According to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, Individual Assistance from FEMA is now available to 13 more counties, including Starke and Pulaski.
Now that Starke and Pulaski counties are eligible for Individual Assistance, homeowners and renters whose primary residence was damaged by the flooding that occurred between February 14th and March 4th can apply for federal disaster assistance.
The funds are intended to cover uninsured losses for flood damages. Individuals are encouraged to register with FEMA before the deadline of Thursday, July 5th.
In a press release, Starke County EMA Director J. Nier noted a few things that residents must keep in mind when applying for individual assistance.
FEMA grants are meant for costs to return your home to a safe, sanitary and functional condition so damage to non-essential space or property is not eligible under FEMA programs.
She added that the flood damage must have occurred at a primary residence and FEMA cannot pay for damage covered by insurance or duplicate benefits from another source.
Those impacted by the flood looking for good water damage restoration company should apply for Individual Assistance can register in a few different ways. You can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or download the FEMA App to apply.
Individuals can also call the toll-free FEMA Helpline at 800-462-7585. Multilingual operators are available 7 days a week from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. CST. If you are deaf, hard of hearing or if you have a speech disability and use a TTY call 800-462-7585. Click the following link to view information about the registration process in American Sign Language.
In similar news, Public Assistance is now available to Pulaski County. This type of assistance provides grant funds for emergency work and the repair or replacement of flood-damaged infrastructure. It is not available to individual residents but instead goes to the department heads responding to flood damage.
If you have any specific local questions, call your County Emergency Management Agency Director. Starke County EMA Director Nier can be reached at 574-772-9182 while Pulaski County EMA Director Sheri Gaillard can be contacted at 574-946-6391.
