SAVANNAH, Ga. – Georgia disaster survivors have the right to appeal a FEMA decision about what assistance they are eligible to receive. They can question the amount or type of help FEMA provided or any other decision about federal disaster assistance.
 

To submit an appeal, survivors should explain in writing why they disagree with the FEMA decision and be specific.

 

There are many reasons for denial of assistance but the simplest could be: An applicant did not submit all the necessary documents to support the claim including, for instance, an insurance settlement letter, proof of residence, proof of ownership of the damaged property or contractor’s estimate for repairs not covered.
 

Federal assistance is available to eligible individuals and households in Bryan, Bulloch, Chatham, Effingham, Evans, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh and Wayne counties. Damage or losses from Hurricane Matthew must have occurred Oct. 4-15.
 

Applicants from the 10 eligible counties have 60 days from the date on FEMA’s decision letter to file an appeal. The appeal letter should include:
 

·       Applicant’s full name

·       Date and place of birth

·       Address

·       Supporting documents
 

The letter should be notarized and include a copy of a state-issued identification card or the following statement: “I hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.”

 

The letter must be signed by the applicant, dated and mailed to:

FEMA

National Processing Service Center

P.O. Box 10055

Hyattsville, MD 20782-7055

 

Letters may also be faxed to 800-827-8112 with a cover sheet marked: Attention – FEMA or uploaded to the applicant’s account on DisasterAssistance.gov.

For updates on Georgia’s Hurricane Matthew response and recovery, follow @GeorgiaEMA and @FEMARegion4 on Twitter and visit gemhsa.ga.gov and fema.gov/disaster/4284

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Original link:

Federal Disaster Assistance Includes the Right to Appeal

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. A FEMA/State Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is opening in Wakulla County to bring information about available state and federal assistance. The deadline to register for federal disaster assistance under Hurricane Hermine is Nov. 28.

The DRC will be open from Thursday Nov. 17, through Saturday Nov. 19, 2016 at the following location and times:

WHERE:       Wakulla County Recreation Department

                                    79 Recreation Dr.

                                    Crawfordville, FL. 32327

WHEN:          Thursday Nov. 17, through Saturday Nov. 19, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

DRCs are staffed with representatives from FEMA, Florida Division of Emergency Management and

the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). You can receive help applying for federal disaster assistance, learn about the types of assistance available, learn about the appeals process and obtain updates regarding your application. 

Many services offered at DRCs are also available by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 (voice/711/VRS-Video Relay Service) (TTY: 800-462-7585). Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish). The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, until further notice. Survivors with questions regarding the application or the appeals process, or who need to register for assistance, may also visit online at DisasterAssistance.gov.

Floridians who already registered for disaster assistance with FEMA are encouraged to stay in touch. If addresses or phone numbers change they should be updated with FEMA as soon as possible. Missing or erroneous information could result in delays in getting a home inspection or receiving assistance.

For more information about SBA loans, call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (TTY: 800-877-8339), email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit http://www.sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

For more information on Florida’s disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4280, twitter.com/femaregion4, facebook.com/FEMA, and fema.gov/blog, floridadisaster.org or #FLRecovers.

View this article – 

A FEMA/State Disaster Recovery Center Is Coming to Wakulla County

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – One week after President Obama issued a major disaster declaration for the Commonwealth of Virginia, more than $3.1 million has been approved for homeowners and renters affected by Hurricane Matthew on Oct. 7, 2016.

This assistance comes in the form of federal grants to individuals and households as part of a joint effort by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials. More than 1,970 households have applied to FEMA for disaster grants for homeowners and renters. Assistance is currently available to residents in four cities, Chesapeake, Newport News, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach.

Disaster assistance for individuals may include grants to help homeowners and renters with temporary housing, essential home repairs, personal property replacement, and serious disaster-related needs. Disaster assistance grants from FEMA are not taxable income and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicare, and other federal programs. Grants do not have to be repaid to the federal government and do not count as taxable income.

FEMA-contracted housing inspectors have completed more than 1,035 inspections of disaster-damaged properties to verify damage.

Although $3.1 million has been approved in FEMA grants, flood insurance policies have paid more than $12.3 million to those who were covered by flood insurance. To date 2,179 claims have been filed.

Everyone in the disaster declared municipalities is eligible to buy flood insurance, whether they are a business owner, reside in, rent, or own a primary or secondary residence inside or outside a high risk or special flood hazard area. Even condominium complexes can purchase flood insurance. Flood insurance is the best tool for economic recovery after a flood event.

