26 Oct 2009

FEMA to stay in American Samoa until 2010

7:51 am on 26 October 2009

The Federal Emergency Management Agency says it expects to be in American Samoa until the beginning of next year.

The external Affairs officer for the FEMA Region 9 Office, Kim Walz, announced that FEMA has released housing assistance cheques to nearly 900 applicants worth 4.1 million US dollars.

She says more than 729,000 US dollars has been approved for other needs assistance which includes medical, dental and funeral expenses, personal property and vehicles.

She says restoring power remains a high priority for FEMA and 40 generators are now supplying power in different parts of the island.

She told the American Samoa Chamber of Commerce that the government and the private sector need to work together in the rebuilding effort.

"The private sector provides the bulk of support to the community and we have to get them in engaged in disaster response."

The external Affairs officer for the FEMA Region 9 Office, Kim Walz.