Smithsonian Experts to Share Tips on Salvaging Family Treasures

BATON ROUGE, La. – When homes are flooded and lives are upended, treasured keepsakes such as photos, artwork, quilts and family heirlooms become more cherished. Although they may have been damaged in the flood, these treasures may be salvageable.

For example, photographs can be rinsed gently in clean water and air-dried on a plastic screen or paper towel. They can also be hung with plastic clothespins. It is important the image not come in contact with other surfaces as it dries. Many items can be air-dried – preferably indoors. However, high direct heat from hair dryers and irons or prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause irreversible damage. A better choice is to increase airflow with fans, open windows, air conditioners and dehumidifiers.

Flood survivors can learn how to salvage their treasures directly from Smithsonian Institution preservation experts on Friday, Sept. 23, and Saturday, Sept. 24, at two Disaster Recovery Centers. The experts will demonstrate how to handle, dry and clean damaged objects and share tips on personal safety, setting priorities and other preservation options.

The sessions will be:

Friday, September 23

Lafayette Parish
Lafayette Disaster Recovery Center
301 West University Avenue
Lafayette

10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Saturday, September 24

East Baton Rouge Parish
Celtic Disaster Recovery Center
10000 Celtic Drive
Baton Rouge

10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Close up of water damaged photograph.

Clyde R. Meyers, Denham Springs flood survivor, holds a photograph of his parents, saturated with floodwater from the 2016 historic flooding in Louisiana. (Photo by J.T. Blatty/FEMA)

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Smithsonian Experts to Share Tips on Salvaging Family Treasures

FEMA Help Is Still Available

BATON ROUGE, La. – It is now more than a month since the record flooding and storms of August caused widespread damage throughout Louisiana. Many families and individuals lost their home or residence and were forced to find other solutions for their shelter. If you or anyone you know is still having problems finding suitable accommodations, it is not too late to register with FEMA for assistance with your housing needs.

FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but survivors should register even if they have insurance because underinsured applicants may receive help after their claims have been settled. And remember that FEMA grants do not have to be repaid. FEMA assistance is nontaxable and will not affect your eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid or other federal benefits.

Applying for disaster assistance is essentially a two-step process – registering with FEMA and completing a U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loan application. This process ensures that you will be considered for all programs you may be eligible for. There is never any charge for registering or applying. If approved for the loan, you are under no obligation to accept it. But the examination of your SBA application will determine what other types of assistance you may be eligible for.

Disaster survivors may register the following ways:

  • Online at DisasterAssistance.gov with any computer, smartphone or tablet.
  • By phoning 800-621-3362 (FEMA). Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may also call 800-621-3362. Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585. The toll-free numbers are open from
    7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.
  • At a disaster recovery center. To find the nearest one, go online to the disaster recovery center locator at asd.fema.gov/inter/locator.

A free multilingual guide to the types of assistance available can be found at fema.gov/help-after-disaster.

Various forms of housing assistance are available to survivors of the Louisiana flood, from voluntary agencies, grants from FEMA, loans from the Small Business Association, the State’s Shelter at Home program, Transitional Sheltering Assistance, to long-term recovery led by HUD.

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FEMA Help Is Still Available

Understand the Process for Continued Housing Assistance

BATON ROUGE, La. –If you’re a disaster survivor who wants to extend temporary housing assistance from FEMA it’s important to provide the proper documents in order to make your request.                                

If you’re eligible for an extension, you may use temporary housing assistance to pay for a place to live, such as a house, apartment, hotel or recreational vehicle. The assistance covers rent, security deposit and essential utilities like electricity and water.

To continue receiving temporary housing assistance, you have to complete and submit the following paperwork to FEMA that demonstrates you have a disaster-related and financial need:

  • A completed form FEMA provides you. Contact FEMA if you haven’t received a form.
  • A copy of your lease.
  • Receipts showing proper use of the federal disaster housing assistance you’ve received.
  • Current household income status.
  • Any household financial obligations.

Keep your contact information current so you receive correspondence from FEMA. Update information online at disasterassistance.gov or by downloading and using the FEMA app. You may also call FEMA’s helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use TTY, call 800-462-7585. If you use 711 or Video Relay Service, call 800-621-3362.

The state and FEMA encourage you to develop a permanent housing plan while you’re receiving temporary housing assistance. Free assistance and tools are available to help you find more permanent housing if you’re having difficulty creating a plan. Just call the FEMA helpline or visit a Louisiana Disaster Recovery Center. Locate your closest center by going to fema.gov/drc or by calling the FEMA helpline.

