FEMA Helps People with Disabilities Access Disaster Assistance

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AURORA, Ill. –  To help entire communities recover from the severe storms and flooding between April 16 to May 5, FEMA is working to make sure Illinois residents with disabilities and those with functional needs have equal access to disaster assistance programs.

To achieve this goal, FEMA coordinates efforts with state and local agencies and volunteer organizations to identify needs and locate appropriate resources. FEMA has a Disability Integration Advisor on site in Illinois to coordinate the various elements of the program.

FEMA provides physical access to facilities and reasonable program modifications as needed. For example, brochures are translated into large print, Braille and most languages. Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) are accessible to people with disabilities, and assistance is offered to complete forms. Amplified phones, assisted listening devices, captioned phones, magnifiers, Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) and Video Relay Services (VRS) are available at DRCs. On-site interpreters, including American Sign Language interpreters, are available upon request.

Notify FEMA staff if you need an accommodation during part of the assistance process.

Disaster assistance grants are not taxable income and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid, medical waiver programs, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, food stamps, Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance.

It is not necessary to visit a DRC to register with FEMA. Individuals can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. People who use 711-Relay or VRS can call 800-621-3362. For more information visit the Illinois Disaster website www.fema.gov/disaster/4116.

Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages.

The deadline to register for FEMA disaster assistance is Tuesday, July 9.

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 FEMA online at twitter.com/femaregion5, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

Media Contact: 571-408-1835

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FEMA Helps People with Disabilities Access Disaster Assistance

Many Residents May Mistakenly Believe They Have Registered with FEMA

AURORA, Ill. – After the spring storms and flooding that took place between April 16 and May 5, many affected residents have spoken to representatives from insurance companies and state and local agencies about disaster assistance and may be under the mistaken impression they have registered with FEMA. 

The way to know for sure that you have registered with FEMA is if you have been assigned a nine-digit Registration Identification Number, which verifies your registration status.

Following are the several ways of registering for FEMA disaster assistance:

  • Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585
  • For those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services, call 800-621-3362
  • Online at www.disasterassistance.gov
  • Via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov

The toll-free numbers operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages.

The deadline to register for FEMA disaster assistance is Tuesday, July 9.

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 FEMA online at twitter.com/femaregion5, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

Media Contact: 571-408-1835

 

 

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Many Residents May Mistakenly Believe They Have Registered with FEMA

Apply for FEMA Assistance Even if You Have Flood Insurance

AURORA, Ill. – FEMA disaster assistance may sometimes cover damages that flood insurance does not.

Illinois residents affected by the severe storms and flooding from April 16 to May 5 need to apply for disaster assistance even if they have insurance. You must apply directly with FEMA. Filing a flood insurance claim or meeting with your insurance agent does not register you with FEMA.

However, you do need to file your insurance claim with your insurance company, and you must apply with FEMA before the deadline of July 9. Failure to do so will affect your eligibility for FEMA disaster assistance.

Once you have applied, you have 12 months to tell FEMA if your insurance coverage was sufficient and to be considered for FEMA disaster assistance. By law, FEMA cannot provide money to individuals or households for losses that are covered by insurance.

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

  • Your settlement was delayed longer than 30-days from the time you filed a claim.
  • Your settlement doesn’t cover all of your disaster-related needs.
  • You exhausted the additional living expenses provided by your insurance.
  • You are unable to locate rental resources in your area.

Fax (1-800-827-8112) or mail a letter to FEMA explaining the circumstances to:

FEMA – Individuals & Households Program

National Processing Service Center

P.O. Box 10055

Hyattsville, MD 20782-8055

It is not necessary to visit a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) to register with FEMA. Individuals can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. People who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) can call 800-621-3362. For more information visit the Illinois Disaster website www.fema.gov/disaster/4116

Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages.

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 FEMA online at twitter.com/femaregion5, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

Media Contact: 571-408-1835

 

Continued:

Apply for FEMA Assistance Even if You Have Flood Insurance

Recertify to be Eligible for Continued Rental Help

AURORA, Ill. – Illinois households currently receiving rental assistance through FEMA for the severe storms and flooding from April 16 to May 5 must provide the necessary paperwork to recertify for continued rental help in order to ensure no interruption of benefits.

FEMA may pay up to 18 months of rental assistance to both homeowners and renters if they need to relocate while repairs are being made to their disaster-damaged residence. The rental assistance is paid in two-month increments and can include the payment of a security deposit. The security deposit may include a pet deposit fee, but the amount of the security deposit plus the pet deposit fee cannot exceed one month’s rent.

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

Applicants who continue to need rental assistance must express an interest either verbally through the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 or in writing within 90 days after receipt of the application. The entire process must be completed within 120 days to be eligible. A new 90- and 120-day limit will begin with each rental recertification, and a new application needs to be filled out each cycle.

Documents required 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. An applicant who misses one cycle of recertification will not be eligible for continued rental assistance.

It is not necessary to visit a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) to register with FEMA. Individuals can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. People who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) can call 800-621-3362. For more information visit the Illinois Disaster website www.fema.gov/disaster/4116.

Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages.

The deadline to register for FEMA disaster assistance is Tuesday, July 9.

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 FEMA online at twitter.com/femaregion5, www.facebook.com/fema, and ww.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

Media Contact: 571-408-1835

 

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Recertify to be Eligible for Continued Rental Help

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