Illinois Residents Urged to Register for Federal Disaster Assistance

CHICAGO, IL — Illinois residents affected by the late April flooding and storms may now call or go online to register for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), state and federal officials announced today.

“Registering is an important way to help get you on the path to a variety of recovery programs,” said Federal Coordinating Officer W. Michael Moore. “We’re urging people with disaster-related damages in federally declared counties to apply as soon as possible.”

The major federal disaster declaration, signed by President Obama May 10, offers Individual Assistance in the counties of Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Fulton, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, McHenry, and Will. Additional counties may be included at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

Disaster survivors have several ways to apply.

• Individuals can call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech- and hearing-impaired. If you use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.
• Another option is to register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone or tablet at m.fema.gov.

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

In most cases, a FEMA inspector will call you within a few days of registering to arrange a visit to your damaged home or apartment. A FEMA inspector will always have an official badge visible during the inspection.  Request to see identification before allowing the inspector to enter your home.

If you qualify for FEMA assistance, you will receive a federal government check or the funds will be directly deposited into your designated bank account. A separate letter also will be sent to you explaining how you may use the funds.  

If you have questions about FEMA assistance, call 1-800-320-FEMA (3362). You can also visit www.disasterassistance.gov or www.fema.gov.

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.

Follow FEMA online at twitter.com/femaregion5, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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Media Contact: Dick Gifford, 609-508-2238