Louisiana Disaster Survivors: What Are You Waiting For?

BATON ROUGE, La. – If you are one of the many Louisiana residents who were affected by the severe storms and flooding that occurred March 8 through April 8 and haven’t registered for help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, why wait? Do it now!

You have until June 13 to take the first step toward getting federal assistance. Don’t miss out! Once you register with FEMA, you may be eligible for a federal grant to help you with your recovery. You may also qualify for a low-interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

If you haven’t registered yet and are a homeowner or renter with disaster-related damage in the designated parishes, do it now before it’s too late.

Did you not register because:

•  You simply didn’t know that FEMA offers help to homeowners and renters whose homes were damaged?  Once you register with FEMA you will learn about the help that may be available to you.
•  You kept putting off registering because you were too busy and didn’t remember to register until the evening, and thought everything would be closed? Registering is a very important first step to getting help. The FEMA helpline is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day of the week.
•  You are confused about the process of registering with FEMA? FEMA is there to help you. Make the phone call. Ask questions and you will get answers.
•  You thought talking with your parish officials or the American Red Cross would automatically make you eligible for FEMA aid? The only way for you to be eligible for federal help is for you, the homeowner or renter, to register with FEMA. Nobody else can do it for you.
•  You called 2-1-1 and thought that would automatically make you eligible for FEMA aid?  2-1-1 is a free and confidential service that helps people across North America find the local resources they need, including how to apply for disaster assistance. They’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. But calling them does not register you with FEMA. The only way you can register is to call the FEMA helpline.
•  You thought the damage to your property would not be eligible for federal help ? Let FEMA make the decision. A FEMA housing inspector will examine your property damage to determine if it qualifies you for federal assistance.
•  You thought that since you already cleaned up and made repairs you couldn’t apply for assistance? You can register with FEMA even after you make repairs. You must be able to show that the damage was caused by the severe storms and flooding that occurred March 8 through April 8. Don’t forget to keep all repair receipts.
•  You thought others needed the federal aid more than you? No one is denied aid because of someone else’s need. If you are eligible for assistance, FEMA will provide funds to help you recover.
•  You thought you’d have to repay a FEMA grant? FEMA assistance is a grant, not a loan. It does not have to be repaid. It is not subject to income tax.
•  You thought that getting disaster assistance from FEMA would affect your government benefits, such as Social Security, Medicaid or SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)? You will not pay additional income taxes or see any reduction in your Social Security checks or any other federal benefits.
•  You didn’t think you could register because you don’t speak English very well? FEMA has people who speak many languages. Translators are available and can help you in the registration process. Cuando llame al 800 621-3362 marque el 1 y escuche las instrucciones en español. Favor llamar antes del lunes 13 de junio.
•  You didn’t think you were eligible for FEMA help because you are not a U.S. citizen? If you are in the United States legally or are the parent of a U.S. citizen in your household, you need have no worries about applying for federal disaster assistance.

None of these reasons will prevent you from getting help from FEMA. Here’s what to do to get the correct information. Just be sure to do it before Monday, June 13:

•  Call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.
•  Cuando llame al 800-621-3362 marque el 1 y escuche las instrucciones en español. Favor llamar antes del lunes 13 de junio.
•  If you use 711/VRS call 800-621-3362.
•  Register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or www.fema.gov/disaster/4263.
•  Visit FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or call 800-621-3362 to find a disaster recovery center near you.

If you have questions about how you may qualify for a low-interest disaster SBA loan:

•  Call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit SBA’s website at SBA.gov/disaster. If you are deaf or hard-of-hearing you can call 800-877-8339.

We urge everyone to continue to use caution in areas where floodwaters remain. Monitor DOTD’s 511la.org website for updated road closure information. Look for advisories from your local authorities and emergency managers. You can find the latest information on the state’s response at emergency.la.gov. GOHSEP also provides information at gohsep.la.gov, Facebook and Twitter. You can receive emergency alerts on most smartphones and tablets by downloading the new Alert FM App. It is free for basic service. You can also download the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find other information at getagameplan.org.

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). If you are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

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 us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at blog.fema.gov.

FEMA offers a number of free online resources for home and property owners. To get started, go to fema.gov/safer-stronger-protected-homes-communities or fema.gov/louisiana-disaster-mitigation.

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 businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover 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. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at SBA.gov/disaster Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800 877-8339.