FEMA Helpline Offers Assistance
Release Date: March 6, 2006
Release Number: 1628-035
» More Information on California Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has a toll-free Helpline number that Californians can call to get information about disaster assistance.
Those who have registered for state and federal disaster assistance after the December-January flooding can call the FEMA toll-free number, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), and select the Helpline option to update their application or receive information about the application or available assistance programs. Hearing and speech impaired individuals may call (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. It is important that persons registered with FEMA provide a current address and phone number if they move.
Helpline representatives are available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday to answer questions about the assistance process or the status of applications. Residents who had damage in the flooding must register with FEMA at the toll-free 800 numbers to start the process for federal and state assistance.
Counties whose residents and businesses of all sizes are eligible for disaster assistance are Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Sacramento, Shasta, Siskiyou, Solano and Sonoma.
The Governor's Office of Emergency Services coordinates overall state agency response to major disasters in support of local government. The office is responsible for ensuring California's readiness to respond to and recover from natural, manmade and war-caused emergencies and for assisting local governments in their emergency preparedness, response, mitigation and recovery 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: Monday, 06-Mar-2006 12:53:55