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Only One Week Left for Alabama Disaster Survivors to Register With FEMA

MONTGOMERY, Ala., — Just one week remains to register for federal disaster assistance for those who sustained damage from the April 28 through May 5 severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding. The last day to register is Tuesday, July 15.

Residents who suffered damage should register as soon as possible. Here is how to register with FEMA:

Go online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
Visit m.fema.gov from a Smartphone.
Dial 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585.
For those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services, call 800-621-3362.

The toll-free numbers are operated from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Those who already have registered can track their claims and should notify FEMA of changes of their mailing addresses, phone numbers or email addresses and if they receive insurance settlements or discover additional damages.

July 15 also is the deadline to return an application for physical damage to the Small Business Administration.

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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.

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

For more information on Alabama’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov or http://www.ema.alabama.gov/. For the joint Facebook page, go to www.facebook.com/AlabamaEMA. To receive Twitter updates: http://twitter.com/AlabamaEMA or www.twitter.com/femaregion4.

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Only One Week Left for Alabama Disaster Survivors to Register With FEMA

NFIP Extends Flood Claim Period by 30 Days

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The National Flood Insurance Program has extended the time period for filing flood claims for policyholders who experienced flooding during the April 28 through May 5 severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding.

The NFIP normally requires flood claims to be filed within 60 days of the date of loss. However, NFIP is waiving this requirement and extending the deadline by 30 days for the 2014 mid-spring storms that began on April 28. This extension includes policyholders in Alabama.

The waiver applies to Standard Flood Insurance Policies issued directly by the Federal Emergency Management Agency or by private insurance companies participating in the NFIP’s Write Your Own Program.

A policyholder with a flood loss that occurred on April 28, 2014 now has until July 27, 2014 to file a claim.

Please note — the extended deadline to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for assistance and the U.S. Small Business Administration for low-interest loans remains the same – Tuesday, July 15.

Flood insurance policyholders should contact their agents or insurance companies to file a claim. An adjuster from the insurance company should contact you within a few days of filing a claim. If you do not hear from an adjuster, call your insurance agent or company again.

When calling, make sure to have the following information at hand:

The name of your insurance company.
Your policy number.
A telephone and/or email address where you can be reached at all times.

Remember, a flood insurance policy is usually separate from your homeowner’s policy, which in most cases does not pay for flood claims.

Your adjuster will need to see evidence of the damage to your home and possessions to prepare your repair estimate.

Take photographs of all damaged property, including discarded objects, structural damage and standing floodwater levels.
Make a list of damaged or lost items and include their date of purchase, value and receipts, if possible.
Officials may require disposal of damaged items, so if possible, place flooded items outside of the home.

Finally, your adjuster will provide you with a Proof of Loss form for your official claims for damages. This document substantiates the insurance claim and is required before the National Flood Insurance Program or insurance company can make a payment.

You will receive your claim payment after you and the insurer agree on the amount of damages and the insurer has your complete, accurate and signed Proof of Loss form. If major catastrophic flooding occurs, it may take longer to process claims and make payments due to the sheer number of claims submitted.

For general flood insurance questions, call the National Flood Insurance Call Center at 800-427-4661 directly, or through 711 Relay, or contact your insurance company or agent.

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For more information on Alabama’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov or http://www.ema.alabama.gov/. For the joint Facebook page, go to www.facebook.com/AlabamaEMA. To receive Twitter updates: http://twitter.com/AlabamaEMA or www.twitter.com/femaregion4.

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NFIP Extends Flood Claim Period by 30 Days

Recertify to be Eligible for Continued Rental Help from FEMA

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – If your household is getting rental assistance from FEMA and repairs to your home are taking longer than expected, don’t forget you have to recertify your need to continue aid.

Alabama households currently receiving rental assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency because of damage from the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding from April 28 through May 5 must provide the necessary paperwork to recertify for continued rental help.

FEMA may pay, through its Individuals and Households program, up to 18 months of rental assistance to both qualified homeowners and renters if they need to relocate while repairs are being made to their disaster-damaged residences.

An application for continued temporary housing will be sent to applicants who have received initial rental assistance approximately two weeks after the first rental award.

