FEMA Says Don't Believe The Rumors
Release Date: July 2, 2008
Release Number: 1763-060
» More Information on Iowa Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Misinformation can be a problem during disasters. Here is the latest collection of rumors to come to the attention of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division (HSEMD) officials and the facts to correct them.
RUMORS: FEMA is going to buy my damaged home. FEMA is going to shut down all the businesses and bulldoze the town.
FACTS: Purchasing frequently flooded property is one of the steps that can be taken to minimize the impact of future disasters. After every federal disaster, FEMA provides what are called hazard mitigation dollars to the state to use to minimize the impact of future disasters. Here is how the program works. Local governments identify potential mitigation projects which could include such measures as constructing tornado shelters, building floodwalls to protect key infrastructure or purchasing flood-prone property. Those projects are then sent to the state, where they are reviewed in terms of their effectiveness in reducing future damages to property and lives. The state then submits the projects it deems most effective to FEMA for review, after which the projects are funded up to the limit of the available funding. This is a lengthy process that typically takes more than a year. At this time, it is impossible to predict what projects local governments will submit, what projects the state will choose, and the amount of funding that will be available.
RUMOR: There is no point in using my FEMA grant to clean up and repair the flood damage to my house, because I'm going to get a buyout offer and the FEMA grant is going to be subtracted from the buyout offer.
FACT: You should use the FEMA grant to clean up and repair the house to prevent further damage and deterioration. It is unwise to count on an offer at some point in the future. However, if you do eventually get an offer, and if you have saved your receipts and can prove you spent your FEMA grant to clean up and repair the property, the amount of the grant will not be subtracted from the purchase price. By cleaning and repairing the property, you lose nothing and you gain property that is safe and habitable.
RUMOR: FEMA inspectors don't go in your house to inspect unless there is visible damage on the outside.
FACT: Even if there is no damage visible on the outside of a house, FEMA damage inspectors are required to completely walk through every room and the basement to record the condition of the real property and personal property.
RUMOR: You must have at least 18 inches of water in your house to get FEMA assistance.
FACT: Eligibility for assistance is determined by the actual damage to the real estate and personal property. The FEMA inspector records the damage done by floodwater, regardless of the depth of the water. It's the damage that determines assistance, not the water level.
RUMOR: The interest rate on SBA loans is too high.
FACT: For disaster victims, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers home loans of up to $200,000 with interest rates as low as 2.687%; personal property loans of up to $40,000 with interest as low as 2.687%; and business loans up to $2 million as low as 4%. All loans have up to a 30-year term. There are no bank loans at rates this low.
"You can call FEMA at 1-800-621-FEMA to check on anything you may hear," said Pat Hall, Iowa's state coordinating officer for this disaster. "If you didn't get it from the horse's mouth - and that is FEMA or HSEMD - it might not be true. Don't give yourself needless stress or do the wrong thing based on bad information. Get the facts."
Bill Vogel, FEMA's federal coordinating officer, said that FEMA is very concerned that Iowans get accurate information. "FEMA will do everything possible to get the facts about assistance out," he said. "If you hear a rumor, don't believe it until you check to see if it's true."
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: Thursday, 03-Jul-2008 18:28:41