Help Is Just a Phone Call Away for Louisiana Flood Survivors

BATON ROUGE, La. — Survivors of Louisiana’s August floods can always get help with just one phone call.

Call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 for information about many federal disaster assistance-related matters. Lines are open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Call 800-462-7585 if you use TTY or 800-621-3362 if you use 711 or Video Relay Service.

Here are some of the many ways the helpline can support your disaster recovery:

  • Learn about Manufactured Housing Units (MHUs) and where you are in the process if you’re interested in getting one.

  • Get instructions about how to appeal your FEMA decision letter. Everyone may appeal.

  • Register for federal disaster assistance. FEMA allows one registration per household. Households should register only once.

  • Inquire about the status of your registration.

  • Update contact and insurance information to avoid disaster assistance processing delays.

  • Reschedule FEMA home inspections.

Have your nine-digit FEMA registration number available if you want to discuss your application.

Have the following information available if you haven’t registered:

  • Date of loss;

  • Social Security number;

  • Current mailing address and damaged home address, including ZIP codes;

  • Telephone numbers;

  • Names of household members at the time of the disaster;

  • Insurance information;

  • Total gross income for the household;

  • Bank account numbers if you want to have money deposited directly; and

  • Loss descriptions.

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Help Is Just a Phone Call Away for Louisiana Flood Survivors

Holiday Hours for Disaster Recovery Centers

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Disaster recovery centers in South Carolina will operate on different schedules around the New Year’s holiday.

All recovery centers will be open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and be closed on New Year’s Day. Most of the centers will reopen Jan. 2 and operate from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm or call 800-621-3362 to find the closest center.

The deadline for registering for FEMA assistance is Jan. 3, 2016. Because the deadline falls on a Sunday, FEMA will accept registrations through the following business day, Monday, Jan. 4. Survivors also have until Jan. 4 to return SBA disaster loan applications.

Many services available at disaster recovery centers are available by calling the FEMA helpline. Applicants can get help by calling 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585; those who use 711/VRS can call 800-621-3362. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice and will be closed New Year’s Day.

 

Survivors can use the helpline to:

  • Register for federal assistance. Households should register only once.
  • Ask questions about FEMA decision letters.
  • Learn how to appeal FEMA decision letters. All applicants may appeal.
  • Inquire about the status of a registration.
  • Provide change of address, telephone and bank account numbers and insurance information to avoid disaster assistance processing delays.
  • Receive information about FEMA home inspections.
  • Get questions answered about federal disaster assistance and the application process.

Applicants should have their nine-digit FEMA registration number and ZIP code if they want to discuss their application.

 

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Holiday Hours for Disaster Recovery Centers

Help Remains Available After Disaster Recovery Center Closes in Bamberg

COLUMBIA, S.C. – One disaster recovery center will close Tuesday, Dec. 22 at 6 p.m.:

  • Department of Social Services building, 374 Log Branch Road in Bamberg

Applicants in Bamberg may still visit other recovery centers to ask disaster assistance questions. They can locate their closest center by visiting asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm.

Representatives from the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Small Business Administration and other agencies are at centers to answer questions about disaster assistance and low-interest loans.

Many services available at disaster recovery centers are also available by calling the FEMA helpline. Applicants can get help by calling 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585; those who use 711/VRS can call 800-621-3362. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. The helplines will be closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Survivors can use the helpline to:

  • Register for federal assistance. Households should register only once.
  • Ask questions about FEMA decision letters.
  • Learn how to appeal FEMA decision letters. All applicants may appeal.
  • Inquire about the status of a registration.
  • Provide change of address, telephone and bank account numbers and insurance information to avoid disaster assistance processing delays.
  • Receive information about FEMA home inspections.
  • Get questions answered about federal disaster assistance and the application process.

Applicants should have their nine-digit FEMA registration number and zip code if they want to discuss their application.

For the latest information on South Carolina flood recovery operations, visit scemd.org and fema.gov/disaster/4241.

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Help Remains Available After Disaster Recovery Center Closes in Bamberg

FEMA Helpline Can Answer Many Questions for Flood Survivors

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina residents affected by Oct. 1-23 storms and flooding can get information and answers to questions by calling the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s helpline.

