Two Additional Florida Counties Designated for Individual Assistance

Release Date Release Number
DR-4337-FL NR 010
Release Date:
September 16, 2017

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Homeowners, renters and business owners in Dixie and Lafayette counties may now apply for federal disaster assistance for uninsured and underinsured damage and losses resulting from Hurricane Irma. Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, and St. Lucie, Sumter, Suwannee, Union, and Volusia counties were previously designated for Individual Assistance, bringing the total to 48 counties.

To be eligible for federal aid under FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program, storm damage and losses from the hurricane and flooding must have occurred as a result of Hurricane Irma, beginning Sept. 4.

Register with FEMA as soon as possible. If you preregistered with FEMA, you do not have to apply again. If you have phone and/or internet access, you may register:

  • Online at DisasterAssistance.gov, or
  • On the FEMA Mobile App, or by
  • Calling 800-621-3362 (FEMA). Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may also call 800-621-3362. People who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585.
  • The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET, seven days a week.
  • Multilingual operators are available.  Press 2 for Spanish and press 3 for other languages.

Don’t be discouraged if you do not have access to telephone or internet service. Disaster survivor assistance specialists will soon be in local communities helping people register for assistance.

Assistance for eligible survivors can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and for other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses or funeral and burial costs.

Long-term, low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) also may be available to cover losses not fully compensated by insurance and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

Contact your insurance company to file an insurance claim. FEMA does not duplicate insurance payments. However, you may still receive help after your insurance claims have been settled.

Sept. 10: Florida received a federal major disaster declaration for Individual Assistance for Charlotte, Collier, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Pinellas, and Sarasota counties. All 67 Florida counties were designated for the Public Assistance Program (Categories A-G), including direct federal assistance.

Sept. 11: Broward, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Palm Beach, Putnam, and St. Johns counties were designated for Individual Assistance.

Sept. 13: Brevard, Citrus, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Indian River, Lake, Marion, Martin, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Polk, St. Lucie,  Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia counties were designated for Individual Assistance.

Sept. 14: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Gilchrist, Levy, Nassau, Suwannee and Union counties were designated for Individual Assistance.

Sept.16: Dixie and Lafayette counties were designated for Individual Assistance.

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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

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