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Washington
–
As
South
Carolinians
continue
to
respond
and
recover
from
recent
severe
storms
and
flooding,
U.S.
Senator
Tim
Scott
(R-SC)
announced
information
about
registering
with
and
applying
for
federal
disaster
assistance
through
the
Federal
Emergency
Management
Agency
(FEMA).
Individuals
and
families
impacted
by
the
storms
and
flooding
in
eleven
counties
can
now
apply
online
at
www.DisasterAssistance.gov or
by
calling
1-800-621-FEMA
(3362).
Individual
Assistance
(IA)
is
currently
available
for
individuals
and
households
in
Berkeley,
Charleston,
Clarendon,
Dorchester,
Georgetown,
Horry,
Lexington,
Orangeburg,
Richland,
Sumter
and
Williamsburg
Counties
that
were
impacted
by
severe
storms
and
flooding
on
October
1,
2015
and
onward.
Individuals
and
Households
in
impacted
counties
that
have
yet
to
be
declared
eligible
by
the
Obama
Administration
for
assistance
are
still
encouraged
to
begin
the
process
of
registering
with
FEMA
for
possible
future
relief.
The
state
and
federal
government
continue
to
assess
damage
in
additional
counties.
Individual
assistance
for
impacted
individuals
and
households
available
from
FEMA,
include:
- Rental
payments
for
temporary
housing
for
those
whose
homes
are
unlivable.
Initial
assistance
may
be
provided
for
up
to
three
months
for
homeowners
and
at
least
one
month
for
renters.
Assistance
may
be
extended
if
requested
after
the
initial
period
based
on
a
review
of
individual
applicant
requirements.
- Grants
for
home
repairs
and
replacement
of
essential
household
items
not
covered
by
insurance
to
make
damaged
dwellings
safe,
sanitary
and
functional.
- Grants
to
replace
personal
property
and
help
meet
medical,
dental,
funeral,
transportation
and
other
serious
disaster-related
needs
not
covered
by
insurance
or
other
federal,
state
and
charitable
aid
programs.
- Unemployment
payments
up
to
26
weeks
for
workers
who
temporarily
lost
jobs
because
of
the
disaster
and
who
do
not
qualify
for
state
benefits,
such
as
self-employed
individuals.
- Low-interest
loans
to
cover
residential
losses
not
fully
compensated
by
insurance.
Loans
available
up
to
$200,000
for
primary
residence;
$40,000
for
personal
property,
including
renter
losses.
Loans
available
up
to
$2
million
for
business
property
losses
not
fully
compensated
by
insurance.
- Loans
up
to
$2
million
for
small
businesses,
small
agricultural
cooperatives
and
most
private,
non-profit
organizations
of
all
sizes
that
have
suffered
disaster-related
cash
flow
problems
and
need
funds
for
working
capital
to
recover
from
the
disaster's
adverse
economic
impact.
This
loan
in
combination
with
a
property
loss
loan
cannot
exceed
a
total
of
$2
million.
- Loans
up
to
$500,000
for
farmers,
ranchers
and
aquaculture
operators
to
cover
production
and
property
losses,
excluding
primary
residence.
- Other
relief
programs:
Crisis
counseling
for
those
traumatized
by
the
disaster;
income
tax
assistance
for
filing
casualty
losses;
advisory
assistance
for
legal,
veterans’
benefits
and
social
security
matters.
Individuals
and
business
owners
who
sustained
losses
in
the
designated
area
can
begin
applying
for
assistance
tomorrow
by
registering
online
at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or
by
calling
1-800-621-FEMA
(3362)
or
by
web
enabled
mobile
device
at
m.fema.gov.
Disaster
assistance
applicants,
who
have
a
speech
disability
or
hearing
loss
and
use
TTY,
should
call
1-800-462-7585
directly;
for
those
who
use
711
or
Video
Relay
Service
(VRS),
call
1-800-621-3362.
The
toll-free
telephone
numbers
will
operate
from
7
a.m.
to
10
p.m.
(local
time)
seven
days
a
week
until
further
notice.
Immediately
following
the
storms
and
flooding,
when
the
federal
government
approved
South
Carolina’s
request
for
a
Major
Disaster
Declaration,
Senator
Scott
created
a
special
page
on
his
Senate
website
(scott.senate.gov/FEMA)
with
information
for
individuals
and
families
about
the
FEMA
process.
This
page
will
continue
to
be
updated
as
additional
information
becomes
available.
Caseworkers
in
all
of
his
state
offices
are
also
available
to
assist
residents
with
issues
that
may
arise
after
submitting
their
application.
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