CHARLESTON, W.Va. – If you suffered damage or losses from the Feb. 27-March 4 severe storms and flooding, you have less than two weeks left to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for federal disaster assistance. The deadline to register is Monday, July 19.
Individual disaster assistance grants for homeowners and renters are available to eligible residents of Cabell, Kanawha, Mingo and Wayne counties.
Here is how to register:
- Call 800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 800-462-7585
- Online at DisasterAssistance.gov
- By downloading the FEMA app
FEMA grants do not have to be repaid. FEMA assistance is nontaxable and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid or other federal benefits.
You should register even if you have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but if you have losses insurance doesn’t cover, you may receive help from FEMA after your insurance claims are settled.
To fully cover your losses, you may also need a low interest disaster loan. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) provides these loans, not just for small businesses, but also for renters, homeowners, businesses of any size and private nonprofits to cover uncompensated real or personal property losses. The deadline to apply for an SBA physical damage loan is the same as for FEMA assistance, Monday, July 19. There is no fee to apply for a loan and you do not have to accept one even if it is offered.
For more information about SBA loans, call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, email FOCE-Help@sba.gov or visit https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov. TTY users can call 800-877-8339.
For more information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4605. Learn more about Disaster Assistance at www.disasterassistance.gov. For guidance about the Disaster Assistance application process, visit www.fema.gov/assistance/individual/program#apply.
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FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. FEMA Region 3’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
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