Deadline to File Request for La. Public Assistance Closing In

State and local public agencies and certain private non-profit organizations (PNPs) that sustained damage from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (Aug. 29 through Sept. 24) must submit their Request for Public Assistance (RPA) forms to the Louisiana Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (OHSEP) no later than Wednesday, March 1 at 5 p.m.

The U.S Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) extended the previous RPA submission deadline of February 1 given the extenuating circumstances concerning communications and access within the disaster area.

Application forms may be completed and submitted via the Web site for Louisiana OHSEP Public Assistance at www.louisianapa.com. For additional information, applicants may contact Louisiana OHSEP at 225-379-4035.

PNPs that provide critical and non-critical services and incurred costs for damages, emergency protective measures, or debris removal are encouraged to submit an RPA to FEMA (through the State of Louisiana) at the above Web site by the March 1 filing deadline.

It is important to note that non-critical PNPs deemed eligible by FEMA are required to apply to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for a disaster loan by the filing deadline of March 11, 2006. This requirement applies to permanent restoration work only; all eligible PNPs may make requests for assistance for debris removal and eligible emergency protective measures directly to FEMA through the Louisiana OHSEP. If the SBA denies the loan, or if the loan an organization receives is not adequate to cover all eligible disaster losses, the applicant may receive a FEMA Public Assistance grant for permanent restoration projects. Applicants may contact the SBA at 1-800-659-2955 or go to its website at www.sba.gov for additional information.

For more information about the disaster recovery, go to www.fema.gov