SAY WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE HELP AND WHAT THEY NEED TO DO RIGHT NOW TO GET IT. ORKO: SAMANTHA WILLIAMS SURVEYS AT THE DAMAGE INSIDE HER HOME. THE FLOODED FLOOR IS MOSTLY DRY NOW. THERE ARE STILL SOME WET SPOTS. >> I HAD TO PULL UP ALL OF THE CARPET AND PADDING. STILL DOING IT IN THE BACK ROOM. ORKO: THE CARPET HAS BEEN PLACED IN A PILE ON HER FRONT LAWN. SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY HAS BEEN ADDED TO FEMA’S MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATION. FEMA SAYS THE FIRST STEP IS FILING A CLAIM WITH YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY BUT THEY ARE MAKING IT CLEAR THAT HELP IS FOR EVERYONE INCLUDING THE UNINSURED AND THE UNDERINSURED. THOSE INTERESTED SHOULD GO TO DISASTER RESISTANCE OUTGO. FEMA ALSO RECOMMENDS DOCUMENTING THE DESTRUCTION. >> TAKING PICTURES OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DAMAGE THAT YOU SUFFERED DURING THE STORM. ORKO: TIFFANY HIGHER IS DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY OPERATION AND SAYS THE HELP CANNOT COME FAST ENOUGH. FEMA WILL TAKE POINT TO HELP PEOPLE DIRECTLY, SHE SAYS THE COUNTY IS SETTING UP A DISASTER RELIEF CENTER TO SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS. >> IT WILL BE A ONE STOP SHOP TO INCLUDE STATE OR LOCAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN SUPPLY ASSISTANCE. ORKO: AS PEOPLE CONTINUE CLEANING THE MESS AND SALVAGING POSSESSIONS THEY SAY FEDERAL ASSISTANCE IS REALLY NEEDED RIGHT NOW. >> HOPEFULLY WE ARE ABLE TO GET SOMETHING EVEN IF IT IS JUST FOR THE CARPET AND CLEANING UP. EDIE: THE WEBSITE TO APPLY FOR THE HELP IS DISASTER ASSISTANCE.GOV. YOU CAN ALSO USE T
Affected by flooding in San Joaquin County? Here’s how to apply for FEMA assistance
Updated: 11:14 PM PST Jan 19, 2023
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, added San Joaquin County to its major disaster declaration for the State of California, now allowing individuals and households in the county to apply for financial help and direct services.This comes after floodwaters devastated parts of the county, such as Acampo and Woodbridge, by damaging homes and flooding streets this week.RELATED | How Acampo’s flood pump system failed despite it being relatively newKCRA 3 spoke to Marcus Coleman, FEMA’s Director for the Center of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, about what steps residents should take to apply for federal assistance. Coleman said residents should first file a claim with their insurance company.”If you have homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, starting the process through your insurance agency … is going to be the first and fastest form of initial assistance to help you in your home,” Coleman said.But Coleman made it clear that the opportunity to apply for FEMA’s help is open to everyone, including the uninsured and under-insured. Coleman said the next step for those interested is to go to DisasterAssistance.Gov to fill out an online form. Residents can also call 1-800-621-3362 or use the FEMA mobile app. Coleman said people impacted by the floods should also document the destruction.”Just taking pictures of the different damage that you might have suffered throughout the storm, those photos are going to be very important, not just for conversations with your insurer, but also with the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” Coleman said.While FEMA is the agency in charge of individual assistance, the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services said it will support those efforts. Tiffany Heyer, director of emergency operations, said they are planning to open a disaster relief center for the public by next week.”It’ll be a one-stop-shop. That’ll also include any state or local resources that are available to us at that point, any of our community-based organizations that can provide assistance to our residents,” Heyer said. “All of that will be in a physical location, so people who may not have access to the internet, or who are having issues accessing it, getting on to the website, it’s not verifying information, that will all be an in-person thing where they can come in, do it all at one time, get all of the resources that will be available, and then be able to have what they need.”Heyer said once the application for federal assistance is filled out, FEMA will decide what residents qualify, which could include housing assistance, food assistance or work assistance.Acampo residents, including Samantha Wiliams, said they are looking forward to receiving federal help. Wiliams spent all day and night Thursday pulling up her carpet and sweeping the wet spots on the floor left over from the flooding.”Hopefully we’re able to get some type of something, even at least just for the carpet and cleaning up,” Wiliams said.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, added San Joaquin County to its major disaster declaration for the State of California, now allowing individuals and households in the county to apply for financial help and direct services.
This comes after floodwaters devastated parts of the county, such as Acampo and Woodbridge, by damaging homes and flooding streets this week.
RELATED | How Acampo’s flood pump system failed despite it being relatively new
KCRA 3 spoke to Marcus Coleman, FEMA’s Director for the Center of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, about what steps residents should take to apply for federal assistance. Coleman said residents should first file a claim with their insurance company.
“If you have homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, starting the process through your insurance agency … is going to be the first and fastest form of initial assistance to help you in your home,” Coleman said.
But Coleman made it clear that the opportunity to apply for FEMA’s help is open to everyone, including the uninsured and under-insured. Coleman said the next step for those interested is to go to DisasterAssistance.Gov to fill out an online form. Residents can also call 1-800-621-3362 or use the FEMA mobile app. Coleman said people impacted by the floods should also document the destruction.
“Just taking pictures of the different damage that you might have suffered throughout the storm, those photos are going to be very important, not just for conversations with your insurer, but also with the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” Coleman said.
While FEMA is the agency in charge of individual assistance, the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services said it will support those efforts. Tiffany Heyer, director of emergency operations, said they are planning to open a disaster relief center for the public by next week.
“It’ll be a one-stop-shop. That’ll also include any state or local resources that are available to us at that point, any of our community-based organizations that can provide assistance to our residents,” Heyer said. “All of that will be in a physical location, so people who may not have access to the internet, or who are having issues accessing it, getting on to the website, it’s not verifying information, that will all be an in-person thing where they can come in, do it all at one time, get all of the resources that will be available, and then be able to have what they need.”
Heyer said once the application for federal assistance is filled out, FEMA will decide what residents qualify, which could include housing assistance, food assistance or work assistance.
Acampo residents, including Samantha Wiliams, said they are looking forward to receiving federal help. Wiliams spent all day and night Thursday pulling up her carpet and sweeping the wet spots on the floor left over from the flooding.
“Hopefully we’re able to get some type of something, even at least just for the carpet and cleaning up,” Wiliams said.
Clinton Mora is a reporter for Trending Insurance News. He has previously worked for the Forbes. As a contributor to Trending Insurance News, Clinton covers emerging a wide range of property and casualty insurance related stories.