Kentucky survivors who applied for FEMA disaster assistance after the Dec. 10-11 tornadoes can best keep their recovery process on track by updating FEMA, staying in contact and keeping all their appointments with FEMA representatives.
Good reasons to talk to FEMA:
- “No contact for inspection” is the most common reason individuals are found ineligible for FEMA Housing Assistance. Let FEMA know before your home inspection appointment if you cannot be there. If you or your designated representative are not at your home when the inspector arrives for the appointment, your assistance will stop. So, please call FEMA first.
- It’s important to update FEMA about changes to your status, particularly your housing situation. All applicants should update FEMA about changes in insurance and contact information as soon as possible and as often as necessary. FEMA may need to contact you, and missing or wrong information could delay the delivery of assistance. When contacting FEMA, keep handy the nine-digit number assigned to you when you applied.
- FEMA encourages you to stay in touch to get answers to your questions in English, Spanish or other languages. You can ask about the status of your application or other topics ranging from home inspections to information on appealing FEMA’s eligibility determination or adding the name of someone to speak for the applicant.
- Check out rumors. Maybe you’ve hesitated to apply because you’ve heard too many stories about so-called “denial” letters from FEMA. Call FEMA for the facts and apply if you haven’t. After you apply, FEMA will send you a “Determination” letter. Typically, it may ask you for additional information or records and tell you what additional information FEMA needs. If you have questions, talk to FEMA.
- Call FEMA to let us know when you receive your insurance settlement. FEMA will then review your situation to see if there are disaster caused needs insurance didn’t cover that might be eligible.
- Don’t miss out on important information. Maybe you didn’t answer the phone because you didn’t recognize the number. But it could have been FEMA – either answer the phone or call FEMA and find out.
Here’s how to stay in touch with FEMA:
- Visit any disaster recovery center in Kentucky. For a current list of locations, visit fema.gov/drc.
- Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Press 1 for English, 2 for Spanish, Press 3 for other languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service. Helpline operators are available from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time daily.
- Log into your account at DisasterAssistance.gov.
- Download the FEMA mobile app (also in Spanish).
FEMA provides the following free aids and services to help survivors communicate with specialists and understand FEMA programs:
- Information available in Braille, large print, or audio
- Information available in accessible electronic formats on FEMA’s website
- Qualified sign language interpreters
- Qualified multilingual interpreters and information written in other languages.
If you need assistance to access a FEMA program, service or a program or service funded by FEMA, contact FEMA’s Civil Rights Resource Line at 833-285-7448. Press 1 for English, 2 for Spanish or send an email to: FEMA-CivilRightsOffice@fema.dhs.gov.
The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance is Monday, March 14.
For official information on Kentucky’s recovery from the tornadoes, visit fema.gov/disaster/4630. Follow FEMA on Twitter at FEMA Region 4 (@femaregion4) / Twitter and at facebook.com/fema.