific County

10 a.m., Emergency Operations Center, Public Safety Building, 300 Memorial Drive, South Bend, WA, 360-875-9340 (Emergency Management)

Through the PA Program, FEMA provides supplemental Federal disaster grant assistance for the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities and the

facilities of certain private non-profit (PNP) organizations.

The Federal share of assistance is not less than 75% of the eligible cost for emergency measures and permanent restoration. The grantee (usually the state) determines how the non-federal share (up to 25%) is split with the subgrantees (eligible applicants).