The application reaffirms that applicants have an ongoing financial need for temporary housing, either because disaster-related repairs are not completed or they have been unable to find permanent replacement housing.

Documents required to be submitted for recertification include:

The completed application,
A copy of the current lease or rental agreement signed by the applicant,
Rental receipts, canceled checks or money orders showing proper usage of previous rental assistance,
Current income statements from family members living in the rental.

The form must be completed in full and turned in on time for each rental cycle to apply for continued assistance.

FEMA will evaluate the information each cycle to determine if the applicant qualifies for ongoing federal rental assistance, based on financial need.

An applicant’s current monthly rent is compared to the person’s housing costs before the disaster. Income for all household members, ongoing homeowner mortgage, insurance and utility costs for the damaged home, and other housing commitment costs are all taken into consideration when determining continued eligibility.

Residents of Baldwin, Blount, DeKalb, Etowah, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone, Mobile or Tuscaloosa counties who suffered storm damage during the period April 28 through May 5 should apply for assistance by registering online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone at m.fema.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362, TTY 800-462-7585. Multilingual operators are available.

The deadline to register for FEMA assistance is Tuesday, July 15, 2014.

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Recertify to be Eligible for Continued Rental Help from FEMA

Don’t Forget That Date; Appeals Must be Submitted to FEMA Within 60 Days

Those who received a letter from the Federal Emergency Management Agency should take note of the date the letter was written. Appeals or submission of missing documents must be made within 60 days of that date.

Disaster survivors may request an appeal to review their cases regarding the amount or type of federal disaster assistance available.

The appeal must be in writing and explain why you disagree with a decision. Attach any new or additional documents supporting the appeal.

Appeal letters for the April 28 through May 5 severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding should also include:

Federal disaster declaration number, 4176-DR-AL, on all pages of documents.
Applicant information including:
- The nine-digit FEMA application number on all pages of documents,
- Applicant’s name,
- Applicant’s date and place of birth, and
- Address of the damaged dwelling.

Copies of verifiable documentation that supports the appeal. All receipts, bills and estimates must include contact information for the service provider. Keep all originals for your records.
A copy of a state-issued identification or driver’s license, unless the letter is notarized or includes the following statement: “I hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.”
The applicant’s signature.

Applicants can call the Disaster Legal Services hotline phone number, 888-857-8571. The service is available from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday for free legal help with insurance claims.

In the Huntsville area of Limestone County, call 256-539-2275. Those in Mobile and Baldwin counties can call 855-997-2857.

Mail the appeal letter to: FEMA National Processing Service Center, P.O. Box 10055, Hyattsville, MD 20782-7055.

Applicants also may fax their appeal letter to: 800-827-8112, Attention: FEMA.

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Don’t Forget That Date; Appeals Must be Submitted to FEMA Within 60 Days

Two Months After Alabama Storms, Disaster Recovery Efforts Continue

Two Months After Alabama Storms, Disaster Recovery Efforts Continue

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – As America celebrates the anniversary of its birth, many Alabama residents are still picking up the pieces of their lives, homes and businesses from spring storms.

This year’s holiday marks the two-month anniversary of the devastating severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding that raked the state from April 28 through May 5.

Disaster recovery efforts continue as the focus changes from cleanup to rebuilding. State and federal disaster assistance now exceeds $32 million for households, individuals and businesses of the nine counties affected. Of that total, nearly $13 million have gone to survivors in the form of U.S. Small Business Administration loans and another $19 million in other FEMA grants.

Counties eligible for disaster assistance include: Baldwin, Blount, DeKalb, Etowah, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone, Mobile and Tuscaloosa.

With the application deadline now extended through Tuesday, July 15, state and federal officials expect to see the number of applications for assistance continue to increase.

At peak operations, in mid-May, more than 415 state and federal employees from across the country were working to meet the needs of disaster survivors who have registered for FEMA assistance. As of July 2, more than 18,000 residents have applied.

FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams visited more than 8,000 Alabama homes to provide information on registering for federal aid, guide people in the registration process and follow-up on pre- or post-disaster needs.

