Residents Encouraged to Apply for FEMA Aid

There is still time for Louisiana residents to register for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Individuals and Households Program.

At the request of the state, the deadlines to register for assistance were extended to Dec. 3, 2008 for Hurricane Gustav and Dec. 11, 2008 for Hurricane Ike.

Aid for eligible applicants may come in the form of temporary rental assistance or hotel stays and grants or loans to repair or replace damaged property and belongings. The Federal assistance program will not cover all losses, but is designed to help people return to livable housing.

Residents can register for assistance by going online to www.fema.gov, or by calling FEMA at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 800-462-7585. If you have already registered with FEMA, and have questions about your disaster assistance application, you can also call 1-888-294-2822.

Those who register are asked to have pen and paper ready to take down their case number. The toll-free call takes about 20 minutes, and can be taken in any language.

The call goes more quickly if residents have the following:

• Social Security number (including spouse's)
• Address and zip code of the damaged property
• Directions to the damaged home or property
• Telephone numbers where FEMA can reach applicant
• Private insurance policy, if any
• Bank information to enable direct deposit
• Current mailing address

Twenty Louisiana parishes have been given the Federal Disaster Designation for Hurricane Ike and are eligible for disaster assistance to individuals and households: Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Iberia, Jefferson Davis, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Sabine, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Vermilion, and Vernon.

Fifty-three parishes have been designated for Federal disaster assistance to individuals and households for Hurricane Gustav: Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Catahoula, Concordia, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson Davis, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lafourche, La Salle, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Orleans, Ouachita, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Richland, Sabine, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Tensas, Terrebonne, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, Washington, West Baton Rouge, West Carroll, West Feliciana, and Winn.