Homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained property damage as a result of the recent severe storms, tornadoes and flooding in Faulkner County, Ark. are urged to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as they may be eligible for disaster assistance.
“The most important step for citizens affected by the recent tornado is filing an application with FEMA,” said David Maxwell, Director of the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management.
The presidential disaster declaration of April 29 makes
federal assistance available to eligible individuals and business owners in Faulkner County.
“FEMA wants to help people get back on their feet as soon as possible, but we need to hear from them in order to do so,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO) Timothy J. Scranton. “There are three easy ways to register and it is the first step to receiving federal aid.”
Homeowners,
renters and businesses owner can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via smartphone at m.fema.gov.
Applicants may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY)
1-800-462-7585. If you
use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.
Assistance can
include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and for other serious disaster-related needs,
such as medical and dental expenses or funeral and burial costs. Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small
Business Administration (SBA) also may be available to cover losses not fully
compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of
other agencies or organizations.
Eligible survivors
should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate
insurance payments, but under-insured applicants may receive help after their
insurance claims have been settled.
Registering with FEMA is required for federal aid, even if the person has registered with another disaster-relief organization such as the American Red Cross, or local community or church organization. FEMA registrants must use the name that appears on their Social Security card. Applicants will be asked to provide:
• Social Security number
• Address of the damaged home or apartment
• Description of the damage
• Information about insurance coverage
• A current contact telephone number
• An address where they can get mail
• Bank account and routing numbers if they want direct deposit of any financial assistance.
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Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.
The
Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) is the state’s homeland
security and preparedness agency. The agency works to identify and lessen the
effects of emergencies, disasters and threats to Arkansas by developing
effective prevention, preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery actions
for all disasters and emergencies. For additional information, contact ADEM
at (501) 683-6700 or visit the website at www.adem.arkansas.gov.
FEMA’s
mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a
nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to
prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all
hazards. Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/femaregion6, the R6
Hurricane Preparedness website at www.fema.gov/about/regions/regionvi/updates.shtm and the FEMA
Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.
SBA is the federal government’s primary source of funding for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts, and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover uninsured and uncompensated losses and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For information about SBA programs, applicants may call 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339).
