Some FEMA denial letters might be error

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Issues with 911 addresses may have caused mistakes in denial letters sent to Missouri flood victims requesting assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Nearly 2,400 people across the state have registered with FEMA under this declaration, said media specialist Troy York.

About $13 million in assistance already had been approved, split among programs that help with assistance in alternative living arrangements and repair and replacement of homes and belongings.

FEMA urges residents who have not been approved for assistance to fully read any denial letter they receive and contact the agency again.

There may be ways to resolve the denial, York said.

Personnel at recovery centers open in Doniphan and Van Buren can help determine this, he said. A recovery center also is expected to open in Poplar Bluff next week.

“It is very important to stay in touch with FEMA,” York said.

The way the FEMA system interacted with the local 911 address may have incorrectly determined the applicant did not live at the address, York said. This has been a problem in other parts of the country.

Denials also can be issued because of information missing from the application, he said.

While these problems can be resolved through the website or call center, the best option is to visit a recovery center, York said.

“I highly recommend (residents) go to recovery centers with those kind of things so that all of their questions can be answered,” he said.

Address issues can be resolved by providing a utility bill, driver’s license or other documentation, he said.

Residents have 60 days from the June 2 date of the declaration to register with FEMA.

York encouraged anyone affected to register, even if they do not believe they need help at this time.

If they are not registered and problems are discovered later, FEMA will not be able to help, he said.

About 90 percent of the FEMA inspections have been completed for those who have registered, York said.

York also warned residents to be aware of scams. Anyone with FEMA should have credentials and never will ask for any type of payment to process claims, he said.

Other types of scams that often occur after natural disasters involve repair work, according to York. He recommended investigating any repair person to ensure they are licensed and legitimate.

Do not pay money up front, he advised. Taking a photo with the contractor and picture of their vehicle and license plate can help authorities find the person later if problems occur.

Recovery centers are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

Recovery center locations:

• Van Buren Youth and Community Center, 1204 Route D, Van Buren
• Ripley County Caring Communities building, 209 W. Highway St., Doniphan.

The Ripley County center will be closed from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday because of a previously scheduled event.