DENTON, Texas – Nearly six months after the April 17 fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas, local, state and federal personnel are working together to move the recovery efforts forward.

To date, federal disaster assistance for eligible survivors has topped $16 million. This includes more than $9 million in federal disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA); nearly $840,000 in Individual Assistance grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); and more than $6.2 million in FEMA Public Assistance funding.

“We continue to support our local and state partners as they assist survivors with rebuilding their communities and lives,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Kevin L. Hannes. “We also encourage anyone who registered for disaster assistance but didn’t complete the process to contact us and get in the necessary paperwork. You may still be eligible to receive help.” 

Applicants who registered before the June 18 deadline and have since settled with their insurance company should contact FEMA to determine if additional assistance is available. Applicants also can appeal any decision made by FEMA within 60 days of receipt of their notification letter.

Survivors with questions can contact FEMA at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. They may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585.  Survivors who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers are available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

The West Long-Term Recovery Committee also has numerous resources available to survivors. Visit www.westltr.org or call (254) 826-7550 for more information.

###

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 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 us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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).

 

See original article: 

Federal Disaster Assistance Tops $16 Million in West, Texas

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.

###

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

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Disasters frequently bring out the best in people but sometimes the worst. When fraud occurs, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has a responsibility to take action.

People who intentionally defraud the federal government are taking money away from those who truly need disaster assistance. FEMA must ensure that taxpayer dollars go only to people who incurred legitimate losses. This may include prosecuting anyone who makes a fraudulent claim.

Most cases where possible fraud is detected are not deliberate attempts to defraud the government. FEMA recommends survivors receiving disaster assistance awards to keep receipts for at least three years that document how the funds were used.

Anyone with information about individuals who may have defrauded the government in connection with the 2013 spring floods should call the FEMA fraud hotline at 800-323-8603 or email DHSOIGHOTLINE@DHS.GOV. This can include information on contractors, inspectors, disaster survivors or anyone posing as any of these. Complaints also can be made via the FEMA disaster assistance helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585) or with state or local law enforcement officials or consumer agencies.

Survivors who feel they have made a mistake in reporting damages or losses should call the FEMA disaster assistance helpline at 800-621-3362.

FEMA’s Office of Inspector General routinely audits individuals, local governments and nonprofit organizations that receive FEMA disaster assistance funds. The audits are independent assessments to determine whether recipients spent the funds according to federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. Auditors look at expenditures on ineligible items or instances of duplicate payments from insurance companies or other sources.

Link: 

Call FEMA Hotline to Report Suspicions of Fraud

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The state and federal Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Fairbanks to assist individuals, households and businesses affected by the 2013 spring floods has new hours of operation.

Located at 751 Old Richardson Hwy., Suite 202 in Fairbanks, AK 99701, the center provides
face-to-face help, currently from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week.

Starting Sunday, July 21, 2013, the new hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 12 noon Sunday.

The center is staffed by disaster recovery specialists who can provide information and answer questions about flood-related assistance.

Those with 2013 spring flooding losses are encouraged to register with FEMA by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or online at DisasterAssistance.gov. Registration by mobile device is also available at www.m.fema.gov.  Those with a speech disability or hearing loss who use TTY can call 800-462-7585 (TTY).  Multilingual registration can be done by phone.

Staff at the recovery centers can review and update applicant information and address individual questions and concerns.

Those individuals unable to register by phone or online may register at the DRC. If you intend to register at the center, please bring:

 

  • Your Social Security number
  • Current and pre-disaster address
  • Block and lot number
  • A telephone number where you can be contacted
  • Insurance information

Total household annual income

  • A routing and account number from your bank (only necessary if you want to have disaster assistance funds transferred directly into your bank account). Look up your bank routing number.
  • A description of your losses that were caused by the disaster.

FEMA disaster assistance may include grants to help pay for housing, replace personal property and reimburse medical, storage and other serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance or charities. Assistance may also include low-interest federal disaster loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA).

SBA offers disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private, nonprofit organizations for their uncompensated losses. Homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 to repair or replace their primary residence. Homeowners and renters may borrow up to $40,000 to replace personal property. Businesses may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace their disaster-damaged property and/or economic losses.

