The following is a press release from the Town of Wilton. The information was updated on Tuesday evening, Sept. 24 at 6 p.m. The information was updated again on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 4 p.m. to include details about the newly-opened Business Recovery Centers in Connecticut.
FEMA has declared a major disaster in Connecticut and Fairfield County due to the extreme flooding on Aug. 18-19, 2024, as authorized by President Joe Biden. The federal government has approved Gov. Ned Lamont’s request for an Individual Assistance (IA) disaster declaration for Fairfield, New Haven and Litchfield Counties, related to the Aug. 18, 2024 flooding event. With this I.A. disaster declaration approved, the Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loan program is also activated for those counties.
Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. Funding for hazard mitigation measures has also been authorized to be implemented statewide.
There are presently two separate federal opportunities for assistance: directly through FEMA Disaster Assistance or through the Small Business Administration (SBA). It is possible to apply for both.
Individuals and Businesses
Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas, and residents who experienced damage resulting from this event can apply for assistance in four ways:
- In person at a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) (locations and hours of operation will be announced this week) will soon be set up in Fairfield County to provide in-person assistance for residents and businesses in the coming weeks. Wilton officials will share this information as soon as it becomes available The Deadline to apply for physical damage [is] through Nov. 19, 2024.
- By calling 800.621.FEMA (3362)
- Online
- Through the FEMA mobile app
Wilton officials “encourage residents seeking assistance to apply as soon as possible as some programs have deadlines.”
Additional Business Resources
Physical Damage: In addition to the above, Business Recovery Centers (BRC) have been set up in the State and County.
Business Recovery Centers (BRC) have now been set up in the State.
- Monroe Police Department
7 Fan Hill Road, Monroe, CT 06468
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and Closed Sunday
- Oxford Town Hall
486 Oxford Rd, Oxford, CT 06478 Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Application for assistance may be done as well online via MySBA Loan Portal with an application deadline of Nov. 19, 2024.
Economic Damage: In the years following rebuilding from natural disasters, FEMA sees a recurring phenomenon wherein the small businesses in the impacted areas (“zones of economic impact”) take a financial hit causing sometimes cascading negative effects on the local economies. In an effort to support local business owners during these times, the SBA has a program to provide funds in the form of low-interest and long-term loans to carry them during the rebuild period via the EIDL (Economic Injury Disaster Loan) Program. Business owners may apply in person at any Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) or Business Recovery Center (BRC). Businesses may apply in person or online via MySBA Loan Portal for economic damages through June 20, 2025.
Contact the SBA’s Customer Service Center via email or by phone at 800.659.2955 for further assistance.
Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunication relay services..
Any Wilton resident or business that has incurred damages due to the flood, and has any questions can contact the Wilton Emergency Management Director/Fire Chief Jim Blanchfield via email or Police Chief/Deputy Emergency Management Director Thomas Conlan via email.