Things You Should Know About Recovering From Hurricane Isaac

CLINTON, Miss.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT RECOVERING FROM HURRICANE ISAAC

• There are four ways to reach FEMA in Mississippi:
  • You can register with FEMA on-line at DisasterAssistance.gov
  • With your smartphone at m.fema.gov
  • By calling toll-free at 1-800-621-3362 and 800-462-7585 (TTY), or
  • Visit any of the disaster recovery centers

• Even if you have insurance, you should register. FEMA assistance may help pay for repairs that insurance doesn’t cover.

• If you rent or are a homeowner, you should apply for federal disaster assistance. You may be eligible for rental assistance, a grant to replace personal destroyed property or a low-interest SBA disaster home loan.

• FEMA disaster assistance is not income sensitive – your income does not affect your eligibility.

• FEMA disaster assistance does not affect other government assistance like Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid or pensions.

• Accepting disaster assistance does not keep other people from receiving it.

• Disaster assistance from FEMA is not taxable.

• Non U.S. citizens may be eligible for FEMA assistance if they are lawful permanent residents or otherwise have legal status.

• Registering with the American Red Cross or calling 2-1-1 is not registering with FEMA. To be eligible for federal disaster assistance, you have to register with FEMA.

• The U.S. Small Business Administration – SBA – offers low-interest disaster loans to homeowners and renters to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate and personal property. SBA also offers loans to businesses to repair and replace disaster-damaged property and offers economic injury disaster loans to assist with working capital.

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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.

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.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.