Over $15 million in aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been distributed to Michiganders affected by last April’s severe storms and flooding, but the agency says more still might be missing out on disaster aid.
FEMA spokesperson Daniel Bernardy said the agency has already approved over 1500 applications, adding that many residents who have been denied could have just missed something in their application.
“In many cases we're just missing a piece of very simple information like proof of identity, proof of occupancy, proof of ownership, proof of insurance. These are simple things that we might be missing that can very easily turn what appears to be a denial into an approval.”
Bernardy also said residents who have already made repairs may also be eligible for federal assistance.
“Someone may have made repairs and insurance may have denied them. And in that case, there may be a possibility where FEMA might be able to reimburse for certain expenses."
He added that there are many expenses residents incurred during the severe weather event that could make them eligible for aid, including hotel stays, damaged property in apartments and more.
"There might be a situation where a tree fell onto your fence and that fence is damaged, we might be able to help with that. You may have broken your chainsaw when you were removing vegetative debris. We might be able to help with that," Bernardy said.
"There's dozens and dozens and dozens of scenarios, and what you need to do is talk to us. And we will triage your unique situation and get you on the road to recovery."
Those with aid questions can contact the FEMA helpline at 1-800-621-3362.
Residents may also visit Disaster Recovery Centers in Gun Plain Township or in other municipalities to speak with a FEMA representative in-person.
The Gun Plain DRC is located at the township's Fire Department near Plainwell.
The filing deadline for federal disaster assistance is August 31st.
