Senator Jon Tester launches online flood resource center for Montana flood victims

‘One-stop shop’ connects Montana flood victims, volunteers to available resources

Senator Jon Tester today launched an online resource center for Montanans affected by historic flooding across the state: http://www.tester.senate.gov/flood.

The website includes hard-to-find information about resources available to Montanans and information for people willing to volunteer in aid efforts, including:

� Key phone numbers and links to disaster resources offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Farm Service Agency’s crop insurance program, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Small Business Administration, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, the Montana Department of Revenue, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and the Montana Disaster and Emergency Services Division.

� Information for Montanans interested in volunteering for relief efforts.

"This website is a one-stop shop for all Montanans looking for resources available to flood victims or volunteers," said Tester, a member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, which oversees FEMA. "Working together neighbor to neighbor, online and on the ground, we will rebuild homes, infrastructure, land and property damaged or lost in these floods. And Montana will emerge from this unprecedented situation stronger than ever."

Immediately after Montana communities reported severe flooding last week, Tester directed his Montana staff to schedule 12 outreach meetings in Montana’s hardest-hit communities. Tester and his office continue to work together with federal, state, local and tribal officials to provide Montanans with the resources and tools they need to get through the flooding.

Tester on Friday joined Governor Brian Schweitzer for an aerial tour of flooding in southeast and central Montana.

Montanans looking for more information can log onto http://www.tester.senate.gov/flood or call Tester’s office toll-free at 866-554-4403.

Contact: Aaron Murphy (406) 252-0550 or Andrea Helling (202) 228-0371