BRANTLEY COUNTY, Ga. — Top U.S. Small Business Administration officials were in Brantley County Friday to survey the damage from the Highway 82 Wildfire.
Only Action News Jax’s Madison Foglio spoke one-on-one with SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler about the SBA’s process to deliver recovery assistance to the area.
“We’re here to survey, to do an assessment of what’s taking place,” said Administrator Loeffler. “We know that the fire is now 90% contained. We know it impacted 53,000 acres, almost 200 structures…we’ll head back to Washington and act as quickly as possible.”
Loeffler notes that most of the structures destroyed in this fire were homes.
After the SBA completes its damage assessment, they will provide their recommendations to the state. The state would then need to issue a Disaster Declaration. Once that’s done, then the SBA would come in and offer long-term, low-interest-rate loans to small businesses, homeowners, and renters who were impacted.
“Small businesses can borrow up to $2 million in 30-year low-interest rate loans. Homeowners can borrow up to $500,000 in 30-year low-interest rate loans. Renters, there’s even an allotment for renters up to $100,000 to ensure that American citizens have what they need in recovering,” said Loeffler.
We asked Loeffler what the threshold is for a disaster declaration.
“The threshold’s pretty minimal. I believe it’s five businesses or fewer,” said Loeffler. And we know that there’s been many businesses and homeowners’ residents impacted, over 100 homes have been burned.”
We also asked the Administrator if a state disaster declaration would be an indicator that FEMA would also issue a declaration.
“I think we’re a little independent in terms of what the FEMA requirement is,” said Loeffler. But certainly SBA can come in if there’s only a state declaration setting aside whether or not there’s a federal declaration.”
SBA says the damage assessment is still ongoing as the fire is not 100% contained. Loeffler says her team will continue to be in contact with state officials when she is back in Washington.
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