Storms impacted areas across Shelby County on July 8. A lot of damage was visible from the Sardis-Campti area to the James Community.
August 25, 2024 - The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is providing disaster assistance to those impacted by Hurricane Beryl, and the deadline is October 10, 2024.
FEMA representatives are in Shelby County working with local officials such as Luciana Barr, Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator, to help connect them with residents to get them the assistance they may need due to the impacts of Hurricane Beryl which brought tornadoes to Shelby County on July 8, 2024.
Gabriel Gonzalez, Public Information Officer for FEMA, says the agency is hopeful to have a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Shelby County soon; however, in the interim the closest facility location is in Nacogdoches County.
“The Nacogdoches DRC is 40 minutes away, so if somebody needs to really put in an application that would be the other way if they want to get a one-on-one [meeting],” said Gonzalez.
Emergency crews, and area residents responded to help clear the area of heavy debris across State Highway 7 and other roadways.
Gonzalez says the straight line wind and tornado damage coverage for the tornadoes and flooding that was in Shelby County between April 26 and June 5 was closed on August 15. He explained that if a constituent or survivor had a life event which prevented them from filing for this assistance, such as being in the hospital, or they were in the military and deployed, that person can write a letter and still get in for that assistance.
“For Hurricane Beryl, we’re open until October 10,” said Gonzalez.
Gonzalez confirms, Shelby County has also been approved for Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA). According to FEMA, DSA primarily focuses on addressing the needs of disaster survivors by collecting targeted information to support leadership and operational decision-making, providing accessible, in-person case-specific information and referrals, providing referrals to whole community partners, as needed, and identifying disability-inclusive public information needs so strategic messaging can be developed and disseminated.
According to information provided by Gonzalez homeowners and renters in Austin, Bowie, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Orange, Polk, San Jacinto, Shelby, Trinity, Walker, Waller, and Wharton counties can apply for FEMA assistance for uninsured losses caused by Hurricane Beryl.
You can apply for assistance in one of the following ways:
- Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov.
- Download the FEMA App for mobile devices.
- Call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. CT. Help is available in most languages.
- Visit a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC).
- Disaster Recovery Centers operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday – Saturday, closed Sunday. Any DRC can help with both Hurricane Beryl and the April 26 – June 5 storms and flooding. To find a center location near you, go to fema.gov/drc. The best times to call are early morning or early evening.
FEMA Continues Assistance to Texans
FEMA specialists continue working in the 19 counties impacted by Hurricane Beryl to help people apply for assistance. As of August 19, they have visited more than 109,000 homes and have interacted with over 25,000 residents. FEMA has operated 33 Disaster Recovery Centers visited by more than 32,000 residents. More than 900 families with 18,000 members have stayed in hotels temporarily at FEMA expense because they could not return to their homes.
Timpson Volunteer Fire Department was a main location for emergency personnel to organize as the storm blew through the area on July 8. Commissioner Tom Bellmyer is seen (pictured above) coordinating with fire department and Texas DPS personnel.
Personal Property Assistance
FEMA assistance is limited to basic needs; however, aid may be available for personal property if you are uninsured or underinsured. Personal property includes appliances: clothing, home furnishings, tools required for work and school such as computers, and items required for eligible applicants with disabilities.
Many Forms of Assistance Available
Texans recovering from Hurricane Beryl may need FEMA assistance for basic home repairs, rental of temporary housing and other uninsured expenses. A fact sheet providing details is available here: Many Forms of Assistance Available.
SBA Business Recovery Centers
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters, private nonprofit organizations, and businesses of any size. The SBA disaster loan program is designed to help survivors with their long-term recovery needs. Texans can apply for an SBA disaster loan online at SBA.gov/disaster or get additional information by calling 800-659-2955. SBA representatives are available to provide one-on-one assistance to disaster loan applicants at Disaster Recovery Centers throughout the affected area. As of Aug. 19, SBA has approved $278.9 million in disaster loans for both disasters.
Additional Resources
- Crisis Counseling: Call the Substance and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) at 800-985-5990; for Spanish, press "2").
- If you believe you are the victim of a scam, report it immediately to your local police or sheriff's department or contact the Office of the Texas Attorney General Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-621-0508. If you have knowledge of fraud, waste or abuse, you can report this information to the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721. You can also email StopFEMAFraud@fema.dhs.gov.
- Disaster Legal Assistance: Call the Texas State Bar Legal Hotline at 800-504-7030 Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Phones are answered in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.
- Disaster Unemployment Assistance: Apply online through Unemployment Benefit Services or by calling 800-939-6631 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday - Friday. Applications must be submitted by Sept. 9, 2024, and should specify that they are related to Hurricane Beryl.
- For information on replacing documents: see Replacing Lost Documents.
- WIC Benefits: WIC Texas | Texas WIC or call 800-942-3678.
