FEMA Deadline Passed but Assistance is Still Available

While the deadline to register with FEMA passed on Nov. 25 for those affected by July’s severe storms, agency representatives are still available to answer questions and help Vermonters complete their applications. The agency also encourages applicants to stay in touch, especially if they have a change of address or other updates to their applications. 

To update your application or get answers to questions, call FEMA’s helpline at 1-800-621-3362. Phone lines operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (in your time zone), seven days a week. Help is available in most languages. If you use video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service. 

Vermonters were eligible to apply for two separate disaster declarations. The first took place July 9-11 in the designated counties of Addison, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Lamoille, Orleans and Washington. The second incident occurred July 29-31 in the designated counties of Caledonia, Essex and Orleans. 

Vermonters affected by both July storms were required to submit separate applications for each event.

Those who haven’t applied by the deadline and still want to register must submit a justification for why they missed it. Justifications may include: a record of hospitalization, illness, or disability of the applicant or an immediate family member; death of a family member; or proof of personal or business travel that kept the applicant out of the area for the full application period.

FEMA assistance specialists continue to follow up with applicants to make sure they are receiving all the funding to which they are entitled. So far, of the total 2,282 applicants who registered for the July 9-11 incident, FEMA has followed up with 1,706 and approved an additional $1.4 million. For the July 29-31 incident, specialists reached out to 245 registrants out a total of 313 and approved an additional $220,000.

As of November 25, Vermonters affected by the July flooding have received the following assistance: 

• For incident period July 9-11, more than $9.1 million has been approved. 
  • $5,395,139 for Housing Assistance  
  • $3,253,144 for Other Needs
  • $505,500 for low-interest disaster loans from U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
• For incident period July 29-31, more than $1.2 million has been approved. 
  • $728,185 for Housing Assistance
  • $477,183 for Other Needs
  • $31,200 for low-interest disaster loans from SBA