Residents can call the helpline at 800-621-3362. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. Survivors who use TTY may call 800-462-7585; those who use 711/VRS can call 800-621-3362. They can also visit www.disasterassistance.gov.

FEMA will accept applications for federal disaster assistance until 11:59 p.m. Monday, Jan. 4, 2016. Because the Jan. 3 deadline falls on a Sunday, the agency will allow flood survivors to register the following business day.

The helpline provides many services. Survivors can use the helpline to:

  • Register for federal assistance. Households should register only once.

  • Ask questions about FEMA decision letters.

  • Learn how to appeal FEMA decision letters. All applicants may appeal.

  • Inquire about the status of a registration.

  • Provide change of address, telephone and bank account numbers and insurance information to avoid disaster assistance processing delays.

  • Receive information about FEMA home inspections.

  • Get questions answered about federal disaster assistance and the application process.

Applicants should have their nine-digit FEMA registration number and ZIP Code if they want to discuss their application.

Survivors should have the following information before registering:

  • Date of loss

  • Social Security number

  • Current mailing address and damaged home address, including ZIP Code

  • Telephone numbers

  • Names of household members at the time of the disaster

  • Insurance information

  • Total gross income for the household

  • Bank account numbers if they want to have money deposited directly, if eligible

  • Loss descriptions

For the latest information on South Carolina flood recovery, visit scemd.org and fema.gov/disaster/4241.

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FEMA Helpline Can Answer Many Questions for Flood Survivors

Deadline Approaching to Register for FEMA Assistance

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Just a little over a week remains for survivors of the Oct. 1-23 storms and flooding in South Carolina to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and submit loan applications to the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The deadline to register for federal disaster assistance is Friday, Dec. 4.

There are several ways to register for federal assistance. Individuals can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling toll-free 800-621-3362 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Multilingual operators are available.

Survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585. Survivors who use 711 or Video Relay Service or require accommodations while visiting a center may call 800-621-3362.

The SBA deadline for homeowners, renters and businesses to submit loan applications for physical damage is also Dec. 4. Survivors may obtain information by visiting the SBA website www.sba.gov/disaster; applying online via SBA’s secure website https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela; or calling SBA’s disaster assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955.

FEMA’s Individual and Households Program is available to U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals, and qualified immigrants who have disaster-related damage.

For more information on South Carolina’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4241 and scemd.org.

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Deadline Approaching to Register for FEMA Assistance

Texas Privately Owned Road and Bridge Repair

FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program grants may be used to repair disaster-damaged privately owned access roads if:

  • The survivor meets all of the basic eligibility criteria for the Individuals and Households Program assistance

  • The survivor is the homeowner, and the home is their primary residence

In addition, the road/bridge repairs must meet at least one of the following:

  • The road/bridge is the only access to the property

  • The home cannot be accessed due to damaged infrastructure

  • The safety of the occupants could be adversely affected without the repairs.

The eligible grant is based on specific repair items, disaster-related, and limited to the minimum repairs necessary to enable an applicant to access their residence. Repairs must satisfy all environmental and local, state and federal requirements, including permits.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), FEMA’s federal partner in disaster recovery, also may be able to help. Private property owners, established homeowner associations and properties governed by covenant may apply for low-interest disaster loans directly through SBA. These funds can be used to repair or replace private roads and bridges. Privately owned access roads owned by homeowner associations may also apply directly to the SBA.

Homeowners who share access roads and bridges with other homeowners or families, may be eligible for repair grants or SBA loans under certain circumstances. In some cases, sharing the cost of repairs with funds obtained through a combination of FEMA, SBA loans, and private funds may be another option.

  • Awards will be made separately to eligible applicants who share the access route if they provide a statement to FEMA that they will use the award to make repairs to the access route, and

  • They understand that they are responsible for securing permits and complying with local codes and ordinances.

  • They do not have an established Homeowners Association (HOA) or Covenant responsible for repair of the access route; or

  • The established HOA or covenant responsible for the repair of the access route is unable to receive assistance from the SBA or private insurance.

Each affected homeowner should register with FEMA individually. Requests for private road or bridge repair assistance are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

  • Repair grants will not include improvements to the access route’s pre-disaster condition unless improvements are required by current State and/or local building codes.

