Florida Hurricane Michael (DR-4399)

Languages

Español | Spanish
Français | French

العربية | Arabic

kreyòl ayisyen | Haitian Creole

हिन्दी | Hindi

한국어 | Korean

Tagalog | Filipino

اردو | Urdu

Tiếng Việt | Vietnamese
 

<p>Hurricane Michael Survivor Resources for Florida:</p> Download Original

• Hurricane Michael Resource Page
• Florida Hurricane Michael Safety/Wellness Check Request Form
• Florida Disaster Resource Page

Current Florida Housing Snapshot

Current numbers on 02/15/2018

Total dollars approved: $135.7 Million

Individuals and Housing Program

• Housing Assistance: $111.2 Million
• Other Needs Assistance: $24.4 MIllion

Transitional Sheltering Assistance

• Current Households: 512

Rental Assistance: 20,849 Homeowners & Renters

Direct Housing: 566 Families in Units

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP): $195.7 Million in Total Claims Paid

The US Army Corps of Engineers: 7,800+ Blue Roof Installations

Small Business Administration

• $609.5 Million in Disaster Loans for Homeowners, Renters, & Businesses
• $505.9 Million in Home Loans
• $103.5 Million in Business Loans

Hurricane Michael Recovery Resources

Weekly Recovery Updates

• Jan. 30, 2019
• Feb. 6, 2019
• Feb. 14, 2019

Long Term Housing Checklist

Recovery Resources for Hurricane Michael Survivors

State of Florida: State officials support a wide range of programs for survivors. They include:

• Updated recovery information:  FloridaDisaster.org, Facebook.com/FloridaSERT, Twitter.com/FLSERT or call 850-815-4000.
• The Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan program. This program helps businesses needing money to continue operations.
• Disaster Unemployment Assistance: FloridaJobs.org

FEMA: For information and updates go to FEMA.gov/disaster/4399, DisasterAssistance.gov or call
the Disaster Helpline, 800-621-3362 (800-462-7585 TTY). For FEMA on social media, go to Facebook.com/FEMA and Twitter.com/FEMAregion4.

U.S. Small Business Administration: For low-interest loans for repairs and damage not covered
by insurance or to replace household items, go to Disasterloan.sba.gov/ela or call 800-659-2955,
(800-877-8339 TTY). For other information, visit DisasterAssistance.gov or call 800-621-3362
(800-462-7585 TTY). More business recovery options are at Florida’s Small Business Development Network.

Health: For the federal Emergency Prescription Assistance Program (EPAP), visit Phe.gov/EPAP.

Mental Health: Options include:

• The Federal Disaster Distress Helpline, 800-985-5990 (text TalkWithUs to 66746; for Spanish, text Hablanos to 66746).
• Florida Mental Health Access Line, 800-945-1355, operating 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

Access and Functional Needs: For a sign language interpreter, foreign language translator or other resources, visit Resources-people-disabilities-access-functional-needs or call 800-621-3362
(800-462-7585 TTY) or 470-364-7252. Other resources include:

• Disability Rights Florida, 800-342-0823 (800-346-4127 TTY).

• Florida Association of Centers for Independent Living at FloridaCILS.org or call 850-575-6004.
• Disability Resource Center at www.DRCPC.org or call 850-769-6890; (866-954-5898 TTY).

Environment and Cleanup: The Department of Ecology’s Hurricane Michael website has survivor tips and environmental updates.

Legal Services: A legal-aid hotline is now available for Hurricane Michael survivors in Florida who cannot pay for an attorney: 866-550-2929. The hotline operates through a partnership of The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, and FEMA.

Food: The state and U.S. Department of Agriculture run the federal Disaster Supplemental D-SNAP program to assist survivors with meals who do not receive food stamps. Visit dcf.state.fl.us/programs/access/dsnap or call 866-762-2237. For a directory of Florida food-bank locations, visit Feedingflorida.org or call 855-352-3663.

Tax Assistance: Visit: irs.gov/newsroom/tax-relief.

Fraud Protection: Homeowners who may suspect they are being scammed should contact the Disaster Fraud Hotline, 866-720-5721 (TTY 844-889-4357) or local law enforcement.

How to Replace Lost or Damaged Documents

Below is a list of some useful websites and telephone numbers:

SNAP Cards
Phone: 866-762-2237
Agents available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday

Green Cards

Phone: 800-375-5283

Birth Certificates and Death Certificates

Phone: 850-245-4444

Florida Driving Licenses

Phone: 850-617-3000

Bank Checks, ATM/Debit Cards or Safe Deposit Boxes

Phone: 877-275-3342

Credit Cards – Contact the appropriate issuing institution

• Visa: 800-847-2911

• MasterCard: 800-627-8372

• Discover: 800-347-2683

• American Express: 800-327-1267

Credit Reports: Equifax, Experian or TransUnion

Phone: 877-322-8228

Social Security Cards:

Phone: 800-772-1213

Fraud Alerts or a Credit Freeze: Both are free. But there are important differences between these two options:

• An extended fraud alert means that a business must verify your identity before it issues new credit. An extended fraud alert, lasting seven years, is available only to identity theft victims. To get an extended fraud alert, you’ll first need an Identity Theft Report, which you can create at IdentityTheft.gov.

