Storm Damage
On Thursday, December 12, I interviewed two representatives of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in their temporary quarters at the Fairground. They planned to close that office the next day and return to Atlanta, their permanent location.
On Friday morning they were to be interviewed on WTTF. Dale Waters and Randy Hill wanted to make sure that all persons that had received any damage from the tornado of November 10th were registered, first, with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and then later if necessary with SBA.
They emphasized that the people affected by the storm, whether they were insured or not, should call the toll-free application number, 1 800 621-FEMA as the only way to apply for assistance. They stressed that the affected people may later find that their insurance does not provide complete coverage or that problems discovered later may arise.
The FEMA program, as designated by President Bush on November 18, would assist individuals and families where permanent homes were damaged or destroyed by the tornado. Types of aid include grants for essential repairs of the residence and temporary rental housing. Grants that would cover other expenses, not covered by insurance, include medical expenses, funerals, personal property losses, transportation and storage.
FEMA also provides unemployment assistance to those individuals out of work due to the tornado, including self-employed persons, and farm owners.
Available from the SBA are disaster loans to homeowners and renters for restoring or replacing underinsured damaged real and personal property. There are business disaster loans to repair or replace destroyed or damaged business facilities, inventory and equipment not covered by insurance. Also loans may be available to small businesses for working capital during the recovery period.
The home loan rate from the SBA is 2.937% and the rate for businesses, non-profit organizations and those suffering economic injury is 3.324%. The filing deadline for applications for physical damage to homes, personal property, and businesses is January 17, 2003. The filing deadline for applications for economic injury is August 18, 2003. Again to receive directions for applications, calling the phone number 1 (800) 621-FEMA is the first step.
Apparently, there are four central offices in the U.S. for disaster assistance. FEMA from the Atlanta office were first on the scene. They apparently brought a large truck loaded with office equipment and supplies to temporary quarters in Findlay. So Findlay has served for the reporting of all information for both FEMA and the later arriving SBA. Smaller more local temporary offices were set up near the major disaster sites such as the one at the Fairground, which was closed Dec. 13, 2002. It is my understanding that the Findlay office was closed on Dec. 17.
A map provided by the SBA office showed two different tornadoes in Seneca County. One tornado, according to their map, first appeared in Fostoria about one-half mile below Co Rte. 592 and then moved NNE near the airport, crossed Jackson Twp. Rte. 84, Twp. Rte. 33 and Muddy Creek, Co. Rte. 28 and Co. Rte. 25 intersection, and was last seen at Twp. Rte. 172 about halfway between Twp. Rte. 64 and Co. Rte. 25. The approximate distance was 4.5 miles. It was considered a level two tornado.
The second level-four tornado first appeared on St. Rt. 53 about 2 miles south of U. S. 224. It next appeared on the high ridge of the Honey Creek Subdivision, continued into Tiffin near Fairfield Ave and Siesta Drive and exited the Tiffin area at Greenlawn Cemetery. It moved across Co. Rte. 13, crossed the railroad tracks at Willow Creek and State Rte. 18 about 1 mile east of the Co. Rte 15 intersection. It next crossed Clinton Twp. Routes 165 and 122, then continued over Twp. Rte. 130, State Rte. 43, Twp. Rte 175, and State Rte. 38. From State Rte. 18 to State Rte. 19 (about 4 miles north of Republic) there was major devastation and the loss of a life. The tornado crossed State Rte 19 near Co. Rte. 38 and continued NE to State Rte. 269 and crossed into Huron County near Thompson Twp. 178 near Flat Rock. That tornado path in Seneca County was approximately 26 miles.
This, our last article for 2002, is about the major storm that came through Northwest Ohio on November 10th. This tornadic storm led to the counties of Hancock, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Seneca, and Van Wert being declared major disaster areas and eligible for federal assistance. It will be a long time before the people in these affected areas can forget the terrific forces of nature and the 200+ mile per hour winds that swept through our area.
Mary and I wish you the very best for the holiday season now upon us, and may the New Year be filled with peace, hope and happiness.
– Percy