If you live in an area affected by Hurricane Helene, FEMA probably sounds familiar to you.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) coordinates the federal response to disasters like Helene, which hit Georgia and brought devastation to other states including South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Tennessee and Virginia.
Victims of the recent catastrophic natural occurrence in the CSRA and beyond are attempting to lean on FEMA for assistance post-disaster.
FEMA’s Individuals and Households program provides financial assistance and direct services to eligible individuals and households affected by a disaster, who have uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses and serious needs.
For some, this aid is coming easily. Caitlyn Palomar, from Augusta, said she applied for assistance on Oct. 3, was approved the next day and received aid money on Oct. 8.
“I had a good experience…overall a good experience with FEMA so far,” she said.
However, a number of locals have expressed concerns via social media that their applications for assistance have been denied.
Why you might be denied by FEMA
The FEMA website lists all the reasons why a person might not be eligible for assistance, including a lack of adequate documentation, having more than one application filed for a single household, or an inability to verify the applicant’s identity.
Furthermore, someone could be denied if their insurance is able to cover the damage or loss that’s being applied for.
“We definitely encourage everyone to stay in close contact with FEMA, stay in close contact with the specialist that’s working their case,” said Michael Hart, a FEMA spokesperson who noted that persistence might be necessary to ensure your application is accepted. “Make sure the technician has all of the paperwork that’s required.”
Hart emphasized that the lack of any documentation needed to “move the process along” is a common reason why someone might be denied.
A guide to the application process is also available on the FEMA website. People can begin the application process by calling 1-800-621-3362, visiting disasterassistance.gov or by downloading the FEMA app.
FEMA on the ground
According to Hart, FEMA’s Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams are “on the ground,” in affected states. He said that these individuals are currently going door-to-door to help affected community members begin their application process.
“Right now we have teams on the ground in most of the hardest hit neighborhoods across Georgia,” said Hart.
On Sunday, U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff announced FEMA has opened a Disaster Recovery Center in Augusta-Richmond County to provide citizens with one-on-one help when it comes to applying for FEMA’s Individual and Public Assistance programs.
The center is located at the HUB for Community Innovation, 631 Chafee Ave., Augusta. It will be open Monday-Saturday from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sundays from 1-6 p.m.
Georgians who need additional help applying for Federal programs through FEMA, SBA, USDA, and more can click here to find a full resource guide on Sen. Ossoff’s website, or click here to find the guide in Spanish.
Low funding
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told the Associated Press on Oct. 2 that FEMA does not have enough funding to make it through the hurricane season. FEMA is part of the Department of Homeland Security.
Hart responded to the Augusta Press’s request for comment regarding FEMA’s dwindling funding by saying: “We definitely have what we need for immediate response and recovery efforts for Hurricane Helene and whatever Hurricane Milton brings our way.”
Hart said that in Georgia, FEMA has already provided “over $31 million to over 39,000 survivors.”
