FEMA Wants You!

By Adil James, TMO

Roughly 1,000 vehicles were abandoned after becoming swamped by the heaviest rainfall in Warren, Mich., since 1925. (David Coates/Detroit News/Associated Press)

If your house was damaged in the recent flooding in Wayne, Macomb, or Oakland counties, there may be a government check to help you with your loss!

Once you apply for benefits through FEMA (which provides assistance around the country in areas that have been officially declared disaster areas), a FEMA verifier will need a working phone number and any verification you can provide, such as pictures and/or receipts.

The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance is 11/24/14—there are sufficient funds for everyone if you quality.  FEMA does not report to other government agencies, in case you are worried about that.  Therefore if you have outstanding warrants that should not impede you from contacting FEMA. 

FEMA assistance is intended for people of moderate income.  Therefore if you are extremely wealthy you may not qualify.  However you must apply to find out.
FEMA provides interpreters if you need them.

If you want to call FEMA, the best place to call from is your home. 

If someone comes to your house and claims to be from FEMA but asks for money, BEWARE because FEMA officials are not allowed to ask you for money. 

If you apply for assistance through the Red Cross or any separate agency, you must ALSO apply with FEMA.  FEMA may ask you to apply for assistance through the Small Business Administration as an additional source of money—SBA assistance is in the form of low interest loans, while FEMA assistance is in the form of grants.

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