Residents of some western Kentucky counties who were affected by last week’s tornado outbreak can now apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster assistance, following President Joe Biden’s approval of a major disaster declaration on Dec. 12.
Survivors in Caldwell, Fulton, Graves, Hopkins, Marshall, Muhlenberg, Taylor and Warren counties can apply.
Update:
Two FEMA mobile registration centers are now open in Dawson Springs and Mayfield to help tornado survivors apply for FEMA assistance.
FEMA mobile units are at these locations:
- First Baptist Church
960 Industrial Park Rd., Dawson Springs, KY 42408
- The old Walmart location
Mayfield Plaza, 1102 Paris Rd., Mayfield, KY 42066
Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Other ways to seek assistance include visiting disasterassistance.gov, calling 800-621-3362 or using the FEMA mobile app, according to a press release by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Applicants must provide the following:
- A current phone number and/or relay service number (if applicable)
- The address at the time of impact and current address (if applicable)
- A social security number
- A list of damage and losses
- Banking information (if choosing direct deposit)
- The insurance claim, policy number, agent and/or company name (if insured)
FEMA states disaster assistance may include financial aid toward temporary lodging and home repairs, as well as other programs to help those recovering from the storms.
Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) teams are slated to move into affected areas to provide assistance with applications, although survivors do not need to wait for these teams to apply. DSA teams can help with the following:
- Applying for federal assistance
- Checking the status of a submitted application
- Making minor changes to applications
- Providing civil rights and disability integration assistance
Those with homeowners or renters insurance must also file a claim with their insurance company, and FEMA cannot duplicate benefits for losses covered by insurance. The agency advises taking photos of damage for documentation, beginning cleanup and repairs to prevent further damage, and keeping receipts from purchases related to said cleanup and repair.
More information on Kentucky tornado recovery can be found at the FEMA website.
