Survivors who applied for FEMA assistance after Hurricanes Milton, Helene or Debby will receive a determination letter from FEMA...
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FEMA gives update on hurricane response
Posted
News from FEMA
Key Messages
Survivors who applied for FEMA assistance after Hurricanes Milton, Helene or Debby will receive a determination letter from FEMA in the mail or by email.
If a survivor is not initially approved for assistance, they may appeal within 60 days of the date of the decision letter.
If a survivor has questions regarding their letter or how to appeal, they can visit a Disaster Recovery Center or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362
To date, FEMA has approved a total of more than $422.4 million to help Floridians with losses from Milton, Helene and Debby, including:
$100.6 million approved for Hurricane Milton
$279.8 million approved for Hurricane Helene
$42 million approved for Hurricane Debby
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun installing fiber-reinforced sheeting to cover damaged roofs until arrangements can be made for permanent repairs to damaged homes across affected Florida communities. This service is free.
340 Households checked in to Transitional Sheltering Assistance hotels and motels.
Disaster Recovery Centers
Disaster Recovery Centers are open in Charlotte, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hernando, Hillsborough, Madison, Manatee, Pinellas, Sarasota, Suwanee and Taylor counties. Additional locations will continue opening in the coming days.
Disaster Survivor Assistance staff are helping survivors apply for assistance at Faith Bible Church in Baker County from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily through Saturday, Oct. 19.
To find center locations go to fema.gov/drc or text “DRC” and a Zip Code to 43362. All centers are accessible to people with disabilities or access and functional needs and are equipped with assistive technology.
Survivors do not need to visit a center to apply for assistance. Survivors are encouraged to apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by downloading the FEMA App.
FEMA does not distribute cash at Disaster Recovery Centers.
Transitional Sheltering Assistance
FEMA has activated Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) for Floridians displaced by Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Milton in 52 counties and for tribal members of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians.
Residents in these counties who have applied for disaster assistance may be eligible to stay temporarily in a hotel or motel paid for by FEMA.
Applicants do not need to request TSA. FEMA will notify them of their eligibility through an automated phone call, text message, and/or email, depending upon the method of communication they selected at the time of application for disaster assistance.
FEMA Assistance and Citizenship
FEMA is committed to helping all eligible Florida households recover from Hurricanes Milton, Helene and Debby, including U.S. citizens, non-U.S. citizen nationals or qualified non-citizens.
You or a member of your household must be U.S. citizen, non-U.S. citizen national or qualified non-citizen to apply for FEMA assistance. Families with diverse immigration status, including adults who are undocumented, can apply as long as at least one family member is a citizen, non-U.S. citizen national or qualified non-citizen. For instance, if you are undocumented and have a child under 18 who is a U.S. citizen and lived in the household during the time of the disaster, you can apply for FEMA assistance.
Clean and Sanitize Assistance
If your home was damaged but you can live in it safely after Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton, FEMA may be able to provide up to $300 in one-time financial assistance to help with cleanup. This assistance is for eligible homeowners and renters whose primary residence has verified damage and is located in a county designated for Individual Assistance.
The damage must not be covered by your insurance. If you have already cleaned up, save your receipts from any supplies, materials or paid help.
Serious Needs Assistance
Serious Needs Assistance is money to pay for emergency supplies like water, food, first aid, breast-feeding supplies, infant formula, diapers, personal hygiene items, or fuel for transportation. Serious Needs Assistance is available for survivors who apply during the first 30 days after a disaster is declared. If you don’t agree with FEMA’s decision, you can appeal by showing why you need FEMA assistance. The decision letter you get from FEMA will have more information about the types of documents you should send. Learn more about Serious Needs Assistance.
U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters, businesses and nonprofit organizations to cover losses not fully compensated by insurance and other sources. Apply online at SBA.gov/disaster. Disaster loan information and application forms can also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955.
SBA Business Recovery Centers are open in Hillsborough and Manatee counties. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
Operation Blue Roof
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Jacksonville District announced the start of the Operation Blue Roof Program for Florida. The initial sign-up period is set for 21 days and ends Nov. 5.
Operation Blue Roof is a free service to homeowners in 25 counties.
Florida Residents affected by Hurricane Milton can sign-up at www.blueroof.gov, by calling 888-ROOF-BLU (888-766-3258), or by visiting a Right-of-Entry collection center throughout the affected areas.
How to Apply for FEMA Assistance
If you sustained damage or loss from Hurricanes Milton, Helene or Debby, FEMA may be able to help. You may be eligible for financial assistance for displacement, serious needs, temporary lodging, basic home repairs, personal property losses and other uninsured disaster-related expenses.
You can also call the FEMA helpline toll-free at 800-621-3362.
If you choose to apply by phone, please understand calls to FEMA’s helpline are experiencing delays because of the increased volume due to multiple recent disasters.
If you applied for FEMA assistance after Hurricane Helene, Debby, Idalia, Ian or previous storms, you must apply separately for assistance after Hurricane Milton. Learn more: Applying for FEMA assistance in multiple disasters.
Be Alert to Fraud: Floridians should be alert that con artists and criminals may try to obtain money or steal personal information through fraud or identity theft after disasters. Be Alert to Fraud After Florida Hurricanes | FEMA.gov
In addition to FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers, FDEM and local communities are establishing Multi-Agency Resource Centers to assist residents with storm recovery. FEMA specialists are available at most centers.
