BATON ROUGE, La. – If you applied with FEMA and have questions about your recovery process, immediate help is available.
Simply call FEMA’s Disaster Helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585) to find out the status of your application, what additional assistance may be available or to have other questions answered. Multilingual operators are available to take your call. The lines are open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
If you haven’t heard back from FEMA since applying, a number of common problems may have delayed the application process. For example, thousands of applications from Louisiana survivors have been held up because of missing documents. Provide the needed paperwork, and the application can begin to move forward. Just call the Helpline to find out how.
Reasons to call the Helpline:
To get help with setting up an online account at
DisasterAssistance.gov
To get help with uploading documents. A Helpline operator can walk you through the process: Go to
DisasterAssistance.gov and login to your online account.
Upload the document through the Upload Center tab at the top of the page after selecting the type of document you are submitting (appeal, verification document, etc.). Select “Upload Now” to submit the documentation or for multiple documents, select “Add Another File.”
You received a letter from FEMA, but no decision was given. Read the letter carefully; if you don’t understand what FEMA wants you to do, call the Helpline to find out why no decision has been made. Often you will need to provide more documentation. Call the Helpline to find out how to handle FEMA’s requests for more information.
You received a letter and were denied assistance but don’t know why. Call the Helpline to find out why you were denied assistance and for help with appealing FEMA’s decision.
FEMA may already have called you. FEMA staff review all applications and call survivors to verify information. These calls may come from an unlisted number. By not answering calls from an unlisted number, applicants may miss an opportunity for FEMA to assist them. When you answer an unlisted number and the caller says they are from FEMA, request a FEMA identification number from the caller. If you are unsure of the caller’s identification, or you are suspicious of someone claiming to be from FEMA, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585). The same applies if you have been waiting for a home inspection call. The inspector may call from an unlisted number, and you may miss the call.
Your circumstances have changed, and you need to update your application. For a change of address, a new phone number, updated banking information or other changes, call the Helpline.
To update your insurance information. If you have received your insurance settlement and haven’t told FEMA yet, or it doesn’t cover your needs, call the Helpline to update your application.
If you want more information about the recovery process, how to rebuild to make your home stronger or other recovery resources, call the Helpline. The operators can share information about additional support available from FEMA and its partners.
Original author: kiarash.ghiam