  • An applicant with access and functional needs, such as a physical disability that requires access for a particular vehicle, may be approved for additional funds to improve the access if required for safe passage.

  • Assistance for an access road cannot exceed the combined maximum grant to all eligible applicants.

If the cost of repairs exceeds the funding FEMA can award, FEMA may be able to refer applicants to other federal or voluntary agencies for additional assistance. Applicants are urged to stay in touch with FEMA.

To discuss their circumstances, survivors should call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Disaster assistance applicants who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 800-462-7585.

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NOTE: link to Privately Owned Access Routes

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. 

The 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 www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

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 Texas recovery, visit the disaster web page at www.fema.gov/disaster/4223, Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the Texas Division of Emergency Management website, https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem. Visit www.fema.gov/texas-disaster-mitigation  for publications and reference material on rebuilding and repairing safer and stronger.

 

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Texas Privately Owned Road and Bridge Repair

FEMA Disaster Assistance Tops $2 Million for Arkansas Recovery

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – More than $2 million in assistance to date is helping the residents of nine Arkansas counties recover from the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding, May 7 to June 15, 2015.

Recovery officials caution though, that the time to register for federal help is running out.  The deadline to apply for assistance is Aug. 25, 2015.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management provide this current summary of assistance:

More than $922,323 in housing aid to help homeowners and renters:

  • Rent temporary housing for a limited period of time;

  • Repair damage from the disaster to a homeowner’s primary residence that is not covered by insurance. The goal is to make the home safe, sanitary and functional; and,

  • Help replace homes destroyed in the disaster.

More than $99,824 to help pay for:

  • Disaster-related medical and dental costs;

  • Disaster-related funeral and burial costs;

  • Clothing, household items, tools required for work and necessary educational materials;

  • Clean-up items;

  • Disaster-damaged vehicles;

  • Moving and storage expenses related to the disaster; and

  • Other necessary expenses or serious needs as determined by FEMA.

Also, $1,082,000 in low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters, businesses and private nonprofit organizations has been approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Residents of Crawford, Garland, Howard, Jefferson, Little River, Miller, Perry, Sebastian, and Sevier counties are encouraged to register for assistance with FEMA before the Aug. 25, 2015 deadline.

Individuals and business owners who sustained losses can apply for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or by web enabled mobile device at m.fema.gov. Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362. Multilingual operators are available.

The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice. Multilingual operators are available.

The following is a by-county summary of assistance.

 

CRAWFORD COUNTY

 

Registrations

89

Housing Repairs and Rental Assistance

$61,210

Other Needs Assistance

$10,591

Individuals and Households Program Total

$71,801

U.S. Small Business Administration Loans

$80,400

 

GARLAND COUNTY

 

Registrations

43

Housing Repairs and Rental Assistance

$72,775

Other Needs Assistance

$140

Individuals and Households Program Total

$72,916

 

HOWARD COUNTY

 

Registrations

67

Housing Repairs and Rental Assistance

$61,443

Other Needs Assistance

$40,611

Individuals and Households Program Total

$102,054

U.S. Small Business Administration Loans

$54,500

 

JEFFERSON COUNTY

 

Registrations

162

Housing Repairs and Rental Assistance

$354,881

Other Needs Assistance

$29,072

Individuals and Households Program Total

$383,953

U.S. Small Business Administration Loans

$589.000

 

LITTLE RIVER COUNTY

 

Registrations

61

Housing Repairs and Rental Assistance

$114,750

Other Needs Assistance

$5,804

Individuals and Households Program Total

$120,554

 

MILLER COUNTY

 

Registrations

23

Housing Repairs and Rental Assistance

$86,787

Other Needs Assistance

$1,716

Individuals and Households Program Total

$88,502

 

PERRY COUNTY

 

Registrations

23

Housing Repairs and Rental Assistance

$89,421

Other Needs Assistance

$6,929

Individuals and Households Program Total

$96,351

U.S. Small Business Administration Loans

$315,800

 

SEBASTIAN COUNTY

 

Registrations

42

Housing Repairs and Rental Assistance

$43,201

Other Needs Assistance

$3,532

Individuals and Households Program Total

$46,733

 

SEVIER COUNTY

 

Registrations

37

Housing Repairs and Rental Assistance

$37,766

Other Needs Assistance

$1,428

Individuals and Households Program Total

$39,193

U.S. Small Business Administration Loans

$42.300

 

Approved assistance as of COB Aug. 2, 2015. U.S. SBA Administration loans are through July 29, 2015.