There are three ways to apply for an SBA disaster loan:  After registering with FEMA, go online to SBA’s secure site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela; call 1-800-659-2955 (deaf and hard-of-hearing call 1-800-877-8339); or, visit the Disaster Recovery Center for one-on-one service. For more information on SBA disaster assistance, go to www.sba.gov.

Read original article:  

State, FEMA Fairbanks Disaster Recovery Center Has New Hours

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A state and federal Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is open in Galena to assist individuals, households and businesses affected by the 2013 spring floods.

The center is located at Building 1847, Composite Building, Galena Interior Learning Academy, 359 Challenger Road, Galena, AK 99741. GPS Coordinates: N 64 44.505, W 156 57.222. The DRC will be open seven days a week until further notice.

The center is staffed by disaster recovery specialists who can provide information and answer questions about flood-related assistance.

Those with 2013 spring flooding losses are encouraged to register with FEMA by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov. Registration by mobile device is also available at www.m.fema.gov.  Those with a speech disability or hearing loss who use TTY can call 800-462-7585 (TTY).  Multilingual registration can be done by phone.

Staff at the DRC will quickly review and update applicant information and address individual questions and concerns.

Those individuals unable to register by phone or online may register at the DRC. If you intend to register at the DRC, please bring:

  • Your Social Security number
  • Current and pre-disaster address
  • Block and lot number.
  • A telephone number where you can be contacted
  • Insurance information
  • Total household annual income
  • A routing and account number from your bank (only necessary if you want to have disaster assistance funds transferred directly into your bank account). Lookup your bank routing number.
  • A description of your losses that were caused by the disaster.

FEMA disaster assistance may include grants to help pay for housing, replace personal property and reimburse medical, storage and other serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance or charities. Assistance may also include low-interest federal disaster loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA).

SBA offers disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private, nonprofit organizations for their uncompensated losses. Homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 to repair or replace their primary residence. Homeowners and renters may borrow up to $40,000 to replace personal property. Businesses may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace their property damage and/or economic losses.

You can apply in person for an SBA disaster loan at the DRC and receive one-on-one help from an SBA representative. For additional information on SBA disaster loan assistance, call SBA at 800-659-2955, or visit www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.  Those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and use TTY may call 800-877-8339 directly.

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.

Continue at source – 

FEMA Disaster Recovery Center Open in Galena

AURORA, Ill. – FEMA has extended the registration deadline by 15 days to July 24 for federal assistance from the storms and flooding of April 16 to May 5. In addition, Illinois residents in two additional counties are now eligible to register for disaster assistance.

FEMA approved the State of Illinois request to add Putnam and Warren counties to the disaster declaration for individual assistance issued May 10 and to extend the registration deadline.

The two counties were previously among 40 counties declared for public assistance, which provides local governments and certain eligible nonprofits with funding for debris removal, emergency protective measures and infrastructure repairs such as building roads and bridges. Assistance is on a cost-sharing basis with FEMA paying 75 percent and the remainder the responsibility of the state and local governments.

Residents of 35 counties are now covered in the Illinois disaster declaration for severe storms and flooding. Counties now designated for individual assistance are: Brown, Bureau, Calhoun, Clark, Cook, Crawford, DeKalb, Douglas, DuPage, Fulton, Grundy, Henderson, Henry, Kane, Kendall, Knox, Lake, LaSalle, Livingston, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, Peoria, Pike, Putnam, Rock Island, Schuyler, Stark, Tazewell, Warren, Whiteside, Will, Winnebago, and Woodford.

Individual Assistance for homeowners and renters can include grants to help pay for temporary rental assistance and other serious disaster-related expenses not met by insurance or other assistance programs. Assistance for homeowners also can include grants for home repair. Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are available to cover residential and business losses not fully compensated by insurance.

The FEMA disaster declaration does not include any damage incurred after May 5.

Individuals affected by the storms and flooding 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.

SBA low-interest disaster loans may be available for homeowners, renters, businesses and private non-profit organizations of all sizes to repair or replace real estate, contents and/or personal property damaged in the severe storms and flooding. Information and assistance from SBA is available at 1-800-659-2955, (TTY) 1-800-877-8339 or online at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.