To date, nearly 15,000 homes impacted by the disaster have been inspected for damages with a two day turnaround from the time of application to inspection.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is only one part of a large team that continues to bring resources to assist communities. This team includes coordinated efforts between federal, state, local, nonprofit, private sector and faith-based organizations.

Some partners opened shelters and provided food while others offered low-interest disaster assistance loans for rebuilding.

Serve Alabama, a state agency set up by Gov. Robert Bentley that works to increase volunteerism in the state, has coordinated the work of volunteer agencies after this disaster. As of mid-May the agency recorded that 3,048 volunteers from numerous organizations throughout the country had donated nearly 22,000 hours to help survivors clean up debris, repair and rebuild their homes following the spring storms.

“It takes many agencies, government and private, as well as many individuals to help a community and its residents recover,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Albie Lewis. “And Alabama will recover and become safer and stronger for the long run.”

With debris removal nearing completion, FEMA has turned its attention to advising home and business owners of methods to repair and rebuild that can help reduce damages during future storms.

FEMA’s mitigation outreach at Lowe’s and Home Depot home improvement stores throughout the month of June helped to answer questions and give advice to 1,500 shoppers. One of the most frequently asked questions was how to prevent future damage.

FEMA’s Public Assistance Program is in the process of reviewing grant applications for publicly owned facilities and storm-damaged infrastructure in the 21 counties. More than 105 Kick Off meetings with cities, communities and state applicants have been held to assess the needs, discuss disaster related damage and develop a plan of action for the facilities.

Grant money is flowing to state, county and local governments through PA reimbursement programs. Obligated funding includes nearly $500,000 for debris removal and nearly $342,000 to cover expenses related to storm response. Another nearly $285,000 has been obligated for reimbursement of infrastructure repair work.

An estimated $30 million in repairs and rebuilding infrastructure is anticipated for Alabama.

These grants provide at least 75 percent of the eligible costs for emergency measures and permanent restoration. The state and local government evenly split the remaining 25 percent.

“We are proud to partner with FEMA and pleased by its rapid response and assistance following this disaster,” said Alabama’s State Coordinating Officer, Jeff Byard. “Much work remains, but thanks to all of our partners, we have come a long way.”

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Two Months After Alabama Storms, Disaster Recovery Efforts Continue

FEMA Registration Deadline Monday; Nearly $17.7 Million Approved So Far

JACKSON, Miss. – Monday, June 30, 2014, is the deadline to register for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration. As the deadline approaches, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, FEMA and SBA announce that nearly $17.7 million in federal assistance has been approved for residents in 12 Mississippi counties.

Here is a summary through Thursday, June 26, of all federal assistance to individuals and households in the 12 counties designated for FEMA Individual Assistance. The severe storms, tornadoes and flooding occurred from April 28 through May 3, 2014.

Nearly $17.7 million in total federal disaster assistance has been approved by FEMA and SBA.
Of that, nearly $12.5 million in low-interest disaster loans has been approved by SBA for 197 homeowners, renters and businesses.
Almost $5.2 million in FEMA Individual Assistance grants has been approved to help Mississippi disaster survivors recover, including:
- More than $3.8 million approved for housing grants, including short-term rental assistance and home repair costs.
- Nearly $1.4 million approved to help cover other essential disaster-related needs such as medical and dental expenses and household possessions. Included is approval of assistance with funeral expenses for 12 disaster-related deaths.
More than 5,200 people have contacted FEMA for help or information regarding disaster assistance.
- In addition to FEMA grants for individuals and families, other forms of disaster assistance are provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration and other partner agencies such as the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. FEMA refers some survivors to those agencies.
- All businesses that contact FEMA also are referred to the SBA.

More than 2,800 home inspections have been completed.
More than 4,700 visits to disaster recovery centers by people affected by the disaster.
FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance crews have visited 12,207 dwellings and assisted 9,298 survivors.
Almost 7,000 people have received advice from mitigation specialists on rebuilding safer and stronger.

Disaster survivors in Itawamba, Jones, Leake, Lee, Lowndes, Madison, Montgomery, Rankin, Simpson, Warren, Wayne and Winston counties may be eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program.

