Puerto Rico Hurricane Survivors Should ‘Stay in Touch’ With FEMA

Release Date Release Number
DR-4339-PR NR 056
Release Date:
November 16, 2017

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Homeowners and renters who have registered for disaster assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are encouraged by recovery officials to “stay in touch” with the agency after they have applied for assistance.

Hurricane survivors who changed their addresses or phone numbers – even if only temporarily – should update that information with FEMA. Missing or incorrect information could result in delays in receiving assistance. It’s a good idea to provide a secondary contact phone number – both a cell phone and a landline number, if you have one.
There are four ways for homeowners and renters to update their information with FEMA:

  • Online at: www.DisasterAssistance.gov ;
  • Download the FEMA app at fema.gov/mobile-app, available for mobile devices. From there, click on the “Disaster Resources” tab.
  • Call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-3362 (voice, 711/VRS - Video Relay Service). TDD call 800-462-7585. Multilingual operators are available. (Press 2 for Spanish). Lines are open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily; or
  • Visit a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC). To find location and hours of a DRC near you, visit FEMA’s DRC Locator at http://asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm.

When updating information, callers should refer to the nine-digit registration number issued at registration. This number is on all correspondence applicants receive from FEMA and is a key to tracking assistance requests.

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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 800-621-3362 (voice, 711/VRS - Video Relay Service). TDD call 800-462-7585. Multilingual operators are available. (Press 2 for Spanish).
The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters, which can cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged real estate and personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.
 Join the conversation with FEMA on social media. Follow us at: www.fema.gov/hurricane-maria  www.facebook.com/femapuertorico  www.twitter.com/femaregion2                    
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