OXFORD, Miss. – Disaster survivor assistance teams are working in storm-stricken neighborhoods helping Mississippians recover from the December storms.

The teams are made up of disaster specialists from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. They are canvassing areas to give residents an opportunity to register for disaster assistance and to quickly address immediate and emerging needs. The teams can also provide application updates and referrals to additional resources when needs remain.

Using tablets, the FEMA teams can input a survivor’s information and submit a request for federal assistance. These mobile team members can be identified easily by their photo identifications and FEMA clothing. Mississippi residents are reminded to ask for federal identification before providing personal information.

Homeowners, renters and business owners affected by the December storms in Benton, Coahoma, Marshall, Quitman and Tippah counties can register for federal assistance.

Federal disaster assistance for qualified applicants may include:

• Grants to rent a new place to live temporarily as needed.
• Grants for essential home repairs not covered by insurance.
• Grants for serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance — such as medical, dental, transportation, funeral expenses, moving and storage fees, personal property loss and child care.
• Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration to homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes to cover losses not fully compensated by insurance.

In addition to the registration opportunity offered by recovery teams, survivors can register for assistance by the following methods:

• Online using computers, iPhone and Android devices or tablets at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
• Calling 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585, Video Relay Service 800-621-3362).

Lines are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, seven days a week. Assistance is available in multiple languages.

• Business owners can find an electronic loan application on the U.S. Small Business Administration’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.

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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.