Southampton County
P.O. Box 400
Courtland, VA 23837
News
Release: Click
here for PDF version
Date:
September
28, 2003
What
to Expect When a FEMA Inspector Comes to Your Home
RICHMOND,
VA - Virginians who have applied for disaster assistance
can expect to have their homes inspected by the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) once they have applied
for disaster assistance.
Nearly
300 FEMA inspectors are now in the field and continue
to visit homes in affected jurisdictions. The U.S.
Small Business Administration (SBA) and insurance
companies will also have inspectors in the field.
After
applying for disaster assistance by calling the
FEMA registration number 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or
1-800-462-7585 for the speech or hearing impaired,
a FEMA inspector will contact you to schedule an
appointment to inspect your home. When the inspector
calls, be sure to give clear, accurate directions
to the damaged property, the street address and
a current phone number where you can be reached.
Post office boxes do not show locations.
"We
are working quickly to meet the needs of those affected
by the disaster," said Federal Coordinating
Officer David Fukutomi. "A visit by an inspector
is one of the steps in the recovery process."
Here
are some of the things homeowners should be aware
of when a FEMA inspector arrives:
-
Always
insist they show an official ID. The face of the
FEMA ID says "United States of America."
Below is the person's photo and name. At the bottom,
is the FEMA seal and the ID's expiration date.
On the reverse, a warning states that the ID is
the property of the U.S. Government; and, if found,
should be dropped in any mailbox for return to
FEMA. The FEMA address is given and a barcode
also appears.
- An
official inspector will never ask for money.
- FEMA
inspectors never use vehicles bearing a FEMA logo.
Owners
and renters must show proof of occupancy such as
a valid driver's license and they will also be asked
to sign some forms. Owners must also show proof
of ownership.
The
inspection is free. It generally takes 30-40 minutes,
and consists of inspecting all areas of your home.
The inspector enters information into a hand-held
computer that sends the information to FEMA. This
speeds up the assistance process. The inspector
cannot determine whether an applicant is eligible
for assistance.
On
March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department
of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission
within the new department is to lead the effort
to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively
manage federal response and recovery efforts following
any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive
mitigation activities, trains first responders,
and manages Citizen Corps, the National Flood Insurance
Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
More disaster information is available on the Internet
at www.fema.gov or SBA information at www.sba.gov
Information is also available through the FEMA 24-hour
fax-on-demand service by calling 202-646-FEMA. The
Virginia Department of Emergency Management also
has an Internet site at www.vaemergency.com
Disaster recovery assistance is available without
regard to race, color, sex religion, national origin,
age disability or economic status. Anyone who believes
he or she has been discriminated against should
contact the federal or sate coordinating officer.
CONTACTS: Temp. FEMA News Desk - (804)-217-8952
NR#12 DR-1491-VA
Bob Spieldenner, VDEM - (804) 674-2409
E-mail: pio@vdem.state.va.us
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