06/18/2019

Presidential disaster declaration issued for Ohio

Ohio was awarded a presidential disaster declaration for individual assistance (IA) today for 10 counties that were impacted by the Memorial Day tornado outbreak: https://governor.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/governor/media/news-and-media/061819.

A few key things to keep in mind (and to share with your constituents in the affected areas):

• Households and businesses can register for FEMA assistance via www.disasterassistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362 (TTY 1-800-462-7585).
• Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) will be opened in the affected areas in the coming days. The centers will be staffed by FEMA personnel and affected residents can visit the DRCs to apply for FEMA assistance in person.
• Everyone who suffered damages or losses due to the tornadoes is encouraged to apply for assistance.

o   If insured, FEMA will automatically deny assistance. This denial is routine protocol and can be appealed. In order to appeal an initial denial due to being insured, households must provide FEMA with verification that the disaster loss is greater than the insurance settlement by contacting FEMA to update their application for assistance.

• All households should complete a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan application if one is received. Some households will not receive a SBA loan application, and a household will not be offered a loan if they are not able to provide collateral. If a household applies for and is denied a loan, they may be eligible for FEMA Other Needs Assistance (ONA) based on need. However, if a household does not complete the SBA application, they will not be eligible for ONA.

o   Both businesses and homeowners can apply for SBA disaster loans.