Governor Mike Parson has announced residents affected by flooding or severe storms in six additional Missouri counties – Callaway, Jefferson, Lewis, McDonald, Newton and Saline – are eligible to apply for federal assistance. On Monday, August 5, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved Missouri’s request to expand the federal major disaster declaration to the additional counties for the period of April 29 to July 5.
A news release says FEMA’s action makes its Individual Assistance program available to eligible residents in the newly-added counties. The Individual Assistance program assists with temporary housing, housing repairs and the replacement of household items.
Individuals and families who sustained damage or losses due to the flooding or severe storms in one of the Missouri counties included in the Individual Assistance disaster declaration can register for disaster assistance by going to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or calling (800) 621-FEMA (3362) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. For those who are hearing impaired, they can call (800) 462-7585. The faster people register with FEMA, the faster they may be able to receive assistance.
FEMA disaster assistance to eligible individuals generally falls into these categories:
* Housing Assistance may be available for up to 18 months for displaced homeowners or renters whose primary residences received major damage or were destroyed. Funding also can be provided for housing repairs and replacement of damaged items to make homes habitable.
* Other Needs Assistance may be available for other disaster-related expenses, including essential household items, moving and storage, vehicles, medical and dental, child care, funeral and burial, and some cleanup items not covered by insurance and other assistance programs.
* Low-Interest Disaster Loans are available after a disaster for homeowners and renters from the U.S. Small Business Administration to cover uninsured property losses. Loans may be available for repair or replacement of homes, automobiles, clothing, or other damaged personal property. Loans are also available to businesses for property loss and economic injury.
* Other Disaster Assistance Programs include crisis counseling, disaster-related unemployment assistance, disaster case management, and legal advice and assistance including income tax, housing issues, consumer protection, Social Security, and veterans’ benefits.
Those affected by the flooding or severe storms are encouraged to continue to document losses, including photographing damage and retaining receipts. The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) is working with FEMA to identify new locations where FEMA will operate Disaster Recovery Centers to assist survivors with answers to their questions and help with registering for assistance. However, there is no need to wait to register. The deadline for most Individual Assistance programs is September 9.
On July 9, President Donald Trump approved Individual Assistance to 20 Missouri counties: Andrew, Atchison, Boone, Buchanan, Carroll, Chariton, Cole, Greene, Holt, Jackson, Jasper, Lafayette, Lincoln, Livingston, Miller, Osage, Pike, Platte, Pulaski and St. Charles. To date, 1,049 households in these counties have received more than $4,937,000.