Applicants Should Ask to See FEMA Identification Badge
Release Date: June 16, 2008
Release Number: 1763-024
» More Information on Iowa Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Many inspectors are now in the field verifying damages to homes and businesses caused by the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that began May 25 and continues.
Disaster recovery officials advise applicants to ask for identification from individuals saying they are damage inspectors. All inspectors wear Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) photo identification badges in plain sight. In some parts of the state, contracted Alltech home inspectors wear FEMA photo badges. If an inspector is not wearing a photo identification badge, ask to see it. Individuals who have applied for disaster assistance can expect to hear from several different inspectors within the coming weeks.
FEMA inspectors generally will schedule an inspection within a week to 10 days to review damaged property and obtain more information about losses. The American Red Cross field workers also wear badges and local building and safety inspectors may come to see if damaged structures are safe. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will send loss verifiers who wear photo ID when they inspect the damaged property of those who have submitted disaster loan applications.
If an inspector asking for access to your home cannot show you a photo ID, call your local law enforcement agency immediately. Take the time to write down the inspector's name, agency and the date of their visit.
The major federal disaster declaration makes available a wide range of assistance programs to individuals in counties included in a federal disaster. Financial assistance for those temporarily displaced by the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding could include low-interest loans to repair and replace real or personal property, and grants to help meet serious, necessary disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other assistance programs.
Individuals and business owners who incurred losses in the recent storms are urged to call FEMA's toll-free registration line at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), available 24 hours a day seven days a week. The registration number for speech- and hearing-impaired individuals is (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Registration and contact information updates can be made online anytime at www.fema.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, 17-Jun-2008 08:50:23