FEMA sets up operations in Will County for July disaster relief

Will County — Federal Emergency Management Agency officials have arrived in Will County to assess damage and help residents file assistance claims related to the severe storms and tornadoes that hit the area in July.

FEMA opened a Disaster Recovery Center in Joliet on Friday for people who want to apply for relief in person, although hundreds have already done so online.

President Joe Biden signed a Major Disaster Declaration for the storms Sept. 23, more than two months after damaging storms and tornadoes struck northern Illinois between July 13 and 16.

“The disaster declaration was a week ago, and I arrived in the county today,” FEMA media specialist Troy York said Sept. 30. “Right now, our big effort is to register people with FEMA so they can get assistance.”

York joined other FEMA representatives who opened a Disaster Recovery Center on Friday in the building that houses the Will County Center for Community Concerns at 2455 Glenwood Ave. in Joliet.

Ten people were ready to apply for relief when the center opened at 8 a.m.

The center also has a representative from the Small Business Administration, who can take applications for low-interest loans from business owners who sustained damages.

York stressed the importance of registering within the 90-day relief period for anyone whose property sustained any damage in the storms.

I know sometimes dealing with the government can be cumbersome. But this is what our registration people are here for. They can walk everyone through it.”

—  Troy York, Federal Emergency Management Agency media specialist

“Once you register, it will get the ball rolling, and you’ll get a case number that will stay with you through the whole process,” York said.

Applicants for financial assistance can also register by phone at 800-621-3362 or online at disasterassistance.gov.

“I know sometimes dealing with the government can be cumbersome,” York said. “But this is what our registration people are here for. They can walk everyone through it.”

The Disaster Recovery Center will be open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

Even before the center opened, 966 people had applied online for disaster recovery funds, said Chelsea Bowen, preparedness and recovery manager for the Will County Emergency Management Agency.

“We definitely knew we’d have a lot of online applications,” Bowen said. “But we wanted to be as accommodating as possible for people who don’t have computers or who don’t have Internet.”

What relief is available

Among the “many programs” offered by FEMA for financial assistance after a disaster, the most common are funding to help repair damage or reimburse expenses for temporary housing.

“Each case is handled individually to see what people qualify for depending on how much damage was done,” York said. “No two applicants’ cases are ever the same. The important thing is to register, no matter what your insurance status is. Whether you’re insured, uninsured or underinsured, there are probably programs you can get help through.”

York noted that FEMA will not provide funds for anything insurance has already covered, but it may provide funding for costs that residents incurred beyond what their insurance would cover, such as extended stays in hotels or temporary rentals beyond what insurance would cover while repairs are ongoing, or claims that insurance companies rejected.

“Let’s say a property needs extensive repairs, and the insurance coverage falls short of the full cost,” York said. “FEMA will try to bridge that gap in coverage as much as possible.”

Although repair costs are available for property owners, York noted that renters also can be eligible for coverage to replace things inside a damaged property or for temporary housing costs.

FEMA also partners with the Small Business Association to help business owners secure low-interest loans to cover out-of-pocket costs not otherwise covered by aid funds.

“If you exhaust insurance and FEMA options and still come up short, the SBA can loan you money, and qualifying for those loans is quite easy,” York said. “They can be for repairs to property or for things like vehicles that were not fully covered.”

Other items that can qualify for aid or reimbursement include medical costs for injuries caused by the storm, the replacement of medical equipment in the home, and mitigation efforts for future disasters such as relocating fuse boxes or electric meters to safer locations within a home.

The loss of perishable food items due to extended power outages, however, is not covered.

Deadlines for applying

So far, York said there is not an estimate of how much funding FEMA will be providing in Will County since the process still is in the early stages.

Residents have through Nov. 19 to register with FEMA.

York advises all residents with any damage to register and apply, even if they already have had repairs made.

“They will need to bring documentation of what happened and records of insurance claims or receipts, but they can still get reimbursed,” York said. “They have nothing to lose by applying.”

York noted that “the more documentation, the better” for proving damage and qualifying for aid, but inspectors will come out to survey major damage.

York also noted that residents do not have to be citizens to apply if they have a family member in their household who is a citizen.

“You can apply on behalf of someone else in the household if they are a member of the family,” York said. “People should not be discouraged if they are not U.S. citizens. If, say, they aren’t but they have a child who is, they can apply on behalf of that minor child who was born here.”

Reporter Bob Okon contributed to this story.