West Virginians: Just One Day Left to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The registration deadline for residents of Boone, Calhoun, Clay, Harrison and Kanawha counties to apply for FEMA disaster assistance for the Aug. 28-30, 2023, severe storms and flooding is one day away.

The deadline to register is tomorrow, MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. 

Survivors can register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for disaster assistance by using any of the following methods:

• Get the help you need to apply, check on your application, or ask questions with a phone call to 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone line operates from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service.
• Use the FEMA mobile app: https://www.fema.gov/about/news-multimedia/mobile-products
• You can also register with FEMA online at DisasterAssistance.gov through Monday, April 1, 2024.
• As long as you are registered by Monday, April 1, 2024, you can continue to work with FEMA and the Small Business Administration (SBA) to share additional documents, submit appeals, and check on the status of your application after the April 1 deadline – BUT YOU MUST REGISTER FIRST.

FEMA may refer you to the SBA for a long-term, low-interest disaster loan. SBA disaster loans are the largest source of federal disaster recovery funds for survivors. SBA provides these disaster loans to businesses, private nonprofits, homeowners and renters to help them recover. If you are referred to SBA, you are not required to take out a loan, but if you don’t fill out the application by April 1, you may not be eligible for certain FEMA grants. 

For more information about SBA loans, call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or visit http://www.sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also apply online via SBA’s secure website at http://www.sba.gov/disaster. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

Those who have experienced damage from the storms may be eligible for FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program.  This may cover expenses for home repairs, replacement of damaged personal property, repair or replacement of furnaces, private wells, roads and bridges, and other disaster-related needs, such as medical, dental or transportation costs not covered by insurance or other programs.

FEMA assistance for homeowners and renters may include grants for rent and home repair to their primary residence, as well as other serious disaster-related needs.

FEMA assistance is not dependent on income. The determination on the amount of disaster assistance an eligible applicant receives is based on disaster-related damage incurred as a direct result of the Aug. 28-30, 2023, storms and flooding and the amount of their insurance settlement, if any.

Disaster assistance for essential home repairs, replacement of personal property or for other serious needs does not count as taxable income. West Virginians affected by the severe storms and flooding who receive federal assistance will not lose Social Security or Medicare benefits, will not pay additional taxes, or give up income-based benefit programs.

For an accessible video on how to apply for assistance go to https://youtu.be/8-vWgNL1Crc?si=vTqhSV5xFqG66cVF

For more information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery, visit emd.wv.gov, West Virginia Emergency Management Division Facebook page, www.fema.gov/disaster/4756 and www.facebook.com/FEMA.