In his first week on the job, Governor Roy Cooper emphasized the importance of helping communities in central and eastern North Carolina recover from Hurricane Matthew which struck in October. Cooper urged all impacted residents and businesses to register with FEMA before the end of Monday, January 9 so they can seek federal and state help if needed.
“Families and small businesses are still working hard to recover from Hurricane Matthew and we don’t want anyone to miss out on getting the help they need,” said Gov. Cooper. “Even if you think your insurance will cover your losses, I encourage you to register with FEMA.”
Registering with FEMA is the first step in finding out if you may be eligible for federal financial assistance. Disaster survivors may be eligible for financial assistance from FEMA, but they must first submit applications for low-interest disaster loans via the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Federal assistance may come in the form of grants to help pay for temporary housing, emergency home repairs or for other disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental services, transportation and funeral costs. Funding assistance also may be available through SBA which provides homeowners, renters and business owners with very low-interest loans to rebuild and repair damaged property and replace essential belongings.
Those who were impacted by the hurricane should register by January 9:
- Online at DisasterAssistance.gov, or
- Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 for voice, 711 and Video Relay Service. Deaf, hard of hearing or those who use a TTY, call 800-462-7585, or
- Download the FEMA Mobile App and apply.
Cooper urged those who have already registered with FEMA, to stay in touch. Notify FEMA of any changes in address or phone numbers as missing or wrong information could cause delays getting a home inspected or receiving assistance.
For more information on North Carolina’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4285 and readync.org. Follow FEMA on Twitter at @femaregion4 and North Carolina Emergency Management @NCEmergency.