One of FEMA’s federal partners in disaster recovery, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), offers low-interest disaster loans for businesses of all sizes, homeowners, renters and private non-profit organizations. SBA disaster loans may cover repairs, rebuilding, as well as the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged real estate and personal property.

For more information about SBA loans, call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit http://www.sba.gov/disaster.  TTY users may call 800-877-8339. Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Registering with FEMA is the first step in qualifying for disaster assistance. January 3, 2017 is the deadline for survivors to file an application. FEMA encourages all survivors who sustained disaster-related damage or losses to apply by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3622. TTY users should call 800-462-7585. Go online at DisasterAssistance.gov. The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

The Commonwealth and FEMA operate Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in Chesapeake, Norfolk and Virginia Beach. DRCs are open Monday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.  An easy-to-use DRC Locator is available online at //asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm.

Visit site – 

Disaster Assistance Tops $3.1 Million for Virginia Survivors

BATON ROUGE, La. – FEMA flood-insurance rate maps identify areas subject to flooding and establish various zones in a community on which to base premiums. But they can do something else: help first responders, government officials and others prepare for an oncoming deluge.

It was these maps that kept an older gentleman from being trapped during the floods of August. William Wilson grew concerned as the rains fell heavily in the area around his southern Louisiana home, between the Amite River and Jones Creek. Wilson’s son, Houston landscape architect Kirk Wilson, routinely uses FEMA flood maps in his work. He knew the maps might be critical in assessing his father’s looming problem.

“My dad called to tell me that local authorities expected the Amite to crest at 46 feet, higher than the devastating 1983 flood, and he feared his home would be inundated.”

Kirk Wilson, who vividly remembered the devastating ‘83 floods from his childhood, shared his father’s concerns. He told his dad to go online to the Louisiana State University’s AgCenter’s online map center. They studied the maps, with Kirk guiding his father through the data by phone.

He explained to his father how to determine his property’s Base Flood Elevation (commonly called BFE). Once they had that number, the Wilsons looked at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s projections for the rising waters. “So we estimated the crest would be 36 feet, two feet higher than dad’s BFE,” said Wilson.

Wilson warned his father that while the house itself might not be in danger, his evacuation routes would almost surely be under water. A small, narrow bridge over Jones Creek was William’s only route to higher ground. Kirk told his father he was certain the bridge would be flooded and impassable, urging him to get out as soon as possible. The elder Wilson took the advice. The floodwaters lapped up just short of the house; the bridge was swamped.

Anyone can call FEMA’s Map Information Exchange and talk to an expert (877-336-2627, open 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., EST). The specialist will explain the basics of reading and interpreting maps. The website is www.msc.fema.gov/portal. The LSU AgCenter website is www.lsuagcenter.com (scroll down to “flood maps”).

More here:  

How FEMA Flood Maps Helped a Man Evacuate Safely

ATLANTA, Ga.–The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized federal funds to reimburse costs to Tennessee to fight the Flippers Bend Fire burning in Hamilton County.

This authorization makes FEMA grant funding available to reimburse 75 percent of the eligible firefighting costs for managing, mitigating and controlling the fire. Eligible costs can include labor, equipment and supplies used for fighting the fire and costs for emergency work such as evacuations and sheltering, police barricading and traffic control.

“FEMA approved this request to ensure that Tennessee has the resources to combat this fire and protect lives, structures and property,” said FEMA Regional Administrator Gracia Szczech. “State responders will continue the hard work to fight the fire with the help of this funding.”

The state requested a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG), and it was granted after 9:00 PM EST on November 9, 2016. The fire started on November 5, and has burned in excess of 800 acres of state and private land. There are 47 other large fires burning uncontrolled across the state. At the time of the request, the fire was threatening 45 homes in and around the Boston Branch community. Mandatory evacuations are taking place for approximately 15 to 20 homes and evacuations are expected to increase. The fire is also threatening the Town of Mont Lake and the Mile Straight community.

Federal fire management assistance is provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to fight fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible state firefighting costs covered by the aid must first meet a minimum threshold for costs before assistance is provided.

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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.

Download the FEMA mobile app for disaster resources, weather alerts, and safety tips.

 

Link: 

FEMA Authorizes Federal Funds to Help Battle Tennessee Wildfires

ATLANTA, Ga.–The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized federal funds to reimburse costs to Kentucky to fight the Eagles Nest Fire in Breathitt County.

