How To Register For FEMA Assistance By Phone

How To Register For FEMA Assistance By Phone

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Individuals and families who suffered losses as a result of Hurricane Katrina are encouraged to call the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) toll-free registration number at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) . People who are speech- or hearing-impaired should call TTY 1-800-462-7585 . Phone lines are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week until further notice.

More than 3,000 employees are taking calls to help meet the surge in applications following Hurricane Katrina. If information is gathered prior to starting the application, the process should take approximately 20 minutes. Applicants should be prepared to provide some basic information when calling, including their social security number, telephone number where they may be reached, address of the damaged property, insurance information and bank account information. If applicants do not know the necessary information to sign up for a direct deposit (bank account number and routing number), they should contact their banks to get this information before starting an application. FEMA strongly encourages people to sign up for direct deposit because many residents are relocating following Hurricane Katrina, and mailed checks may not reach them.

Disaster recovery officials are aware people may not be able to access all the necessary information. For this reason, FEMA staff is trained to work around missing information. Missing information should not make those in need miss out on help. If applicants' telephones are not working well, they should inform the call center staff when they give them their contact details.

Registration Tips

If possible, people may call an out-of-state friend or relative and have that individual apply for assistance via the Internet on their behalf. FEMA can accept an application from any person but will only provide follow-up information to the individual needing assistance. Applicants should share personal information only with trusted individuals .

Those who cannot provide direct deposit details may have their assistance check mailed to someone living outside the disaster area. Applicants may give the address of an out-of-area contact who can get the funds to them.

Applicants who evacuated before the disaster and who have not returned home should report that there was damage, even if they are unsure of the details. It will be presumed the damage resulted from the storm. Do not say damages are unknown.

If staying in a hotel, it is acceptable to give the name and city of the hotel if applicants do not have a telephone. Call center staff will work with people's varied living situations.

Register now . It is not necessary to wait until the water has receded or returning home to begin the recovery process.

Even if insured, apply for assistance with FEMA. If insurance does not cover all losses, FEMA may be able to help out.

Those who experienced minor damage might consider waiting awhile before applying for disaster assistance and allowing those in serious need to register first.
Alternatively, anyone who can access the Internet may register online at fema.gov .

FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003 .

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Release Date: September 15, 2005, Release Number: 1603-002