Disaster Registration Deadline Three Weeks Away
Release Date: February 3, 2005
Release Number: 1539-367
» More Information on Florida Hurricane Charley and Tropical Storm Bonnie
» More Information on Florida Hurricane Frances
» More Information on Florida Hurricane Ivan
» More Information on Florida Hurricane Jeanne
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Floridians are encouraged to register for disaster assistance before the registration period ends on Feb. 28, 2005, at 6 p.m. Those with damage caused by Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and/or Jeanne should call the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Eme, rgency Management Agency’s (FEMA) toll-free registration number, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech- or hearing-impaired.
Telephone lines are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Saturday, Feb. 5. The registration lines will be closed Sunday, Feb. 6 and starting Feb. 7, the registration and helpline number will operate Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (EST).
The registration process normally takes less than half an hour. Applicants will need to provide a social security number, current and pre-disaster address and phone number, insurance information/type and total household annual income. An applicant’s banking information (routing and account number) will be needed if direct deposit of any qualified disaster funds is preferred.
Floridians may also register for assistance online. Those with access to a computer can enter the FEMA website at www.fema.gov. Look for and click on the words “Register for Disaster Assistance Online” located in the upper right-hand corner in a green box.
“We want to make sure all eligible victims get the assistance to which they are entitled,” said Craig Fugate, director of the State Emergency Response Team (SERT). “However, to get help, residents must register.”
To date, more than 1.2 million Florida applicants have registered for disaster aid from the four hurricanes. More than $3.9 billion in federal assistance has been approved for individuals, governmental and qualified non-profit agencies, and U.S. Small Business Administration low-interest loans for individuals and businesses.
“FEMA is committed to helping Floridians recover from the losses and damage caused by these hurricanes,” said Bill Carwile, federal coordinating officer. “However, people impacted must register by February 28 to access available assistance programs.”
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: Friday, 04-Feb-2005 10:43:43