FEMA Calms Some Concerns Of Storm Victims 

Release Date: December 16, 2005
Release Number: 1603-232

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BATON ROUGE, La. -- In the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, storm victims are concerned that applying for or receiving a federal or state grant would add to their income, thereby, not allowing them to be eligible for Medicaid, welfare assistance or food stamps. They are also concerned that they may have to sacrifice social security benefits, pay additional taxes or give up income-based programs.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Louisiana Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (LOHSEP) assure storm victims that a state or federal grant does not add to your taxable income and will not affect federal/state benefits.

FEMA and LOHSEP encourage all disaster victims to apply for assistance and complete the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loan application, if it is sent to them. If SBA is unable to approve a loan, the applicant may be referred to Other Needs Assistance (ONA) which covers items such as personal property loss, medical care, and transportation. Call SBA at 1-800-659-2955 or visit www.sba.gov disaster for additional information.

Disaster victims can call FEMA to find out more about housing grants and other programs at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech or hearing impaired. Lines are open 24 hours a day seven days a week until further notice. Victims may also register online at www.fema.gov or register at any Disaster Recovery Center (DRC).

For elderly issues, contact Eldercare Locators at 1-800-677-1116.

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.

Last Modified: Friday, 16-Dec-2005 17:56:47