Bentley asks for federal disaster assistance

Published 8:03 pm Monday, January 30, 2012

Gov. Robert Bentley has requested federal assistance for people recovering from last week’s tornado outbreak.

The request was submitted Friday, following a week of damage assessments. The surveys showed more than 1,500 houses sustained some degree of damage in the storms.

The assistance would benefit storm victims in Chilton, Jefferson and Perry counties. The federal aid would include grants for temporary housing, financing for home repairs not covered by insurance, low-cost loans for uninsured property losses as well as other programs.

The request was made from the Federal Emergency Management Agency through President Barack Obama.

“I am hopeful the president will provide the necessary resources to help people recover as quickly as possible,” Bentley said. “Nine months ago today, our state was impacted by a disaster of historic proportions. The scope of this week’s severe weather may not be the same as on April 27, but for the people in the neighborhoods that were torn apart, the damage is just as real, and the need for assistance is the same.”