LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency is continuing its efforts to register Valley fire victims in order to determine their eligibility for federal assistance in the recovery process.
Federal assistance from FEMA and the Small Business Administration was activated when President Barack Obama issued a presidential major disaster declaration for the Valley fire on Sept. 22.
FEMA spokesman Steven Solomon said those impacted by the fire have until Nov. 23 to register.
Based on the latest available registration data, Solomon said there have been 2,046 FEMA registrations for victims of the Valley fire, which was fully contained on Tuesday at 76,067 acres.
He said another 815 have come from victims of the Butte fire in Calaveras County. That fire, also now fully contained, burned 70,868 acres. It was added to Obama's disaster declaration on Sept. 23.
As of Monday, Solomon said 22 FEMA inspectors are in the field responding to the wildfires, and have completed 1,300 inspections to determine eligibility.
Solomon said the agency is still working on determining housing options for fire survivors during the rebuilding phase.
He said the first choice is financing assistance for rentals of apartments or other types of temporary housing.
In addition, a small number of manufactured housing units may be offered to survivors if there are no apartments or other rental properties available within a reasonable commuting distance, Solomon said.
To qualify for those units, Solomon said FEMA will have preplacement interviews with applicants. Inspectors also will check location sites for debris removal and utilities, with sites only being eligible if they are outside of a flood plain and large enough to accommodate the housing units.
He said the residents would then need to meet with FEMA every 60 days to recertify the need for mobile housing unit.
Solomon said that on Tuesday that there were no FEMA mobile housing units in Lake County, as they were still determining need.
FEMA continues to encourage people to file claims with their insurance and to register with FEMA so that their eligibility can be determined.
Solomon said FEMA does not charge victims to register. In addition, federal assistance is not taxable so it does not affect Social Security payments.
He said anyone independent of FEMA who tells fire survivors that they can expedite the FEMA process for a fee is a scammer.
When speaking with someone who says they are a FEMA representative, be sure to check for their identification badge, he said.
If a person has questions about someone impersonating a FEMA official, he said they should call FEMA directly at 800-621-3362 to begin the registration process.
Valley fire survivors can register for FEMA assistance the following ways:
– online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov ;
– by using a Web-enabled mobile device at http://m.fema.gov ;
– by calling 800-621-3362; TTY 800-462-7585; 711 or for Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.
Two FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers remain open: at the Middletown Senior Center, 21256 Washington St. and at 14860 Olympic Drive, Clearlake.
Hours for both centers are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.
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FEMA continues registrations, updates plans for housing
- Elizabeth Larson
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