FEMA in the Field – Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams Help Arkansas Residents

FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams (DSA) will be assisting survivors in Arkansas counties affected by the recent storms and tornadoes. These teams help survivors register for federal assistance, identify potential needs and help residents make connections with local, state, federal and voluntary agencies.

DSA teams are available at several locations in Arkansas including:

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) | Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Pulaski CountyFamily Assistance Center (City Center)315 N Shackleford, Little Rock, AR 7221110 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Pulaski County1300 Pike Avenue, North Little Rock, AR 721148 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Pulaski County1st Baptist Church401 1st St., Jacksonville, AR 720769 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Pulaski CountyDonation Center2301 Thornhill Drive, Sherwood, AR 721209 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Cross CountySears Parking Lot702 U.S. Hwy. 64, Wynne, AR8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

These teams can help survivors in many ways including:

• Assisting survivors as they register for FEMA assistance.
• Checking the status of an application already in the system and making minor changes to applications.
• Making callouts to faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, private sector (businesses) and public libraries that may have the capability to distribute disaster-related information to survivors in the impacted counties.
• Identifying organizations providing disaster-related services and/or resources to the general public for immediate and long-term recovery.
• Gathering situational awareness about impacts to communities.
• Providing flyers explaining how to apply for disaster assistance.
• Providing civil rights and disability integration assistance information to ensure equal access.

Information provided by the teams is tailored to the individual survivor’s needs and may include information on making temporary repairs to a disaster-damaged house, paying for another short-term place to live while permanent repairs are made and/or helping with serious, disaster-related needs not covered by other programs.  

DSA teams never require survivors to provide personal information. DSA team members can be easily identified by their federal photo identifications and FEMA clothing. Arkansas residents are reminded to ask for official photo identification before sharing personal information.

FEMA employees do not solicit or accept money from disaster survivors. FEMA staff never charge applicants for disaster assistance, inspections or help with registration.

Survivors do not need to contact a DSA team member to register with FEMA. Residents who sustained damage or losses caused by the recent severe storms and tornadoes can register with FEMA in the following ways:

• Online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
• Use a cell phone to register through the FEMA App; click “Apply Online for FEMA Assistance,” and you will be directed to DisasterAssistance.gov.
• If it is not possible to apply online, call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone lines operate from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. CDT seven days a week. If you use video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service.

By registering with FEMA, survivors may qualify for federal grants to pay for essential home repair or replacement or to rent a temporary home. In addition, help may be available to pay for other disaster-related needs, such as medical, dental, transportation and funeral expenses, moving and storage fees, personal property loss and childcare, not covered by insurance.

Registering with FEMA is also the first step in qualifying for help from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Low-interest disaster loans from SBA are available to businesses of all sizes (including landlords), homeowners, renters and private nonprofit organizations to cover losses not fully compensated by insurance. Low-interest disaster loans help fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged real estate and personal property.

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