This authorization makes FEMA grant funding available to reimburse 75 percent of the eligible firefighting costs for managing, mitigating and controlling the fire. Eligible costs can include labor, equipment and supplies used for fighting the fire and costs for emergency work such as evacuations and sheltering, police barricading and traffic control.

“FEMA has approved these funds to make sure that Kentucky has the resources to fight this fire and protect lives, structures and property,” said FEMA Regional Administrator Gracia Szczech. “These federal dollars will help commonwealth responders continue the hard work to combat the fire.”

The state requested a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG), and it was granted shortly afterwards, on November 8, 2016, at 11:32 PM EST. The fire started on November 2, 2016, and had burned in excess of 2,000 acres of commonwealth and private land. Across the commonwealth, fires had burned more than 24,000 acres. At the time of the request, the fire was threatening 1,100 homes in and around the City of Jackson, population 2,170.  

Federal fire management assistance is provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to fight fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible state firefighting costs covered by the aid must first meet a minimum threshold for costs before assistance is provided.

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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.

Download the FEMA mobile app for disaster resources, weather alerts, and safety tips.

 

Continue reading:  

FEMA Authorizes Federal Funds to Help Battle Kentucky Wildfires

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – With the application deadline for Hurricane Hermine quickly approaching, a FEMA/State Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is opening in Taylor County to bring information about available state and federal assistance. The deadline to register for federal disaster assistance under Hurricane Hermine is Nov. 28, 2016.

The DRC will be open from Monday Nov. 14, through Wednesday Nov. 16, 2016 at the following location and times:

WHERE:       Steinhatchee Community Center

                                    1013 S. Riverside Dr.

                                    Steinhatchee, FL. 32359

WHEN:          Monday Nov. 14, through Wednesday Nov. 16, from 9 a.m. to 6    p.m.

DRCs are staffed with representatives from FEMA, Florida Division of Emergency Management and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). You can receive help applying for federal disaster assistance, learn about the types of assistance available, learn about the appeals process and obtain updates regarding your application. 

Many services offered at DRCs are also available by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 (voice/711/VRS-Video Relay Service) (TTY: 800-462-7585). Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish). The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, until further notice. Survivors with questions regarding the application or the appeals process, or who need to register for assistance, may also visit online at DisasterAssistance.gov.

Floridians who already registered for disaster assistance with FEMA are encouraged to stay in touch. If addresses or phone numbers change they should be updated with FEMA as soon as possible. Missing or erroneous information could result in delays in getting a home inspection or receiving assistance.

For more information about SBA loans, call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (TTY: 800-877-8339), email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit http://www.sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

For more information on Florida’s disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4280, twitter.com/femaregion4, facebook.com/FEMA, and fema.gov/blog, floridadisaster.org or #FLRecovers.

Link – 

A FEMA/State Disaster Recovery Center Is Coming to Taylor County

COLUMBIA, S.C. (Thursday, Nov. 10) – A Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will open Thursday, Nov. 10 in North Charleston to help homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage and losses from Hurricane Matthew.

The center is located at:

3887 Leeds Ave.

at the corner of Leeds and Bridgeview Dr.

N. Charleston 29405

Until further notice, the hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday – Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday

Closed on Sunday

At the center, specialists from the State of South Carolina, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), nongovernmental organizations and the local community will be on hand to provide information on the types of assistance available to survivors.

Disaster assistance from FEMA may include grants to help pay for temporary housing, essential home repairs, personal property replacement and for other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other sources.

Survivors can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362 (voice, 711 or relay service) or 800-462-7585 (TTY). The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. Multilingual operators are available.

If possible, register for FEMA assistance by phone or online before visiting a center. Going to a DRC is not a requirement of registration, but specialists there can provide guidance regarding

disaster recovery and rental resources, explain written correspondence received from FEMA, inform survivors of the status of their application, make referrals to other organizations and answer questions.

After registering with FEMA, survivors may also be eligible for low-interest disaster loans from the SBA. Disaster loans help fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. SBA offers loans to businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters.

Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from the SBA are available to small businesses and private-nonprofits to assist with working capital needs as a direct result of the disaster. SBA loans are for uninsured or underinsured disaster losses. SBA advises it is not necessary to wait for an insurance settlement before submitting a loan application.

Eligible survivors should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but FEMA may be able to help with uninsured or underinsured losses.

FEMA mitigation specialists are available at DRCs to provide information to survivors on the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and guidance on cost-effective rebuilding and repair techniques to make homes more flood- and wind-resistant.

Survivors who have questions about their flood insurance policies and coverage should contact the NFIP call center at 800-621-3362 (Option 2) between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Specialists can help with service claims, provide general information regarding policies and offer technical assistance to aid in recovery.

