Federal funding being made available to Barry County residents

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has announced federal disaster assistance is available to the state of Missouri to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding from May 19-27.

President Joseph Biden’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Barry, Butler, Carter, Howell, New Madrid, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard and Texas counties. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, lowcost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding is also available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding in Barry, Bollinger, Butler, Carter, Howell, Madison, McDonald, New Madrid, Oregon, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard and Texas counties.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

David R. Gervino has been named the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas. Additional designations may be made at a later date if warranted by the results of damage assessments.

Applying is free and as easy as a 20-minute phone call or a click online.

President Biden made the federal assistance available Tuesday when he approved a Major Disaster Declaration request from Governor Mike Parson to help with eligible costs associated with the May severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding.

The assistance, under FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program, is available to eligible homeowners, renters and self-employed business owners.

• Online: www.disasterassistance. gov

• Phone: 800-621-3362 (FEMA)

• Download and use the FEMA app

• Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service. For an accessible video on three ways to apply for FEMA assistance, visit: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=LU7wz-RjByhI FEMA works with each household on a case-by-case basis. When applying for assistance, please have the following information readily available:

• A current phone number where you can be contacted

• Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying

• Your Social Security number, if available

• A general list of damage and losses

• If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name

Individual Assistance

FEMA Individual Assistance offers a range of grants to those affected by disasters who are uninsured or underinsured and determined to be eligible for federal aid based on the type of damage sustained, when the damage occurred and whether federal disaster assistance is available in their area. FEMA grants do not have to be repaid and may include:

• Serious Needs Assistance: Money for lifesaving and life-sustaining items, including water, food, first aid, prescriptions, infant formula, breastfeeding supplies, diapers, consumable medical supplies, durable medical equipment, personal hygiene items and fuel for transportation.

• Displacement Assistance: Money to help with housing needs if you cannot return to your home because of the disaster. The money can be used to stay in a hotel, with family and friends or other options while you look for a rental unit.

• Home Repair or Replacement: Money to help repair or replace a primary residence damaged by the disaster. The money also can help with pre-existing damage to parts of your house where the disaster caused further damage.

• Rental Assistance: Money that can be used to rent housing if you are displaced from your home because of the disaster.

• Personal Property: Money to help you repair or replace appliances, room furnishings, and a personal or family computer damaged by the disaster. This also can include money for books, uniforms, tools, medical equipment, and other items required for school or work, including self-employment.

• Child Care: Money to help pay for increased or childcare expenses caused by the disaster.

• Transportation: Money to help repair or replace a vehicle damaged by the disaster when you don’t have another vehicle to use.

• Moving and Storage Expenses: Money to help move and store personal property from your home to prevent additional damage.

Public Assistance

FEMA Public Assistance for the same May 19-27 storms also was authorized for governmental entities and certain nonprofit organizations in 15 Missouri counties to help repair or replace eligible disaster- damaged infrastructure such as roads, bridges, government facilities, parks, utilities and more.

The designated counties are Barry, Bollinger, Butler, Carter, Howell, Madison, McDonald, New Madrid, Oregon, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard, and Texas.

The Missouri State Emergency Management Agency will hold briefings next week for local governments and nonprofit agencies to begin the process of applying for disaster assistance.

FEMA teams coming to area

Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have begun visiting 10 Missouri counties impacted by the May 19-27 severe storms, tornadoes and flooding to help register affected individuals and households for FEMA assistance.

Over the coming days and weeks, teams of two each will spread out to Barry, Butler, Carter, Howell, New Madrid, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard and Texas counties to augment individual efforts to access federal disaster assistance.

The teams help survivors apply with FEMA and address immediate and emerging needs. They also can provide application status updates and referrals to community resources.

FEMA staff can easily be identified by their federal photo identification. Residents are encouraged to ask for official photo ID before providing personal information.

Residents do not have to wait to see a Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) team to register for assistance or get the status of your case. People can go online to disasterassistance.gov or call 800-621-3362 to do both. The team visits are an extra effort to help make sure everyone knows about, and has access to, disaster assistance.

Through its Individual and Households Program, FEMA can provide money to eligible applicants to help pay for a temporary place to live, make minimal home repairs, help with serious needs and potentially assist with other needs not covered by insurance.