As tornadoes and severe storms swept through the state Thursday, Jan. 12, Gov. Kay Ivey issued a state of emergency in six Alabama counties hit by the powerful system. As of Feb. 4, 10 Alabama counties are eligible for federal disaster assistance.
On Sunday, Jan. 15, President Joe Biden made federal assistance available to Autauga and Dallas counties. The Federal Emergency Management Agency added Coosa, Elmore and Hale counties (Jan. 19), Greene, Sumter and Tallapoosa counties (Jan. 27) and Morgan and Mobile counties (Feb. 4) to those in which individuals are eligible for assistance. The president amended the declaration Feb. 10 to authorize 100% federal payment for state and local governments to remove debris.
Autauga, Chambers, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore and Tallapoosa counties are included in the state emergency declaration, which was effective noon Jan. 12. The National Weather Service said nine tornadoes touched down in Alabama that day. The long-track EF3 tornado that began in Autauga County and traveled 76 miles was at least 1,500 yards wide, according to the NWS survey. Seven people died in the Old Kingston community in the central part of Autauga County and 16 others were injured.
The NWS also identified EF2s in Dallas, Sumter, Winston, Greene/Hale/Tuscaloosa/Bibb, Hale/Perry and Chambers counties. EF1 tornadoes hit Perry/Bibb and Barbour counties.
President’s Disaster Declaration
Business owners and residents who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA App. Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service.
As of Feb. 15, FEMA, SBA Assistance Tops $8.1 Million
for Alabama Tornado Survivors
SBA Disaster Assistance
SBA Declaration #17759 and #17760
March 16, 2023, filing deadline for physical damage
Oct. 16, 2023, deadline to file for economic injury
Fact Sheet | News Release
Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are available to businesses. Businesses in Autauga, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore, Greene, Hale, Mobile, Morgan, Sumter and Tallapoosa counties are eligible for both physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA. Businesses in those 10 counties may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in 24 adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs): Baldwin, Bibb, Chambers, Chilton, Choctaw, Clay, Cullman, Lawrence, Lee, Limestone, Lowndes, Macon, Madison, Marengo, Marshall, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Randolph, Shelby, Talladega, Tuscaloosa, Washington and Wilcox.
BUSINESS RECOVERY CENTERS
From noon, Monday, March 6 through 4 p.m. Thursday, March 16, in Mobile County: Williams Chapel Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, 17595 U.S. 43, Mount Vernon, AL 36560. Open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday
As of noon Wednesday, Jan. 18, in Dallas County: GTC Administrative Building, 2300 Summerfield Road, Selma, AL 36701. Open 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday.
As of noon, Friday, Jan. 17, in Autauga County: Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce, 131 North Court Street, Prattville, AL 36067. Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Saturday.
DISASTER RECOVERY CENTERS
- As of 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29 in Dallas County: Felix Heights Community Center, 405 Medical Center Parkway, Selma, AL 36701. Open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday.
- As of 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28 inDallas County: Dr. Michael and Catherine Bullock Community Center, 1428 Broad St., Selma, AL 36701. Open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday.
- As of 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7 in Sumter County: Emelle City Hall, 123 Dailey Ave., Emelle, AL 35459. Open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday. CLOSES at 3 p.m. Friday, March 10.
CLOSED 3 p.m. Friday, March 3 – As of 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7 in Greene County: Robert H. Young Community Center, 720 Greensboro St., Eutaw, AL 35462.
CLOSED 3 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28 – As of 1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13, in Morgan County: Turner-Surles Community Center, 702 Sycamore St. NW, Decatur, AL 35601.
CLOSED 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17 – As of 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10 in Tallapoosa County: Betty Carol Grant Technical Center at Central Alabama Community College, 1675 Cherokee Road, Alexander City, AL 35010.
CLOSED 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11 – As of 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, in Autauga County: Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief Center, 118 Jesse Samuel Hunt Blvd., Prattville, AL 36066.
CLOSED 3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9 – As of 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, in Hale County: Akron Volunteer Fire Station, 181 First Ave. South, Akron AL 35441
CLOSED 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4 – As of 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 27, in Coosa County: Rockford Baptist Church, 9575 U.S. Highway 231, Rockford, AL, 35136.
CLOSED 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4 – As of 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, in Elmore County: Elmore County Court House, 100 E. Commerce St., Wetumpka, AL 36092
April 3 SBA Physical Disaster Loan Deadline for Private Nonprofits
National Weather Service Statement
on Friday, Jan. 13 Damage Surveys
IRS extends tax deadline
for storm victims in 13 counties
Unemployment Assistance Available to Workers
Morgan/Mobile Counties | Greene/Sumter/Tallapoosa Counties | Coosa/Elmore/Hale Counties | Autauga and Dallas Counties
Filing deadline was Wednesday, March 1
When Alabama experiences a state of emergency, Alabama’s price gouging law is in effect.
ALABAMA’S PRICE GOUGING LAW: Makes it unlawful for anyone to raise prices on commodities or lodging by more than 25 percent during the declared state of emergency. To avoid violating Alabama’s price gouging law, figure the price charged for each of the previous 30 days. Add the 30 daily prices, divide by 30, and multiply the price by .25, or 25 percent, to figure the maximum price increase allowed for any one day. The exception is if a wholesale price increases by more than 25 percent and merchants have no choice but to pass along the price increase.
The fine for violating Alabama’s price gouging law can be up to $1,000 per incident. Those who willfully and continually violate the law can be banned from doing business in Alabama.
TRANSPORTATION
The declaration also allows truck drivers delivering disaster-related supplies and goods to Alabama to exceed the hours of service or spend less time off duty than required by federal law. The waiver only applies to the time a driver is delivering the disaster supplies for up to 30 days after the emergency declaration, or until the declaration ends. Under federal law, a driver may drive only during a period of 14 consecutive hours after coming on duty following 10 consecutive hours off duty. The proclamation loosens that regulation only as it relates to the timely delivery of disaster supplies for the 30 days or less of the emergency declaration.
The order also allows the Alabama Department of Transportation to issue weight waivers for vehicles and loads. Bridge and other structural weight limits and well as insurance requirements remain.
ROAD CLOSURES AND CONDITIONS
For real-time road conditions, the Alabama Department of Transportation encourages you to visit https://algotraffic.com/ or download the ALGO Traffic app available through the Apple App Store and Google Play.
OVERWEIGHT OR OVERSIZE LOADS
For information on permitting related to oversize or overweight loads, contact the Alabama Department of Transportation’s Vehicle Enforcement Office from 7 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. CST Monday – Friday.
EMERGENCY NUMBERS:
- For medical and life-threatening emergencies, dial 9-1-1.
- Drivers can report an accident or other emergencies to state troopers by dialing *HP on their cellular devices.
- Businesses that want to know how to help or donate to relief efforts, call 2-1-1.
WEATHER INFORMATION:
Click the links below for more of your local weather information.
Huntsville https://www.weather.gov/hun/
Birmingham https://www.weather.gov/bmx/
Mobile https://www.weather.gov/mob/
Visit Alabama Retail’s Emergency Preparedness page for other links to the state’s emergency management resource.
Originally posted at 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023