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Contact: Renee Hoffman
Date: November 14, 2008
Phone: (919) 733-5612  

GOV. EASLEY ANNOUNCES DISASTER APPLICATION CENTERS TO OPEN IN JOHNSTON AND WILSON COUNTIES 
 
RALEIGH - Governor Mike Easley today announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration has approved his request for a federal disaster declaration for Johnston and Wilson counties and the contiguous counties of Franklin, Harnett, Nash, Sampson, Wake and Wayne due to damage from the November 15 tornadoes. The governor also announced that residents of those counties will be able to apply for low interest federal loans from the SBA and disaster assistance grants from the state.

“I appreciate the SBA giving us a quick decision on this declaration,” said Easley. “The citizens who have lost everything need this help to rebuild their homes and get their lives back to normal as soon as they can.”

Two disaster application centers will be open beginning today through next Wednesday. The center in Johnston County will be at Kenly Fire Department, 101 W. 1st Street, Kenly and in Wilson County will be at Wilson County Rescue, 1902 S. Tarboro Street, Wilson. Both centers will be open the following days and hours:

Friday, Nov. 21 – 3:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 22 – 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 23 – 1:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 24 – 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 25 – 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 26 – 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

On Monday, Easley directed state damage assessment teams to Johnston and Wilson counties to work with local officials to determine if the homes and businesses that were affected have insurance to cover the repairs. The assessment teams found Johnston County had 11 homes destroyed, 12 homes with major damage, three homes with minor damage and five businesses with major damage. In Wilson County, seven homes were destroyed, eight had major damage and 18 had minor damage. In addition, one business had major damage and two businesses reported minor damage.

In order to be eligible for either state disaster aid or Small Business Administration loans, a county must have a minimum of 25 homes or businesses with greater than 40 percent uninsured damages. All 33 affected homes in Wilson County were either uninsured or underinsured; 23 of the 26 homes in Johnston County were either uninsured or underinsured.