FEMA’s Community Relations Teams Are Reaching Out to Connecticut’s Disaster Survivors

HARTFORD, Conn. – Teams of federal disaster recovery professionals are reaching out to Connecticut residents along the disaster-stricken coast to make sure survivors know what help is available and how to get it.

FEMA’s Community Relations teams advise homeowners, renters, business owners, eligible nonprofit agencies and faith-based organizations how to register for disaster assistance and can provide registration access when there is no other source available. They also help identify people with disabilities, those with access and functional needs, seniors and people with limited English proficiency.

Registering with FEMA is the most important step to securing assistance.

“We want people to know that they can register online, by smartphone or a toll-free phone call, and the sooner they register, the sooner we might be able to help,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Albert Lewis.

Easily identified by FEMA photo ID badges, Community Relations representatives seek out any location where people affected by the disaster might be found. They provide information about access to recovery resources, as well as the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which offers low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes.

Disaster Recovery Centers in designated counties offer one-on-one assistance, information on recovery resources, SBA low-interest loans, flood insurance and mitigation.

Online registration is available anytime at www.DisasterAssistance.gov. If you have a web-enabled device, enter m.fema.gov in the web browser. You can also register by calling FEMA at 800-621-3362. If you use a TTY, call 800-462-7585; or, use 711 or Video Relay Service to call 800-621-3362. Multilingual operators are available.

For assistance from SBA call 800-659-2955, or visit www.sba.gov/sandy.

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.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private nonprofit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and covers 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.

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.