Individuals and households in those counties can register for FEMA Individual Assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone or tablet at m.FEMA.gov or by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362). People who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY should call 800-462-7585. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (central time) and assistance is available in multiple languages.

FEMA assistance does not affect benefits from other federal programs such as Social Security, SNAP or Medicaid and is not considered taxable income.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, go to fema.gov/disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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

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FEMA Registration Deadline Monday; Nearly $17.7 Million Approved So Far

Don’t Wait Until it’s too Late: Have a Back-up Plan and Register by June 30

JACKSON, Miss. – If you sustained damage from the April 28 through May 3 severe storms, tornadoes and flooding, your insurance settlement may not cover all of your expenses. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration encourage you to register for disaster assistance by Monday, June 30, 2014, as it may help cover unexpected disaster expenses that arise later.

Your insurance settlement is delayed, but you need to relocate because your home is uninhabitable.
Damage in your home is not revealed until contractors are able to conduct a more comprehensive inspection of your home’s structure.
You exhaust the additional living expenses provided by your insurance company and still need help with your disaster-related temporary housing.

Not registering with FEMA may disqualify you for assistance that could help with unexpected expenses. You have until Monday, June 30, 2014, to register. Take a few minutes now to give yourself peace of mind in the future. You can register any of three ways: online at DisasterAssistance.gov, on a mobile device at m.fema.gov, or by phone at 800-621-FEMA (3362.) People who are deaf or hard of hearing and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585.

If you have registered with FEMA and were referred to SBA’s disaster loan program, it’s wise to follow through and keep your options open by submitting the application before June 30.

Some of the top reasons for submitting an SBA application by the deadline include:

A future insurance settlement may fall short. You may find you are underinsured for the amount of work it takes to repair or replace your damaged home. An SBA low-interest loan can cover the uninsured costs. By submitting the loan application on time, you may have loan money available when it is needed. SBA can approve a loan for the repair or replacement of a home up to $200,000. The loan balance may be reduced by your insurance settlement. However, the opportunity for an SBA disaster loan may be lost if you wait until after the June 30 application deadline.

SBA can help renters repair or replace disaster damaged personal property. Homeowners and renters may borrow up to $40,000 to repair or replace clothing, furniture, appliances and damaged vehicles.

By submitting an SBA loan application, you keep the full range of disaster assistance available as an option. If you do not qualify for a loan, SBA may refer you back to FEMA for grants to replace essential household items, replace or repair a damaged vehicle, or cover storage expenses, among other serious disaster-related needs. But if you do not submit your disaster loan application, the assistance process may stop. You are not required to accept a loan if one is offered.

Complete the SBA disaster loan application online at https://DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ELA. For additional information about SBA low-interest disaster loans, contact the SBA Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339 or by emailing DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. For more information on SBA disaster loans, go to sba.gov/disaster.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, click fema.gov/disaster/4175. Visit the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency website at msema.org or the Facebook page at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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.

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Don’t Wait Until it’s too Late: Have a Back-up Plan and Register by June 30

More Than $17.3 Million Approved for Mississippi Disaster Survivors

JACKSON, Miss. – Federal assistance approved for disaster survivors in 12 Mississippi counties has reached more than $17.3 million.

Here is a summary through Sunday, June 22, of all federal assistance to individuals and households in the 12 counties designated for FEMA Individual Assistance. The severe storms, tornadoes and flooding occurred from April 28 through May 3, 2014.

More than $17.3 million in total federal disaster assistance has been approved by FEMA and SBA.
More than $12.2 million in low-interest disaster loans has been approved by SBA for 188 homeowners, renters and businesses.
More than $5 million in FEMA Individual Assistance grants has been approved to help Mississippi disaster survivors recover, including:
- More than $3.7 million approved for housing grants, including short-term rental assistance and home repair costs.
- More than $1.3 million approved to help cover other essential disaster-related needs such as medical and dental expenses and household possessions. Included is approval of assistance with funeral expenses for nine disaster-related deaths. Other funeral expense requests are pending.
Nearly 5,200 people have contacted FEMA for help or information regarding disaster assistance.
- In addition to FEMA grants for individuals and families, other forms of disaster assistance are provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration and other partner agencies such as the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. FEMA refers some survivors to those agencies.
- All businesses that contact FEMA also are referred to the SBA.
- Others may be interested in other programs such as disaster unemployment assistance and disaster legal services.