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

 

Excerpt from: 

FEMA Extends Registration Deadline; Two Additional Illinois Counties Added to Disaster Declaration

TRENTON, N.J. — Disaster assistance to New Jersey survivors of Hurricane Sandy by the numbers as of July 1:

Total Federal Assistance: $6.8 billion

  • $5 billion in total National Flood Insurance Program payments made on claims to date
  • $402.2 million in FEMA grants approved for individuals and households
    • $350.1 million for housing assistance
    • $56.3 million for other needs
  • $798.5 million in SBA disaster loans approved for homeowners, renters and businesses
  • $624.7millionapproved in FEMA Public Assistance grants to communities and some nonprofit organizations that serve the public
  • 261,780 people contacted FEMA for help or information
  • 126,751 housing inspections completed

Individuals can check on the status of their applications at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov, or by calling 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services can call 800-621-3362.

Survivors can ask questions about their SBA disaster home or business loan applications by calling 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339 or emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

Survivors who have questions about their flood insurance claims and the appeals process can call 800-427-4661.

Additional resources are available online at FEMA.gov/SandyNJ and SBA.gov/Sandy.

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 www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

More here – 

New Jersey Recovery From Superstorm Sandy: By The Numbers

AURORA, Ill. – Illinoisans who received a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loan application for disaster assistance are urged to complete and return it as soon as possible. Doing so will keep the door open for other types of assistance.

SBA disaster loan applications are sent to disaster survivors who may qualify for disaster aid as a result of the April 16 to May 5 severe weather.

 “The disaster loan application provides the necessary information for determining the appropriate assistance for each applicant,” said W. Michael Moore, the federal official in charge of disaster recovery.

Disaster survivors with insurance should not wait for their insurance settlement before applying to SBA. If a survivor is unsure of the amount covered by insurance or other sources, the SBA will consider making a loan for the full amount of the loss, up to its loan limits.

Approval of the SBA disaster loan is contingent on the borrower’s agreement that the SBA loan will be reduced by the amount of the insurance settlement.

“We want to make sure that every disaster survivor remains eligible for help from all of the programs that are available,” added Moore. “The fastest way to accomplish that is to submit the SBA application. If SBA cannot offer a homeowner or renter a disaster loan, the agency will refer the case onward to other sources of assistance.”

Applicants are urged to read all disaster assistance documents carefully while maintaining realistic expectations of what they may receive as disaster aid.

Applicants also are encouraged to stay in touch with FEMA, to ensure FEMA has the correct current address, phone number and email address.

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 Video Relay Services (VRS) can call 800-621-3362. For more information visit the Illinois Disaster website www.fema.gov/disaster/4116.

SBA low-interest disaster loans may be available for homeowners, renters, businesses and private non-profit organizations of all sizes to repair or replace real estate, contents and/or personal property damaged in the severe storms and flooding. Information and assistance from SBA is available at 1-800-659-2955, (TTY) 1-800-877-8339 or online at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.

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

 

See original article here: 

Completed SBA Application Speeds Up Disaster Assistance

Q: Who is eligible to register for state and federal disaster assistance?

A: You may be eligible if you live in a federally designated county and incurred damage from severe storms, flooding and tornadoes May 18 through June 2. The six counties now designated for Individual Assistance are Canadian, Cleveland, Lincoln, McClain, Oklahoma and Pottawatomie.

 
Q: If I had damage from the severe storms, flooding and tornadoes May 18 through June 2 but live in a county that has not been designated for Individual Assistance, should I register anyway?

A: Yes. Homeowners and renters outside the six designated counties may report their damage. The damage reports will help OEM and FEMA ensure all impacted areas are identified and documented.

Q: What is Individual Assistance?

A: Individual Assistance may include:
o Grants to help pay for temporary housing and home repairs.
o Grants to help pay for personal property replacement or disaster-related necessary expenses—such as uninsured medical and dental costs, damaged vehicle replacement, lost work tools, and moving and storage fees related to the disaster.
o Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Q: Isn’t an SBA disaster loan only for businesses?

A: No. SBA provides low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes (including landlords) and private nonprofit organizations for disaster damage not fully covered by insurance or other compensation.

Q: I don’t think I can afford an SBA low-interest disaster loan. Should I fill out the SBA application anyway?

A: Yes. If you received an SBA application, it’s a good idea to fill it out and return it to SBA. If you don’t qualify for a loan, SBA may refer you for a FEMA grant to help replace disaster-damaged essential personal property such as damaged or destroyed major appliances.

Q: How do I register for disaster assistance?

