INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Homeowners, renters and business owners in Brevard and Indian River counties may now apply for federal disaster assistance for uninsured and underinsured damages and losses resulting from Hurricane Matthew. Earlier this week, Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties were designated for Individual Assistance.
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 Matthew, beginning on Oct. 3.
Survivors are encouraged to 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 10 p.m., seven days a week.
• Multilingual operators are available. Press 2 for Spanish and press 3 for other languages.
Do not be discouraged if you do not have access to telephone or internet service. Disaster survivor assistance specialists will soon be helping people register for assistance in their communities. Additionally, disaster recovery centers are planned to open in the near future.
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.
Survivors should contact their insurance company to file their insurance claim. FEMA is unable to duplicate insurance payments. However, those without insurance or those who may be underinsured may still receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.
Putnam County was also designated for FEMA’s Public Assistance program for emergency work and debris removal.
Joint damage assessments with teams comprised of local, state and federal agencies are ongoing. These assessment teams continue to document damages to homes, businesses and public facilities in Northeast and Central Florida to inform determinations for any additional federal disaster assistance that may be warranted.
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 or TTY at 800-462-7585.
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. Follow FEMA on Twitter at @femaregion4. Download the FEMA app with tools and tips to keep you safe before, during, and after disasters.
