East Texas Was Battered By A Series Of Severe Thunderstorms Last Week That Did Major Damage To Areas Of Tyler.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is in the City of Tyler, visiting homes, churches and businesses to help with disaster claims.

Personnel from the Disaster Survivor Assistance division, wearing badges and FEMA vests, will go door to door from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily to explain the process, give updates or assist with filling out claims.

What kind of help can FEMA provide?

FEMA may provide Serious Needs Assistance, Displacement Assistance, Home Repair Assistance, Rental Assistance, Personal Property Assistance, Transportation Assistance, Medical and Dental Assistance, and Funeral Assistance for eligible applicants.

FEMA claims are separate from the iSTAT Damage Surveys by the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM). However, FEMA personnel will prioritize visiting areas where many residents have filled out the iSTAT.

If you are not home when FEMA personnel stop by, they will leave a flyer with information and ways to contact them.

To qualify for FEMA assistance, you or a member of your household must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national or qualified non-citizen. However, undocumented families with diverse immigration status only need one family member (including a minor child under 18) who is a United States citizen, non-citizen national or qualified non-citizen and has a Social Security number to apply.

To apply:

• 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. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service.

FEMA urges property owners and renters to save all receipts, photos, insurance claims and any other documentation related to the damage on the claims. After submitting the claim, individuals will receive a letter in the mail within 10 days to confirm their status or request more documentation.

If the letter says "Denied," please continue reading to see what steps you can take to continue your application. This may be as simple as submitting a photo of your driver's license or proof of property ownership.

The deadline to apply is July 16.

After receiving the letter, an inspector will be scheduled to visit your property. Be sure to have a list of all damage you would like to report to expedite this process.

Claims can be appealed up to 30 days after the verdict. The City of Tyler is working with TDEM and FEMA to set up a Disaster Recovery Center to have a centralized location for all questions and assistance through this process.

For frequently asked questions and answers, visit Q&A: FEMA Individual Assistance | FEMA.gov. For more information, visit FEMA.gov.