FEMA: No timetable on trailers

Published 12:00 am Friday, October 14, 2005

NATCHEZ &045; The Federal Emergency Management Agency has no timetable for moving trailers into Adams County because it is putting as many as it can in the hardest-hit counties, representatives said Wednesday.

&uot;The concentration is on the worst counties, which are Hancock, then Harrison, then Jackson &045; all of that is being worked simultaneously &045; then Pearl River, George and Stone counties,&uot; FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Jesse Munoz said.

As of Wednesday, there were 5,980 trailers in Mississippi, 3,369 of which were occupied.

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Trailers are being set up in groups and individually on people’s property.

Priority lists are being set by local governments in coordination with FEMA.

Munoz said registered evacuees who have made their need for a trailer known, no matter where they are staying, are in line to as they become available.

This is part of FEMA’s grand plan, spokesman Eugene Brezany said, to get people situated in temporary housing as close to their homes as possible.

&uot;Our intention is to get people back into their own neighborhoods,&uot; he said.

&uot;We’re not anticipating accommodating people from far away in new parts of the state or country. There may be isolated cases where that seems to be the best solution, but we’re not going to impose that on anybody.&uot;

Brezany and Munoz, who work out of different offices, both said getting a spot in a trailer would not be affected by their state of residence.

Earlier in the week the Adams County Board of Supervisors approved the use of New Hope Baptist Church as a site for trailers.

Board president Darryl Grennell said he had not heard from FEMA since the meeting.

New Hope Baptist Church Bishop Stanley Searcy was out of the area and could not be reached for comment.

In other FEMA news, the agency has begun offering one-way plane, train and bus tickets to either reunite victims of Hurricane Katrina or move them from a shelter to an alternate location, according to a FEMA memo.

A central call center will field all travel requests. The center can only be accessed by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). The help line will make referrals to the call center.

To be eligible, a Katrina &045;Rita is not a part of the program at this time &045;victim must have a FEMA Registration number, and be an evacuee from an affected area in Louisiana, Mississippi or Alabama. Applicants are responsible for their own transportation to and from the airport, bus depot or train station. Also, the applicant must have the phone number and address where they will stay when they relocate. This housing must be available for 90 days and may not be a hotel or motel.

Travel is restricted to the lower 48 states and is meant only to provide transportation to housing. Tickets are not to be used to check on one’s house, attend a funeral or meet with inspectors or adjusters.

If an applicant is requesting fare to return home, convincing evidence that the home is inhabitable will be needed.

Excess baggage, pets and all other fees must be paid by the applicant.