Disaster Registration Phone Line Hours To Change Saturday
Release Date: March 6, 2008
Release Number: 1746-013
» More Information on Kentucky Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- The applicants registration phone line operating hours will change on Saturday. The new hours will be 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time until further notice. The U.S. Department of Homeland Securitys Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Kentuckys Division of Emergency Management (KYEM) said change will assist those affected by the Feb. 5-6 storms and tornadoes.
Originally declared counties in the recent disaster are: Allen, Christian, Fayette, Hardin, Hart, Meade, Mercer, Monroe and Muhlenberg. Six additional counties have also been declared: Bath, Harrison, Hopkins, Nicholas, Shelby and Spencer. A total of 15 counties have now been declared eligible for individual disaster assistance.
How do I apply for disaster help?
Those affected by the recent disaster may register online at www.fema.gov or call FEMAs toll free registration number at 800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 800-462-7585 for the hearing or speech impaired. Both numbers are operational between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time seven days a week. Those affected by the recent storms and tornadoes may also visit a Disaster Recovery Center in the commonwealth area from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time Monday Saturday.
Before you call or go online, you should gather the following basic information to speed up the process:
- Social Security number;
- Telephone number where he or she can be reached;
- Address of the damaged property;
- Current address;
- Brief description of disaster-related damages and losses;
- Insurance information; and
- Bank account information.
Is there any cost associated with registering for disaster assistance?
No. There are no costs related to registering for or receiving federal disaster assistance. If you are asked to pay for federal disaster assistance, contact the Department of Homeland Security, Officer of Inspector General hotline at 800-323-8603 or Kentucky Attorney Generals office at 502-696-5300 or 888-432-9257 and choose option 3.
What types of assistance can be provided?
The following list describes some of the types of assistance available through FEMAs Individuals and Households Program (IHP):
- Temporary Housing (a place to live for a limited period of time) Money is available to rent a different place to live.
- Repair Money is available to homeowners to repair damage from the disaster that is not covered by insurance. The goal is to make the damaged home safe, sanitary, and functional.
- Replacement Money is available to a homeowner to replace a home destroyed in the disaster that is not covered by insurance. The goal is to help the homeowner with the cost of replacing a destroyed home.
- Permanent Housing Construction Direct assistance or money for the construction of a home.
- Other Needs Money is available for necessary expenses and serious needs caused by the disaster. This includes medical, dental, funeral, personal property, transportation, moving and storage, and other expenses.
- U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loans for homeowners, renters, private non-profits and businesses of all sizes.
Temporary housing assistance from FEMA does not require that an applicant file for an SBA loan. However, an applicant must complete an SBA loan application to be eligible for additional assistance under the part of the Other Needs Assistance (ONA) program that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses. There are other ONA grants such as public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses that do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan to be eligible.
FEMA will process applications for housing assistance regardless of whether the applicant has applied for an SBA loan, and eligibility determinations for applicants requesting FEMAs temporary housing assistance will not be held up because the applicant has or has not filled out an SBA application.
FEMA coordinates the federal governments 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.
Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, economic status or retaliation. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, you should call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362) or contact your State Office of Equal Rights. If suspicious of any abuse of FEMA programs, please contact the fraud hotline at 800-323-8603.
SBA is the federal governments primary source of money 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 or online at www.sba.gov.
Last Modified: Thursday, 06-Mar-2008 16:50:33