For Immediate Release:
Thursday, March 23, 2006

WASHINGTON D.C - U.S. Congressmen Dan Boren (D-Muskogee) and Tom Cole (R-Moore) have been notified that Oklahoma residents who lost their homes to wildfires are now eligible to apply for the temporary use of a manufactured home.

 

The announcement comes in response to a March 9 request the congressmen sent to FEMA calling on the agency to allow Oklahomans access to manufactured homes originally purchased for hurricane relief in the Gulf Coast.  Although the request mentioned the more than 10,000 units currently sitting unused in Hope, Ark., FEMA has indicated the homes to be provided to Oklahomans will come from the Red River Army Depot near Texarkana, Texas.

 

“I am very pleased that FEMA has decided to allow Oklahomans whose homes were damaged by the recent fires to take advantage of these trailers that are not currently being used,” Cole said. “I know the option of using these trailers will be very helpful for those who need to stay close to their property”

 

“More than 300 Oklahoma families have lost their homes to the fires, and many of them would prefer to be on their own land to clean-up and rebuild,” Boren said.  “I am hopeful that this option will help these families start getting their lives back to normal.”

 

FEMA regulations normally require a lack of adequate temporary housing in a 30-mile radius before a manufactured home can be provided.  That requirement has been waived for the Oklahoma wildfire disaster.  Boren and Cole worked closely with the Oklahoma Office of Emergency Management, Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland and Governor Brad Henry’s office in the two weeks since the original request to work something out with FEMA.

 

“I appreciate Congressman Boren, the Governor, FEMA and all other emergency management officials in Oklahoma for working together to provide this option for Oklahoma families who have lost their homes to the wildfires,” Cole said.

 

“I am pleased everyone was able to come together and see the benefits of providing this assistance,” Boren said.  “Federal tax dollars have already been spent on the manufactured homes.  They’re just sitting and waiting to be put to use.”

 

FEMA is encouraging fire victims who wish to be considered for manufactured home assistance to contact the agency at 1-800-621-FEMA if they haven’t already done so.

####