FEMA Assistance Available Following Hurricane Helene

Ways to Apply:

• Visit DisasterAssistance.gov
• Use the FEMA App
• Call 800-621-3362 from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET daily (multilingual operators available)

Please have the following information ready when applying:

• A current phone number where you can be contacted
• Your address at the time of the disaster and your current address
• Your Social Security number
• A general list of damage and losses
• Banking information for direct deposit
• Insurance details, including policy numbers, agent, and company name if applicable

If you have homeowners, renters, or flood insurance, file a claim as soon as possible. FEMA cannot duplicate benefits for losses covered by insurance, but if your policy doesn’t cover all expenses, you may be eligible for additional federal assistance.

For an accessible video on how to apply for assistance, visit FEMA's YouTube page.

Stay updated on Florida’s recovery at FEMA.gov/Disaster/4794, or follow FEMA on X (formerly Twitter) at X.com/FEMARegion4 or on Facebook.com/FEMA.

SBA Business Assistance Available Following Hurricane Helene

If your business was affected by Hurricane Helene, you may be eligible for a low-interest Small Business Disaster Loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). These loans can help you recover and rebuild, covering physical damages and economic losses.

How to Apply:

You can apply for disaster loans online through the SBA MySBA Loan Portal at https://Lending.sba.gov or visit a locally announced SBA Business Recovery Center (Leon County does not yet have a Center).

Need Assistance?

For additional support, contact SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 or email at DisasterCustomerService@SBA.gov. For hearing or speech disabilities, dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The deadline for physical damage applications is November 27, 2024, and for economic injury applications is June 30, 2025.

For more information, visit: www.SBA.gov/Disaster.

Disaster Planning and Recovery Resources

The following includes a list of resources for disaster planning and recovery resources in Florida: 

• FloridaDisaster.org contains a summary of currently open general and special needs shelters within the State of Florida
• The Visit Florida website contains current travel safety information as well as resources for hotel and lodging availability across the state of Florida
• The American Red Cross shelter directory contains a list of currently open American Red Cross shelters across the country.

American Red Cross Reunification Portal

If you need assistance locating or connecting with a loved one in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina or Tennessee because of Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Milton, the Red Cross may be able to help. Visit the American Red Cross Reunification Portal.

Important Resources for Evacuees Considering Returning Home

Before returning to your neighborhood, consider these resources to determine if the area is "reasonably safe":

• State Assistance Information Line:
  Call 1-800-342-3557 for information on disaster assistance and updates.
• Florida 511:
  Visit https://fl511.com to check for any road or bridge closures that may prevent access to your neighborhood.
• County Emergency Management Agency:
  Contact your County Emergency Management Agency for local updates. Visit https://www.floridadisaster.org/planprepare/counties/ for a list of county emergency management websites.
• Utilities Provider:
  Check the status of electricity for your home by contacting your utilities provider. Use the "Search Utility by Name" feature on the Florida Public Service Commission website: https://www.psc.state.fl.us/find-utility.

County Waives Permit Fees for Storm-Related Repairs

In response to Hurricane Helene, Leon County will waive growth management and building permit fees for storm-related repairs, along with permit fees for the removal of storm-damaged trees, to alleviate the financial burden for residents in the unincorporated area. 

Those interested in the fee waiver should contact Leon County Development Support and Environmental Management at 850-606-1300 or visit LeonCountyFL.gov/DSEM.

Other Assistance

• Disaster Legal Hotline is open to assist and refer callers. The number is 833-514-2940
• Samaritan's Purse hotline: 1-833-747-1234
• Free Assistance for homeowners affected by the disaster.
• Volunteers may be able to assist with removal of personal property and furniture, flood cleanup, sanitizing with shockwave treatment, chainsaw work & Debris Clean-up, temporary roof tarping.
• 2-1-1 is open and ready to receive calls
• Individuals can call for up-to-the-minute information including school closures and sandbag distributions.
• Local Social Services Referral.
• Red Cross Hotline is open to assist survivors: 1-800-Red Cross
• Florida Baptists Disaster Relief Public Assistance: 904-253-0502 or text Helene to 27123
• Free Assistance for homeowners affected by the disaster.
• Volunteers may be able to assist with Storm Debris Cleanup, Temporary Roof Tarping, Chainsaw work and Muck outs
• Crisis Cleanup number: 844-965-1386

The Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR)  issued Emergency Order 400385-24 to protect policyholders impacted by Hurricane Helene. The order applies to all insurers in the state and policyholders in Alachua, Charlotte, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Franklin, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Suwannee, Taylor, and Wakulla counties. The order:

• Extends grace periods for any policy, provision, notice, correspondence, or law that imposes a time limit upon an insured to perform any act until November 26, 2024. 
• Prohibits the cancellation or nonrenewal of a policy in an impacted area, except at the written request of the policyholder, until November 26, 2024. 
• Prohibits the cancellation or nonrenewal of a personal residential or commercial residential property insurance policy covering a property repaired as a result of damage from Hurricane Idalia for a period of 90 days after it has been repaired. 
• Directs insurers, surplus lines and other regulated entities to implement processes and procedures to facilitate the efficient payment of claims.

• LeonReady.com – The Leon Ready website is a hub of resources to help you, your family and your neighborhood prepare for disasters. There are a variety of resources available, like the County’s Disaster Survival Guide, a full list of disaster supplies for your disaster bucket, and so much more, to increase your readiness.

• Download the Leon County Citizens Connect Mobile App - Completely redesigned, the Citizens Connect mobile app puts timely emergency notifications at your fingertips through push notifications on your smartphone or other device. Be the first to know about shelter locations, road closures and service changes by downloading the application from the Apple and Google Play stores.

• Visit the Leon County Emergency Information Portal - Hosting the same information as the Citizens Connect app, the Emergency Information Portal can be accessed on a desktop or a mobile browser by visiting LeonCountyFL.gov/ei.

• Additionally, iHeartRadio will also provide updates on the following stations: WFLA-FM 100.7, WFLF-FM 94.5, WTNT 94.9, KISS-FM 107.1, X-FM101.5, and The Beat-FM 105.3.

• Listen to 88.9 WFSU-FM - Citizens can tune in to 88.9 FM for the most up-to-date information from local public safety officials. Featuring up-to-the-minute reporting, WFSU, Leon County and the City of Tallahassee remain committed to getting information out on the radio as soon as possible.

• Call 2-1-1 Big Bend - If you need community information, services and support any day of the year, Big Bend 2-1-1 is reachable by dialing either 2-1-1 or 850-617-6333.

• Call 850-606-3700 with questions - Leon County Emergency Management staff is available to answer questions about how you should prepare, act and recover. 

• For updates on City of Tallahassee Utilities and other City services, visit Talgov.com

Stay prepared by visiting LeonReady.com for disaster resilience resources and guides.