Helpline Operators On Call To Answer Questions
Release Date: January 17, 2005
Release Number: 1539-348
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ORLANDO, Fla. -- Floridians who have questions about the status of their disaster assistance applications or the assistance they have received are urged to call the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Helpline toll free at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).
The FEMA Helpline is operational daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, according to state and federal officials. Callers who are speech or hearing-impaired can call TTY 1-800-462-7585. Applicants should have their FEMA registration number handy when calling.
Helpline operators can:
- Take applicant information changes,
- Check on the status of an application,
- Request a re-inspection when appropriate,
- Give information about federal disaster assistance programs,
- Refer applicants to other programs and services.
When calling, individuals will be asked:
- If they speak English, Spanish or another language,
- To enter their Zip Code.
The State Emergency Response Team (SERT) is a collaboration of Florida’s 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. Visit http://www.floridadisaster.org for the latest information on the hurricane relief efforts.
FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 18-Jan-2005 09:45:38