Disaster Recovery Center
The first Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Iowa opened in Des Moines on Tuesday, August 24, 2010, to help people affected by the storms and flooding that struck the State starting June 1, 2010
DRCs are operated jointly by the Iowa Homeland Security & Emergency Management Division (HSEMD) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
“Anyone who suffered losses in the 32 counties declared for Individual Assistance, regardless of where they live, can get person-to-person assistance from specialists skilled in many disaster-related subjects,” said State Coordinating Officer Pat Hall.
The Des Moines Center will open Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2010 at the following location:
Logan Community Center/The Boys and Girls Club of Central Iowa
1740 Garfield Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50316
Hours until further notice: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Mon – Fri.
9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday
Closed Sunday
The FEMA press release issued on August 23, 2010 provides the following information:
Individual Assistance
The Individuals and Households Program (IHP) can assist those affected by the recent storms in Iowa by providing financial assistance for housing or other needs. The program is available to all people who qualify regardless of race, sex, religion, color or national origin. FEMA’s IHP is available to both homeowners and renters.
The IHP has two provisions; Housing Assistance and Other Needs Assistance.
Housing Assistance can provide funding for:
Referrals for rental housing
Financial assistance to rent a different place to live
Repairs to make the home safe, sanitary and functional
Replacement - financial assistance to replace destroyed homes
Other Needs Assistance may include funding for:
Medical, dental and funeral expenses
Essential personal property such as furniture, clothing and some appliances
Repair or replacement of damaged vehicles
Other disaster-related expenses
Individual assistance can also be in the form of federal low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations.
Homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 to repair or replace their primary residence. Renters and homeowners may borrow up to $40,000 to replace personal property. Up to $2 million may be borrowed by businesses for any combination of property damage or economic injury. The SBA also offers working capital loans to small businesses and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes having difficulty meeting obligations as a result of the disaster.
For information on SBA disaster loans, call
(800) 659-2955 www.sba.gov. Hearing- or speech-impaired individuals may call (800) 877-8339.
Survivors should not wait until a DRC opens to register for assistance. While phones will be available to those who need them, it is preferred that FEMA registration be completed before going to a DRC. “We encourage people to register even if they have insurance, but they should also call their insurance company right away.” said Federal Coordinating Officer Tom Hall.
How to Register:
Anyone who had damage or loss may register online anytime at
www.disasterassistance.govhttp://m.fema.gov/., orcall the toll-free Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) registration line at
800-621-FEMA (3362) or
(TTY) 800-462-7585 for the hearing- or speech-impaired. Hours are from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., local time, seven days a week, until further notice. Multilingual operators are available. You may also access disaster information and recovery resources directly from your Smartphone at FEMA’s new mobile website at
http://m.fema.gov
Inspections:
If you have registered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) because your home was damaged by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding, that have occurred since June 1, the next step in the process is to have your home inspected, according to state and federal disaster officials.
What to expect during an inspection:
A FEMA inspector will contact you at the number you provided FEMA when you registered, to schedule an appointment to inspect your damaged home. Provide the inspector with clear, accurate directions to the damaged property, and a street address if not already provided to FEMA’s registration people. Post office boxes do not show locations.
Damage inspection is part of the recovery process. All FEMA contract inspectors are required to carry FEMA photo identification. When the inspector comes to your home, ask to see the identification.
Be prepared to provide written proof of ownership, such as a tax receipt, deed, mortgage payment book, or home insurance policy showing the damaged property’s address. Having the necessary documentation will help speed up the inspection process. The inspector SHOULD NOT and WILL NOT ask you for bank account information. If someone claiming to be with FEMA asks you to provide such information, call your local law enforcement immediately.
Whether you are an owner or a renter, you must show that the damaged property was your primary residence at the time of the disaster. Inspectors will accept a valid driver’s license or current utility bill (such as an electric, gas or water bill) as proof of occupancy.
The inspection is free. It usually takes about 30 minutes, and consists of inspecting and measuring ONLY damaged areas of your home and review of your records. The inspector enters information into an electronic device that sends the information to FEMA. This speeds up the process of providing assistance to you. The inspector does not determine whether you are eligible for assistance, and should not tell you what you may or may not receive.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance
Iowans who live or work in Black Hawk, Cherokee, Clayton, Decatur, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Franklin, Hamilton, Howard, Humboldt, Ida, Jackson, Jasper, Jones, Kossuth, Lee, Lucas, Lyon, Mahaska, Marion, O'Brien, Osceola, Polk, Ringgold, Sioux, Story, Taylor, Union, Warren, Webster, and Wright counties may be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits under the federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance program.
The federal government declared these 32 counties as a major disaster area on August 14, 2010, as a result of severe storms, tornadoes and flooding beginning June 1.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) extends income compensation to self-employed civilians, farm workers, individuals who have worked for only a few weeks, and others who have lost earned income or whose income has been interrupted as a result of a major disaster declared by the President of the United States. The benefits cover those usually not entitled to unemployment insurance.
"This is not regular unemployment compensation, but a program to help people who lost their jobs or cannot work because of the disaster," said Federal Coordinating Officer Tom Hall, the FEMA official in charge of the Iowa flooding disaster recovery.
DUA claims can be filed at any Iowa Workforce Development Center and need to be filed by Sept. 17, 2010. Individuals applying for DUA need to provide proof of past earnings, such as business records or bank statements and their most recent income tax form, at the time they file their claim.
Claims may be filed in person at the Iowa Workforce Development Center located at 430 E. Grand, (515) 281-9619.
In addition to assistance filing a DUA claim, Iowa Workforce Development Centers offer reemployment services, including testing, counseling and placement. Job search and career information also is available through Iowa Workforce Development’s Web site at
www.iowaworkforce.org.
For additional updates:
Latest Flood Update Report