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Calling 2-1-1 or Filing an Insurance Claim Does Not Register You with FEMA

WARWICK, R.I. – To receive federal disaster assistance, Rhode Islanders who experienced losses because of Hurricane Sandy and called the state’s 2-1-1 line must also register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The same applies to those who filed a flood insurance claim. They must register with FEMA to obtain assistance with essential needs not covered by insurance. Registering with 2-1-1 or filing a flood insurance claim does NOT register you with FEMA.

“Some Rhode Islanders mistakenly believe they registered for help from FEMA when they called 2-1-1 or their insurance company,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Nick Russo, who leads FEMA’s mission in Rhode Island. “We want to make sure everyone knows they have to contact FEMA directly to become eligible for federal assistance.”

To register with FEMA, go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or to m.fema.gov if using a smartphone or call FEMA at 800-621-FEMA (3362). Multilingual registration assistance is available. People with a speech disability or hearing loss who use a TTY can call 800-462-7585 directly; or 800-621-3362 if using 711 or Video Relay Service. Phone lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until further notice.

Individual assistance to homeowners and renters includes grants to cover expenses for temporary housing, home repair, and other serious disaster-related needs and expenses, such as replacement of personal property and medical, dental or transportation costs that are not covered by insurance or other assistance programs.

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 medical and dental expenses, 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.

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Calling 2-1-1 or Filing an Insurance Claim Does Not Register You with FEMA

Apply For Assistance Even If you Have Insurance

TRENTON, N.J. — Disaster assistance may sometimes cover damages that insurance doesn’t. That is why individuals affected by Hurricane Sandy are urged by the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to apply for assistance even if they have insurance.

Apply for FEMA assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or by web-enabled mobile device at m.fema.gov. Applicants can also register by phone by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), 711/VRS, or TTY 1-800-462-7585.

Only applying directly with FEMA will establish your registration for disaster assistance. Signing up or meeting with any other agency does not mean you are registered with FEMA.

“We want everyone qualified for assistance to receive help as soon as possible,” said State Coordinating Officer Lt. Jeff Mottley.

Keep in mind that you need to file your insurance claim with your insurance company as soon

as possible. Failure to file a claim may affect a policyholder’s eligibility for disaster assistance.

You have up to 12 months from the date of registration with FEMA to submit insurance information

for review.

“By law, we cannot duplicate what insurance already covers. But we may be able to help with some disaster-related expenses, that are not covered by insurance,” explained Federal Coordinating Officer Michael J. Hall.

After filing a claim, if any of the following situations occurs FEMA may be able to provide some assistance:

Your insurance settlement is delayed.

“Delayed” means a decision on your insurance settlement has been delayed longer than 30-days from the time you filed the claim.
If a decision on your insurance settlement has been delayed, you will need to mail a letter or send a FAX to FEMA explaining the circumstance. Mail or FAX your letter to:

FEMA IHP

National Processing Service Center

PO Box 10055

Hyattsville, MD 20782-8055

FAX 1-800-827-8112

You should include documentation from the insurance company proving that you filed the claim.
If you filed your claim over the telephone, you should include the claim number, date when you applied, and the estimated time of how long it will take to receive your settlement.
If you receive FEMA assistance and you later find that your insurance will cover what your FEMA assistance was for, then you must return that money to FEMA because it is considered a duplicate benefit.

Your insurance settlement is insufficient to meet your disaster-related needs.

If you have received the maximum settlement from your insurance and still have an unmet disaster-related need, you will need to mail or FAX a letter to FEMA at the above address indicating the unmet disaster-related need.
You will also need to send in documentation from your insurance company on what they cover for review.

You have exhausted the Additional Living Expenses (ALE) provided by your insurance company.

If you have received the maximum settlement from your insurance for Additional Living Expenses and still need help with your disaster-related temporary housing need, mail or FAX a letter to FEMA at the above address indicating why you continue to have a temporary housing need.
You will also need to provide documentation to prove use of ALE from insurance, and a permanent housing plan.

You are unable to locate rental resources in your area.

The FEMA Helpline has a list of rental resources in the disaster area.

SBA Loans

Many people who apply for disaster aid also receive an application for a low-interest disaster loan from the SBA. If you receive an application, be sure to fill it out and return it in order to be considered for all forms of disaster assistance.
FEMA will process applications for housing assistance regardless of whether or not the applicant has applied for an SBA loan. Eligibility determinations for FEMA’s temporary housing assistance will not be held up because the applicant has or has not filled out an SBA application.
You must complete an SBA loan application to be eligible for additional assistance under the part of the FEMA program that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

You can apply for an SBA disaster loan online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.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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Apply For Assistance Even If you Have Insurance

FEMA’s Community Relations Teams Are Reaching Out to Connecticut’s Disaster Survivors

HARTFORD, Conn. – Teams of federal disaster recovery professionals are reaching out to Connecticut residents along the disaster-stricken coast to make sure survivors know what help is available and how to get it.

FEMA’s Community Relations teams advise homeowners, renters, business owners, eligible nonprofit agencies and faith-based organizations how to register for disaster assistance and can provide registration access when there is no other source available. They also help identify people with disabilities, those with access and functional needs, seniors and people with limited English proficiency.

Registering with FEMA is the most important step to securing assistance.

“We want people to know that they can register online, by smartphone or a toll-free phone call, and the sooner they register, the sooner we might be able to help,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Albert Lewis.

Easily identified by FEMA photo ID badges, Community Relations representatives seek out any location where people affected by the disaster might be found. They provide information about access to recovery resources, as well as the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which offers low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes.

Disaster Recovery Centers in designated counties offer one-on-one assistance, information on recovery resources, SBA low-interest loans, flood insurance and mitigation.

