Last day to apply for FEMA storm assistance is Thursday

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Alabama homeowners and renters who sustained damage to their primary property from the severe weather on Jan. 12 have two days left to apply for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The deadline is Thursday for survivors to apply for federal assistance in Autauga, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore, Greene, Hale, Mobile, Morgan, Sumter, and Tallapoosa counties.

FEMA assistance may cover rental assistance, temporary housing, home repairs, personal property losses and other disaster-related needs. FEMA grants do not have to be repaid. Such federal assistance is non-taxable and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid or other benefits.

Homeowners and renters in the designated counties can apply for assistance in the following ways.

Call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. The helpline is open from 6 a.m.-10 p.m. CST in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as a video relay, captioned telephone or another service, give FEMA your number for that service.
Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov.
Download the free FEMA mobile app for smartphones.
Visit a disaster recovery center. Click here for the center locator.

Click here for an accessible video on how to apply for assistance.

When applying, homeowners and renters will need:

A current phone number where you can be contacted
Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying
Your Social Security number
A general list of damage and losses
Banking information if you choose direct deposit
If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name

If you are unable to locate important documents, FEMA will help you to identify other ways to verify your information.

Disaster assistance is not a substitute for insurance and cannot compensate for all losses caused by a disaster. The assistance is intended to meet basic needs and supplement disaster recovery efforts.

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