This is what you need to know about FEMA assistance for Eastern Kentucky flooding
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Flooding in Eastern Kentucky
“Catastrophic” flash flooding hit parts of Eastern Kentucky July 28, 2022.
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For residents living in flood-ravaged eastern Kentucky, the first step to bouncing back from any property loss or flood damage is to file a claim with your insurance, if you have it.
That’s one piece of guidance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, along with others the agency is recommending disaster survivors follow to avoid any issues with their claim.
FEMA, like other federal and state agencies, is barred from duplicating the benefits offered by insurance companies, but if you’re uninsured or your policy doesn’t cover all your expenses or flood losses, you may be eligible for federal assistance.
Individual assistance has now been approved for people living in Breathitt, Clay, Knott, Letcher, Perry, Floyd and Pike counties, and most recently, Owsley County.
It’s important to note that flood victims have a 60-day window to apply for relief from FEMA, with the deadline falling in late September.
Read on for what to know about applying for FEMA assistance, including how to avoid any pitfalls that might hold up your claim.
Where to apply for individual disaster assistance from FEMA
To register for assistance, go online to DisasterAssistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362. You can also apply through the FEMA mobile phone app.
If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service. You can find an accessible video about how to apply for FEMA relief online.
The agency has also opened mobile assistance centers for those who would like to apply in person.
On Monday, FEMA opened a mobile registration center in Knott County, one of the hardest-hit counties. Centers in Clay, Breathitt, Letcher and Perry have since opened.
The hours for all of the centers are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
The locations are as follows:
- Breathitt County, 421 Jett Drive, Jackson, KY 41339
- Clay County, Clay Community Center, 311 Highway 638, Manchester, KY 40962
- Knott County, Knott County Sportsplex, 450 Kenny Champion Loop No. 8765, Leburn, KY 41831
- Letcher County, Letcher County Recreation Center, 1505 Jenkins Road, Whitesburg, KY 41858
- Perry County, Hazard Community and Technical College, 1 Community College Drive, Hazard, KY 41701
- Floyd County, Martin Community Center, 7199 KY Route 80, Langley, KY 41645
- Pike County, 15308 U.S. 23 S., Jenkins, KY 41537
Currently, residents have 60 days from the date of the diaster declaration to apply for assistance. That date is Monday, Sept. 26, given that Gov. Andy Beshear issued a state of emergency July 28.
What do you need to apply?
According to FEMA, applicants should have the following on hand when they apply:
- A current phone number
- Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are currently staying
- Your Social Security number
- A general list of the damages and losses to your property
- Your banking information if you choose direct deposit, which is recommended to speed up payment
- If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or company name
FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but it can assist in areas you may be under-insured.
Additionally, the U.S. Small Business Administration can help homeowners and renters, Custer said, adding it’s a common misconception that the agency only helps businesses. Custer encouraged landlords and renters to apply with the SBA as well. Custer said the SBA can assist by providing low-interest loans that have been as low as 2% in recent years.
What do flood survivors need to know about applying for relief?
We asked FEMA for guidance around best practices and general pitfalls people seeking assistance can avoid. The agency recommended disaster victims apply as soon as possible and provide a copy of their insurance settlement or denial letter as soon as they get one.
“A letter requesting additional information may follow the initial application. Survivors should pay close attention and provide the needed documentation. This is a common reason for incomplete applications,” a spokesperson noted.
Those seeking assistance should also keep in contact with FEMA regularly.
The agency declined to provide the average payout amount for typical disaster victims, only saying “each survivor’s recovery is unique” and that it’s processing applications “as quickly as possible.”
You do not need to provide a professional damage assessment to get aid, FEMA confirmed. Instead you can provide a verbal list of damages ahead of a FEMA inspector surveying the property.
Additionally, you do not need to wait for FEMA to visit your home or business before you begin cleanup, though the agency recommends you document the damage carefully with pictures.
You should document both the inside and outside of the structure and save any receipts from repairs.
The agency also declined to provide a timeline for how soon applicants can expect relief. Instead, the spokesperson stated “eligible applicants will receive assistance very soon. FEMA encourages survivors to request direct deposits of disaster assistance to their financial institution. Survivors should let FEMA know as soon as possible of any changes to their banking information.”
In other materials sent out by the federal agency, FEMA said GoFundMe assistance does not make you ineligible for federal assistance, but may affect your level of assistance as the federal agency cannot duplicate benefits.
Additionally, household income does not affect FEMA eligibility, the agency confirmed.
Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to report that the Small Business Administration provides low-interest loans for disaster relief.
This story may be updated.
Do you have a question about recovery in Kentucky for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.
This story was originally published August 2, 2022 at 2:25 PM.
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