Don’t Forget That Date; Appeals Must be Submitted to FEMA Within 60 Days

Those who received a letter from the Federal Emergency Management Agency should take note of the date the letter was written. Appeals or submission of missing documents must be made within 60 days of that date.

Disaster survivors may request an appeal to review their cases regarding the amount or type of federal disaster assistance available.

The appeal must be in writing and explain why you disagree with a decision. Attach any new or additional documents supporting the appeal.

Appeal letters for the April 28 through May 5 severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding should also include:

• Federal disaster declaration number, 4176-DR-AL, on all pages of documents.
• Applicant information including:
  • The nine-digit FEMA application number on all pages of documents,
  • Applicant’s name,
  • Applicant’s date and place of birth, and
  • Address of the damaged dwelling.

• Copies of verifiable documentation that supports the appeal. All receipts, bills and estimates must include contact information for the service provider. Keep all originals for your records.
• A copy of a state-issued identification or driver’s license, unless the letter is notarized or includes the following statement: “I hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.”
• The applicant’s signature.

Applicants can call the Disaster Legal Services hotline phone number, 888-857-8571. The service is available from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday for free legal help with insurance claims.

In the Huntsville area of Limestone County, call 256-539-2275. Those in Mobile and Baldwin counties can call 855-997-2857.

Mail the appeal letter to:  FEMA National Processing Service Center, P.O. Box 10055, Hyattsville, MD 20782-7055.

Applicants also may fax their appeal letter to: 800-827-8112, Attention: FEMA.   

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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.

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). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for childcare, medical, dental expenses and/or funeral expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, those who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, transportation, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

For more information on Alabama’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov or http://www.ema.alabama.gov/.  For the joint Facebook page, go to www.facebook.com/AlabamaEMA. To receive Twitter updates: http://twitter.com/AlabamaEMA  or www.twitter.com/femaregion4