FEMA Wildfire Disaster Assistance March 10 Deadline Fast Approaching

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is urging residents affected by the Eaton Fire to apply for disaster assistance before the approaching deadline. With applications closing on March 10, FEMA officials are working to ensure all eligible individuals know they can still seek federal aid for fire-damaged homes.

“With four days left, we are hearing that there may be some people that need to hear our message that they too can apply for disaster assistance and should do so,” said La-Tanga Hopes, Media Relations Specialist with FEMA’s Disaster Operations Division.

FEMA’s disaster assistance is available to anyone who incurred damages where their home is no longer safe, sanitary, or functional compared to what it was prior to the fire. This typically includes homeowners without insurance or within inadequate coverage, renters, independent students, and self-employed people who were affected by the wildfire.

Residents can apply through different methods.

“They can simply call 1-800-621-3362 — when calling, they can complete their application using their mobile phone. They can also go to disasterassistance.gov and complete their application online, or they can find the FEMA app and get connected to complete their application,” Hopes explained.

For those needing in-person assistance, a Disaster Recovery Center is available in Altadena at 540 West Woodbury Road. The center offers “one-stop resources” where visitors can receive help not only from FEMA but also from state and county representatives.

Those unable to visit the Altadena location can find other centers by going to fema.gov and typing “DRC” (the acronym for Disaster Recovery Center), followed by their zip code to find the nearest facility.

After applying, FEMA typically sends an inspector to visit and assess damage to the home.

“They’re going to do an assessment that’s the beginning of the application process,” Hopes said.

Following the inspection, applicants may need to provide additional documentation or paperwork. Eventually, applicants will receive a letter of determination or may receive funding if eligible.

“If you checked off all the boxes and answered all the questions correctly, your funding, should you become eligible, becomes immediately available to you,” Hopes added.

Many disaster victims begin with FEMA’s transitional sheltering assistance program for temporary housing. For longer-term needs, the rental assistance program can provide substantial relief.

“Should you find yourself in a situation where you do need support with further rental assistance, FEMA can provide you with that resource,” said Hopes. “This program can be extenuated in increments of three months at a time… once you become eligible for the program, we would encourage you to stay in touch with FEMA because this program can continue for up to 18 months if need be.”

FEMA offers several other types of assistance.

“If I understand correctly, there were many childcare facilities that burned down in the Altadena community. If that is the case, we would want people to know that FEMA could possibly provide childcare assistance,” Hopes explained.

The agency can also help with medical and dental expenses, transportation costs, and miscellaneous needs such as humidifiers.

For those who lost tools or equipment needed for self-employment, FEMA may provide funding for replacement.

“If they’ve lost their tools, their laptop, even — if they’re an artist — the piano, guitar, whatever it is that you use to sustain your self-employment, you will need to provide receipts, go through that process, and you too can apply and become eligible,” Hopes noted.

If applicants disagree with FEMA’s determination, they can file an appeal within 60 days. Appeals can be submitted by mail or fax (808-278-1112) and should include the applicant’s personalized FEMA number, name, and telephone number on each page. Officials recommend outlining what the applicant disagrees with and gathering documentation showing additional damage or information that may not have been previously considered.

For property owners planning to participate in no-cost debris removal, a right of entry form (ROE) must be completed by March 31. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has already completed the first phase of removing hazardous household materials from properties.

Now, the United States Army Corps of Engineers needs the right of entry form because “they cannot come on your property to complete that second phase unless that form has been completed,” according to Hopes.

Another term residents might hear, Hopes said, is “PPDR,” which “just simply means your personal property.”

“We want to make sure that people that have still standing homes, this is very important, know that they too should apply for disaster assistance,” Hopes emphasized. “We’d like for senior citizens to know that if they need support in applying for disaster assistance, they can either call that 800 number or they can come down to the Disaster Recovery Center.”