FEMA and federal partners continue Ian’s response and urgent community recovery

WASHINGTON — FEMA has approved more than $70 million for Florida survivors to jump-start recovery efforts, as disaster survivor assistance teams verify survivors, help with requests for federal assistance in disaster response and answer questions about the types of federal assistance available. Teams are now visiting shelters to help survivors seek help.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell will travel to Florida on Wednesday with President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. to inspect heavily damaged areas and meet with response officials about ongoing efforts to assist survivors and hard-hit communities.

Disaster recovery centers will begin opening today. Centers are accessible offices operated by state, federal, and voluntary organizations that allow everyone to access recovery information.

The Blue Roof operation is now available to property owners in Charlotte and Lee counties. Owners can register online at blueroof.us or call 1-888-ROOF-BLU (1-888-766-3258) for more information.

Safety Considerations for Residents

• Beware of frauds and scams. All FEMA employees carry government-issued identification. Federal and local disaster workers do not solicit or accept money. Call the FEMA Helpline immediately at 800-621-3362 if an inspector comes to your home, but you haven’t requested assistance. It could be a sign of identity theft. Do not trust those who offer financial assistance and then ask for money or personal information.
• Clean mold and flooded items. Be sure to disinfect anything that has touched the flood waters. Any structure that has been flooded may have mold. Scrub mildew from hard surfaces with detergent and water and dry completely.
• Pay attention to rumours. Do your part to stop the spread of rumors by finding and sharing information from trusted sources and discouraging others from sharing information from unverified sources. Find facts about common disaster-related rumors on FEMA.gov.

• Only use a generator outdoors and away from open doors and windows. Generators are useful during a power outage, but can pose serious health and safety risks. ready.gov learn how to use a generator safely.

State, federal response actions

• Rescue efforts, with a focus on hospitals, health facilities and barrier island communities, and the restoration of electricity remain a priority. More than 3,600 people and 185 pets have been rescued by state and federal teams. Visit missing.fl.gov if you or someone you know needs help or a security check. Safe and found people can be declared safe at safe.fl.gov.
• More than 2,600 FEMA staff support Ian’s response efforts. More than 1,300 other federal employees are involved in Ian’s response. More than 1,800 emergency management personnel from 26 states have been deployed to Florida under an emergency management assistance contract.
• The U.S. Coast Guard coordinates combat rubber raiding craft and civilian tour boats to evacuate survivors, provide food, water, and medical evacuation service on Pine Island. The National Guard and Coast Guard land helicopters on barrier islands to conduct search and rescue missions. A Fish and Wildlife Service incident management team and heavy equipment task force are clearing roads, clearing debris, and transporting personnel and supplies to Sanibel Island to support operations first responders.
• Florida officials provided 4,000 gallons of diesel to Lee County to power emergency generators to supply water to nearby hospitals. The state is also providing 1.2 million gallons of water from Lakeland to Fort Myers for waterless hospitals.
• Field kitchens in the hardest hit counties are operational. Yesterday, food partners distributed 96,000 meals and 1,000 ready-to-eat meals.

• The Department of Agriculture has approved a waiver to allow the purchase of hot foods with SNAP benefits and will issue food replacement funds for affected households. The Florida Department of Children and Families operates Family Resource Support Centers for access to resources and support. The centers are staffed with disaster recovery specialists.

Resources to start recovery

• Florida survivors can apply for federal assistance at www.disasterassistance.gov, by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or using the FEMA app. Survivors using a relay service, such as video relay service, captioned telephone service, or others, give the FEMA operator the number for that service. To reduce your wait time on the phone, try calling early in the morning or late at night.
• Policyholders of FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program can start a claim when they are evacuated. They should ask their prepayment agent to receive up to $20,000. If you need help reaching your flood insurance agent or carrier, call 877-336-2627. Visit Floodsmart.gov to start a flood insurance claim,
• Small Business Administration disaster loans are available for businesses, homeowners, renters, and nonprofits in select Florida counties. The SBA opened a business recovery center in Hillsborough County on Monday. Candidates can also apply for sba.gov under declaration #17644. For assistance, call 800-659-2955 or email DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov.
• Floridians who use veterans medical centers and clinics and need emergency care services should call 877-741-3400. Find a list of open VA centers or pharmacy refill points at VA.Gov.
• Mental health resources are available. Emotionally distressed survivors can call or text Disaster Hotline at 800-985-5990. The National Helpline provides free 24/7 advice to people experiencing emotional distress related to a natural or man-made disaster. Deaf and hard of hearing callers can use a videophone or ASL Now.
• If you need help locating a missing friend or relative, call the Red Cross at 800-733-2767 and provide as much detail as possible to help us possibly locate your missing loved one(s). You can also fill out a form at missing.fl.gov for yourself or with the last known location of your loved ones.
• The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children provides free reunification assistance for children and families affected by disasters. If you or someone you know misses a child related to a disaster or any other incident, please call 911 immediately and then 800-THE-LOST for assistance.
• If you need help with damage from Hurricane Ian, call the Crisis Cleanup Helpline at 800-451-1954. You will be connected with volunteers from local relief organizations, community groups and faith communities.
• When lives are turned upside down by a flood or hurricane, treasured possessions such as heirlooms, photos and other keepsakes become more precious. FEMA.gov has multilingual resources to help recover items damaged by hurricanes and floods.
• FEMA has published an Ian webpage that includes information on how to donate, volunteer, dispel rumors, and find help. The page is available in several languages.
• The Internal Revenue Service has announced that Hurricane Ian survivors now have until February 15, 2023 to file various personal and business income tax returns and make tax payments.

How you can help

To get the most out of your contributions, follow the guidelines for donating and volunteering responsibly.

• To volunteer with Hurricane Ian recovery, visit the official Florida Volunteer Portal at VolunteerFlorida.org. A list of agencies offering volunteer opportunities is available on the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster website at www.nvoad.org.
• Money is the best gift. After a disaster, people still want to help, but it’s important to donate responsibly. When people support voluntary organizations with financial contributions, response organizations can buy what they need. Find national and local charities on www.nvoad.org.