Bertha Wise didn't intend to end up uninsured. She misplaced her money order to maintain her home insurance last year, and her policy lapsed. Then last Friday's tornado damaged the roof of her Cabbagetown home.

"We called the insurance company and they said, 'No, you missed a payment; you're out of luck,'" said Wise, 56.

But now Wise and others have the opportunity to receive grants and loans to cover their losses after President Bush declared Fulton County a federal disaster area on Wednesday. Given that the tornado damaged about 1,100 homes, businesses and other structures, Georgia Emergency Management Agency spokesman Ken Davis said "I'm sure there'll be several hundred applicants."

Friday was the first day that the Federal Emergency Management Agency took calls from applicants. Fulton residents can call a 1-800 number or apply online. FEMA will deploy two mobile disaster recovery centers to Red Cross assistance centers Saturday at Beulah Baptist Church and Lang Carson Recreation Center in Atlanta.

Fulton residents and businesses that sustained damage from the storms last Friday through Sunday can receive grants or low-interest loans for uninsured or underinsured losses and other costs related to the storm. Claims can be made for damaged homes, property, emergency housing, lost business, unemployment and medical costs, among other things.

However, residents and businesses in DeKalb County, as well as public agencies, cannot make claims. The initial application for federal disaster area designation sought help for individual and public assistance for Fulton, but only the individual and business assistance has been approved.

Federal coordinating officer Libby Turner, who has been inspecting storm damage, said in a statement that other areas and forms of assistance could be designated after further assessment.

Uninsured DeKalb residents, particularly those in East Atlanta, which sustained heavy damage, are hoping to be included.

"Most of my calls (Friday) have been from East Atlanta constituents asking, 'What about us?'" said Atlanta City Council member Natalyn Mosby Archibong.

Claim seekers can call 1-800-621-3362 (FEMA) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) or apply online at www.fema.gov. It is available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., 7 days a week. Callers are asked to provide a phone number, Social Security number, address of damaged property, current mailing address (if different), description of damage and any insurance information.