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Nebraska Severe Winter Storm, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding 2019

Nebraska Severe Winter Storm, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding 2019

SEVERE WINTER STORM, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING HELP FOR PEOPLE IN NEBRASKA

Please note this page is no longer being updated as of June 2019.

Disaster Legal Hotline: 1-844-268-5627

A severe winter storm, straight-line winds, and flooding hit areas in Nebraska on March 9, 2019. On March 21, 2019, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to the State of Nebraska to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected during this period. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. People in the following areas are eligible to receive federal disaster assistance. Additional areas may be designated later. 

  • Antelope, Boone, Boyd, Buffalo, Burt, Butler, Cass, Colfax, Cuming, Custer, Dodge, Douglas, Hall, Howard, Knox, Madison, Nance, Nemaha, Pierce, Platte, Richardson, Saline, Sarpy, Saunders, Stanton, Thurston and Washington counties and the Santee Sioux Nation

For DR-4420, assistance for affected individuals and families is available and people are urged to apply through FEMA.

Disaster Number: 4420

IMPORTANT DEADLINES

Deadline to Apply for Federal Disaster Assistance Extended to June 19, 2019
Appeal Your FEMA Decision Within 60 days of the date on the determination letter


Key resources for those impacted by this disaster

GOVERNMENT DISASTER RELIEF BENEFITS

Residents and businesses affected by this disaster can apply for government disaster relief benefits in several ways:

  • Online at DisasterAssistance.gov
  • On the FEMA Mobile App,
  • Text “DRC” and a zip code to 43362 (4FEMA) to locate a Disaster Recovery Center in your area (standard message and data rates apply), or by
  • Calling 800-621-3362 (FEMA). Applicants who use 711 or Video Relay Service may also call 800-621-3362. People who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585. The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET, seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available. Press 2 for Spanish and press 3 for other languages. 
  • For official news and press releases related to this disaster, please visit FEMA's News & Updates section. 
  • Note: Apply to FEMA to trigger the SBA Disaster loan process.
  • Download this quick guide for an overview on the disaster assistance process.

LEGAL ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES

  • A TOLL-FREE LEGAL AID HOTLINE is now available for survivors in Nebraska who cannot pay for an attorney:
    • Survivors may CALL 1-844-268-5627 toll-free 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM, Monday through Thursday and 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Fridays, to request assistance. 
    • Click here for the full press release. Individuals who qualify for assistance will be matched with a lawyer who has volunteered to provide free legal limited assistance.
    • If you are in need of legal assistance in regards to the current flooding, you can also apply online by going to lawhelpne.legalaidofnebraska.org.
  • Asistencia legal gratuita disponible para los sobrevivientes de INUNDACIÓN EN NEBRASKA. Puede llamar al 1-844-268-5627 para solicitar asistencia legal. Vea aquí para el comunicado de prensa y más información. 
  • For legal assistance and other helpful recovery information, you can visit:  
    • Legal Aid of Nebraska -The Disaster Relief Project works with the existing disaster response network to integrate civil legal services as part of a coordinated effort to prepare for, respond to and rebuild after a disaster.
    • Nebraska State Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project - VLP is a statewide pro bono program of the Nebraska State Bar Association, created by Nebraska lawyers with a common passion―an unwavering commitment to pursue equal justice under the law for the less fortunate and unrepresented in Nebraska. Click here for resources for the public.
    • ABA Free Legal Answers - Nebraska 
    • United Policyholders - United Policyholders specializes in helping disaster survivors with insurance claim issues.
    • ABA Disaster Legal Services Program: Through the Disaster Legal Services Program, the ABA Young Lawyers Division (ABA-YLD) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provide immediate temporary legal assistance to disaster survivors at no charge. Please visit their page for other disaster recovery resources.
  • If you need to appeal a FEMA denial on your own, please see here to get an interactive form to appeal and letter requesting a copy of your file.

OTHER RESOURCES THAT CAN HELP

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