To make sure all storm victims in Georgia and South Carolina get the assistance they need, FEMA is now making house calls.
As of Friday, some 260 disaster survivor assistance crew had hit the streets in the Peach State and already engaged with more than 34,000 disaster survivors, said Nikki Gaskins Campbell, FEMA media relations specialist for Georgia and South Carolina. The Palmetto State has about 175 crews on the ground.
“We just want to make it clear for people to not be surprised if we show up at your doorstep,” Gaskins Campbell said. “This is something we do in fact do. We are out here in the state of Georgia as well as the state of South Carolina.”
Friday, one of the teams canvassed an area along Shamrock Drive behind Aquinas High School with news crews tagging along. Like most in Augusta, the neighborhood was littered with storm debris piled in the right of way.
“Our goal is to meet with as many people as possible,” she said. “We realize that not everyone can come out to a disaster recovery center. Some people may not have access to the internet; some people may not have access to a phone. So this gives us an opportunity to cross all our t’s and dot all our I’s.”
Gaskins Campbell said residents should be wary of anyone going door to door. FEMA will never ask for financial information.
“Just be cognizant and trust your gut,” she said.
FEMA works with state and local officials to determine which neighborhoods to canvass, she said, and it’s not uncommon for a team to visit 200 houses in a day.
So far, FEMA has processed more than 174,000 applications for assistance in Georgia and given out more than $212 million in aid, she said. In South Carolina some $214 million in aid has gone out, she said.
FEMA has opened a disaster recovery center at the Hub for Community Innovation in Augusta at 631 Chafee Ave. where residents can access the same resources as well as apply for Small Business Administration loans.
The quickest way to apply is online on DisasterAssistance.gov. You can also apply by visiting a Disaster Recovery Center in person, by using the FEMA App, or by calling toll-free 800-621-3362.
