FEMA Individual Assistance Disaster Aid Reaches $2 Million

SAIPAN – Homeowners and renters have been approved for over $2 million in individual aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) since Typhoon Souder.

The tallies are likely to rise, as the federal agency continues to review applications for assistance from the storm, which made impact August 1-3, and caused significant damage in Saipan. More than 7,000 survivors have already been in touch with FEMA seeking help or information on disaster assistance.

Individuals and households on Saipan can register with FEMA by calling 1-800-621-3362 or TTY 1-800-462-7585 directly. Multilingual interpreters are available at the FEMA registration number, including Chinese, Tagalog, Japanese, and Korean. Survivors can also register online at DisasterAssistance.gov.

They are advised to have the following information when they register:

             • Address with zip code

• Directions to property

• Condition of your damaged home

• Insurance information, if available

• Phone number where you can be contacted

• Address where you can get mail

• Social Security Number **If you do not have your SSN card, you can show a Medicare/Medicaid card, W2 form, or filed tax return.

A joint Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is open at the Pedro P Tenorio Multi-purpose Center in Susupe to help individuals and families affected by Typhoon Soudelor with the recovery process. Normal hours of operation are Monday-Saturdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sundays 10 a.m.-4 p.m. After registering online or by telephone, survivors can access “one-stop shop” service at the DRC and receive assistance with additional registration needs such as case inquiries and updates. Subject matter experts from FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the American Red Cross will be available at the DRC.

Survivors are reminded to use disaster grants wisely, and those who receive funds from FEMA will get a letter outlining what those funds should be used for. They are intended for disaster-related needs. If the applicant spends the money on anything other than the purpose for which the payment is intended, no additional assistance may be granted if the need arises in the future.

FEMA also encourages survivors to start making repairs to their homes as soon as possible, and NOT wait for FEMA assistance or housing inspections. They should save receipts for any disaster-related expenses as those may be reimbursable later.

The FEMA housing inspections are ongoing. Registered survivors will be contacted by a FEMA housing inspector to schedule an appointment for an inspection; you do not need to contact FEMA to set up an inspection. For those who have been displaced and need transportation to and from the housing inspection, they can contact the Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority at 670-483-4344 or 670-237-8000 to schedule transportation.

Disaster legal services have also been made available for Typhoon Soudelor survivors. Disaster survivors facing legal issues who are unable to afford a lawyer can call 670-234-7729. This service has been set up in partnership between Micronesian Legal Services Corporation, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, and FEMA. The types of legal assistance available includes assistance with securing FEMA and other government benefits available to disaster victims, assistance with life, medical and property insurance claims, help with home repair contracts and contractors, consumer protection remedies and procedures, counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems, and counseling on landlord-tenant problems.

For more information on CNMI disaster recovery, visit http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4235 or https://www.facebook.com/JICNMI.

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.