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Understand the Process for Continued Housing Assistance

Your Right of Appeal for FEMA Disaster Assistance

BATON ROUGE, La. — If your house flooded and you did not have flood insurance, you may have received some federal financial assistance for the August flooding. But if your home is in a floodplain and you hold a mortgage from a federally regulated or insured lender, you may be required to buy flood insurance.

This requirement applies when a building has been damaged and is located in an area that is at high risk of flooding. These high-risk areas are called Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs).

In high-risk areas, there is at least a one in four chance of flooding during a 30-year mortgage. You may be restricted to only rental assistance in a future disaster unless you buy flood insurance and keep the policy in effect.

A flood-insurance policy protects you financially even when a presidential disaster is not declared or if you live in a parish that was not designated for federal assistance.

Once you receive federal financial assistance, you must keep flood insurance coverage at your address even if the damaged building is replaced by a new one. If you sell your home, you are required to inform the new owners that they must maintain flood insurance coverage on the building. Often, an existing flood-insurance policy can be transferred to a new owner with no lapse in coverage.

You may receive a Certificate of Flood Insurance for a Group Policy as a part of your federal Individuals and Households Assistance program (IHP) grant. This policy provides minimal coverage on the home equal to the maximum IHP grant currently available. For the Louisiana August 2016 floods, the required premium provides coverage of $33,000.

  • Group Policies have a term of three years, after which you will be required to purchase and maintain a Standard Flood Insurance Policy through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) until you are no longer the homeowner or renter at that location. In order to avoid any lapse in coverage, it is important to apply for your new coverage at least 30 days before the expiration of the Group Policy.
  • You may cancel your participation in the Group Policy at any time during its policy term, provided that you have purchased your own NFIP flood insurance coverage.

If you are a renter and receive federal financial assistance, flood-insurance coverage must be maintained on the contents for as long as you live at the flood-damaged rental property. The requirement for flood insurance is lifted once you move from the building.

But, because federal law mandates the purchase of flood insurance as a condition of disaster funding, an applicant who does not comply with the flood insurance obligation may become mostly ineligible for future disaster assistance. It’s that important.

If you do not live in a flood zone but your home was flooded, you do not have to maintain flood insurance. Even without the legal requirement, it is a wise decision to purchase flood insurance.

Even though flood insurance isn’t federally required in moderate- to low-risk areas, homeowners and businesses that have mortgages from federally regulated or insured lenders may be required to purchase flood coverage by the mortgage holder. Anyone can be financially vulnerable to floods.

In fact, people outside of mapped high-risk flood areas file more than 20 percent of all National Flood Insurance Program flood-insurance claims and receive one-third of federal disaster assistance for flooding. When it’s available, disaster assistance is typically a loan you must repay with interest.

With all that you are going through, don’t let this vital coverage slip through the cracks. Protect yourself and your family from future financial loss by purchasing and maintaining flood insurance coverage.

For more information about the NFIP and flood insurance, call 800-427-4661 or contact your insurance company or agent.

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Your Right of Appeal for FEMA Disaster Assistance

Future Disaster Assistance? Keep Flood Insurance Current

BATON ROUGE, La. — If your house flooded and you did not have flood insurance, you may have received some federal financial assistance for the August flooding. But if your home is in a floodplain and you hold a mortgage from a federally regulated or insured lender, you may be required to buy flood insurance.

This requirement applies when a building has been damaged and is located in an area that is at high risk of flooding. These high-risk areas are called Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs).

In high-risk areas, there is at least a one in four chance of flooding during a 30-year mortgage. You may be restricted to only rental assistance in a future disaster unless you buy flood insurance and keep the policy in effect.

A flood-insurance policy protects you financially even when a presidential disaster is not declared or if you live in a parish that was not designated for federal assistance.

Once you receive federal financial assistance, you must keep flood insurance coverage at your address even if the damaged building is replaced by a new one. If you sell your home, you are required to inform the new owners that they must maintain flood insurance coverage on the building. Often, an existing flood-insurance policy can be transferred to a new owner with no lapse in coverage.

You may receive a Certificate of Flood Insurance for a Group Policy as a part of your federal Individuals and Households Assistance program (IHP) grant. This policy provides minimal coverage on the home equal to the maximum IHP grant currently available. For the Louisiana August 2016 floods, the required premium provides coverage of $33,000.

  • Group Policies have a term of three years, after which you will be required to purchase and maintain a Standard Flood Insurance Policy through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) until you are no longer the homeowner or renter at that location. In order to avoid any lapse in coverage, it is important to apply for your new coverage at least 30 days before the expiration of the Group Policy.
  • You may cancel your participation in the Group Policy at any time during its policy term, provided that you have purchased your own NFIP flood insurance coverage.

