ATLANTA, Ga. – The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance after Hurricane Helene is coming soon, with the last day being January 7, 2025. FEMA has teams visiting the 63 Georgia counties affected by the storm to help homeowners, especially those who may not know they qualify for assistance.
These teams are going door to door, handing out flyers, and talking to residents. They are focusing on areas identified as being hard-hit or where people have already called for help. FEMA spokesperson Dasha Castillo explained that the county is providing lists of these areas so FEMA can assist the people who need it most.
One local resident, Gretchen Mathis, lives in a neighborhood where FEMA teams were visiting. While her home only lost some shingles, she mentioned that several of her neighbors had more severe damage, like fallen trees and power outages lasting over a week.
To apply for FEMA help, you can do it in four ways:
- Online at disasterassistance.gov
- Call FEMA at 1-800-621-3362
- Download the FEMA app at www.fema/app
- Visit a Disaster Recovery Center to speak with specialists in person (centers will be available soon in the Atlanta area).
Castillo mentioned that the purpose of visiting neighborhoods is to make sure everyone knows about the help available. This effort is especially important for people who might not have access to a Disaster Recovery Center, like elderly or bedridden individuals, who can register for assistance right then and there.
If you’ve paid for repairs out of your own pocket, you can apply for reimbursement, including for home repairs, personal property replacements, or even if your vehicle was damaged in the storm.
Castillo emphasized that recovery can take time, and it’s important for people to reach out to FEMA for help.