Help Available For Disaster Applications

State and federal disaster officials scheduled three briefings in the area this week to help representatives from state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations in nine Illinois counties to apply for federal disaster assistance in the wake of late January's severe winter storm.

The nine counties have been declared as a federal disaster area as the result of damage caused by the storm.

This week's briefings are scheduled in Ullin, Metropolis and Harrisburg. The schedule follows:

For Union, Alexander and Pulaski counties: Thursday, today, 2:30 p.m., Shawnee Community College educational center, 8364 Shawnee College Rd., Ullin.

For Johnson and Massac counties: Thursday, today, 10 a.m., Shawnee Community College extension center, 900 W. 10th St., Metropolis.

A meeting Gallatin, Hardin, Pope and Saline counties was planned Wednesday afternoon, March 11, in Harrisburg.

The briefings will provide information about the Federal Emergency Management Agency's, FEMA, public assistance (infrastructure) program for debris removal, emergency protective measures and the repair, restoration or replacement of public facilities or infrastructure that were damaged during the storm which struck the area Jan. 26-28.

Under the cost-share program, FEMA public assistance funds 75 percent of the cost for eligible work.

The state pays for approved projects from funds provided by FEMA.