A: There are three ways you can register for disaster assistance. Call 800-621-3362; TTY 800-462-7585; online, visit DisasterAssistance.gov or go to m.fema.gov via web-enabled phone. Users of 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362.

Q: Can I register for assistance if I have insurance?

A: Yes. Even if you have insurance, you should apply. You may be eligible for disaster assistance for the uninsured and underinsured losses and damage.

Q: If I am a renter, can I get FEMA disaster assistance?

A: Yes. If you are a renter and your house was made unlivable by a disaster, you may be eligible for disaster grants for rental assistance and other serious disaster-related needs.

Q: If I am a renter, how do I use the temporary housing funds I receive?

A: FEMA leaves the rental choices to survivors. For example, you may use your rental assistance to rent an apartment, a house or a recreational vehicle (RV). RVs can include travel trailers or other prefabricated dwellings.

Q: When I register, do I qualify and receive payments from FEMA?

A: After you register, your completed application is reviewed, and an inspector may call to schedule an inspection at your damaged dwelling.

If you are eligible for assistance, FEMA’s Households and Individuals Program will send you a U.S. Treasury/state check or a direct deposit to your bank account if you signed up for it. Other types of assistance may be provided later, based on specific eligibility and need.

Q: If I receive FEMA assistance, could it reduce my Social Security or other benefits?

A: No. State and FEMA disaster assistance will not affect your Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, supplemental nutrition assistance or similar benefits you receive.
 

Q. Do I have to repay any Individual Assistance funds I receive for my recovery?

A. No. The funds are grants that do not have to be repaid.

Q: Do undocumented immigrants qualify for federal assistance?

A: Applicants must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national or a qualified alien to be eligible for FEMA assistance. However, assistance may be available to a household if someone registers on behalf of a minor child in the home who is a U.S. citizen or a qualified alien under 18.

Q: If I received a letter from FEMA with an ineligible determination, does that mean that I will not get any assistance?

A: Receiving such a letter does not necessarily mean that you are not eligible for disaster assistance, even when the letter states “ineligible” or “incomplete.” It can be an indication that further information is needed, or that your insurance claim needs to be settled first before disaster assistance can be granted.

Q: I need information on the status of my application, and I have a few questions about FEMA’s disaster programs. What should I do?

A:  Please call 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585) or go online at DisasterAssistance.gov. You can call as often as you like to get your questions answered. You can also ask about the location of disaster recovery centers, where you can meet face to face with disaster specialists.

For more information on Oklahoma disaster recovery, click fema.gov/disaster/4117 or visit the OEM site at oem.ok.gov. The fema.gov website has a link to a Rumor Control Page, which clarifies disaster-related rumors.

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.
The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) prepares for, responds to, recovers from and mitigates against emergencies and disasters. The department delivers service to Oklahoma cities, towns and counties through a network of more than 350 local emergency managers.

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 us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.
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).

Original article – 

Fact Sheet QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT STATE AND FEDERAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FOR OKLAHOMA

