SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Wildfire survivors in California who lost important documents may need replacements to apply for services and help rebuild their lives.
This guide provides links and contacts to replace these important documents. All of the organizations listed below offer online resources. If personal computers aren’t available, public libraries and other agencies may have computers available to the general public.
Document and Who to Contact for Replacement
EBT Card
- California’s CalFresh is part of the federal program known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP – formerly known as Food Stamps). For lost EBT card replacements call 877-328-9677 right away or contact your local county social services worker.
Birth and Death Certificates
- California Department of Public Health is at www.cdph.ca.gov or 916-445-2684. Birth certificate: $25 fee. Death certificate: $21 fee.
Lost Green Card
- Go to www.uscis.gov and complete Form I-90, Application to Replace a Permanent Resident Card, and file it online or by mail.
- Call 800-375-5283 to check application status.
California Driver License
- Visit a California Department of Motor Vehicles office to complete an application or fill out the form online at www.dmv.ca.gov. Replacement license forms must be delivered in person.
- For more information, call 800-777-0133.
Bank Checks, ATM/Debit Cards
or Safe Deposit Boxes
- Contact your financial institution or get contact information from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation by calling 877-275-3342 or going to www.fdic.gov.
Credit Cards
- Contact the issuing institution:
- American Express: 800-992-3404 or www.americanexpress.com
- Discover: 800-347-2683 or www.discover.com/credit-cards/help-center/
- Master Card: 800-627-8372 or www.mastercard.com/cgi-bin/emergserv.cgi
- Visa: 800-847-2911 or www.usa.visa.com
- NOTE: If you don't remember all the credit cards you had, obtain a credit report from any of the three major credit bureaus.
Credit Report
- Equifax, Experian or TransUnion: 877-322-8228 or www.annualcreditreport.com
Social Security Card
- Social Security: 800-772-1213 or www.ssa.gov
Fraud Alerts or a Credit Freeze
- Fraud Alerts: Call the identity theft helpline at 877-438-4338 or Contact the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov
Medicare Cards
- Social Security Administration: 800 633-4227 or www.ssa.gov
Passport
- U.S. Department of State, Passport Services, Consular Lost/Stolen Passport Section: 877-487-2778 or travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/lost-stolen-visas.html
U.S. Savings Bonds
- U.S. Department of Treasury: 844-284-2676 or www.treasurydirect.gov
Tax Returns
- Internal Revenue Service: 800-829-1954 or Download the Request for Copy of Tax Return form at www.irs.gov.
Military Records
- National Archives and Records Administration: 866-272-6272 or www.archives.gov/contact/
Wildfire survivors from Fresno, Los Angeles, Madera, Mendocino, Napa, San Bernardino, San Diego, Shasta, Siskiyou and Sonoma counties who suffered uninsured losses may be eligible for federal assistance. The deadline to register with FEMA for help is Dec. 16.
Survivors can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov; by downloading the FEMA app to a smartphone or tablet; or by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585) between 7 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. PST. If you use a relay service such as a videophone, Innocaption or CapTel, provide FEMA the specific number assigned to that service when you register.
For more information on California’s wildfire recovery, visit: caloes.ca.gov and follow the governor’s Office of Emergency Services Twitter account twitter.com/Cal_OES, and on Facebook.com/CaliforniaOES. For FEMA, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4569 and follow the FEMA Region 9 Twitter account at twitter.com/femaregion9 and at Facebook.com/FEMA.
12/10/2020
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