Disaster Officials
Offer tips To Speed AssistancE
ALBANY, N. Y. –
Disaster-recovery officials who are helping people recover from the
devastating floods that began on June 26 have some tips to speed disaster aid.
- Register
by telephone or online as soon as possible. Homeowners, renters, and business owners who
had flood losses should call the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) registration line at
1-800-621-FEMA (3362) to apply for assistance. Individuals with hearing or speech
impairments should call (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. The lines are open from 8 a.m. to
8 p.m., daily. You can also register online at www.fema.gov.
The State of New York’s number for disaster assistance is 1-888-7-NYS-AID
(1-888-769-7243) or (TTY) NYS Relay 711. You can also register online for the
State Individual and Family Grant Program at www.labor.state.ny.us. The State lines
are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on
Saturday and Sunday.
- Have
some simple information ready when you apply. When you call the FEMA or State number, have some
important information at hand such as your current address; the address of
the damaged property; phone information; insurance information; and your
social security number.
- Register,
even if you are insured. Your
insurance coverage may not cover everything and some foundation damage may
not show up until later. Even if you have insurance, you can register with
FEMA and the State for uninsured losses.
- Remember,
disaster assistance covers a wide range of flood losses. Disaster-related damage or loss of personal
property, anything from a wheelchair to a major appliance, may qualify for
some form of federal/state assistance.
- Stay
in touch and keep appointments after
you have registered for disaster assistance. A FEMA inspector will
make an appointment to visit your home. A State inspector will also make
an appointment to visit the damaged property. Make every effort to be at
the damaged property for the visit and call if you need to change the
appointment.
- Visit
a Disaster Assistance Service Center to meet face-to-face with recovery
specialists. If you have
questions or need more information, you can go to centers open in: Broome County at Binghamton High School, 31
Main Street in Binghamton; Delaware County at Walton High School on
Stockton Avenue in Walton; Herkimer County, Herkimer County BOCES, 352
Gros Boulevard in Herkimer; Montgomery County at Fonda-Fultonville Middle
School, 112 Old Johnston Road in Fonda; Otsego County at SUNY Campus, Lee
Hall, Ravena Parkway in Oneonta; and Sullivan County at the Sullivan
International Airport Terminal Building, County Road 183A in White Lake.
-more-
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Disaster Assistance Service Centers are one-stop
shopping for disaster recovery information. However, to register with FEMA, you
need to make that telephone call or register online. Centers are open from 8
a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. No FEMA or State money is distributed at Disaster
Assistance Service Centers.
- Return
all forms promptly. After
registering, you may receive a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
low-interest loan application package in the mail. Fill out and return
these forms promptly or visit a Disaster Assistance Service Center for SBA assistance. Even if you aren’t interested in a loan, complete the loan package
and return it; filling out the SBA application is a necessary step to
being considered for other forms of disaster assistance Flood victims are not obligated to accept an SBA
loan.
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FEMA manages federal
response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also
initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers,
and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003
Disaster
recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, sex, religion,
national origin, age, disability, economic status or retaliation. If you or
someone you know has been discriminated against, contact FEMA at 800-621-FEMA
(3362) TTY: 800-462-7585. If
suspicious of any abuse of FEMA programs please contact the fraud hotline at
1-800-323-8603.