Register Twice if Impacted by Gustav and Ike 

Release Date: September 15, 2008
Release Number: 1786-023

» More Information on Louisiana Hurricane Ike
» More Information on Louisiana Hurricane Gustav

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Louisiana residents who have been impacted by both hurricanes Gustav and Ike should register twice, once for each disaster.

Due to heavy call volume, residents may find it difficult to get through. Those who have minimal damage are encouraged to wait so that those with more damage can register first. Register online if possible at www.fema.gov. It is recommended that those who register by phone do so in off hours, which is late at night or early in the morning. The phone numbers are 800-621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 800-462-7585, and calls can be taken in any language. Either online or by phone, the system is open 24 hours a day seven days a week until further notice.

The incident period for Hurricane Gustav was Sept. 1 through Sept. 11 and a total of 42 parishes have been included in a presidential major disaster declaration. Only damage or losses occurring between those dates may be considered for eligibility for federal assistance for that disaster.

The incident period for Hurricane Ike began on Sept. 11 and there are currently 14 parishes eligible for federal funding as a result of that storm.

The new disaster declaration for Hurricane Ike does not affect the previous disaster declaration for Hurricane Gustav. Victims of Hurricane Gustav should continue registering with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to report their damage. Those already registered for Gustav who suffered more damage from Ike should also register for Ike.

Aid to individuals and households may come in the form of both FEMA grants and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loans to repair or replace damaged property, as well as other programs. The aid program will not cover all losses, but is designed to help people return to livable housing.

To date, nearly 360,000 Louisiana residents have registered for assistance due to damage from hurricane Gustav and $19,404,923 in assistance has already been approved. The number of Louisiana residents registering due to damage from hurricane Ike currently stands at 7,460.

People who register are urged to have pen and paper ready to take down their case number. The toll-free call takes about 20 minutes.

The call goes more quickly if residents have the following:

Many parishes in the state are also eligible for federal assistance in rebuilding their infrastructure. Meetings with public officials to explain this program will begin this week.

For the latest information on the recovery from Hurricane Ike, visit www.emergency.louisiana.gov.  

FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 16-Sep-2008 08:37:58