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If you want to directly deal with the aftermath of the storm and experience emotional distress, please call or send a text message to the disaster relief hotline 1-800-985-5990 for support. If you want to help those affected by tornadoes, you can donate to the Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund.
On December 10, a series of devastating tornadoes swept across the South and Midwest. Kentucky is believed to be one of the worst-hit areas, with 64 confirmed deaths so far.
On Sunday, President Joe Biden announced a major disaster in Kentucky, providing federal funds for those affected by the storm. People in Caldwell, Fulton, Graves, Hopkins, Marshall, Mulenberg, Taylor, and Warren counties are eligible for financial assistance during their recovery.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has various assistance programs to help. The following is what is available and how to apply for assistance.
If you have insurance, FEMA recommends contacting your insurance company before checking if you are eligible for federal assistance. Those insured who apply for additional assistance through FEMA will be required to submit their insurance claim documents.
The fastest way to get federal assistance is to apply online at Disasterassistance.gov or call 1-800-621-FEMA. You can also apply on the official FEMA app available on Google Play and Apple App Store. FEMA also offers face-to-face applications at the Disaster Recovery Center; visit Disasterassistance.gov to find one near you.
Applying for assistance to FEMA will determine whether you are eligible for various types of assistance, including:
Photos of the aftermath of the tornado show that many houses have been completely destroyed and many people are living in emergency shelters (currently there are 11 shelters open in Kentucky; dial 2-1-1 to find one near you).
In order to allow people to leave emergency shelters and enter private temporary shelters, FEMA provides funding for transitional shelters in participating hotels.
You must apply directly to FEMA for assistance and meet the eligibility criteria, including owning or renting damaged or destroyed houses in the affected county.
If you need a place to stay during home repairs, or you are looking for permanent housing, you may be eligible for rental assistance.
Eligible people include those whose houses cannot be lived in due to the disaster, those who agree to relocate, and those whose housing needs are not covered by insurance.
FEMA spokesperson Jaclyn Rothenberg said on Twitter on Sunday that the organization is actively working to help meet long-term housing needs, “because this will be a long recovery period, we need to act quickly.”
If you need to rebuild the entire house or even make basic repairs, you may get federal assistance. Remember that FEMA housing assistance only covers the basic needs to make the family safe, sanitary and livable again. A house inspection may be required to determine if you are eligible.
For more information, see FEMA Individual and Family Plans.
FEMA also provides a list of other federal assistance programs that survivors may be eligible to participate in. You can filter its database by category type, such as food and nutrition assistance.
FEMA will not provide assistance for losses covered by insurance, so it is recommended that you file a claim for damage caused by the disaster to the insurance company.
But this does not mean that the insured should not apply for federal assistance at all. In past disasters, FEMA recommends that insured persons still apply for federal assistance to meet unmet needs not covered by insurance or those who have exhausted their policy limits.
Only necessary equipment, such as air conditioners and stoves, will be repaired or replaced with FEMA funds; items that are considered non-essential, such as dishwashers, are not covered by federal assistance, but can be covered by your homeowner or renter’s insurance Inside. FEMA has previously stated that its assistance only provides basic needs to make families safe, hygienic, and functional. This means that the windows can be replaced, but the curtains cannot be replaced.
I am a consumer finance reporter for Forbes Advisors. I covered what happened in the news and how it affects your bottom line. I was rated as a personal financial expert in CNBC, Yahoo and other media. Finance, CBS News Radio, etc. I currently live in Paris, France, and am studying for a master's degree in communication. Follow me on Twitter @keywordkelly.