FEMA wants to deliver disaster assistance to survivors as quickly as possible. One way you can help speed the process is to stay in touch with FEMA. Update FEMA immediately when your situation changes, particularly your housing. Be sure to let FEMA know when your address or phone number changes and keep your appointments with FEMA representatives or, get in touch if you can’t.
As a survivor of the March 31 to April 1, 2023, Tennessee storms and tornadoes who applied to FEMA for federal assistance, talking to FEMA is an excellent idea. Here’s why:
Good reasons to talk to FEMA
- Talk to FEMA as soon as possible about changes in your housing situation, insurance and banking information, or if your email address and phone number changes. Call 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.
- Let FEMA know before your home inspection appointment if you cannot be there. If you or your representative is not at your home when the inspector arrives for the appointment, your assistance will stop. Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 to reschedule your appointment if someone can’t be there.
- FEMA will answer your questions in English, Spanish and other languages. You can ask about the status of your application or any other topics ranging from home inspections to information on appealing FEMA’s eligibility determination. You can even ask about adding the name of someone designated to speak for you, the applicant.
- Check out rumors. Maybe you’ve hesitated to apply for assistance 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” email or letter. This is not a denial. Typically, the letter may ask you for additional information or records and suggest what you can do to get your benefits. If you need more information, talk to FEMA.
- Sometimes FEMA requests more information from you. It’s important to read your FEMA mail carefully. Send FEMA the information that’s requested. If that information is not available, let FEMA know why.
- Call and let FEMA know when you receive your insurance settlement because it will affect the amount of your grant. If the settlement covers the same expenses you already received from FEMA, you must reimburse FEMA.
- Don’t miss out on important information. Maybe you didn’t answer the phone because you didn’t recognize the number or the Caller ID showed “unknown number.” Call FEMA and find out if you missed their call.
Here’s how to stay in touch with FEMA
- Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Operators speak many languages and lines are open from 6 a.m. to midnight Central Daylight Time daily. Press 2 for Spanish. Press 3 for an interpreter who speaks your language.
- Log into your account at DisasterAssistance.gov
- Use the FEMA mobile app (also in Spanish)
- Visit any Disaster Recovery Center and speak to a specialist. Find a center here: egateway.fema.gov/ESF6/DRCLocator
Here’s how to apply for FEMA disaster assistance
- Visit DisasterAssistance.gov
- Use the FEMA mobile app (also in Spanish)
- Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service when you apply. Operators speak many languages and lines are open from 6 a.m. to midnight Central Daylight Time daily. Press 2 for Spanish. Press 3 for an interpreter who speaks your language.
- For an American Sign Language video on how to apply, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU7wzRjByhI&list=PL720Kw_OojlKOhtKG7HM_0n_kEawus6FC&index=6
For the latest information on Tennessee’s recovery from the severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes, visit FEMA.gov/Disaster/4701. You may also follow TN.gov/TEMA; Twitter.com/TEMA, Facebook.com/TNDisasterInfo, @FEMARegion4/Twitter and Facebook.com/FEMA.