To find a complete list of DRC locations and hours, download the free FEMA app to your mobile device or visit asd.fema.gov/inter/locator.  DRCs are accessible to people with disabilities.  The centers have magnifiers, tools to amplify sound, materials in alternative formats, and video remote interpretation.  Sign language interpreters are available upon request at the center.

For more information about the disaster recovery operation, please visit fema.gov/disaster/4286 or the South Carolina Emergency Management Division at scemd.org/recovery-section/ia.

All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).

You can  receive weather alerts, safety tips and learn about disaster resources by downloading the free FEMA App, available for Apple, Android, and Blackberry mobile devices. Visit  fema.gov/mobile-app  for more information.

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. Follow us on Twitter at  https://twitter.com/femaregion4 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

Follow this link – 

Disaster Recovery Center Opens in North Charleston

RALEIGH, N.C. – Los Centros de Recuperación de Desastre de FEMA/ Estado operarán en un Nuevo horario a partir del Viernes, 11 de noviembre.

El Nuevo horario de operaciones para la mayoría de los centros hasta previo aviso es, de lunes a Viernes de 9 am a 6 pm y medio día los sábados a partir de las 9 am hasta la 1 pm.

Los centros ubicados en Brunswick, Cumberlan, Dare, Edgecombe (Sólamente el de Tarboro), Robeson y el condado de Wayne abrirán los sábados de 9am hasta las 6 pm.

Los residentes de Carolina del Norte, que han sufrido pérdidas y daños como consecuencia del Huracán Matthew pueden recibir ayuda solicitando asistencia federal, infórmese acerca de los tipos de asistencia disponibles, del proceso de apelación y obtenga actualizaciones de las solicitudes en cualquiera de los DRCs que operan en los condados afectados.

Para localizar el DRC más cercano a usted,  llame a la línea de ayuda de FEMA al 800-621-3362, o use las aplicaciones móviles de FEMA y Ready NC o viste la página web FEMA.gov/DRC o readync.org.

El primer paso para recibir la asistencia de desastres es el registrarse con FEMA

Se puede registrar:

  • En línea en DisasterAssistance.gov.

  • Llamando a la línea de ayuda de FEMA al 800-621-3362 o al 711 para Servicio de Retransmisión de Video (Video Relay Service, VRS). Si es sordo, tiene problemas de audición o del habla y utiliza la línea TTY, llame al 800-462-7585.

  • Descargando la aplicación móvil FEMA Mobile App y realizando su solicitud.

Los sobrevivientes que necesiten una adaptación razonable (interpretación de lenguaje de señas americano, impresión en braille, etc.) cuando visiten un centro de recuperación de desastre, pueden llamar a la Línea de Ayuda correspondiente para recibir asistencia. Los números gratuitos están disponibles de 7 a. m. a 11 p. m., los siete días de la semana. La asistencia está disponible en la mayoría de los idiomas y también puede obtener información acerca del proceso de registro en lenguaje de señas americano en fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/111546.

La asistencia de FEMA es no imponible y no afectará la elegibilidad para el Seguro Social, Medicaid, Medicare u otros beneficios federales.

Inscríbase incluso si posee seguro. FEMA no puede duplicar los pagos del seguro, pero si usted no tenga seguro puede recibir ayuda después de que sus reclamaciones se hayan resuelto.

Para obtener más información acerca de la recuperación de Carolina de Norte, visite la página web de desastres en fema.gov/disaster/4285 o visite la página web de la Administración de Emergencia de Carolina del Norte en www.ReadyNC.gov.Siga a FEMA en Twitter con @femaregion4 y a la Administración de Emergencias de Carolina del Norte con @ncemergency.

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La asistencia en caso de desastre está disponible sin importar la raza, color, religión, nacionalidad, sexo, edad, discapacidades, dominio del inglés o condición económica. Si usted o alguien que conozca ha sido víctima de discriminación, llame al número gratuito de FEMA al 800-621-3362 o TTY al 800-462-7585.

La misión de FEMA es apoyar a nuestros ciudadanos y primeros intervinientes para garantizar que trabajemos juntos como nación para fomentar, sostener y mejorar nuestra capacidad de preparar, prevenir, responder, recuperar y atenuar todos los peligros. Siga a FEMA en twitter con @femaregion4. Descargue la aplicación de FEMA, la cual contiene herramientas para mantenerle a salvo, durante y después de un desastre.

