Additional Damage May Mean Additional Assistance for Oklahomans

OKLAHOMA CITY – Many Oklahomans have already registered with the Federal Management Agency for disaster assistance to repair their damaged homes, but as they may have experienced multiple rounds of storms and be eligible for additional assistance, they should call FEMA to request a re-inspection.

On July 21, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and FEMA expanded the disaster declaration timeline to run from May 5 to June 22. Survivors who incurred damage from May 5 to June 4, and then incurred further damage from June 5 to June 22, should call the FEMA helpline at 1-800-621-3362 to report the additional damage and request a re-inspection, particularly if the inspection was held before July 21. This will allow FEMA to address any disaster-related damage that occurred from June 5 to June 22.

Disaster help for eligible applicants may include grants for rental assistance or temporary housing, home repairs and serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance. The latter might include help with medical, dental, funeral, repair or replacement of personal property including vehicles, and moving and storage expenses.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest loans are available to businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations and homeowners and renters for losses not fully compensated by insurance or other resources.

Survivors in all 45 designated counties (Adair, Atoka, Beckham, Bryan, Caddo, Canadian, Carter, Cherokee, Choctaw, Cleveland, Coal, Comanche, Cotton, Delaware, Garvin, Grady, Hughes, Jefferson, Johnston, Kiowa, Latimer, Le Flore, Lincoln, Logan, Love, Marshall, Mayes, McClain, McCurtain, McIntosh, Murray, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Ottawa, Pittsburg, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Pushmataha, Rogers, Seminole, Stephens, Tillman, Tulsa and Wagoner) who sustained losses or damage from storms that occurred between May 5 and June 22 are urged to register with FEMA as soon as possible.  Having contacted any non-FEMA organization or agency does not count as a registration with FEMA.

Register online with any computer, smartphone or tablet at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362.

The deadline for registering with FEMA is August 26.

For more information on Oklahoma disaster recovery, click http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4222  or visit the OEM site at www.oem.ok.gov.