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.

The 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 www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

 

 

Original source:

FEMA Disaster Assistance Tops $2 Million for Arkansas Recovery

Napa, Solano County Residents to Receive Federal Individual, Household Aid Following South Napa Earthquake

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Today the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that the Major Disaster declaration for the South Napa earthquake will also include the Individuals and Households Program under the Stafford Act. This amendment makes assistance available to help homeowners and renters recover from the earthquake.

“This is a very welcome announcement for those individuals that had their daily lives changed by this earthquake,” said Cal OES Director Mark Ghilarducci. “Additional federal resources like this program will be a huge help to everyone impacted, especially those struggling with major damages and limited personal resources.”

Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. and local, state and Congressional officials requested a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration as damages caused by the 6.0-magnitude earthquake that shook through most of Northern California mounted. In response, President Barack Obama declared a Major Disaster on Sept. 11. The Major Disaster Declaration allowed for public assistance to be available to state, tribal and eligible governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged during the earthquake. The Individuals and Households Program will provide assistance to residents in Napa and Solano Counties.

“We are glad to be able to assist individual households as well as state and local governments in recovering from this earthquake,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer Stephen De Blasio. “We ask those Californians who sustained earthquake damage to get registered as quickly as possible.”

Gov. Brown declared a State of Emergency shortly after the earthquake, whose epicenter was near American Canyon and the City of Napa, and issued an executive order to provide additional financial assistance to local agencies and non-profit organizations.

Individuals who are interested in finding out more information about eligibility for the Individual and Households Program should call or register at 800-621-FEMA (3362), TTY 800-462-7585 or visit DisasterAssistance.gov.

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Napa, Solano County Residents to Receive Federal Individual, Household Aid Following South Napa Earthquake

Disaster Survivors in Alabama may be Eligible for Child Care Assistance

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Child care costs following a presidential disaster declaration have been added as a reimbursable expense in some cases.

The child care program falls under the Individuals and Households Program within Individual Assistance. Child care costs will be subtracted from the applicant’s total grant amount.

To be eligible, survivors must live in a declared county and use a licensed child care service (center-based, group home, in-home or other provider). The children can be up to age 13, disabled children, as defined by federal law and who need assistance in caring for themselves, may be up to age 18. They also must be occupants of the household, are listed on the Application for Disaster Assistance and are dependents of the applicant.

Costs per child may be awarded for a total of eight weeks, which may or may not be consecutive. Eligible expenses include child care expenses, one-time registration fee, plus health inventory fee if the applicant must change child care providers.

“We know that many households rely on child care and that it can take a big chunk out of their budget,” said Albie Lewis, FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer for Alabama. “If you have a disaster-related impact on your income, you may want to explore child care assistance.”

The deadline to register for FEMA assistance is July 1.

For more information or to register for assistance 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.

Applicants who apply for the benefit will receive a letter outlining documentation FEMA needs to evaluate the request for disaster-related child care assistance.

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Disaster Survivors in Alabama may be Eligible for Child Care Assistance

FEMA Individual Assistance tops $1 billion in New York after Sandy

NEW YORK – The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved more than $1 billion in assistance to individuals and families in New York whose property was damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Sandy.

This includes more than $855 million to help eligible survivors with home repairs and temporary rental costs and nearly $145 million with other uninsured hurricane-related expenses related to personal property, transportation, medical, dental, funeral and moving costs.

The $1 billion in grants through FEMA’s Individuals and Households program is part of more than $8 billion in total disaster assistance toward New York’s recovery, including more than $1.5 billion in low-interest U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loans, more than $3.7 billion in flood insurance claim payments and more than $1.8 billion for debris removal, repair or replacement of public facilities and reimbursement for emergency expenses.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4085, http://twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

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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) (TTY 800-462-7585.)

 

SBA is the federal government’s primary source of funding for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts, and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover uninsured and uncompensated losses and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For information about SBA programs, applicants may call 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339).

Source – 

FEMA Individual Assistance tops $1 billion in New York after Sandy

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