Federal assistance is on the way for Hoosiers affected by the tornado outbreak at the end of March.
President Joe Biden approved a disaster declaration for 12 counties that saw widespread damage from the storm. The affected area stretches from as far north as Lake County — all the way south to Monroe County.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said teams will arrive Monday night and Tuesday to start “meeting survivors where they are” and getting them signed up for assistance.
“Reaching out, door-to-door, of the most affected counties that have been declared in order to ensure that the residents of Indiana are getting registered,” explained FEMA’s Brian Shiller.
FEMA officials emphasize that those who have already applied for local disaster relief through the state still need to fill out a new application for federal aid. The deadline to apply for federal aid is June 14.
Survivors can apply by going online at DisasterAssistance.gov, calling 800-621-3362, or using the FEMA mobile app. The helpline is open and available from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. Eastern Time in most languages.
FEMA asks survivors to have the following information ready when applying for assistance:
- Current phone number where you can be contacted
- Address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying
- Social Security Number
- General list of damage and losses
- Banking information if you choose direct deposit
- If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name
To watch a video on how to apply for assistance, go to youtube.com/watch?v=WZGpWI2RCNw.
Christopher Norris contributed to this story.
