Press release from Federal Emergency Management Agency
After you apply for federal disaster assistance, it is important that FEMA be able to contact you. Be aware that phone calls from FEMA may appear to come from unidentified numbers. Make sure that FEMA has your up-to-date contact information.
FEMA may need to call some survivors in Buncombe, Haywood and Transylvania counties to continue processing their application for assistance after Tropical Storm Fred. FEMA also may contact some survivors to obtain more information for their application.
If there are changes in your phone number, current address, banking or insurance information, you should let FEMA know as soon as possible or you may miss important telephone calls or correspondence.
You can update your contact information in several ways:
Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov.
- Call 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service. Lines are open from 7 a.m.-11 p.m. local time, seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.
- Download the FEMA app for smartphones.
- The deadline to apply for assistance is Nov. 8, 2021.
When calling applicants, FEMA specialists will have your FEMA identification number, telephone number and address of the damaged property. They will not ask for money; there is no charge to apply for FEMA assistance or to update your information. If you are suspicious about a caller, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 to verify that FEMA is trying to reach you.
FEMA also has Disaster Survivor Assistance teams canvassing impacted neighborhoods. These teams carry FEMA photo identification and never ask for payment.
For more information about Tropical Storm Fred recovery in North Carolina, visit fema.gov/disaster/4617 and ncdps.gov/TSFred. Follow us on Twitter: @NCEmergency and @FEMARegion4.
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