STATE, FEDERAL RELIEF AGENCIES FUNNEL AID

As more and more Cape Girardeans are forced from their homes by rising flood waters, monies from state and federal emergency relief agencies are beginning to reach those who need help.

"We've been real busy," said Bob Gruner, alternate governor's authorized representative for the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). Gruner is in charge of the Earth City, Mo., State and Federal Disaster Field Office.

"I'm attempting to run things here," Gruner said Thursday. "But there are times I have to wonder if I'm running things or if they are running me."

Since President Bill Clinton declared parts of Missouri a disaster area early this week, 2,463 people have registered for disaster assistance.

More than 1,700 individuals and families along the banks of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers have applied for housing assistance.

Already some of those people are receiving money for emergency housing.

"Our top priority is the people who need temporary housing," Gruner said. "We can usually get a check to them in three to five days after they call us."

Since the closest Disaster Assistance Center is in Festus, Cape Girardeau County residents are encouraged to call the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to fill out an application.

"There's nothing that a person can't do on the phone that they could do in person at one of the centers," said Mark Winkler, a representative with FEMA. "It will save the flood victims time just to call and not drive all the way to the closest center."

The FEMA teleregistration number is 1-800-492-9029; it is staffed daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Those who have speech or hearing impairments can call 1-800-462-7585.

Callers should know their Social Security number, the address of the damaged property and the address and phone number of where they are currently staying. Later, additional information, such as insurance coverage, will be required to verify program eligibility.

The application should take 20-30 minutes to complete and will be processed in 7-10 days.

FEMA/SEMA plans to open a temporary disaster application center in Cape Girardeau to take applications July 23-26. The center will be located at the Red Cross Building, at 1219 N. Kingshighway, and will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The centers are like an outlet mall of state and federal services.

"We want to make sure that the citizens get what they need when they apply," Gruner explained. "So we have people from all kinds of state and federal agencies the Internal Revenue Service, the American Red Cross, the Small Business Administration, the departments of health and mental health right there on the spot.

"That way, we can evaluate the need of each individual and provide them with services," he said. "If there is a need to follow up, we'll do that too."

Gruner said each individual case is evaluated and categorized according to need. FEMA will pay out only on what personal insurance policies do not cover, to a maximum of $11,900.

But before the applicants can receive money from FEMA, a verifier must survey the damage and file a report with the agency.

"We have people come in and physically walk around the home to survey the damage to the structure, appliances and furniture," Gruner said. "That means that the flood waters will have to recede before we can start getting money to the applicants so that they can rebuild."

FEMA and SEMA will remain in the area until all the applications have been considered and paid.

The Small Business Administration is taking low-interest loan applications from business owners affected by the flooding.

Since Monday, more than 700 flood victims have applied for Disaster Unemployment Insurance, which reimburses petitioners for income lost while trying to save their homes.