Q: What needs to be done to sign up for FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) assistance?
A: Call today to register. Don’t wait. The number is 800-621-FEMA (3362). The website is www.fema.gov. You’ll be assigned a FEMA number that’s good for 18 months. By registering now, you’ll be in the FEMA system and ready to access any assistance for which you’re eligible. You might not yet know what you need or even that you’ll definitely need FEMA help. But there’s no reason not to register just in case. In certain situations, FEMA officials will need to visit your home and make an assessment. Regardless, make a call and sign up now. In addition, keep track of everything you spend for clean-up and recovery. Keep all your receipts so you can get reimbursed for any expenditure that qualifies. If you have trouble getting through to FEMA, call my offices so we can try to help. The number in
Waterloo is 319/232-6657. The number in Des Moines is 515/288-1145. The number in Davenport is 563/322-4331. The number in Washington is 202/224-3744. The Grassley office in Cedar Rapids has been displaced, so call the other locations for help if you’re in the Cedar Rapids area.
Q: What does FEMA assistance cover?
A: For more than 50 years, the federal government has assumed the position of insurer of last resort. The policy is not intended to discourage or take the place of private insurance, but rather to respond to certain kinds of disastrous situations. FEMA assistance starts before emergencies and disasters with FEMA-led efforts to prepare for those kinds of situations. After disaster strikes, FEMA can provide money for temporary housing, repairs to a primary residence not covered by insurance to make the home safe, sanitary and functional, and replacement of homes that are destroyed. FEMA can also help pay for things such as clothing and household items, clean-up with wet vacs and dehumidifiers, vehicles destroyed in disasters, and moving and storage expenses. FEMA funds may be available for crisis counseling, unemployment assistance and legal services. FEMA also can help to mitigate the effects of disasters. This can include relocating residents of flood plains, like the town of
Chelsea , Iowa after the 1993 floods. Congress funds FEMA through special appropriations. Today there is $5.5 billion in the disaster relief fund. When it runs out, it will be replenished. Replenishing those funds has never been a controversial issue among lawmakers.