OKLAHOMA CITY – Los residentes de Oklahoma que viven en los condados de Cleveland, Lincoln, McClain, Oklahoma y Pottawatomie que resultaron afectados por las recientes tormentas y tornados ahora pueden inscribirse para recibir asistencia del estado de Oklahoma y de la Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias (FEMA, por sus siglas en inglés).
Los individuos y los propietarios de empresas de los condados designados pueden inscribirse por Internet en www.disasterassistance.gov/espanol o a través de un teléfono inteligente en m.fema.gov/esp. Los solicitantes también pueden llamar al 1-800-621-3362 o al (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Si usted usa el servicio 711 o el servicio de transmisión de video, debe llamar al 1-800-621-3362. Los números de teléfono gratuitos estarán disponibles de 7.00am a 10.00pm los siete días de la semana hasta nuevo aviso.
Aquí en Oklahoma, los especialistas en Asistencia Individual trabajan junto con sus pares del estado para prestar asistencia a los residentes en sus esfuerzos de recuperación. Recomiendan especialmente a los residentes que sean prácticos, proactivos y realistas durante su recuperación de los recientes tornados y tormentas.
Con el objetivo de ayudar en la recuperación, los funcionarios de FEMA y Oklahoma ofrecen los siguientes consejos y estrategias para las personas que enfrentan una nueva realidad como consecuencia del desastre:
• No espere. Los solicitantes deben comunicarse con sus agentes de seguros tan pronto como sea posible.
• Inscríbase en FEMA, incluso si tiene seguro. Una vez inscrito, el solicitante tiene la opción de recibir ayuda del estado o federal, especialmente si su seguro es insuficiente.
• No existen las varitas mágicas. La asistencia por desastre que brinda el gobierno solamente cubre las necesidades básicas. Normalmente no cubre el total de las pérdidas de los individuos.
• Los préstamos por desastre de bajo interés de la Administración de Pequeños Negocios (SBA, por sus siglas en inglés) de EE.UU. son una importante fuente de financiación para la recuperación. La solicitud de préstamo por desastre de la SBA se debe completar y enviar. No se obligará a nadie a aceptar un préstamo que no quiere, pero la información incluida en la solicitud es necesaria para determinar si reúne los requisitos para recibir otro tipo de asistencia federal.
• Se ha abierto un Centro de Recuperación por Desastre en Norman; pronto se abrirán más. Los residentes de Oklahoma afectados por las recientes tormentas y tornados severos ahora pueden visitar un Centro de Recuperación por Desastre. El centro es un lugar al que los sobrevivientes pueden acudir para encontrar información sobre asistencia por desastre estatal, federal o de otro tipo. Se encuentra ubicado en el condado de Cleveland en la escuela primaria Little Axe Elementary School, 2000 168th Ave. NE, Norman, OK 73026. El horario de atención es de 9.00am a 7.00pm hasta nuevo aviso.
• Los fondos que reciben los solicitantes SOLO pueden ser utilizados para gastos designados relacionados con el desastre. Esto se exige estrictamente. Cuando el dinero se entrega a los solicitantes, estos también reciben información acerca de cómo pueden utilizar el dinero y en qué no pueden gastarlo.
• Manténgase en contacto con FEMA durante todo el proceso de recuperación. Asegúrese de que FEMA cuente con información de contacto vigente, incluso una dirección y un número de teléfono. Los solicitantes también pueden verificar el estado de su solicitud en www.disasterassistance.gov/espanol.
• La recuperación del desastre lleva tiempo. Los desastres son eventos sumamente destructivos y ayuda tener expectativas realistas con respecto a lo que se puede hacer y cuánto tiempo lleva.

Para obtener más información sobre la recuperación por desastre en Oklahoma, haga clic en http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4117 o visite el sitio del Departamento de Oklahoma para el Manejo de Emergencias (OEM, por sus siglas en inglés) en www.oem.ok.gov.

La asistencia de recuperación por desastre se encuentra disponible sin distinción de raza, color, religión, nacionalidad, sexo, edad, discapacidad, dominio del inglés o condición económica.  Si usted o alguien que conoce ha sido discriminado, comuníquese sin cargo con FEMA al 800-621-3362. Para utilizar la línea TTY, llame al 800-462-7585.

El OEM trabaja en la preparación, la respuesta, la recuperación y la mitigación de emergencias y desastres. El Departamento presta servicios a las ciudades, los pueblos y los condados de Oklahoma a través de una red de más de 350 administradores de emergencias locales.

La misión de FEMA es apoyar a los ciudadanos y a las agencias de primera respuesta para garantizar que como país trabajemos juntos para desarrollar, mantener y mejorar nuestra capacidad de prepararnos, protegernos y recuperarnos de los peligros, responder ante ellos y mitigarlos.

La SBA es la fuente principal de recursos financieros del gobierno federal para la reconstrucción a largo plazo de la propiedad privada dañada por desastres. La SBA ayuda a propietarios de viviendas, inquilinos, empresas de todos los tamaños y organizaciones privadas sin fines de lucro para que puedan financiar sus esfuerzos de reparación o de reconstrucción y a cubrir el costo de reemplazar la propiedad privada que se perdió o que sufrió daños por desastre. Los préstamos por desastre cubren pérdidas que el seguro u otras fuentes de recuperación no cubren en su totalidad y no duplican beneficios de otras agencias u organizaciones.

Síganos en Twitter enhttp://twitter.com/#!/femaregion6 y en el blog de FEMA enhttp://blog.fema.gov.

Credit:  

Se recomienda especialmente a los sobrevivientes de las tormentas de Oklahoma que se inscriban y luego se mantengan en contacto con FEMA

 Page 18 of 32  « First  ... « 16  17  18  19  20 » ...  Last »