First Call for Assistance: The FEMA Teleregistration Line
Release Date: October 9, 2004
Release Number: 1539-186
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ORLANDO, Fla. -- Hurricane victims are reminded that the only way to register for Federal and State disaster assistance is by calling the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) toll-free teleregistration line.
“Sometimes people think they have registered when they have not,” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Bill Carwile. “People may have called their county emergency manager, or they may have registered for assistance with the American Red Cross. Neither of those things gets them registered with FEMA. The only way to do that is by calling us.”
The toll-free number is 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). The speech- or hearing-impaired may call TTY 1-800-462-7585. The teleregistration line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but callers are encouraged to call late in the evening or very early in the morning, or on weekends. The best time to call is after 12 midnight, when call volume is at its lowest.
After four storms hit Florida in a 44-day period, FEMA operators last month received twice as many calls as any month in the history of the agency. Adding staff at multiple call centers and implementing around-the-clock operations helped FEMA register nearly 870,000 individuals and business owners as well as those from other states. Wait times have been significantly reduced, and the overwhelming majority of callers are now getting through on their first call to register.
People who had property damage from more than one hurricane should call and register for each one separately.
The State Emergency Response Team is a collaboration of state agencies led by the state coordinating officer. SERT’s mission is to ensure that Florida is prepared to respond to emergencies, recover from them, and mitigate their impact. For the latest information on the hurricane relief effort, visit http://www.floridadisaster.org.
On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 12-Oct-2004 08:41:22