Online registration is available anytime at www.DisasterAssistance.gov. If you have a web-enabled device, enter m.fema.gov in the web browser. You can also register by calling FEMA at 800-621-3362. If you use a TTY, call 800-462-7585; or, use 711 or Video Relay Service to call 800-621-3362. Multilingual operators are available.

For assistance from SBA call 800-659-2955, or visit www.sba.gov/sandy.

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 homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private nonprofit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and covers 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.

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FEMA’s Community Relations Teams Are Reaching Out to Connecticut’s Disaster Survivors

FEMA Obligates $1 Million to St. John Parish for Emergency Measures

BATON ROUGE, La. – A new $1 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will help St. John Parish cover its costs for emergency efforts for protecting citizens during Hurricane Isaac in late August, FEMA has announced.

Responding to the hurricane, the parish ordered evacuations and rerouted traffic away from storm-affected areas, conducted search-and-rescue operations and secured improved properties, among other protective efforts.

The $1,004,306 FEMA grant will pay the federal share of St. John’s eligible costs for overtime labor, equipment and materials for the operations. Under a cost-sharing formula, FEMA reimburses the state for 75 percent of the total costs, while the state and/or applicant cover the remaining 25 percent.

“Our primary goal is to protect lives during a disaster event like Hurricane Isaac, and St. John Parish made considerable effort to do just that,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Gerard M. Stolar. “FEMA grants for protective measures strongly support these activities.”

Once FEMA pays the funds to the state of Louisiana, their management, including disbursement to local governments and organizations performing services, is the responsibility of the state. The obligated funds are a portion of more than $108 million in total Public Assistance recovery funds obligated to the state since the Aug. 29 declaration for Hurricane Isaac.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, click www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. You can follow FEMA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.

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 http://twitter.com/#!/femaregion6, the R6 Hurricane Preparedness website at www.fema.gov/about/regions/regionvi/updates.shtm and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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FEMA Obligates $1 Million to St. John Parish for Emergency Measures

New York Residents Urged to Register for Federal Disaster Assistance

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York residents affected by Hurricane Sandy 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 Michael F. Byrne. “We’re urging people with hurricane-related damages in federally declared disaster areas to apply as soon as possible.”

The major federal disaster declaration, signed by President Obama Oct. 30, offers Individual Assistance in the counties of Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester.

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 until further notice.

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New York Residents Urged to Register for Federal Disaster Assistance

Make Smart Decisions with Hurricane Recovery Funds

BATON ROUGE, La. – With more than $113 million in Individual Assistance already in the hands of Louisiana’s Hurricane Isaac survivors, federal officials have some advice: Resist the urge to splurge.

“After a period of deprivation and stress, it’s natural for storm survivors to want to indulge in a few luxuries,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Gerard M. Stolar of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). “But state and federal disaster assistance is meant to help people pay for necessities, to help them get back on their feet.”

Disaster assistance may include grants to help pay for emergency repairs on damaged homes, temporary housing, or other serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance or other sources.

A letter explaining a payment’s purpose will arrive within a day or two of the check or direct deposit payment. If survivors use payments on anything other than their intended purpose, they may have to repay those funds — and might not be able to receive future disaster assistance.

“Survivors have to make smart decisions with their recovery funds,” Stolar said. “Recovery money can be a foundation on which to build a better future.”
Survivors who have not yet registered may do so online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. They may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

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Make Smart Decisions with Hurricane Recovery Funds

President Obama Signs West Virginia Emergency Declaration

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal emergency aid has been made available to the State of West Virginia to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Sandy beginning on October 29, 2012, and continuing.

The President’s action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in all counties in the State of West Virginia.

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding.

Dolph A. Diemont has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal response operations in the affected area.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.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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President Obama Signs West Virginia Emergency Declaration

President Obama Signs New Jersey Emergency Declaration

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal emergency aid has been made available to the State of New Jersey to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Sandy beginning on October 26, 2012, and continuing.

Elizabeth Turner has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal response operations in the affected area.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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President Obama Signs New Jersey Emergency Declaration

Updating Contact Information as Important as Registering with FEMA

BATON ROUGE, La. – As Louisianians continue to recover from Hurricane Isaac, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issues this reminder: Keeping contact information current is as important as registering for disaster assistance.

“We encourage all survivors to stay in touch with FEMA,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Gerard M. Stolar of FEMA. “This is especially important for those eligible survivors in newly added parishes who have not received their FEMA assistance.”

Survivors who change their addresses, telephone numbers, or bank account or insurance information should update that information with FEMA. Outdated contact information could lead to missed correspondence or telephone calls. Without accurate banking information, eligible survivors could miss disaster assistance grants that are sent to accounts via direct deposit.

Survivors can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via smartphone at m.fema.gov. They may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

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Updating Contact Information as Important as Registering with FEMA

It’s OK To Clean Up Flooded Homes And Businesses

BATON ROUGE, La. – As flood waters recede in some areas of Louisiana, homeowners, renters and business owners affected by Hurricane Isaac are reminded that it isn’t necessary to wait for an inspector before cleaning up, say officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Whether that inspection is with an insurance company, FEMA or the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), emergency management officials report that it’s always a good practice, prior to a visit from an inspector, to take the necessary steps to make your home safe and sanitary. If possible, take photographs of the damage before cleaning up. Also, keep receipts on purchases and services related to hurricane cleanup.

“We are working as quickly as possible to meet the needs of those affected by Hurricane Isaac and have already completed more than 23,000 inspections,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Mike Hall of FEMA. “But don’t wait for us. Clean up now and just be sure to document the damage.”

To date, 11 parishes have been designated for state and federal assistance for Hurricane Isaac. The parishes are Ascension, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. John, St. Tammany and Tangipahoa.

Survivors can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via smartphone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

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It’s OK To Clean Up Flooded Homes And Businesses

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