FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams are working in South Carolina areas affected by Hurricane Florence, but survivors with uninsured or underinsured losses should not wait for one of these teams to arrive before they register with FEMA.
DSA teams are equipped with latest mobile technology allowing them to register survivors for disaster assistance, update their records and make referrals to community partners. Team members tailor the information and services they provide to the individual survivor's needs.
Teams are canvassing in areas that are currently accessible and will expand their outreach when flood conditions permit safe entry into other areas. Five counties have been designated for FEMA Individual Assistance: Chesterfield, Dillon, Horry, Marion and Marlboro counties. Teams are in several of these counties every day.
Like all FEMA field personnel, disaster survivor assistance team members carry official FEMA identification. Residents are encouraged to ask for photo identification before providing personal information. Survivors don't have to wait for DSA teams to register for assistance. They can register in the following ways:
- Visit DisasterAssistance.gov;
- Via the FEMA mobile app, available for Apple and Android mobile devices. Download the app at www.fema.gov/mobile-app; or
- Call 800-621-3362 (800-462-7585 TTY); multilingual operators are available;press 2 for Spanish).
By registering with FEMA, survivors may qualify for federal disaster assistance such as:
- Help paying for rent or a temporary place to live.
- Financial awards for essential home repairs not covered by insurance.
- Awards for disaster-related needs not covered by insurance — such as medical, dental, transportation, funeral expenses, moving and storage fees, personal property loss and child care.
After registering for disaster assistance, survivors may be asked to fill out a low-interest loan application with the U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBA offers low-interest disaster loans for businesses and nonprofit organizations of all sizes, homeowners and renters. Completing a disaster loan application makes it possible for homeowners and renters to be considered for additional assistance. Applicants do not have to accept the loan if they qualify.
SBA applicants may apply online at DisasterLoan.sba.gov. More information about low-interest SBA disaster loans and application forms is available online at SBA.gov/disaster or by calling 800-659-2955 (TTY users call 800-877-8339) or via email to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Call SBA at 800-659-2955 to have an application mailed to you.
FEMA's Individual Assistance program is designed to help survivors with immediate essential needs and to help displaced survivors find a safe, functional place to live temporarily until they can return home. Many survivors may have additional needs beyond what can be provided by FEMA. The agency works closely with state, federal, faith-based and voluntary agencies to help match survivors who have remaining needs with other sources of assistance.
For more information on Hurricane Florence and South Carolina recovery, visit the South Carolina Emergency Management Division website at scemd.org, on social media (@SCEMD on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram), or FEMA's Hurricane Florence disaster web page at www.fema.gov/disaster/4394, or Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA, and the FEMA Region 4 Twitter account at twitter.com/FEMARegion4.