NASHVILLE – State officials today urged all evacuees from Hurricane Katrina in Tennessee to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
“Several thousand individuals and families have not registered with FEMA and we need to get word to them on how they can do that,” said General James Bassham, Director of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. “Regardless of whether you came on your own and are staying with friends and family or you came on one of the government organized flights and are staying at one of the many shelters across the state, we need you to register with FEMA. This will help us have a better feel for the folks who might need assistance and also enable evacuees to learn what services and benefits they might be eligible for.”
Officials with the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) say over 9,000 people or families have registered as evacuees with FEMA, although it is estimated that close to 20,000 evacuees have sought shelter in Tennessee through National Guard evacuations or on their own. People can register through FEMA’s toll-free number at 800-621-FEMA (3362) or on line at www.FEMA.gov.
Tennessee has not received any additional evacuees this weekend through Reserve evacuation efforts and no arrivals are scheduled. There are 589 evacuees in TEMA shelters, with an estimated 2,500 in shelters across Tennessee. All evacuees at the TEMA shelter near Milan have been moved to an air-conditioned facility in Williamson County. Evacuees at the Tullahoma National Guard facility - where 115 people are sheltered – are moving today to the Williamson County shelter. TEMA also plans to move all 58 evacuees out of the Reserve’s Smyrna facility.
In Knox County, 192 people are sheltered at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum, 17 at a Knoxville church and 72 people are sheltered at the Clyde Austin 4-H Camp in Greeneville.
Other update information:
Family Assistance has been provided to 997 families, with 2,897 electronic benefit cards distributed through the Tennessee Department of Human Services (DHS). More than100 people have requested federal Medicaid assistance. Medicaid costs will be billed to the home states of evacuees who seek federal Medicaid assistance in Tennessee.
2025 students K-12 are registered in public schools and identified as evacuees, including: 178 in Davidson County; 92 in Hamilton County; 730 in Memphis/Shelby County; 39 in Knox County; 33 in Jackson/Madison County; 43 in Clarksville/Montgomery County 43; and, 81 in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County Schools. In addition, 247 evacuees have enrolled in the state’s parochial schools.
The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development has processed over 2,000 unemployment claims, and has also set up a toll-free number, 1-866-4-USA-DOL, and a Web site, www.dol.gov to help evacuees file unemployment insurance claims through their home states and access temporary and permanent job information.
The Tennessee Department of Health has secured a donation of 11-thousand vaccine doses that are being offered to people in shelters. Three types of vaccines are available: Hepatitis A, pneumonia and MMR (measles, mumps and rubella). The vaccines, donated by the Merck pharmaceutical company, would have cost the state over $250,000. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has recommended all states offer these vaccines to evacuees in shelters.
FEMA has established a toll-free Hurricane Katrina hotline to accept public contributions of goods and services to assist victims, at 1-800-440-6728.
FEMA also has activated the National Emergency Resource Registry to coordinate donations from businesses willing to assist with major needs such as housing, transportation and supplies. It is able to match donors to specific needs in the affected area. Businesses can access the database at www.fema.gov and click on the “Help the Victims of Hurricane Katrina” or www.swern.gov/ to register to provide relief.