Hurricane Ian: Here's what FEMA has been doing to help Lee and Collier victims
This week, President Joe Biden granted an additional 30 days of 100% federal funding for debris removal and emergency protective actions so that the first 60 days of response are federally funded, according to FEMA.
Here is how FEMA is helping Floridians:
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Hotel Costs
FEMA will begin to directly pay hotel and motel coasts to survivors from hardest hit counties, including Lee and Collier.
FEMA directly pays hotel costs at participating hotels and motels in Alabama, Florida and Georgia that provide emergency shelter to survivors.
Applying for assistance
Nearly 300 Disaster Survivor Assistance specialists are going door-to-door in Florida to help survivors apply for assistance.
As of Thursday, these teams helped provide assistance for nearly 250,000 survivors.
Disaster recovery centers
FEMA and its state partners opened a center at the Lakes Regional Library, 15290 Bass Road, Fort Myers. A second center will be opening in Fort Myers soon.
Centers are accessible offices staffed by state, federal and volunteer organizations that let everyone access recovery information.
National Flood Insurance Program
Advance payments are being distributed and Florida policy holders have received $3.5 million so far.
Policyholders who had flood damage from the hurricane now have a 90-day window to renew their policies. The extension applies to policies with renewal dates beginning Aug. 25 through Oct. 23.
FEMA also extended the proof of loss requirement for flood insurance policyholders in Florida who suffered flood damage from Hurricane Ian from 60 to 365 days.
Critical Needs Assistance
FEMA approved Critical Needs Assistance for disaster survivors who have immediate or critical needs because they are displaced from their primary dwelling. Immediate or critical needs are life- saving and life-sustaining items. This assistance is a one-time payment of $700 per household.
Disaster unemployment assistance
Floridians should file a claim for loss of income caused by Hurricane Ian online at FloridaJobs.org and select “Apply for Hurricane Ian DUA,” by visiting a local CareerSource Career Center, or calling 800-385-3920.
Customer service representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Food
FEMA's feeding partners including the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Operation BBQ and the Southern Baptist Church, have served over 1 million meals to survivors.
Rescue
More than 4,700 people and 200 pets have been rescued by federal, state and local teams.
Visit missing.fl.gov if you or someone you know needs assistance or a safety check.
Safe and found persons can be reported safe at safe.fl.gov.
Rescue efforts and power restoration, with a focus on hospitals, healthcare facilities and barrier island communities continue to be top priorities.
Hurricane Ian Response
More than 2,800 FEMA staff are supporting Ian response efforts.
More than 1,300 other federal staff are assisting with the Ian response.
More than 1,800 emergency management personnel from 26 states were deployed to Florida through an Emergency Management Assistance Compact.
Nikki Ross covers education for the Fort Myers News-Press and Naples Daily News. She can be reached at NRoss@gannett.com, follow her on Twitter @nikkiinreallife, Instagram @reporternikkiinreallife or TikTok @nikki.inreallife.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Hurricane Ian victims in SW FL: Here's how FEMA is helping
