Q&A about Federal Disaster Assistance due to April Flood

Late Friday evening the Cook County Department of Homeland
Security and Emergency Management announced that President Obama signed a
disaster declaration that will make federal funds available to Illinois
residents including communities in Northfield Township in Cook County.

How do I register for assistance?

Residents can visit www.disasterassistance.gov or call 1-800-621-FEMA
(3362) to apply for assistance.  The toll-free telephone number will
operate from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. CDT, seven days a week until further notice.

Within the next few days, a disaster recovery center (DRC) will
also be available for residents who wish to apply for assistance, in-person.

Please note that the assistance offered via the DRC locations is identical
to assistance available to residents who register via the phone number or
website listed above.  As a consequence, it may be much easier for residents with
telephone or Internet access to apply directly via phone or Internet.
Once the location of the DRC is selected by FEMA, it will be posted on
the Northfield Township Road District website.

What happens after I apply for assistance? 

In most cases, a FEMA inspector will contact applicants within a
few days of registering to arrange a visit to their damaged home or apartment.

A FEMA inspector will always have an official badge visible during the
inspection.   

Residents should request to see identification before allowing the inspector to enter their homes.

Applicants who qualify for FEMA assistance will receive a federal
government check or the funds will be directly deposited into their designated
bank account. A separate letter also will be sent to eligible recipients,
explaining how they may use the funds.

I reported damage to my local government already.  Do I still
have to call FEMA in order to receive assistance? 

YES.  THE ONLY WAY TO RECEIVE FEMA ASSISTANCE IS BY APPLYING
THROUGH FEMA (via the phone number or website above, or by visiting a Disaster Recovery Center when one is opened, later this week). 

Reporting damage to your local government assisted in documenting the significant impact needed in order to receive a Presidential Disaster Declaration.  Now that the Declaration has been issued, residents must apply for assistance directly through FEMA. 

 I don't know if I qualify for assistance.  What should I do?

All residents and business owners with uninsured losses in Northfield Township communities are strongly encouraged to contact FEMA. 

If you are not sure whether you qualify for assistance, you should call
the number listed above.  FEMA has trained representatives available who
can speak with you to help determine whether you are eligible to
receive assistance.

How to Apply for Assistance: 

Affected residents and business owners in Northfield Township
communities can begin the disaster application process by registering online
at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, as well as by web enabled mobile device at m.fema.gov

or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).

Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362. 

Applicants registering for aid should be prepared to provide basic information about themselves (name, permanent address, phone number), insurance coverage and any other information to help substantiate losses.