Marque el 2-1-1 o 888-892-1162 para hablar con un especialista acerca de las preguntas que pueda tener con respecto al huracán Matthew. El servicio es gratuito, confidencial, y está disponible en cualquier idioma. Allí pueden ayudarle dirigiéndole a distintos recursos. Llame al 5-1-1 o al 877-511-4662 para obtener información sobre las últimas condiciones de carreteras. Use la aplicación de teléfono móvil ReadyNC el cual también contiene información de evacuación y sobre albergues disponibles. Para las últimas noticias sobre el efecto del Huracán Matthew y los esfuerzos de auxilio, visite ReadyNC.org o siga a N.C. Emergency Management en Twitter y Facebook. Las personas u organizaciones que quieran ayudar a la recuperación de Carolina del Norte pueden visitar NCdisasterrelief.org o enviar un texto a NCRecovers al 30306.

La Agencia Federal para el Desarrollo de la Pequeña Empresa de los Estados Unidos (SBA, por sus siglas en inglés) es la fuente principal de dinero del gobierno federal para la reconstrucción a largo plazo de los daños por desastres a la propiedad privada. La SBA ayuda a los propietarios de hogares, a los inquilinos, a los negocios de cualquier tamaño y a las organizaciones privadas sin fines de lucro en el financiamiento de reparaciones o en los esfuerzos de reconstrucción y cubre los costos de reemplazos de la propiedad personal debido a pérdidas o daños por desastres. Estos préstamos por desastres cubren las pérdidas que no han sido pagadas o compensadas completamente por el seguro u otras formas de recuperación y no duplica beneficios de otras agencias u organizaciones. Para más información, los solicitantes pueden comunicarse con el Centro de Servicio al Cliente de la SBA, llamando al 800-659-2955, enviando un correo electrónico a disastercustomerservice@sba.gov o visitando el sitio Web de la SBA www.sba.gov/disaster. Las personas con dificultad para escuchar o sordos pueden llamar al 800-877-8339.

Visit site:  

La mayoría de Los Centros de Recuperación de Desastres Estatales/FEMA Cambian las Horas de Operación

COLUMBIA, S.C. (Wednesday, Nov. 9) – A mobile Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will make a three-day stop in Hampton County at the Town of Hampton Fire Department Nov. 10-12. The center will serve homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage as a result of Hurricane Matthew.

At the center, specialists from the State of South Carolina, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), nongovernmental organizations and the local community can answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available to survivors.

The Hampton DRC will be located at:

Town of Hampton Fire Department 600 West 2nd St.

Hampton, SC 29924

9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday

DRCs are accessible to people with disabilities. The centers have magnifiers, tools to amplify sound, materials in alternative formats, and video remote interpretation. Sign language interpreters are available upon request at the center.

If possible, register for FEMA assistance by phone or online before visiting a center. Going to a DRC is not a requirement of registration, but specialists there can provide guidance regarding disaster recovery and rental resources, explain written correspondence received from FEMA, inform survivors of the status of their application, make referrals to other organizations and answer questions.

To find a complete list of DRC locations and hours, download the free FEMA app to your mobile device or visit asd.fema.gov/inter/locator.

Disaster assistance for eligible survivors may include grants to help pay for temporary housing, essential home repairs, personal property replacement and for other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other sources.

Survivors can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362 (voice, 711 or relay service) or 800-462-7585 (TTY). The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. Multilingual operators are available.

After registering with FEMA, survivors may also be eligible for low-interest disaster loans from the SBA. Disaster loans help fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. SBA offers loans to businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters.

Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from the SBA are available to small businesses and private-nonprofits to assist with working capital needs as a direct result of the disaster. SBA loans are for uninsured or underinsured disaster losses. SBA advises it is not necessary to wait for an insurance settlement before submitting a loan application.

Eligible survivors should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but FEMA may be able to help with uninsured or underinsured losses.

FEMA mitigation specialists are available at DRCs to provide information to survivors on the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and guidance on cost-effective rebuilding and repair techniques to make homes more wind- and flood-resistant.

Survivors who have questions about their flood insurance policies and coverage should contact the NFIP call center at 800-621-3362 (Option 2) between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Specialists can help with service claims, provide general information regarding policies and offer technical assistance to aid in recovery.

For more information about the disaster recovery operation, please visit fema.gov/disaster/4286 or the South Carolina Emergency Management Division at scemd.org/recovery

section/ia.

All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).

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. Follow us on Twitter at  https://twitter.com/femaregion4 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

Read More:

Mobile Disaster Recovery Center to Visit Hampton Fire House

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