All you need to know if you are applying for FEMA disaster assistance

One of the biggest hurdles southwest Florida had to deal with after Hurricane Ian was FEMA. Many didn’t know how to apply, which forms needed to be filled out and how to get money.

People are concerned about how FEMA is handling all of the damage from both Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. FEMA is working on that since many are impacted by both storms.

Here’s the deal: if you have damage from multiple storms, you must submit them all in different applications.

WINK News Reporter Olivia Jean was in the Dean Park neighborhood in Fort Myers talking with neighbors about their experiences with FEMA.

Tia Burgos home got about a foot inside her home during Milton. She has now applied to FEMA three times; Ian, Helene and Milton. She said she has never had issues. They already gave her thousands of dollars for Hurricane Helene relief.

“For applying for FEMA, it’s no problem. I just literally went on my phone, and you push apply for assistance. All you’re gonna need is your information, your social you’re gonna need your bank account routing number so that whenever they do disperse funds, which they will, it goes directly into your bank,” Burgos said.

Burgos described the application process as simple. She said it took her 15 minutes to fill out.

But others in the Dean Park neighborhood say it’s not that easy. One woman was denied because FEMA tried to tell her she hadn’t paid taxes. Another man thinks it should be handled locally instead.

FEMA did say if you are impacted by both Helene and Milton, you can be eligible to get funds for both funds, as long as your county’s been declared a disaster. You must fill out a different application for every storm.

• FEMA: Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton: A Guide to FEMA Assistance for Florida Residents

You can apply on disaster assistance.gov, call 800-621-3362 or use the FEMA mobile app.

In the application, questions like what your current home situation is and what are your needs are asked.

Make sure to take pictures of the inside and outside of your home and keep receipts handy of anything you purchased for the hurricane.

After applying, FEMA will schedule an inspection to determine whether you get a payout. If you are approved for FEMA assistance, you may receive up to 770 dollars initially for immediate needs.

After that, you may qualify for more help.

As of Monday, the agency has already approved over 11.8 million in payouts for Milton.

If FEMA denies you assistance, they say you can appeal. If denied, they will give you a letter stating why with recommended actions to change their decision.

The deadline to apply for Milton’s assistance is December 11.