 If you are a renter and receive federal financial assistance, flood-insurance coverage must be maintained on the contents for as long as you live at the flood-damaged rental property. The requirement for flood insurance is lifted once you move from the building.

But, because federal law mandates the purchase of flood insurance as a condition of disaster funding, an applicant who does not comply with the flood insurance obligation may become mostly ineligible for future disaster assistance. It’s that important.

If you do not live in a flood zone but your home was flooded, you do not have to maintain flood insurance. Even without the legal requirement, it is a wise decision to purchase flood insurance.

Even though flood insurance isn’t federally required in moderate- to low-risk areas, homeowners and businesses that have mortgages from federally regulated or insured lenders may be required to purchase flood coverage by the mortgage holder. Anyone can be financially vulnerable to floods.

In fact, people outside of mapped high-risk flood areas file more than 20 percent of all National Flood Insurance Program flood-insurance claims and receive one-third of federal disaster assistance for flooding. When it’s available, disaster assistance is typically a loan you must repay with interest.

With all that you are going through, don’t let this vital coverage slip through the cracks. Protect yourself and your family from future financial loss by purchasing and maintaining flood insurance coverage.

For more information about the NFIP and flood insurance, call 800-427-4661 or contact your insurance company or agent.

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Future Disaster Assistance? Keep Flood Insurance Current

Disaster Recovery Center in St. Martin Parish Will Transition to Disaster Loan Outreach Center to Serve Louisiana Survivors

BATON ROUGE, La. – The U.S. Small Business Administration is opening a disaster loan outreach center on Thursday, Sept. 22, in St. Martin Parish to assist Louisiana flood survivors. The center will be open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, until further notice.

St. Martin Parish
Location: St. Martin Council on Aging
391 Cannery Road
Breaux Bridge, LA 70517
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Monday through Friday)

The new disaster loan outreach center will be transitioning from the FEMA disaster recovery center in Breaux Bridge that will cease operation on Tuesday, Sept. 20. With the community continuing to repair and rebuild, its need for the disaster recovery center has diminished and the facility will now be transitioning into a disaster loan outreach center to serve individuals with SBA loans.

Survivors can still visit any other disaster recovery center and may locate other centers near them by going online to fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers, calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362, or downloading the FEMA mobile app.

At the disaster loan outreach center, representatives from the SBA will be available to meet with business owners and residents to answer questions, explain SBA’s disaster loan program, help complete loan applications and close their approved disaster loans. Business owners and residents can meet with SBA representatives on the days and times indicated. No appointment is necessary.

Low-interest disaster loans from the SBA are available for businesses of all sizes including landlords, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters.

Applicants for disaster loans may also apply online using the electronic loan application via SBA’s secure website at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

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Disaster Recovery Center in St. Martin Parish Will Transition to Disaster Loan Outreach Center to Serve Louisiana Survivors

Disaster Recovery Center in Pointe Coupee Parish Transitions to Disaster Loan Outreach Center to Serve Louisiana Survivors

BATON ROUGE, La. – The U.S. Small Business Administration opened a disaster loan outreach center on Monday, Sept. 19, in Pointe Coupee Parish to assist Louisiana flood survivors. The center will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, until further notice.

Pointe Coupee Parish
Location: New Roads City Hall
211 West Main Street
New Roads, LA 70760
Hours:  8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Monday through Friday)

The new disaster loan outreach center transitions from the FEMA disaster recovery center in New Roads that ceased operations on Friday, Sept. 16. With the community continuing to repair and rebuild, its need for the disaster recovery center has diminished and the facility will now be transition to a disaster loan outreach center to serve individuals with SBA loans.

Survivors can still visit any other disaster recovery center and may locate other centers near them by going online to fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers, calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362, or downloading the FEMA mobile app.

At the disaster loan outreach center, representatives from the SBA will be available to meet with business owners and residents to answer questions, explain SBA’s disaster loan program, help complete loan applications and close their approved disaster loans. Business owners and residents can meet with SBA representatives on the days and times indicated. No appointment is necessary.

Low-interest disaster loans from the SBA are available for businesses of all sizes including landlords, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters.
Applicants for disaster loans may also apply online using the electronic loan application via SBA’s secure website at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

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Disaster Recovery Center in Pointe Coupee Parish Transitions to Disaster Loan Outreach Center to Serve Louisiana Survivors

Many Residents Missing Out on FEMA Help

BATON ROUGE, La. — Many residents of parishes covered by last month’s presidential disaster declaration might be eligible for federal assistance, but have yet to seek help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Some homeowners and renters who would qualify for assistance miss out on aid because they are mistaken or misinformed about applying, or are returning to damaged dwellings. All you need to do is register with FEMA to get the process started.

