FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Roger Good, Lee County Budget Services
              (239) 335-2437

FUNDS AVAILABLE TO HELP AGENCIES PROTECT AGAINST FUTURE DISASTERS

FORT MYERS, Fla. (October 26, 2004) - Up to $85 million is available statewide to help certain agencies do projects for future hurricane/flood protection.

FEMA's Hazards Mitigation Grant Program helps agencies, not homeowners, fund projects that mitigate future losses, such as storm shutters, retrofitting as shelters, elevating structures, or purchasing high-risk property.

Eligible agencies include: Municipalities, Law Enforcement, Fire Departments, Educational Institutions, Eligible Non-Profit Agencies, Churches (with educational institutions), Health Care Facilities, and Utilities.

Those interested in submitting projects for Hazard Mitigation Grant Program fund consideration need to make sure that their project(s) are on Lee County's Local Mitigation Strategy's (LMS) approved project list. Visit
www.lee-ems.com/flood/proj0304.xls to view the current project list.

If the project is not on the current list, please complete the LMS Rating sheet found at:
www.lee-ems.com/flood/mitigation-score-sheet.pdf
and fax completed form to: John Wilson c/o Lee County Division of Public Safety (239) 344-5419 by December 1, 2004 so it can be reviewed and ranked by the Disaster Advisory Committee.

If you need assistance in completing LMS Worksheet, please attend the November 17 meeting of the Disaster Advisory Committee:

Date: November 17, 2004
Time: 2:00pm
Location: Emergency Operations Center, EOC
                 2665 Ortiz Avenue
                 Fort Myers, FL 33905

If you plan on attending, please RSVP to: Cindy McBride, 344-5401 or cindy@leegov.com.

Note: The application process is very extensive and may require a consultant to prepare a benefit cost analysis. A 25 % Match is required. To determine your project's chances of being funded, please visit the following website: www.fema.gov/fima/mitgrant.shtm For further Eligibility Criteria visit: www.fema.gov/rrr/pa/9521_3.shtm.