FEMA going door-to-door to visit Kauai, Oahu residents affected by April floods

Federal Disaster Survivor Assistance teams on Tuesday began going door-to-door on Oahu and Kauai trying to register uninsured or underinsured renters and homeowners who may qualify for federal assistance after suffering damage during April’s rains and flooding that triggered landslides and mudslides.

Teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency continued reaching out on the Fourth of July, said Ben Barron, FEMA’s Disaster Survivor Assistance branch director.

“We’ve actually got teams in the field now conducting that outreach in both counties, Honolulu County and Kauai County,” Barron said Wednesday.

Disaster assistance can include FEMA grants for temporary housing, home repairs and replacement, as well as low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration. The loans are intended to cover losses not fully covered by insurance.

The effort will last until the teams believe they have contacted everyone who may qualify for FEMA disaster aid or connect them to other services, Barron said.

The team members wear FEMA attire and carry FEMA photo IDs. People are encouraged to ask to see the IDs if they are not displayed.

The teams will be asking for private information including Social Security number; bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit of funds; address of the damaged property; description of the damage; information about insurance coverage; telephone number and address to receive mail.

Residents also can register in person at state and federal Disaster Recovery Centers on Kauai and Oahu; online at DisasterAssistance.gov; or by calling 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585.