Florida Hurricane Ian
Incident Period: Sep 23, 2022 - Nov 4, 2022
Declaration Date: Sep 29, 2022
Quick Links
- Recovery resources: State & Local | National
- Connect: Social Media | Mobile App & Text
- 24/7 counseling: Disaster Distress Helpline
More About This Disaster
Help for Individuals and Families After a Disaster
If you have insurance, you should file a claim with your insurance company immediately. FEMA assistance cannot aid with losses already covered by insurance.
Apply for Disaster Assistance
The fastest way to apply is through DisasterAssistance.gov. You can also apply through the FEMA mobile app or by calling 1-800-621-3362. If you use a video relay service, captioned telephone service, or other communication services, please provide FEMA the specific number assigned for that service.
Get Immediate Help
Find help with needs that FEMA is not authorized to provide. Check with your local emergency management officials, voluntary agencies or by dialing your local 2-1-1.
I Was Told to Call the Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has established facilities to provide business owners, nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters with answers to their questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help each person complete their electronic loan application. These facilities can be either virtual or brick-and-mortar, depending on the circumstances surrounding the disaster and other factors. Get more information about disaster loans.
To obtain information about the type of facility serving your area, the location(s), and the hours of operation, visit the section below titled “Local Resources” or call the SBA’s Disaster Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 or email DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov.
I Applied for Assistance. What's Next?
You will receive notification letters from FEMA either by U.S. mail or by electronic correspondence explaining your next steps. If you reported during the application process that you received damage and are not able to live in your primary residence, an inspector will contact you by phone to schedule an inspection. FEMA home inspections are conducted in-person; however, if you are apprehensive due to ongoing COVID-19 uncertainties, you can request we conduct the inspection without entering your home.
"Help After a Disaster" Brochures
Translated into 27 languages, the "Help After a Disaster" brochure is a tool that can be shared in your community to help people understand the types of FEMA assistance that may be available to support individuals and families in disaster recovery.
Local Resources
Local Offices
Local News & Media
Visit the News & Media page for events, fact sheets, press releases and other multimedia resources.
Help With Hurricane Ian Recovery
FEMA is hiring for more than 300 local positions in Brandon, Fort Myers, Kissimmee, Orlando and Sarasota, as the state of Florida continues recovering after Hurricane Ian. These positions are full-time, 120-day appointments that may be extended depending on operational needs. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply online.
Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC)
Impacted survivors from the approved designated counties can visit the nearest DRC for help to apply for assistance. Representatives from FEMA and U.S. Small Business Administration are available at these centers to explain disaster assistance programs, answer questions about written correspondence and provide literature about repairs and rebuilding to make homes more disaster resistant.
Residents who previously registered for assistance do not need to visit the DRC, but can ask questions or seek further information in person at the DRC in addition to online or by phone.
- American Sign Language (ASL): FEMA Registration Process - Registration
- American Sign Language (ASL): How to Register with Disaster Survivor Assistance
Citizenship and FEMA Eligibility
FEMA is committed to helping all eligible disaster survivors recover from Hurricane Ian, including U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals and qualified aliens.
Learn more about Citizenship and Immigration Status Requirements for Federal Public Benefits
How Do I Appeal the Final Decision?
If you receive a letter stating that you are ineligible for assistance or that your application is incomplete, you can still complete the application or appeal the decision within 60 days of receiving a decision letter. The letter would either be mailed to you or placed into your Disaster Assistance Center account, if you have set up an account.
Transitional Sheltering Assistance
FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance has been activated for Florida survivors allowing for short-term, emergency sheltering options in participating hotels.
In order to receive sheltering assistance, start by applying for assistance. You must have a FEMA registration ID and approval from FEMA to participate. If FEMA has reached out to you about sheltering assistance, you can look up participating hotels.
Frequently Asked Questions and Rumors
Learn more about common disaster-related rumors and how to report fraud. You can also get answers to frequently asked questions about emergency shelters, disaster assistance, flood insurance and more.
Additional Multimedia
Below you can find social media graphics and images with important safety messaging in various languages, including English, Chinese, Spanish and Vietnamese.
- Disaster Support Social Graphics
- American Sign Language (ASL): Reasons to Apply for an SBA Loan
- American Sign Language (ASL): Renters May be Eligible for Federal Help
- American Sign Language (ASL): Understanding Your Letter
Verifying Home Ownership or Occupancy
FEMA is required to verify you lived at the address in your application as your primary residence before providing most types of IHP Assistance. FEMA is also required to verify you owned your home before providing Home Repair or Replacement Assistance.
As part of our effort to make the disaster assistance process quicker and reduce the burden on applicants, we try to verify occupancy and ownership by using an automated public records search.
If we cannot verify you lived in or owned the home that you listed in your application, we will ask you to provide documents to prove occupancy and/or ownership to help us determine if you are eligible for assistance.
Find a Housing Counselor
US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides support to a nationwide network of housing counseling agencies (HCAs) and certified counselors. HUD participating HCAs are approved and trained to provide tools to current and prospective homeowners and renters so they can make responsible choices to address their housing needs in light of their financial situations.
How to Help
Volunteer and Donate
Recovery can take many years after a disaster. There are many ways to help such as donating cash, needed items or your time. Learn more about how to help those in need.
Don’t self-deploy to disaster areas. Trusted organizations in the affected areas know where volunteers are needed. Work with an established organization to make sure you have the appropriate safety, training and skills needed to respond.
FEMA Voluntary Agency Liaisons (VALs) build relationships and coordinate efforts with voluntary, faith-based and community organizations active in disasters.
Doing Business with FEMA
If you are interested in providing paid services and goods for disaster relief, visit our Doing Business with FEMA page to get started.
If you own a business involved with debris removal and want to work on clean-up efforts in affected areas, please contact the local government in affected areas to offer your services.
Funding Obligations
| Individual Assistance | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total Housing Assistance (HA) - Dollars Approved | $506,963,418.75 |
| Total Other Needs Assistance (ONA) - Dollars Approved | $326,124,083.52 |
| Total Individual & Households Program Dollars Approved | $833,087,502.27 |
| Individual Assistance Applications Approved | 363820 |
| Public Assistance | Amount |
|---|---|
| Emergency Work (Categories A-B) - Dollars Obligated | $417,870,546.25 |
| Total Public Assistance Grants Dollars Obligated | $417,870,546.25 |