Helena, Mont. – Montana survivors in Carbon, Park, Stillwater, and Yellowstone counties have until Monday, August 29 to apply for FEMA assistance and receive in-person help at a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC).
Those who still need face-to-face help from FEMA or the Small Business Administration can visit either DRC until 6 p.m. on Aug. 29, 2022.
Yellowstone County
United Way of Yellowstone County
2173 Overland Ave., Billings, MT 59102
Hours of operation: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Saturday, and Monday (Closed on Sunday)
Carbon County (Mobile Disaster Recovery Center)
Church of the Rockies
7193 US Hwy 212, Red Lodge, MT 59068
Hours of operation:
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday Aug. 26
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27
(CLOSED on Sunday, Aug. 28)
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday. Aug. 29
It is not necessary to visit a DRC to apply for assistance. Applications for FEMA assistance can also be completed online at disasterassistance.gov, by calling 800-621-3362 or by using the FEMA mobile app. Applicants using a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, can give FEMA the number for that service.
FEMA financial assistance may include money for temporary housing, basic home repairs or other disaster-related needs such as childcare, transportation and medical, funeral or dental expenses. All DRCs are jointly operated by FEMA and the Montana Disaster & Emergency Services.
For an accessible video on how to apply for FEMA assistance, go to youtube.com/watch?v=WZGpWI2RCNw.
Support Will Continue for Affected Montanans
The end of the individual assistance application period and the closure of DRCs does not mean the end of assistance to Montanans. The State of Montana and Montana Disaster & Emergency Services will continue to provide valuable resources to survivors at floodrecovery.mt.gov. This page is devoted to state resources currently available to survivors and will be where future endeavors are announced.
Montanans can use that website to access information about disaster assistance for farmers and ranchers, access unemployment resources, and see updates on additional efforts to help disaster survivors.
Stay in Touch With FEMA
If you have already applied for assistance, you should notify the agency of any additional damage discovered since your home inspection. Be sure to update any changes in your mailing or email address, phone number, and the current status of your insurance settlements.
Appealing a FEMA Decision
Homeowners and renters who applied for FEMA disaster assistance have the right to appeal FEMA’s eligibility decisions. Survivors who don’t agree with FEMA’s eligibility decision may file an appeal in writing within 60 days of receiving their letter, even if the application deadline has passed.
Small Business Administration
Long-term, low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters, businesses, and nonprofits from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) may be available to cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other sources.
Homeowners and renters should submit an SBA disaster loan application even if they are not sure they will need or want a loan. If SBA cannot approve your application, in most cases you will be referred to FEMA’s Other Needs Assistance program for possible additional assistance.
Aug. 29, 2022 is the deadline to apply to the SBA for physical property damage. The deadline to apply for economic injury is March 30, 2023.
SBA is operating Business Recovery Centers (BRC) where applicants can meet with SBA representatives and get help applying for any of SBA’s low-interest disaster loans. BRCs are open in the following locations:
- Park County: Gardiner Community Center, 208 W. Main St. Gardiner, MT 59030. Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday – Friday. Closes 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 29.
- Park County: Livingston Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, 303 East Park St. Livingston, MT 59047. Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday – Friday. Closes 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 29
- Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via the SBA’s secure website at disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela. For more information or assistance with SBA disaster assistance please contact SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
Mitigation Assistance
Contact the FEMA Mitigation Helpline at 833-FEMA-4-US (833-336-2487) for information on resilient building practices. Mitigation specialists are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MDT. You can also email the team at FEMA-R8-Hmhelp@fema.dhs.gov.
For more information about FEMA’s support to Montana’s flooding and severe storms recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4655. Follow the FEMA Region 8 Twitter account at https://twitter.com/femaregion8.