Nearly $19.7 Million Approved for Mississippi Disaster Survivors

JACKSON, Miss. – Federal assistance approved for disaster survivors in 12 Mississippi counties has reached nearly $19.7 million.

Here is a summary of all federal assistance to individuals and households in the 12 Mississippi counties designated for FEMA Individual Assistance. The severe storms, tornadoes and flooding occurred from April 28 through May 3, 2014.

• Nearly $19.7 million in total federal disaster assistance has been approved by FEMA and SBA, including:
• Nearly $14.2 million in low-interest disaster loans has been approved by SBA for 229 homeowners, renters and businesses.
• Nearly $5.5 million in FEMA Individual Assistance grants has been approved to help Mississippi disaster survivors recover, including:
  • More than $4 million approved for housing grants, including short-term rental assistance and home repair costs.
  • Nearly $1.5 million approved to help cover other essential disaster-related needs such as medical, dental and funeral expenses as well as repair or replacement of personal property.
• More than 5,300 people contacted FEMA for help or information during the 60-day registration period that ended June 30.
• Nearly 3,000 (99 percent) home inspections have been completed.

Monday, June 30, 2014, was the deadline to register with FEMA for individual assistance and submit SBA disaster loan applications. MEMA and FEMA remind survivors who registered for disaster assistance to stay in touch with FEMA and ensure the agency has their current contact information.

Applicants can call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 to check the status of an application, find out about the appeal process or provide insurance settlement information. Disaster survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability can call TTY 800-462-7585. Helpline hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

Survivors who registered with FEMA before the deadline and discover their insurance has not covered all losses have up to a year from the date they registered with FEMA to submit their insurance settlement documentation to FEMA.

Survivors who are receiving FEMA rental assistance or staying in a temporary housing unit are periodically required to recertify their need for continuing assistance and can call the FEMA helpline with any questions about this process.

Survivors who applied for low-interest disaster loans can call the SBA hotline at 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339) or email DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov with questions about SBA disaster loans. 

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, go to fema.gov/disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. 

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

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