• A freeze generally stops all access to your credit report, while a fraud alert permits creditors to get your report as long as they take steps to verify your identity. A freeze is available to anyone, whether or not you are a victim of identity theft. For more information, visit https://go.usa.gov/xPyWX.

Identity Theft Resource Center

Phone: 888-400-5530

Email: info@fightidentitytheft.com.

Medicare Cards

Phone: 800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778)
Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Passports

Phone: 877-487-2778

U.S. Savings Bonds

Phone: 844-284-2676 (toll-free)

Federal Tax Returns

Phone: 800-829-1040

Military Records

Phone: 866-272-6272

Insurance Documents

Phone: Check with your insurance agent.

Real Estate and Property Records (Mortgage Documents, Deeds, etc.)

Phone: Contact your agent.

Medical and Prescription Records: Call your doctor; medical and prescription records are tracked electronically.

Proof of Address/Residency: Contact your local utility company to obtain a recent bill.

National Archives Records

Phone: 866-272-6272

Please Note: FEMA does not endorse any specific products or services.

Rumors

Hurricane Michael Rumor Control Page

Disaster Recovery Centers

Disaster Recovery Centers offer in-person support to help Florida residents through the disaster assistance process following Hurricane Michael.  

Representatives from the State of Florida, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are at the centers to answer questions about disaster assistance and low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters and businesses. The centers are located at the following locations:

What To Expect After Registering For Assistance

After registering for disaster assistance, a survivor may be contacted by a housing inspector to schedule an inspection. The inspection generally takes about 20-40 minutes. The inspector will want to see the damaged areas of the home and any damaged furniture and personal property. There is no fee for the inspection.

Housing inspectors always wear a FEMA badge and will not ask you for your unique 9-digit registration number. They will already have it on file.

If the home was found to be inaccessible at the time of inspection, the applicant is required to let FEMA know when the home is accessible and request a new inspection. To update the status of an uninhabitable dwelling, applicants should call the disaster assistance helpline at 800-621-3362.

Someone 18 years of age or older must be present during the inspection. The inspector will also ask to see:

• Photo identification;
• Proof of ownership/occupancy of damaged residence (tax bill, mortgage payment book, rental agreement or utility bill);
• Insurance documents (homeowner’s or renter’s insurance and/or an auto insurance policy summary);
• List of people living in the residence at the time of disaster; and
• All disaster-related damages to both real and personal property.

Once the inspection process is complete, FEMA will review the case and send a letter to the applicant outlining a decision.

If an applicant is eligible for FEMA assistance, FEMA will send funds via check by mail or direct deposit into the survivor’s bank account. If a survivor receives money for rental assistance, the survivor must keep documentation and receipts of payments made and have a written landlord/tenant agreement for the time frame for which assistance is provided.

If an applicant is not eligible for FEMA assistance, FEMA will send a letter explaining why the applicant was determined ineligible. The applicant should read this letter carefully. Many times ineligibility is due to FEMA not having important information, such as an insurance settlement letter, proof of ownership or proof of occupancy. Applicants have 60 days to appeal a FEMA decision. The appeal process is detailed in the letter.

Cleaning Up After a Disaster

Below are a few simple guidelines to follow that will make the clean-up and salvage process safer and easier:

Returning Home

• Always wear protective clothing including long-sleeved shirts, long pants, rubber or plastic gloves and waterproof boots or shoes.
• Before entering your home, look outside for damaged power lines, gas lines and other exterior damage.
• Take photos of your damage before you begin clean up and save repair receipts.
• Your home may be contaminated with mold, which raises the health risk for those with asthma, allergies and breathing conditions.
  • For more info on mold, refer to the Center for Disease Control
• Open doors and windows so your house can air out before spending any length of time inside.
• Turn off main electrical power and water systems and don’t use gas appliances until a professional can ensure they are safe.
• Check all ceilings and floors for signs of sagging or other potentially dangerous structural damage.
• Throw out all foods, beverages and medicines exposed to flood waters or mud including canned goods and containers with food or liquid.
• Also, throw out any items that absorb water and cannot be cleaned or disinfected (mattresses, carpeting, stuffed animals, etc.).

• Beware of snakes, insects, and other animals that may be on your property or in your home.

Videos in American Sign Language and Foreign Languages

How to Help

• When disaster strikes, every little bit helps. To make the most of your contributions, please follow our guidelines to learn the most effective and safest ways to donate cash, goods, or time following a disaster.
• Cash is best. Financial contributions to recognized disaster relief organizations are the fastest, most flexible, and most effective method of donating. Organizations on the ground know what items and quantities are needed, often buy in bulk with discounts and, if possible, purchase through area businesses which supports economic recovery.
• Confirm donations needed. Critical needs change rapidly – confirm needed items BEFORE collecting; pack and label carefully; confirm delivery locations; arrange transportation. Unsolicited goods NOT needed burden local organizations’ ability to meet survivors’ confirmed needs, drawing away valuable volunteer labor, transportation, and warehouse space.
• Connect to volunteer. Trusted organizations operating in the affected area know where volunteers are needed, and can ensure appropriate volunteer safety, training, and housing.
• Learn more about National Voluntry Organizations Active in a Disaster by visiting www.nvoad.org/.