How FEMA Can Help After a Flood

6/20/2022 (Permalink)

FEMA's Role in Flood Recovery

When a natural flood event happens in Elmwood, RI, even uninsured homeowners don’t have to weather the financial burden and recovery. A FEMA grant provides accepted households up to $36,000 for disaster relief. While this may not cover all the associated costs, it does provide relief. Before filing for a grant, it’s important to understand what the agency assists with.

Flooding Damage Relief
After an assessment of the damage is completed and a certified water damage restoration company has been secured to develop a restoration plan, you can expect the grant to help cover the costs for the following:

Roofs and Ceilings: If the storm wreaked havoc on the roof, these funds may be used to repair or replace affected materials.
Floors: While it may not cover replacement costs for new carpet or tiles, it will assist with any subfloor damage.
Windows: Broken windows related to the storm are included.
Property: The amount of property that is covered varies, but it may include the repair or replacement of HVAC systems, essential appliances and utilities.

Other Assistance
FEMA assistance comes in other forms besides ensuring your home is a safe and secure environment. Along with assisting with temporary relocation and related expenses, it may also help with child care and medical expense as well as replacing belongings, including:

• Clothing
  
• Job-required gear
  
• Educational tools
  
• Storage expenses
  
• Essential vehicle damage
  
• Disaster-related purchases
  
  

While these grants help with many different facets of the disaster, it’s also important to know that they will only be provided for up to 18 months. Typically, a household will receive around $5,000 a month to get their lives back on track.
Weathering a natural disaster comes with chaos and significant stress. While everything may seem hopeless, organizations like FEMA are there to help with grants that may not cover everything but still make recovery easier.