Hale County residents are eligible for federal aid after Jan. 12 storm

The Tuscaloosa News
·1 min read

Hale County is now eligible for federal help after the Jan. 12 storms and tornadoes.

Emergency Management Agency Director Ernie Baggott said Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance in the designated disaster area will be extended beyond Autauga and Dallas counties to include Elmore, Coosa and Hale, according to the Associated Press.

More:'This was my dream place': Tornado damages homes in Hale County

The Jan. 12 storms killed at least seven people in Autauga County and left a trail of destruction around Alabama in its wake, news outlets reported.

Jan 12, 2023; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; A tornado heavily damaged homes and destroyed mobile homes on Oak Village Road near Akron in Hale County. A mobile home belonging to Larry Fondren was completely destroyed when a tree fell on it.
Jan 12, 2023; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; A tornado heavily damaged homes and destroyed mobile homes on Oak Village Road near Akron in Hale County. A mobile home belonging to Larry Fondren was completely destroyed when a tree fell on it.

Residents in those five counties can now apply for FEMA Individual Assistance, which could include temporary housing help, basic home repairs and some uninsured disaster-related needs, the agency said in a news release.

People can apply for help at disasterassistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362. The helpline is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. CDT.

Meanwhile, people in Hale County who experienced storm-related food losses can apply for replacement benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

The Alabama Department of Human Resources said that eligible SNAP recipients in Autauga, Chambers, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore, Hale and Tallapoosa can request replacement benefits by visiting their local DHR offices. The deadline to apply is Feb. 2.

Jan 12, 2023; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; A tornado heavily damaged homes and destroyed mobile homes on Oak Village Road near Akron in Hale County. Jake Tillie and his sister Raelynn Phillips watch as a track hoe clears debris. They were in school when the tornado struck.
Jan 12, 2023; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; A tornado heavily damaged homes and destroyed mobile homes on Oak Village Road near Akron in Hale County. Jake Tillie and his sister Raelynn Phillips watch as a track hoe clears debris. They were in school when the tornado struck.

“The January 12th storms brought destruction, heartache and an increased risk of hunger to many Alabamians in these seven counties,” said Nancy Buckner, Alabama's DHR commissioner. “We are committed to promoting continued food security throughout the recovery process. No one affected by these devastating storms should have to worry about their next meal.”

A list of DHR county offices is available at dhr.alabama.gov/county-office-contact.

Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Federal aid available for Hale County residents affected by tornado