FEMA Representatives to visit local neighborhoods

Residents of counties affected by September flooding, severe storms, and tornadoes may soon see FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) teams and home inspectors in their neighborhoods.

Disaster Survivor Assistance teams come to local areas to offer survivors registration assistance, up-to-date information on their application status, on-the-spot needs assessments and referrals to help fill any outstanding needs. FEMA provides this mobile resource to help connect homeowners, renters, business owners, and faith-based and community organizations with the necessary resources to start the recovery process following an individual assistance disaster declaration

Home inspectors will also be in the field verifying damage for those who have applied for federal assistance.  Inspectors will contact homeowners and renters to schedule a time to meet to validate storm, flood and tornado damage that occurred between September 9th and 26th of this year.   Inspectors will display official photo identification. If the photo identification is not visible, it is important to ask to see it before starting the inspection.

Business owners and individuals who apply for a disaster loan with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) may also be contacted by a loss verifier who will inspect the damaged property. 

Representatives will be visiting  Lake, McCook, Moody, Minnehaha, and Brookings counties, along with the other six counties included in the latest federal disaster declaration, as well as the Flandreau and Yankton Indian Reservations.

A state and FEMA Disaster Recovery Center opened this week at the former Cars for Les building in Madison also to assist residents and businesses with disaster assistance.