How North Carolina Florence victims can get federal assistance

Residents in eight North Carolina counties could get federal help to clean up and rebuild.

President Donald Trump issued a disaster declaration that covers Beaufort, Brunswick, Carteret, Craven, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pender, Robeson and Sampson Counties. **Others to be added**

That means people living in those areas may be eligible for grants to get temporary housing, money for home repairs, low-cost loans, or funds to cover uninsured property losses.

Do you have insurance? If you have a homeowner's or flood insurance policy, file your insurance claim immediately before applying for disaster assistance. Get the process started quickly. The faster you file, the faster your recovery can begin.

The Insurance Information Institute offers seven tips to policyholders who will report Florence-caused property damages to insurers:

• Contact your insurer as soon as possible
• Document your loss
• Check with your insurer before discarding damaged items and materials
• Do not sign any contracts
• Know what emergency services are available
• Keep a claims-filing diary
• Sign up for Short Message Service (SMS)/text alerts

If you cannot return to your home, or if you are unable to live in your home because of disaster damage, visit DisasterAssistance.gov, or call 800-621-3362 (800-462-7585 TTY) (multilingual operators are available-press 2 for Spanish) to determine if state, voluntary, and local organizations are in your community to address your immediate needs.

If you can return to your home and it is safe, has working power, water, and sewer or septic service, visit DisasterAssistance.gov to determine if state, voluntary, and local organizations are in your community can address any unmet needs.

If you are in one of the affected counties, you will need the following to apply for assistance:

• Social Security Number;
• Daytime telephone number;
• Current mailing address and address and zip code of the damaged property; and
• Insurance information, if available.

Anyone in the designated areas can start applying for assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1 800-621-FEMA (3362).