FEMA Eliminates Barriers for Tennessee Tornado Survivors

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — FEMA remains focused on reducing barriers and increasing opportunities for all Tennessee tornado survivors to receive support and assistance when they need it.

1. 1. 53. language barriers

FEMA speaks your language. We provide translation and interpretation services to reach out and communicate with disaster survivors who speak little or no English. Our telephone interpretation service can communicate in 117 languages. Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Specialists are available from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Press 2 for Spanish. Press 3 for an interpreter for other languages.

Assistance for the disabled

Disasters are traumatic for everyone, including people with disabilities. Twenty percent of the general population have some form of physical, mental health, sensory, intellectual, or cognitive disability. A disaster can take away the key components that enable individuals with disabilities to live independently or to communicate with others. Examples may be a lost wheelchair, walker, or assistive medical device. If you require an accommodation in accessing services or programs, Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362; specialists are available from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, seven days a week. Multilingual services are available.

• If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others:
  • Update the "Current Phone" field using the relay service phone number
  • Add "Relay Service" to the Note box; provide FEMA with your number.
    2. tools and other assistance

FEMA also provides free aids and services to help survivors communicate with us and vice-versa. We provide:

• Information in Braille, large print, or audio
• Information in accessible electronic formats on the FEMA website
• Qualified sign language interpreters
• Qualified multilingual interpreters
• Information written in numerous languages

If you need assistance to access a FEMA program or service funded by FEMA, please contact FEMA at (833) 285-7448 [ Press 1 for English, 2 for Spanish, 3 for the Language Line] or email FEMA-CivilRightsOffice@fema.dhs.gov.

1. 1. 6. wants to know

FEMA supports equal access to all programs and services available to eligible Tennessee tornado survivors in Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Gibson, Henderson, Henry, Lake, Obion, Stewart, Sumner, Weakley and Wilson counties.

If you have a complaint, you must report it within 180 days of the alleged discriminatory act. To report a concern or complaint of discrimination, please call FEMA External Civil Rights Division at (833) 285-7448 [ Press 1 for English, 2 for Spanish, 3 for the Language Line] or stay on the line for more language options, You may also send an email to FEMA-CivilRightsOffice@fema.dhs.gov; or send a letter explaining the issue to FEMA OFFICE OF EQUAL RIGHTS, External Civil Rights Division 500 C Street, SW Room 4SW-0915 Washington, DC 20472.

Once a complaint is filed, it will be reviewed by FEMA’s Office of Equal Rights, the complaint will be investigated, and attempts will be made to resolve any violations informally. If an informal resolution fails to resolve the complaint, enforcement proceedings may be instituted.

1. 1. 1. for FEMA assistance:

There are many ways tornado survivors may apply:

• Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov.
• Use the FEMA app, which can be easily downloaded to a smartphone.
• Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. The FEMA Helpline is your go-to resource for answers to questions about insurance or your application as well as to update information.

For more information on Tennessee’s disaster recovery, visit www.tn.gov/tema.html and www.fema.gov/disaster/4637. You may also follow FEMA on www.facebook.com/fema and Twitter@FEMARegion4.