ATLANTA—Knowing where to get assistance after a disaster can make the process go faster. Help is available from a wide range of sources.

Contact your insurance company. Insurance can be an important source of assistance for people and businesses.

Register with FEMA. FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program may provide help in the form of temporary housing and financial assistance if you suffered eligible losses or damages to your home, rental home or personal property. 

Register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone by going to FEMA’s mobile site at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. If you use 711 or Video Relay Services call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

Federal disaster aid to people may include:

  • Rental assistance for temporary housing if your home or apartment is unlivable;
  • Grants for minimal home repairs and replacement of essential household items not covered by insurance to make damaged dwellings safe, sanitary and functional;
  • Grants to replace personal property and help meet medical, dental, funeral and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other federal, state and charitable aid programs; and
  • Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to cover losses of renters and homeowners.

Federal aid to businesses and nonprofits may include:

  • Low-interest disaster loans from the SBA for businesses and certain private nonprofit organizations that sustained physical damage or economic injury.

Seek out community sources. In addition to FEMA, you should know that a number of voluntary agencies, faith- based groups and community organizations are providing food, shelter, supplies and are assisting in clean-up efforts. Contact your local government or call 2-1-1 to access a range of aid programs to help Mississippians recover from Isaac.

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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.

 

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The Road To Recovery: Know Where To Get Help

WITH MORE THAN $133 MILLION OBLIGATED TO REPAIR VERMONT INFRASTRUCTURE, FEMA PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROCESS CONTINUES

ESSEX JUNCTION, Vt. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency has so far obligated more than $133 million to repair eligible storm-impacted roads, bridges, culverts and other elements of Vermont’s infrastructure; the Public Assistance process continues. In their ongoing partnership, FEMA and the State of Vermont announce a series of meetings to update individual applicants from local governments and some private non-profit organizations.

The meetings, the first of which is scheduled to be held on Monday, Aug. 6, are intended to update Public Assistance applicants in Addison, Bennington, Chittenden, Essex, Franklin, Lemoille, Orange, Rutland, Washington, Windham and Windsor counties.

“These meetings will serve to underscore FEMA’s commitment to working with the State of Vermont to ensure that all applicants for Public Assistance receive the maximum amount of funding for which they are eligible,” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Nick Russo. 

The meetings are intended to provide a common understanding as to the way ahead, including changes of scope, time extensions and appeals. Applicants will be briefed on the close out process, relevant terminology and other topics related to exit interviews.

“It is the intent of the state to support FEMA’s effort to ensure Public Assistance applicants are aware of the status of project worksheets and have a common understanding as to the road ahead,” said State Coordinating Officer Ross Nagy. 

 

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With More than $133 Million Obligated to Repair Vermont Infrastructure, FEMA Public Assistance Process Continues

FEMA Registration Deadline Is May 21 

Release Date: May 15, 2012
Release Number: 4061-067

» More Information on West Virginia Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, And Landslides

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency is reminding those affected by the recent floods in Lincoln, Logan and Mingo counties they have until May 21 to register for possible assistance.

Help might be available for homeowners, renters and businesses of any size. The loss or damages must be a direct result of the flash floods of March 15 through March 31.

People seeking assistance need only phone FEMA’s toll-free Help Line at 800-621-3362 to speak to a representative and supply some basic information. Operators are standing by from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time seven days a week. If you are unsure if you qualify, the first step is to register, FEMA officials said.

Registrations can also be made online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov. From a Web-enabled cell phone or other PDA, the address is m.fema.gov. Those with hearing or speech disabilities can use the TTY number, 800-462-7585. For those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.

Applicants should be ready to supply FEMA with current contact information (mailing address, phone number and e-mail address or those of a friend or relative who is in touch with the applicant), a Social Security number of any household member, the address of the damaged property, a brief description of the problems and, if appropriate, any information about insurance coverage one might or might not have.

