FEMA Offers Advice for Texans on Lessening Storm Damage in Harris and Waller Counties

– In Harris County, at Lowe’s in Houston and The Home Depot in Baytown; ACE Hardware in Waller (Waller County)

AUSTIN, Texas – A team of specialists from FEMA will visit Lowe’s and The Home Depot in Harris County and ACE Hardware in Waller County to offer tips and techniques to lessen the impact of disaster-related property damage.

Specialists will be available at the following locations:

Where:           Lowe’s, 4645 Beechnut St., Houston, Texas 77096

Hours:            7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday May 26-28

                       7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 31

Where:           The Home Depot, 4915 Garth Rd., Baytown, Texas 77521

Hours:            7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday May 26-28

                        7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 31

Where:           Ace Hardware, 2906 Hwy. 290, Waller, Texas 77484

Hours:            7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Friday May 26-27

                       8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 28

                       7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 31

FEMA Mitigation specialists will be on hand to answer questions and offer home improvement tips to reduce damage in future disasters. Information is geared to both do-it-yourselfers and general contractors on topics such as storm shelters and safe rooms.

Booklets are available in English and Spanish on protecting your home from flood damage and other natural disasters. Survivors who need an accommodation to access Braille or large print can let FEMA representatives know. American Sign Language interpreters can be made available, if requested, by calling Everett Sedgwick at 202-870-4129. More information on how to strengthen homes, businesses and communities can be found at fema.gov/what-mitigation and fema.gov/texas-disaster-mitigation.

FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program has a call center to answer policyholder questions, service claims, provide general information and offer technical assistance. To speak with a flood insurance specialist, call 800-621-3362 (FEMA), select option 2, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Texans can register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362 (FEMA). Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585. Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may also call 800-621-3362. The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

FEMA grants do not have to be repaid. FEMA assistance is nontaxable and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid or other federal benefits.

Survivors should register even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but underinsured applicants may receive help after their claims are settled.

For more information on the Texas recovery, visit the disaster webpage for the April storms at fema.gov/disaster/4269; or visit the Texas Division of Emergency Management website at txdps.state.tx.us/dem. Follow us on Twitter @femaregion6.

Download the FEMA fema.gov/mobile-app to locate open shelters and disaster recovery centers, receive severe weather alerts, safety tips and much more.

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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.

Download the FEMA app fema.gov/mobile-app to locate open shelters and disaster recovery centers, receive severe weather alerts, safety tips and much more.