To seek aid, call 800-621-3362 between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. seven days a week. People who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use TTY call 800-462-7585, and those who use 711 or Video Relay Services may call 800-621-3362. You may also apply online with any computer, smartphone or tablet at www.DisasterAssistance.gov   

Some survivors who already have cleaned up and made repairs themselves think they cannot apply for assistance. Others worry that accepting money from FEMA might affect their Social Security checks or that a FEMA grant would be taxed as income by the IRS. Neither is the case.

Still others might hesitate in accepting taxpayer money because they feel their neighbors need it more.

Sometimes survivors assume that once they collect their insurance claims they are no longer eligible for federal help, even if the insurance payment fell short of covering the damages.

Perhaps the most common reason, however, that people do not apply for FEMA assistance is their mistaken assumption that once they alert local, county or state officials to their damages they automatically are registered with FEMA. They are not.

Register with FEMA at 800-621-3362 or online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.   

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Many Residents Missing Out on FEMA Help

You Can Help to Move Your FEMA Assistance Request Forward

BATON ROUGE, La. — You can make a big difference in getting fast action on your FEMA application by providing all the information needed and then staying in touch. The state and FEMA rely on that information to process each claim.

When you register with FEMA, the facts you provide are used to determine what types of assistance you may be eligible to receive. When all the information is complete, FEMA is able to make a decision regarding your disaster aid.

There are a number of reasons flood survivors receive ineligibility letters and yet may qualify for assistance. For example, you may still need to:

  • Return insurance information
    • If you have flood insurance, contact your insurance company and ask for a settlement letter detailing exactly what is covered under your claim.
    • Hand in the letter at a disaster recovery center or mail insurance settlement information to FEMA – Individuals & Households Program
      • National Processing Service Center,
        P.O. Box 10055
        Hyattsville, MD 20782-7055
    • FEMA cannot provide money to individuals or households for losses already covered by insurance.
  • Provide information to prove occupancy or ownership of the damaged property
    • Utility bills, tax receipts, rental receipts are all proof you lived at the address.
  • Fill out all necessary paperwork and update your contact information
    • Answer all questions on the form.
    • Let FEMA know each time you move or change a phone number:
      • By going online to DisasterAssistance.gov;
      • By calling 800-621-3362 from  6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily;
      • Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585. Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may also call 800-621-3362;
      • By talking face-to-face with a specialist at a disaster recovery center. Find the closest one at fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362; or
      • By downloading the FEMA mobile app.
  • Complete and return the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loan application.
    • Be sure to return the completed SBA loan application even if you choose to decline the loan.
    • Filling out the loan application is a necessary step so you can be considered for additional forms of disaster assistance.

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You Can Help to Move Your FEMA Assistance Request Forward

Disaster Recovery Center in East Feliciana Parish Will Transition to Disaster Loan Outreach Center to Serve Louisiana Survivors

BATON ROUGE, La. – The U.S. Small Business Administration is opening a disaster loan outreach center on Monday, Sept. 19, in East Feliciana Parish to assist Louisiana flood survivors. The center will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, until further notice.

East Feliciana Parish
Location:  Gym at the Early Learning Center
9414 Plank Road
Clinton, LA 70722
Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Monday through Friday)

The new disaster loan outreach center will be transitioning from the FEMA disaster recovery center that will close on Saturday, Sept. 17. With the community continuing to repair and rebuild, its need for the disaster recovery center has diminished and the facility will now be transitioning into a disaster loan outreach center to serve individuals with SBA loans.

Survivors can still visit any other disaster recovery center and may locate other centers near them by going online to fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers, calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362, or downloading the FEMA mobile app.

At the disaster loan outreach center, SBA customer service representatives are available to meet with business owners and residents to answer questions, explain SBA’s disaster loan program and close their approved disaster loans. Business owners and residents can meet with SBA representatives on the days and times indicated. No appointment is necessary.

Low-interest disaster loans from the SBA are available for businesses of all sizes including landlords, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters. Disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other resources.

Applicants for disaster loans may apply online using the electronic loan application via SBA’s secure website at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Disaster loan information and application forms are also available from SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or visiting the SBA’s website at sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

Completed paper applications should be mailed to:

U.S. Small Business Administration
Processing and Disbursement Center
14925 Kingsport Road
Ft. Worth, TX 76155-2243

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Disaster Recovery Center in East Feliciana Parish Will Transition to Disaster Loan Outreach Center to Serve Louisiana Survivors

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