Eddie Henderson

Catoosa, Walker and Chattooga county residents and business owners have until Monday to complete applications for federal relief after September's floods.

"That window is going to be closing," said Walker County Emergency Management Director David Ashburn.

Monday is the deadline for individual assistance from the Small Business Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

In Chattooga County, where the town of Trion was ravaged by the murky, swollen Chattooga River, Emergency Management Authority Director Eddie Henderson urged any residents in need to contact the agencies, but said he thought most already had responded.

"I think most everybody's filed that's going to," he said.

The SBA deadline also applies to East Ridge, City Manager William Whitson said. The city did not qualify for FEMA funding because its damage levels were not high enough under federal guidelines.

Mr. Whitson said 50 or 60 people met with SBA representatives shortly after the flooding, and he felt fairly confident that most of the qualifying residents have gotten their paperwork squared away.

"I think we've made a really good effort to reach out to the community," he said.

On Wednesday, the Small Business Administration announced it has approved 1,085 disaster loans for $40,361,300 to Georgia homeowners, renters, businesses and nonprofit organizations affected by the floods. The agency estimated there were nearly 20,000 people who had not returned their applications.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

* Small Business Administration: 800-659-2955

* Federal Emergency Management Agency: 800-621-FEMA