The FEMA representative may ask for some other data, like the number of people residing in the property and the family’s gross annual income. All this information is critical to the process and will be kept in strict confidence by FEMA, officials said.

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.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 15-May-2012 18:08:27

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FEMA Registration Deadline Is May 21

Tennessee Storm Survivors Urged To Complete SBA Disaster Loan Applications 

Completing low-interest disaster loan applications is a vital step towards recovery or additional grants…

Release Date: March 28, 2012
Release Number: 4060-010

» More Information on Tennessee Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Tennessee residents affected by the Feb. 29 – March 2 tornadoes need to complete and return the disaster loan application they received after registering with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The loan application could be the key to rebuilding a damaged home or business.

Survivors are urged to consider low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration. While FEMA assistance addresses the immediate needs of disaster survivors, it is low-interest disaster loans that can help homeowners, renters and businesses handle the larger costs of rebuilding or replacing personal property and contents.

Although survivors are not required to accept a disaster loan if one is offered, completing the SBA application is a part of the process and is a key to receiving other assistance, such as FEMA grants, in the 10 Tennessee counties designated for federal disaster assistance.

Homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations in these counties who qualify, can use SBA disaster loans to pay for disaster-related damages. Businesses or owners of rental property affected by the storm may also be eligible.

The SBA offers loans up to $200,000 to repair or replace primary residences and up to $40,000 for personal property damages, including automobiles. The interest rate on disaster loans for homeowners may be as low as 1.875 percent, with terms up to 30 years.

Loans to businesses may be up to $2 million, with interest rates as low as 4 percent. These loans may help with repairs, replacement of property, and working capital for economic injury. The SBA provides small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations economic injury disaster loans for ongoing business expenses to recover from the economic impact of a disaster. Economic injury disaster loans are available even if the business didn’t sustain physical damages.

SBA representatives at all nine Tennessee disaster recovery centers are available to help individuals complete and submit loan applications and answer any questions.

Survivors may apply for SBA disaster loans before insurance claims are settled. The loans may be used to refinance existing mortgages on homes and businesses in certain cases. They may also be used to relocate on a case-by-case basis.

The SBA Disaster Customer Service Center toll-free number is 800-659-2955 or (TTY) 800-877-8339 for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Help is also available by sending an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or by visiting www.sba.gov.

Loan applications can be completed online at SBA’s website: disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
The deadline to complete and return applications is May 15, 2012.

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.

Last Modified: Wednesday, 28-Mar-2012 16:28:53

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Tennessee Storm Survivors Urged To Complete SBA Disaster Loan Applications

April 1 Deadline for Public Assistance Requests 

Release Date: March 27, 2012
Release Number: 4055-001

» More Information on Oregon Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

SALEM, Ore. — Officials in 12 Oregon counties hit by January’s winter storms have until April 1 to submit official requests for federal assistance the Oregon Office of Emergency Management and Federal Emergency Management Agency said today.

Filing a Request for Public Assistance (RPA) is the first step in the process to receive federal reimbursements under FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) grant program. Without it, applicants, including state agencies, local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations, cannot receive reimbursement for their eligible disaster-related expenses.

“Our goal is to help Oregon communities recover from these winter storms as quickly as possible,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Dolph Diemont of FEMA.

PA grants are available to eligible applicants in Benton, Columbia, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Hood River, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Polk and Tillamook counties.

FEMA will pay 75 percent of the eligible costs for repairing or replacing damaged public facilities, such as roads, bridges, utilities, buildings, schools, recreational areas and similar publicly owned property, as well as certain private non-profit organizations providing essential community services.

Under the PA program, the state forwards the federal funds to eligible local governments or organizations that incurred disaster-related costs.

The Request for Public Assistance (RPA) form and information about the PA process is available at: http://www.oregon.gov/OMD/OEM/fin_rec/dr-4055.shtml.

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.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 27-Mar-2012 13:22:30

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April 1 Deadline for Public Assistance Requests

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