Disaster Officials Recommend Registering Now With FEMA

Anchorage, Alaska – Survivors of the 2013 spring floods should register now with FEMA even if they have also registered with the State of Alaska, the American Red Cross, or other disaster relief organization.

Individuals living in the Alaska Gateway Regional Educational Attendance Area (REAA), Lower Yukon REAA, Yukon Flats REAA, and the Yukon-Koyukuk REAA and affected by the flooding that occurred between May 17 and June 11, 2013, may be eligible for disaster-recovery assistance from various sources. FEMA can help you obtain all the assistance that you qualify for.

If you suffered losses in one of these REAAs, call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) now or go online to register with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). If you are not sure which REAA your residence is located in, operators will help.

Registering is the essential first step. There are several ways to do it:

• You can call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Disaster assistance applicants who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY should call 1-800-462-7585 directly. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS) should call 1-800-621-3362.
• Another option is to register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone or tablet at www.m.fema.gov.

The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time), seven days a week.

The State of Alaska Individual Assistance (IA) is available for residents of the Copper River REAA. Call the state IA Hotline at 1-855-445-7131 Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The State of Alaska and FEMA opened the first Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) serving survivors of the 2013 Spring flooding. The Galena DRC is located in Building 1847, Composite Building, at the Galena Interior Learning Academy (GILA), 359 Challenger Road, Galena, AK 99741. GPS Coordinates: N 64 44.505, W 156 57.222. The DRC will be open seven days a week until further notice.

If you have not yet registered and do not yet have your letter from FEMA, you can also register in person at the DRC. If you intend to register at the DRC, please bring:

• Your Social Security number
• Current and pre-disaster address
• Block and lot number.
• A telephone number where you can be contacted
• Insurance information
• Total household annual income
• A routing and account number from your bank (only necessary if you want to have disaster assistance funds transferred directly into your bank account) Lookup your bank routing number.
• A description of your losses that were caused by the disaster

If you have questions about FEMA assistance, call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). You can also visit www.disasterassistance.gov or www.fema.gov.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status.

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.