Southeast’s Engagement Center Offering Flood Assistance Services
05/10/2017

The Economic and Business Engagement Center at Southeast Missouri State University will have representatives from the Small Business Technology Development Center (SBTDC) in several locations to assist businesses currently affected by the flooding. Representatives will provide financial planning, pre-disaster loan preparation, and immediate business counseling needs, and will be available during the following dates and locations: Thursday, May 11

• Doniphan Vitality Office, located at 110 S. Grand in Doniphan, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.
• Multi-Agency Resource Center at Memorial Baptist Church, located at 2215 South Broadway in Poplar Bluff, 11a.m.-5 p.m.

Tuesday, May 16

• Van Buren Youth and Community Center, located at 1204 County Road D in Van Buren, 9 a.m-5 p.m.

 Thursday, May 18

• Ripley County Chamber of Commerce, located at 209 W. Highway St. in Doniphan, 10 a.m-2 p.m.

To setup a confidential business counseling session with an SBTDC representative, email sbtdc@semo.edu. Affected businesses can also review the following disaster assistance guidelines at https://missouribusiness.net/2017/05/sba-disaster-assistance-loans. Today, May 10, the Small Business Administration (SBA)'s Field Operations Center West (FOC-West), with assistance from the Damage Verification Center (DVC), began a joint Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) with FEMA and the State of Missouri in 26 counties including Barry, Butler, Carter, Christian, Crawford, Douglas, Dunklin, Greene, Howell, Jasper, Maries, Morgan, New Madrid, Oregon, Ozark, Pemiscot, Perry, Phelps, Pulaski, Reynolds, Ripley, Shannon, Stone, Taney, Texas, and Wright. On May 9, the State requested to add eight counties to the PDA including Bollinger, Dent, Gasconade, Madison, McDonald, Newton, Osage and Ste. Genevieve. The survey schedule for these additional counties is to be determined. The PDA request is the result of tornadoes, high winds, heavy rainfall and flooding which began April 28 and is continuing. As of Wednesday, May 10, no official Federal Disaster Area has been declared. To check if declarations have been made after the PDA assessment, visit fema.gov/disasters/grid/state-tribal-government/67.