2,815 home inspections completed.
More than 4,700 visits to disaster recovery centers by people affected by the disaster.
FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance crews have visited 12, 055 dwellings and assisted 8,061 survivors.
More than 4,000 people have received advice from Mitigation Specialists on rebuilding safer and stronger.

Monday, June 30, 2014, is the deadline to register with FEMA for individual assistance and submit an SBA disaster loan application.

Disaster survivors in Itawamba, Jones, Leake, Lee, Lowndes, Madison, Montgomery, Rankin, Simpson, Warren, Wayne and Winston counties may be eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program.

For additional information about SBA low-interest disaster loans, contact the SBA Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339, emailing DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or visiting sba.gov/disaster. SBA customer service representatives are available at ALL disaster recovery centers. Disaster recovery center locations can be found online at FEMA.gov/DRCLocator.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, go to fema.gov/disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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More Than $17.3 Million Approved for Mississippi Disaster Survivors

FEMA Mitigation Specialists Available at Home Depot and Lowe’s

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Are you repairing or rebuilding damaged property? Have questions about flood insurance? Want to protect your property from potential loss or damage from future disasters?

Federal Emergency Management Agency mitigation specialists will be available at three home improvement stores in the area to provide information on rebuilding safer and smarter.

Specialists will be available at the following Home Depot stores through noon on June 26.

The hours are 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. On Sundays, noon to 5 p.m.

Home Depot

541 W. Nine Mile Road

Pensacola, FL 32534

Home Depot

4825 Mobile Highway

Pensacola, FL 32506

Starting Friday, June 20, mitigation specialists will be available at the following location through noon on June 26. The hours are 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. On Sundays, noon to 5 p.m.

Lowe’s

4301 W. Fairfield Drive

Pensacola, FL 32505

Information on the National Flood Insurance Program, advisory base flood elevation maps, flood insurance rate maps, and repair and rebuilding will be available to all, not just to individuals who are registered with FEMA.

Advice also will be given on:

Elevating electrical services and appliances;
Installing sewer back-flow valves;
Replacing drywall and insulation;
Channeling water away from foundations; and
The permitting process required by local authorities.

More information on ways to protect your property from disasters is available at www.fema.gov.

Click on “Plan, Prepare and Mitigate.”

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FEMA Mitigation Specialists Available at Home Depot and Lowe’s

Pensacola Recovery Center Transitions to SBA Loan Outreach Center on Monday

PENSACOLA, Fla. – The State/FEMA disaster recovery center located at the Brownsville Community Center is transitioning on Monday, June 23, to a U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loan outreach center. Survivors will still be able to obtain disaster-related information after the center transitions.

SBA representatives will be on hand at the loan outreach center to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program and explain the loan application process. Survivors can also get help applying for or closing low-interest disaster loans. The center is located at:

Escambia County

Brownsville Community Center

3100 W. DeSoto St.

Pensacola, FL 32505

The joint State/FEMA disaster recovery center will continue normal operating hours, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday, June 17, through Saturday, June 21. The center is closed Sunday.

Beginning Monday, June 23, the SBA disaster loan outreach center will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, until further notice. The center will be closed Saturdays and Sundays.

The Pensacola disaster recovery center opened May 10 to help survivors who sustained damage during the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding from April 28 to May 6. The center has received more than 3,100 visits in nearly six weeks.

Disaster survivors can continue to register until July 7, 2014, either online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone at m.fema.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362. Survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability can call (TTY) 800-462-7585.

To apply for an SBA low-interest disaster loan, survivors can find the electronic loan application on SBA’s secure website at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Questions can be answered by calling the SBA disaster customer service center at 800-659-2955/(TTY) 800-877-8339 or visiting www.sba.gov.

For more information on Florida disaster recovery, click fema.gov/disaster/4177, visit the Florida Division of Emergency Management website at FloridaDisaster.org or the Facebook page at facebook.com/FloridaSERT.

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Pensacola Recovery Center Transitions to SBA Loan Outreach Center on Monday

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