Step 1: Contact your insurance company. FEMA provides for needs that are unmet by insurance, so residents must be able to provide the insurance documentation that states what insurance covers, and what it does not.
Step 2: Register for FEMA assistance. You can apply online (from any device) at https://www.
Step 3: Complete the Small Business Administration (SBA) loan application. This applies to everyone impacted by the disaster: all individuals (homeowners and renters), all small businesses and non-profits applying for FEMA assistance. You can apply online (from any device) athttps://disasterloan.sba.gov/
Flagler County officials stressed that their desire is to get benefits into the hands of anyone who needs them. Commission Chair Nate McLaughlin said of the process, “We don’t want to leave any available assistance on the table.”
FEMA Denials - If someone receives a declination letter - it might be due to something as simple as a piece of information that’s missing, or because a declaration has happened after a filing date. It does not necessarily mean they are not going to qualify for aid. The appeal process is nothing to be afraid of. Residents have to be persistent. Consider a trip to the DRC: the trained FEMA and SBA staff there are very willing to help with applications or an appeal to a denial.
Photo courtesy FEMA.