FEMA Disaster Assistance Available to Oklahomans

OKLAHOMA CITY– Oklahomans who sustained damage from the May 19-28 severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding may be eligible for disaster assistance under FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program. Currently, residents living in Blaine, Caddo, Custer, Delaware, Jackson, Mayes, Muskogee and Rogers counties may be eligible for disaster assistance. 

FEMA’s disaster assistance offers benefits that provide flexible funding directly to survivors when needed the most. In addition, a simplified process and expanded eligibility allows Oklahomans access to a wider range of assistance including serious needs.

Assistance Available

• Serious Needs Assistance (SNA) provides funding for households to cover important items like water, food, first aid, breast-feeding supplies, infant formula, diapers, personal hygiene items, fuel for transportation or other emergency supplies for eligible households.
  • To qualify for SNA, you must be displaced, need shelter or have other emergency costs due to the disaster on your application.
• Displacement Assistance (DA) provides people with up-front funds to assist with immediate housing options of their choice, to keep people housed. The money can be used to stay in a hotel, with family and friends or other options.

Serious Needs Assistance and Displacement Assistance are both funded after a completed inspection confirms eligibility.

Apply to FEMA
Oklahomans can apply to FEMA in several ways including online at DisasterAssistance.gov, downloading the FEMA App for mobile devices, or calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Calls are accepted every day from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. CDT. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service. To view an accessible video about how to apply visit: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance - YouTube.

Additional Assistance and Benefits

• Streamlined Application Requirements so people can apply to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and FEMA assistance at the same time.
  • Support for Underinsured People to help with aspects of home repair that insurance companies won’t cover, but they can’t afford on their own.
• Simplified Assistance for Entrepreneurs by providing self-employed people with some initial financial support to replace disaster-damaged tools and equipment to help them land on their feet.
  • Ex.: computers if you are a gig worker, lawnmower if you are a landscaper
• Expanded Habitability Criteria to help people make their homes safer and cleaner post-disaster and so they can repair all aspects of their home post-disaster.
  • Previously, if a home had a leaky roof pre-disaster, that area of the home wouldn’t qualify.
• Make Accessibility Improvements to help people with disabilities improve their living conditions by making their homes even more accessible than they were pre-disaster.
• Streamlined Temporary Housing Assistance Applications by reducing documentation requirements for applicants who need to extend their stay in FEMA-supported temporary housing.
• Simplified the Process for Appeals so people who wish to appeal FEMA’s decisions will no longer need to provide a signed, written appeal letter to accompany the supporting documentation.
• Computer Assistance for people who need to repair or replace disaster-damaged computers.

Rental Assistance for Temporary Housing

If you currently reside in Blaine, Caddo, Custer, Delaware, Jackson, Mayes, Muskogee and Rogers counties and suffered damage to your primary residence, FEMA may be able to provide rent for a temporary place to live while you are displaced. Rental assistance is intended to cover monthly rent, security deposit and cost of essential utilities such as electricity and water.

Major Repairs and Out-of-Pocket Expenses

FEMA’s Individuals and Household Program assistance is intended to help jumpstart your recovery. Here are some examples of basic needs:

• Home Repair Assistance may be provided to homeowners to repair the structural parts of your home. This includes windows, doors, floors, walls, ceilings, cabinets, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system (HVAC), utilities (electrical, plumbing and gas systems) and entrance ways. FEMA may also reimburse for the actual cost to repair or replace your furnace, private well and septic system that was damaged or destroyed by the disaster.

For the latest information visit fema.gov/disaster/4791. Follow the FEMA Region 6 X account at X.com/FEMARegion6 or on Facebook at facebook.com/FEMARegion6/.