By Emily Banks Wooten
[email protected]
Polk County Emergency Management Coordinator Courtney Comstock gave a brief update on the recovery efforts in Polk County Tuesday, reporting that 696 people have registered for the Individual Assistance Program through FEMA.
FEMA assistance for individuals impacted by the severe weather and flooding event in Polk County is available, she said.
FEMA personnel have set up stations outside under the covered sidewalk area at the back parking lot of the Polk County Commerce Center located at 1017 U.S. Hwy. 59 Loop N in Livingston to assist Polk County residents with completing an application or to answer questions regarding their application status. Hours of operation are from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“Please follow the Emergency Management website (polkcountyoem.com) and Facebook page for updates on future hours of operation. Polk County has been approved for all methods of assistance,” Comstock said.
After Polk Countians apply for disaster assistance, FEMA may call them to schedule an inspection of the damaged home, or to obtain more information to process the application. These calls may come from unfamiliar area codes or phone numbers.
Emergency Management officials said it is important to answer the call. A FEMA inspection may be required to determine whether a home is safe, sanitary, functional and accessible. If an inspection cannot be scheduled, that may cause a delay in FEMA’s review of the application.
There is no charge for an inspection. The inspector will have FEMA photo ID and the application number. FEMA representatives never ask for money. If you receive a call from someone saying they are a FEMA representative, but you aren’t sure, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 to verify the caller’s identity.
Homeowners and renters in Polk County who experienced losses from the storms and flooding that began April 26 can apply to FEMA in several ways, including going online to DisasterAssistance.gov, downloading the FEMA App for mobile devices or calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Calls are accepted every day from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Central time. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service. To view an accessible video about how to apply visit: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance - YouTube.
For the latest information visit fema.gov/disaster/4781. Follow FEMA Region 6 at twitter.com/FEMARegion6 or at facebook.com/FEMARegion6/.
Comment
Comments