If you have unpaid bills resulting from the damage caused by the July 15 tornadoes in Kewanee, FEMA is here to help.
And “here” means right here in Henry County.
FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has set up a Disaster Recovery Center at the Henry County Office of Emergency Management facility on Routes 34 and 78 just south of Kewanee.
The center is staffed by 10 FEMA employees who are ready to help people determine if they’re eligible for assistance, and assist with filing their applications for the funds.
FEMA Public Information Officer Leyla Gulen said people who had property damage from the storm, or who went without electricity for a long time, or in some other way had a financial loss, can apply for FEMA assistance.
“The damage goes far beyond the front door,” Gulen said. FEMA can reimburse people for food that was destroyed by lack of refrigeration, for medication they required and so on.
People who have offices in their homes can also get reimbursement if the office was damaged.
Insurance is “the first line of defense” for storm victims, Gulen said. FEMA funds can cover what insurance doesn’t, she said.
Henry County residents affected by the storm can find out what expenses can be reimbursed by visiting the Disaster Recovery Center between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. seven days a week. The center will be open until Nov. 19. People seeking assistance should bring along any receipts or other documentation of storm-related expenses.
FEMA also offers disaster survivor assistance, or DSA, to people affected by the storm.
DSA people will be going door to door in areas most severely affected by the storm, Gulen said, and offering FEMA assistance if the people are eligible for it.
The DSA campaign aims to “make sure that no one is left behind,” Gulen said.
DSA people have ID, and “We will never ask for money,” she said.
FEMA also works with the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide low-interest loans to businesses impacted by the storm.
Gulen urged anyone impacted by the storm to come to the Disaster Recovery Center and speak with FEMA personnel.
“The worst thing you can do is to not apply,” she said, “because you don’t know what you could be eligible for.
“We can’t make you whole again,” she said, “but we can ease the burden.”
Henry County is one of seven Illinois counties that were declared disaster areas by Gov. J.R. Pritzker following the storms. Gulen said FEMA has appropriated just over $14 million statewide for disaster relief for people impacted by the storm.
